There are numerous alliances formed in Naked Hero. Lewis Macleod and Chantal Duboir is an obvious one, and understandably so. But in The Journey Away, some unlikely alliances are formed, and the first is between Fiona Murdoch and Lee Porter.
Fiona's objectives are simple - her aim is to safeguard the well being of Lewis, her surrogate son. Lee is a clear threat to that, and she is rightly wary of him. But she recognises the positives in him, and having been invited to Melbourne to attend a match, his presence offers an opportunity to address a huge problem that has cropped up. Lee's objectives are less clear - they have become muddied due to emotions that are alien to him. But he appears to want to help, for whatever reason, so Fiona decided to confide in him. It is a cagey game these two unlikely allies play, but they engage nonetheless. Here's a snippet from their first conversation....
“Does he mean that much to him?” Lee asked, trying to force down the emotion - the one he couldn’t put a name to.
Fiona heard it in his voice anyway – jealousy, and a degree of concern that couldn’t be faked. Her protective nature and intuition would have heard the falsehood had it lay there - so she decided to try and help him, despite the wariness she felt. “Let’s not confuse what we’re talking about here.
Scott Taylor was the player that Lewis admired the most, he still is. It was a huge thing for him when Scott agreed to help. He had so much to offer, and Lewis listened to him. I don’t think he was really listening to Jim any more. Scott was able to help a lot, mainly because of who he was: the most important person in tennis, as far as Lewis was concerned - and the person who could hurt him the
most with his rejection.”
“When is he needed?”
“Now!” snapped Fiona, betraying a little anger. “But as I say - perhaps not that much tonight. Tomorrow, at the practice, that’s when Lewis will really miss him... It would be nice if you were to be there in his place.”
“Is that all I’d be? A poor substitute for Scott Taylor,” said Lee, betraying more of his unnamed emotion that he cared for.
Fiona heard it again, loud and clear this time, and it earned Lee Porter some more of her wisdom. “At tomorrow’s practice – yes, that’s all you’d be. But thereafter - who knows. That would be for you to work on. But I’ll tell you this. No one, as far as tennis is concerned, could compete with Scott
Taylor. But tennis is not the most important thing for Lewis - it never was.
There’s a void that was left in his life years ago. Filling that void would mean more to him than any trophy - including the one that’s already got his name on it... Now, if you’ll excuse me - I need to go and do something with this old face if I’m to appear on television tonight.”
Fiona's objectives are simple - her aim is to safeguard the well being of Lewis, her surrogate son. Lee is a clear threat to that, and she is rightly wary of him. But she recognises the positives in him, and having been invited to Melbourne to attend a match, his presence offers an opportunity to address a huge problem that has cropped up. Lee's objectives are less clear - they have become muddied due to emotions that are alien to him. But he appears to want to help, for whatever reason, so Fiona decided to confide in him. It is a cagey game these two unlikely allies play, but they engage nonetheless. Here's a snippet from their first conversation....
“Does he mean that much to him?” Lee asked, trying to force down the emotion - the one he couldn’t put a name to.
Fiona heard it in his voice anyway – jealousy, and a degree of concern that couldn’t be faked. Her protective nature and intuition would have heard the falsehood had it lay there - so she decided to try and help him, despite the wariness she felt. “Let’s not confuse what we’re talking about here.
Scott Taylor was the player that Lewis admired the most, he still is. It was a huge thing for him when Scott agreed to help. He had so much to offer, and Lewis listened to him. I don’t think he was really listening to Jim any more. Scott was able to help a lot, mainly because of who he was: the most important person in tennis, as far as Lewis was concerned - and the person who could hurt him the
most with his rejection.”
“When is he needed?”
“Now!” snapped Fiona, betraying a little anger. “But as I say - perhaps not that much tonight. Tomorrow, at the practice, that’s when Lewis will really miss him... It would be nice if you were to be there in his place.”
“Is that all I’d be? A poor substitute for Scott Taylor,” said Lee, betraying more of his unnamed emotion that he cared for.
Fiona heard it again, loud and clear this time, and it earned Lee Porter some more of her wisdom. “At tomorrow’s practice – yes, that’s all you’d be. But thereafter - who knows. That would be for you to work on. But I’ll tell you this. No one, as far as tennis is concerned, could compete with Scott
Taylor. But tennis is not the most important thing for Lewis - it never was.
There’s a void that was left in his life years ago. Filling that void would mean more to him than any trophy - including the one that’s already got his name on it... Now, if you’ll excuse me - I need to go and do something with this old face if I’m to appear on television tonight.”