Mum was frowning. ‘Did you say thank you to Leon for coaching you?’

‘No need,’ Leon said. ‘He caught on really quick.’

‘Thank you, Leon,’ Max said in the same singsong voice he used at school to say good morning to Miss Myrtle.

Mum swiped him over the head, right where she’d just kissed him. ‘Cheeky bugger.’

‘He’s okay.’ Leon’s hands were in his pockets and he looked awkward. Max hadn’t realised Mum could make Leon feel that way, and he felt sorry for Leon. Hopefully Leon would kick goals today and win for the men’s team, so he would get some praise too.

On the way home, Mum dropped in at the takeaway to buy hot chips for lunch.

‘Hey, Max,’ Miki said, ‘how did you go today?’

‘We won. I kicked a goal.’ He felt himself grow a few centimetres taller.

‘Good for you.’

‘Leon’s been coaching him,’ Mum explained. ‘He’s good with kids.’

‘Yes, he seems very nice,’ Miki said.

Max noticed Kurt staring at Miki and looking unfriendly. Mum noticed it too; Max could tell by the way her smile faded into a frown. ‘Your brother could take a leaf out of his book,’ Mum said quietly to Miki. ‘Looks like he’s been eating lemons.’

Max knew Mum was trying to be funny, but Miki’s eyes went tight and she didn’t laugh.

‘You poor thing,’ Mum murmured. ‘Kurt needs to get off your back.’

At home, Mum wanted to put Max’s muddy jersey in the wash, but he wouldn’t let her because he wanted to wear it to the men’s game.

Mum shrugged and said, ‘You’re wet, and you’ll get cold in the wind.’ Max didn’t care. Six points he’d scored for his team today. He’d helped them to get their first win.

But when they were down at the oval watching the men’s game, Max wished he’d taken Mum’s advice. The wind was blasting like a tornado, and it cut straight through to his skin. Mum shook her head at him and pulled dry clothes from her bag. Max put on a jumper and coat and a beanie, and felt better straight away. After that, he hung on the rail and swung upside down while the men warmed up on the field. All that running around this morning had made him thirsty, so he plucked a can of Coke from Dad’s esky. Suzie wanted one too, so he gave her Fanta because orange was her favourite colour. He didn’t notice she was shaking it up, so when she asked him to open it for her it squirted everywhere—and Mum told him off. Couldn’t she see he was trying to help?

When the men ran past, Max waved to Leon who gave him a wink. He heard Toby say to Leon, ‘Know anything about eagles, Parkie?’