Out on the Field

Chapter 46

Colby's POV

One of the best things that we did during training camp was getting to meet a few kids through the Make-a-Wish foundation. I was the first one in like usual and Coach started telling me that I little kid was going to come and join us for the day.

Most of the team was here when he arrived with his parents. He was probably about five or six and Coach me to welcome him. At first I didn't know how I got that job but when I got closer I could see that he was wearing my jersey.

I knelt down so that I was at his height and introduced myself. At first he was a little bit shocked but then he told me that his name was Cody. His parents told me that he had leukaemia and that he wanted to come and meet us for his wish.

I smiled at him and lifted him up onto my shoulders.

"To the locker room," I told him.

It made him laugh as we walked to the locker room and I made sure that he didn't fall off my shoulders. Most of the guys were already in there and I walked around and introduced Cody to everyone. Due to the fact that I was shorter than everyone else on the team even on my shoulders he was still shorter than some of the taller guys.

I had to put Cody down so that I could change and someone had found him his own training jersey, pads and helmet. I changed and sat down so that I could lace my cleats. Cody was struggling with the pads and I helped him pull him on before we headed out onto the field.

Cody was one of the cutest kids you have ever seen. He ran around with all the energy in the world and he joined in with our training. He would catch all balls that were thrown at him and he was smiling the whole time.

Training finished but Cody didn't want to leave yet so Christian and I let him join in our extra training. Christian would alternate between throwing them to me and to Cody. We were out there for another hour before Cody started to get tired.

He wanted to join everyone for lunch so I lifted him back onto my shoulders and we walked back into the locker room. I helped him pull his pads off and I changed as well into shorts and a Texans shirt. I grabbed a smaller plate for Cody and I full plate for me.

I lifted him off my shoulders and sat him down at the table. I introduced him to all the secondary players. Cody was talkative and he was talking to everyone. Our whole table was listening to him talk about his friends.

His parents came over and Cody started telling them about his day.

"Thank you for looking after him," his Dad said.

"Cody is a good kid. I had a lot of fun with him today," I told him.

His parents both smiled at me and Cody had finished eating and he started talking to me again. He had so many things to say. He wasn't happy when he had to head home with his parents. I wrapped him in a hug before we left.

"I have something to give you," I told him before we left.

I led him and his parents back into the locker room and I pulled out one of my game jerseys from last year. It was a navy blue one and it was from the last game last season and I had got team to sign it.

"Thank you so much," Cody said and when I knelt down he hugged me.

He pulled it on and it was way too big for him but he loved it anyway.

"Good luck and come to our games when you can," I told him.

This year we were playing against the Saints in our first game. I had been working as hard as I can during the last week before the game. I was consistently the first person at the training centre and the last one out the end of the day.

The only person that was close to spending as much here as me was Christian because we often worked together. I was the only person that he told just how nervous he was. There is a lot of pressure on him because he was a high draft pick and he is the starting quarterback.

I didn't really know how to calm him down because I'm not good at that sort of thing but I think by helping him train it helped him. It was a home game so we all stood in the locker room. Coach was giving us one last message before we took the field.

The crowd was loud when we ran out onto the field. I glanced around I could see Clara. She always came to the games when she could and I liked seeing her there. The Saints started with the ball and it meant that I was on the field first.

I was lining up against Adam and I was excited. I had done a lot of film study on this offense so I knew what sort of routes they were going to run. This was a mostly passing offense so I knew that I was going to be running a bit.

They got two first downs and then a pass came towards me. I reached my hands up and pulled the ball down and started off the other way. I made it into the end zone after stiff arming Adam. I smirked at him before I got swamped by teammates.

We won the game. Adam and the Saints' offense couldn't get going and Christian and our offense played well. We headed back into the locker room and we were all in a good mood after a win. Coach gave a quick talk before letting us go.

I pulled my pads off and I moved across the room to talk to Christian. He was in a good mood because he had played well and it calmed his nerves a bit. I talked to him for a while before I talked to TJ, Blake and Curtis, the other starting safety. We were the starting secondary and we talked about the game for a bit before I was needed to talk to the media

I was talking after Coach and before Christian so I headed up to talk. I hate these things but I had to talk about the game. There wasn't much to say except that we had won our first game in the season. I high-fived Christian as I headed away from the podium.

Clara was waiting for me outside. I pulled my jacket on and we headed home. I thought that I might offer to go out for dinner with her but once the game was finished I realised that I didn't feel like it so we headed home instead.

I managed to avoid seeing Adam and I wasn't complaining because I picked him off three times. Clara started to make dinner as I iced my ankle. It wasn't injured but it hurt a little bit and icing it never hurts.

"Good to win?" she asked.

"It was pretty good especially since it was against Adam," I smirked.

We settled into a comfortable conversation as Clara finished cooking. I grabbed a plate from her and we sat down at the table. Clara's food was good but I noticed that she was nervous. Her hands were shaking a little bit and I looked at her.

"What's the matter?" I asked her.

"I have something to tell you," she said shakily.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I'm pregnant."

......................................................................................................................................................................................................

Comment and Vote

The Wise One