Your Time

Chapter 8

{January 2020}

Harrison had decided this was his last game, and that he was officially going to retire. "You sure you're going through with this?" Carrie asked, leaning against the wall.

He nodded, standing in front of her, far enough in the tunnel he couldn't be seen. "I'm getting old for this, and we're going start plans with another child. And besides, I don't know if I have it in me to play through another contract."

"I know," she whispered, placing her hands firmly on his shoulder pads. "I can't believe I'm saying this for the last time, but kick some ass for me. And the kids."

"I will," he smiled kissing her gently.

When he ended the kiss, he noticed tears sparkling in her eyes. Harrison then pulled her against his heavily padded chest. "I can't believe you're going to be done. I can't believe it was that long ago when you got drafted and won your first Super Bowl."

Resting his chin on her head, he whispered, "it was going to have to end at some point. I can't play forever."

Neither of them noticed the thud of cleats echoing down the hallway. "Your impact on the game will last forever," his teammate Jason told him, clapping him on the back as he walked into the locker room.

"He's right," Carrie told him as she wrapped her arms around him. "Those records you've set aren't going to be touched. Ever."

"You think?"

She nodded. "Nobody's even come close to the records before you. You're going to hold them forever."

"I hope so."

Carrie pressed against his chest, not wanting to let him go and play his final game. "I'm going to miss watching you play."

Harrison picked her up. "I'm going to miss seeing you sitting up there with the kids. I could always look up there when I needed to and you'd give me a new sense of confidence."

She quickly pressed a kiss to his lips. "Now go kick some ass for me," she told him, barely able to get the words out as his fingers slipped from hers.

"I will."

•••

Carrie was surprised when the Cowboys took the field for warmups much earlier than they normally did. And it was the last regular season game, not even a playoff game. They didn't have a good enough record to make the playoffs.

But when she realized what they were doing, she almost lost it. "Mom what's going on?"

Harrison jogged out to midfield where a podium was set up where Cowboys owner Jerry Jones stood. "Mom?"

"They're retiring your fathers number."

"Really?"

Carrie nodded. Mr. Jones gave a short speech before handing Harrison a plaque engraved with his name, number, years he played, and records he broke. After the speech, everyone turned their attention to the roof where they unveiled his jersey and number.

It was lonely up there. Harrison was the first and only player to have his number retired by the Cowboys. Number 56 would never be worn again by a Cowboys player.

•••

Everyone applauded and chanted Harrison's name as he jogged on the field for the Buccaneers first possession. The Cowboys were already up 7-0. As he took his normal position, the crowd roaring so loud she doubted the other defenders could hear him shouting out the new play call.

The Bucs quarterback jogged back to the center and a little bit to his left and right, shouting out a new play. But with the Harrison chant echoing all around, the receivers were confused.

Carrie laughed when they got called for a delay of game. From where she and the kids sat, she had a perfect view of Harrison smiling under his helmet. As the Bucs huddle broke up, the defenders all took their positions for the snap.

Harrison immediately backed up into coverage, reading the pass play. The tight end took of downfield, surprising the defense. There was nobody covering him. Noticing the gap in coverage, Harrison intercepted the tight end, following him all the way downfield.

The play turned out to be the Hail Mary, with all the Buccaneers receivers running downfield.  He ran stride by stride with the tight end, turning at just the right time to see the ball flying towards them. Harrison kept running, realizing it was an overthrow. But maybe he could intercept it.

Carrie watched as he dove forward, arms extended as the football fell towards the ground. But it was too overthrown for him to catch. He hit the ground and slid five yards across the turf as the ball landed a few yards in front of him.

"Good run Harry," she said to herself.

During the second half, he played even better than the first half. He made an interception, running it back 50 yards. Following the interception, the Cowboys offense turned it into a touchdown.

They were beating the Buccaneers 24-0. Harrison set up at the line with the defensive tackles. Carrie's favorite thing to see him do was juke out the tackle and sack the quarterback. That's exactly what he did.

As the ball was snapped, he shot forward, immediately blocked by the Bucs right tackle. The tackle was no match for him as he spun around the block, getting himself a straight path to the quarterback. The Buccaneers quarterback didn't see Harrison until he was on his back, pinned under him. Carrie and the kids chanted his name along with the rest of the crowd.

•••

It was the last play of them game, the score now 35-0. Carrie stood in the tunnel with the kids, embracing the moment that would be her husband's last play of his career. He was at his normal spot, a few feet behind the line of scrimmage.

It was a handoff to the running back. She watched Harrison track the running back breaking through the line of scrimmage, and take the angle that would cut him off. As he closed the gap on the running back, the running back tried to stop, but was still tackled by Harrison.

The ball popped out from the running backs arms, recovered by Harrison who put a knee down to end the game.

With the kids next to her, she jogged out to meet him after the game. Harrison found her and the kids immediately. Jogging over to them, he pulled his jersey over his head, handing it to Carrie before hugging her and the kids.

"I can't believe it's over."

"Me too daddy."

"Hey," he told them. "Now I get to spend more time with you guys."

They all smiled, even little Billie who made her way into her daddy's arms. "I love you guys."