Your Time

Chapter 11

Adam walked through the house with sweat dripping from his face.

"Dad wore you out huh?" Carrie asked, taking a break from cutting an onion.

He nodded. "We had to do a ton of running."

Harrison put his hands on Adam's shoulders. "That's conditioning for you."

"But dad we have a game tomorrow."

Harrison smiled. "Doesn't matter."

"Yeah it does. We're all going to be tired," Adam complained, plopping himself on a kitchen chair.

Harrison sat next to his son. "I know you don't like conditioning. But it helps you. You know how we ran lines today at practice?" He waited for a nod. "Those are to help build up your stamina. You're going to find out real quickly that being a wide receiver is going to be very tiring. And you're going to need your stamina to keep you going."

"Your father is right."

"Adam you wouldn't believe what I used to do with the Cowboys. We would spend a three hour practice all on conditioning."

"That's a lot dad."

"I know. And believe me, you will see the difference after the conditioning."

"Okay dad," he said standing up. "After dinner, can you throw a few passes for me?"

"Of course."

After Adam ran upstairs, Harrison helped Carrie finish dinner. "You really kicked his ass today," she admitted.

"I know, but that's the life of a football player. How do you expect to make it through a game as a wideout without conditioning."

"I see your point Harry."

He stood behind her with both hands on her belly. "How's our little man doing?"

They both felt him kick. "Well he's happy to see his daddy."

Carrie was just into her eight month, nearing her due date. She placed her hands on the back of his and leaned into his chest. "Now hotshot, grab me another onion."

•••

After dinner Harrison threw some passes for his son as promised. He could see the difference with conditioning and so could Adam. "You see what I was talking about earlier? You're a lot less winded."

As he launched another pass for his son, he noticed Adam was getting a lot faster. On a ball normally well over his head, he was catching it with the tips of his fingers. "Good!" He told him as Adam caught the ball and immediately tucked it in to his body as his father instructed.

Adam had progressed a lot over the summer. He was getting better at judging the distance of the ball, and he was also getting better at reading the other teams defense. For being nine years old, he was really good.

"Come on dad," he muttered, running the ball back to his father. "Let's see your arm."

Harrison laughed. "If you say so."

Adam took off down the backyard as Harrison launched the ball. He underestimated his fathers arm as the ball landed another 20 feet in front of him. "How's the arm!?"

He picked up the ball and threw it back to Harrison. "Too good dad."

•••

The next day was Adam's first game of tackle football. Carrie watched from the side with Emma, Billie, and Debbie as he jogged out onto the field wearing number 10.

"He looks so much like his dad," Debbie said from beside her.

Adam really did. In his white jersey and blue pants, he looked like a mini version of Harrison. He even wore a dark blue sleeve on his right arm just as Harrison had.

Adam's best friend Ben jogged out next to him, patting him on the back before taking his spot at quarterback. Harrison and Ben's dad Greg were able to get a team together at the last minute. One of the teams that wasn't taken was the Cowboys which Harrison immediately said yes too. And today they were playing the Texans.

Carrie couldn't get over how much Adam looked like his dad out there on the field. He wore his jersey sleeves the same way as Harrison and he wore high top cleats. Harrison and Carrie surprised him with a pair of his dad's custom cleats for his first game.

He stood with a hand on his hip as the rest of his teammates jogged onto the field. And he stood just like Harrison. While waiting for an injury or penalty Harrison would stand with most of his weight on his right leg and a hand on his hip while sometimes kicking at the turf.

Once all the boys were on the field and ready to go, Harrison began shouting out play calls. Carrie smiled, seeing him standing on the sidelines with the sheet of play calls. He stood like an NFL coach with his arms crossed over his chest, flapping the play book in his hand.

Adam set up on the line of scrimmage waiting for the ball to be snapped. He was anxious and that was obvious. He almost jumped the line a few times. With where he stood, it was only a few feet from his dad. Carrie saw him shake his head and smile when Harrison must've told him to calm down.

Finally the ball was snapped, Adam getting a great jump and starting on his slant route. The other receivers were all running straight routes. Most of the Texans defenders took off after their other receivers, leaving Adam wide open. It was an easy pass for Ben who led his buddy perfectly.

Adam caught the ball against his helmet, stopping against his momentum and spinning around a defender. He kept going, avoiding a few more defenders before he was brought down on the Cowboys 45 yard line.

Carrie, Debbie, Billie, and Emma all clapped for Adam's first reception. Billie tapped Carrie's shoulder. "Adam's really good."

"He is."

Towards the end of the game, the Cowboys were inside the Texans 10 yard line. Carrie waited anxiously for the next play, knowing Harrison would have something creative in place. Sure enough he did.

Ben caught the snap, faking it to their running back. Adam who was also in the backfield snuck out as the attention was drawn to the running back who didn't have the ball. Soon Ben passed it to Adam who ran it in for a touchdown.

Carrie laughed so hard seeing Adam pull his daddy's touchdown dance. Even Harrison was laughing from the sidelines. Adam was something else.

After the game Harrison and Adam came over to the rest of them. "You know that dance is copyrighted?" Harrison teased.

"No it's not dad."

Harrison just laughed. "Good job today."

"Thanks dad."