Are You Ready For Some Football?

The game, to no one's surprise, was more of a rout than anything else. The first of the eight-minute quarters wasn't too bad all things considered. Parker's team scored a touchdown early on, but the freshmen were smaller, slower, and much less coordinated as a team than their JV counterparts; some of whom looked like men rather than boys.

By half-time it was clear who was going to win and the freshmen who had started the game full of vigor and confidence were now weary and humbled. As per the guidelines both teams had agreed to for the practice game, it was all second-string players out on the field for the last two quarters.

Booth moved to the edge of his seat as Parker took his first snap as a high school quarterback, then winced when the offensive line collapsed and he took his first hit. To his credit, Parker got right back up and took charge of the huddle to refocus his teammates. This time when the ball was snapped the play went off without a hitch, though they only gained a few yards. It was enough to buoy their flagging spirits for the moment and that only increased as they made their way slowly down the field. Parker still took a few hard knocks, but the JV second-string team was closer to the freshmen's size, so it was more of a fair match-up.

Years of pitching for his Little League teams and playing quarterback since his first season in Pop Warner ball meant that Parker's arm was well conditioned and that he was fairly comfortable leading his team when they were on the field. They didn't end up scoring on that first possession, but they got close and on the second drive Parker connected with his receiver down-field for a touchdown that cause the freshman side of the stands to erupt with a loud cheer. It was the only touchdown he threw that night, but they did score two more field goals and the defense held their own as well, keeping the score lower than Booth had guessed it would be in the end.

"You were awesome, Parker!" exclaimed Sadie as the entire family gathered at the diner after the game.

"I was okay," Parker shrugged. "We still lost."

"Those guys were huge, though," Sadie's eyes were as wide as saucers.

"They really were," agreed Joey. "The other teams won't be nearly that big, I'll bet."

The debate went back and forth as the three went over every play in the second half. Parker still focused on the fact that he'd been sacked over and over again and had only scored one touchdown, while Sadie and Joey pointed out that he'd also gotten them in field goal range twice.

"Hey, Parks," Maddie interrupted, elbowing him in the ribs and pointing toward the front door, "somebody's looking for you."

A girl with chestnut brown hair that hung down a little past her shoulders waved shyly at him and walked over to their table.

"Hi, Maddie," the girl smiled, though her eyes kept flicking over to Parker.

"Hey, Cara," Maddie smiled back. "You wanna sit with us?"

The four adult at the next table back hid their smiles behind their coffee mugs as the girls sat down and introductions were made.

"Cara was one of the first girls to befriend Maddie in her grade," Bones told Rebecca and Drew. "She's been over to Cara's house several times in the past."

"Something tells me Cara's going to want to come over to our place more often now," Booth winked.

The adults chuckled, drawing a few looks from the kids' table, so they quieted down and went back to their coffee and dessert.

"Parker really did do a great job out there tonight," Booth changed the subject, a proud grin on his face. "Give him a couple more years and he'll be just like his old man."

"A self-assured athlete who fornicates under the bleachers?" his wife raised an arched eyebrow at him.

Booth blanched, Drew spewed coffee across the table, and Becca smirked and gave the other woman a nod of approval. Booth stuttered trying to get a reply out, then shook his head and decided it would be safer just to eat his pie. A few minutes later, Sadie came over and climbed up in his lap, declaring that big kids were boring. Joey pulled his chair over next, claiming he was still starving and proving it by finishing another burger along with the rest of Sadie's fries.

By the time all of the food was gone, Sadie had crawled onto her mother's lap and was fast asleep. Becca and Drew announced that they needed to get going, so Booth offered to grab Parker's stuff from Bones' SUV while the kids said their goodbyes.

"I'm proud of how well you played tonight, Son," Booth told him when they were alone on the sidewalk waiting for Drew to bring the car around. "You might not have scored as much as you wanted, but you kept your cool and did a good job keeping everyone else focused too."

Parker's cheeks tinged with pink at the praise as he nodded, "Coach said the same thing. Wish he'd let me start, though."

"Hey," Booth took the teen- who could almost look him in the eye- by the shoulders, "don't worry about that, okay? Your job is to be the best quarterback you can be for your team. Whether or not you start will work itself out eventually, but don't let not having what you want keep you from doing your best."

"If I do my best then he'll start me?" he asked hopefully.

"I can't say, Parks," admitted Booth. "He might notice or he might not. What you have to decide is if you're going to let that mess with how you play the game."

There was so much more he wanted to say, but Drew pulled up and Becca jumped out, and it was time to say goodbye. He gave Parker a hearty back pounding and let him go.

"He's growing up fast," Becca commented wistfully.

"Yeah," grunted Booth as they exchanged a look only parents of the same child could.

"Here," Becca suddenly thrust a manilla folder at him.

"What's this?" he asked warily.

"Just look it over and let me know what you think, alright?" the words tumbled nervously from her lips as she turned to leave.

"Sure," he agreed.

As Drew's car drove out of sight Booth's fingers itched to see what was inside, but his family was spilling out of the diner so he did his best to keep his mind off of it. Instead, he helped Bones load the still-sleeping Sadie in Bones' car and motioned Joey to come back with him.

"See you at home," he said, leaning in through the driver's side window to give his wife a quick kiss.

"Drive safely," she smiled back.

Booth nodded and he and Joey headed back to his SUV down the street. They talked about football and how happy Joey was just to have made the team. He asked the boy if he was nervous about starting in a new school on Monday and Joey said he wasn't since he knew some of the guys from football now. He wasn't, however, looking forward to the uniform. Booth couldn't blame him there, but pointed out that he had to wear a suit and tie every day; so Joey should be glad his uniform was just a polo shirt and khakis.

Before long they were all home and met very little resistance when bedtime was announced almost as soon as they walked through the door. Sadie, in fact, was still asleep and barely stirred as Booth carried her up the stairs, gently laying her down and tucking her in, though a sleepy grin spread unconsciously across her face as he laid a kiss on her brow and whispered goodnight.

He turned to find Maddie standing in the doorway, observing everything, but saying nothing as she did so often. Without hesitation he smiled and opened his arms to her, the smile widening as she stepped into them and wrapped her arms around him too.

"I love you," he murmured into her hair.

"Me too," came the muffled reply at his shoulder as the hug tightened. Maddie pulled back just far enough to look up at him before softly saying, "Sorry for earlier."

"I might've been a little harsh," Booth admitted with a shrug.

Maddie chuckled all of a sudden, "Mom talked to you too, huh?"

"Yep," he chuckled with her.

"She's awesome," Maddie's smile was wide.

Booth nodded, "I couldn't agree more."