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The Line of Scrimmage

Mercedes Jones checked her watch as she drove across town to pick up her son. She hated being late, but there was an incident at the bank she managed and she had to take care of it.

It seemed like today was just a day of inconveniences, especially since her son's car had a flat this morning and she had to arrange a ride for him to get to practice. The boy was nineteen and still acted like a kid sometimes. But he was her heart.

Jordan Malik Jones came into this world when Mercedes was a kid herself. Finding out she was pregnant at sixteen, her whole world spun on its axis. Having to tell her family, see the disappointed looks on their faces. Trying to stop her brother from kicking her boyfriend's ass and finally letting Malik at her ex when he called her a slut swearing the kid wasn't his.

After she received the DNA test she went to him, showing him the results and letting him know that whether he wanted her to or not, she was having their child. And he made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with her.

As scary as the situation was, Mercedes was lucky. Her mom was a Godsend and her brother took up the fatherly role for Jordan. He took the boy to games and is the one who got him into football.

While Mercedes was in school trying to get her BA, in Business, her mother and brother helped babysit, and sometimes helped them with a place to live. It was hard, but so worth it every time she saw her son smile.

Once she graduated, she got a job at First Merit Bank, and that is where she has been for the last twelve years. Working her way up from a bank teller to the CBO, (Chief Banking Officer), she made sure that her son had everything that he needed and wanted.

Because Anthony denied their child, his family wanted nothing to do with Mercedes or Jordan, so she was determined to show her son they didn't need anyone in their lives who they didn't want to be.

Coming out of her thoughts as she drove on campus, she made her way to the football field. Jordan played PeeWee football and lettered in High School earning a full ride to Ohio State University.

Mercedes couldn't have been prouder and though she worked a lot, she did her best to make it to every game she could. As a Sophomore on the starting line, he was one of the best wide receivers on the field. Or that's what he said his new coach told him. She knew her son was fast, she almost put him in track, but he loved the game.

Stepping out of her car, she smoothed down her Navy Blue Pinstripe pencil skirt and hot pink silk dress shirt. She probably should have changed from her five inch navy heels but she didn't feel like searching for her sneakers.

Walking towards the field, Mercedes moved her hair to the side, allowing her long curls to frame the left side of her face as she searched for her son.

She smiled noticing him right away, standing at 6'1 he was hard to miss, as soon as he was taller than her 5'3 self she made sure to let him know, no matter how tall he gets, she was still his mother and he was going to respect her.

Standing on the sidelines she waved as he ran over to her in his practice gear.

"Hey Ma! You're early."

"Early?" Mercedes checked her watch. "You told me this morning to be here by six."

"You didn't get my text?"

Mercedes looked at her phone and frowned. "No, you sure you texted me and not one of those groupies?"

Jordan laughed. "Come on Ma! You know you are the only groupie I love." He moved closer to her, trying to kiss her.

"Ewww move! You stink boy!" Mercedes laughed moving from him.

"Come on and hug your son!" He said opening his arms and she laughed moving.

"Boy I will ground you if you make me mess up these shoes." Mercedes said, shaking her head. "You need to hit the showers cause you are not getting into my car smelling like that."

Jordan smelled himself and shrugged. "This is the smell of a man who has worked hard today."

"I can tell. You're all sweating."

Jordan looked around and then back at her. "You know if you brought some actual real shoes, you could finish practice with me, it's just a run around the track."

"What? Boy, I am not about to be outrun by college boys."

"Come on." He encouraged. "You keep saying you wanna get back in shape, now's the time!"

Mercedes looked around before seeing the field was empty before flashing a mischievous grin at her son. "Bet you can't catch up!" She said before taking off and running across the field, laughing.

Jordan shook his head before running after her, quickly catching up to his mother. "Gotta be faster than that, ma!" He shouted, running past her.

Mercedes laughed as she kept running until she was able to meet him at the goal post. Taking a deep breath, she beamed up at her son. "Hey, I almost beat you!"

"Pleaaseee. You cheated and I let you have a head start and I still won!"

She playfully shoved him, slipping out of her heels. "I bet I could beat you now that those heels aren't holding me back."

"Jones! You know the rules! No girlfriends on the field, this is a closed practice miss. You need to leave."

"Miss?" Mercedes laughed.

"Girlfriend? Ewww Coach, no just no, this is my Mom. Ma' this is Coach Evans, he's the new Offensive Line Coach. Coach, this is my MOTHER Mercedes Jones."

Mercedes placed her hand over her forehead so she could see the man better before offering a smile. "Sorry about that, I had to show my son his moma still got it." She said, giggling, extending her hand. "Mercedes."

Coach Evans smirked, gladly taking her hand. "From where I'm standing you definitely still have it." He replied boldly. "Sam."

Jordan scrunched his face before pulling his mother's hand from his coach's. "Eww, that's nasty. Moma go back to the car!"

"Boy, I am grown!"

Sam chuckled, shaking his head. "You certainly are."

"Nope, nah, this ain't happening. It's bad enough my boys try to hit on you, now my coach? Nah, you gotta go moma, like right now. I'll walk home!" Jordan said, turning his mother and pushing her further away from Sam. He looked over his shoulder narrowing his eyes at him as he shook his head disapprovingly.

"I HATE TO SEE YOU LEAVE BUT I LOVE TO SEE YOU WALK AWAY!" Sam shouted, earning a laugh from Mercedes.

"Oh he's funny." She said, glancing back, blushing when he winked at her.

Jordan stopped pushing Mercedes when they reached her car. "You stay right here and don't look at anybody." He said and she gave him a look only a mother could. "I don't even care, I said what I said woman! Can't take you nowhere, got all these men throwing themselves at you…" he mumbled as he walked away. "YOU'RE NOT GROWN!"

"Then your fast tail daughter started flirting with my coach!" Jordan said to his grandmother, causing Mercedes to snicker, shaking her head.

Her mother sat across from Mercedes and gave her a look raising an eyebrow. "You were actually flirting?"

"Mom, your grandson is over reacting, you know this boy literally dragged me from the field, acting like he lost his mind."

"You are the one who lost their mind, Ma. I mean my coach? I gotta see that man everyday."

Mercedes shook her head, "Boy don't nobody want your coach, all I said was he was funny, I am grown you know?"

"Jordan, people have been hitting on your mom since I can remember, don't pay it any mind."

Jordan folded his arms. "I'm telling Mal, he will be on my side. You are a mother, you don't need to be out there acting like you don't have any home training."

Mercedes turned to him. "Don't you dare bring my crazy brother into this. It was nothing."

"Oh?" He reached in his pockets and pulled out a business card. "If that's the case you will rip this up."

"And that is?" She asked, confused.

"Coach Evans asked me to give this to you, the gull of that man right?"

Mercedes looked at the card and back at Jordan, Coach Evans was gorgeous, but she wasn't dating and she couldn't upset her son. "Rip it up, see if I care. I told you, I just thought he was funny. Now, can we talk about what classes you are gonna take this semester?"

Jordan eyed her for a moment before sighing. "I am just taking the usual, I still haven't figured out what I want my major to be. There are so many options."

Mercedes eyed him. "You still wanna go pro?"

"It's the dream, and I know I can do it, but I have to get better first."

Mercedes sighed, "School is important too. You need to have a fall back."

"I know I know Ma, don't worry." Jordan said reassuringly. He knew how important school was for his mother and how hard she worked to make sure he never wanted for anything. He wanted to give her the world but he understood she just wanted him to live his best life.

"If you two are finished can we eat? I didn't come over here to shoot the breeze." Gina said smiling.

Mercedes laughed. "Okay okay, Jay set the table and help your grandmother to the kitchen."

"Child I am not an old woman, I will have you know I am headed to get my groove back next week with the girl's." Gina teased. "So I may come home with your new daddy."

"Oh mom…no."

Jordan snickered. "It's not fun seeing your mom acting all nasty is it?"

"Boy go set the table!"

Mercedes grabbed the roast out of the oven and over to the table.

"So I was thinking about moving into the dorm this year." Jordan said as he took a seat.

Mercedes looked up at him. "What?"

"Ma, I'm nineteen, it's time for me to go out on my own." Jordan said as he looked at her. "Unless you don't want me to."

Mercedes sighed heavily. "If you want to stay on Campus, then you should. With football and school it makes sense."

Gina laughed. "Ok and tell him how you really feel."

"It's gonna be weird. I mean it's been you and me most of the time, but I knew this day would come. But shouldn't you have thought about that like earlier in the year?"

Jordan reached for the roast and took a breath. "I guess if they don't have a space, I could always get my own place."

Mercedes's hands stilled. "So that's what you were planning to do? Get your own place?"

Jordan looked at her with wide eyes.

Mercedes held her hand up. "Don't even lie, I am your mother and I know you. You really want to get your own place? Where? How?"

"Some of the guys on the team were talking and we thought it would be fun to either get in a dorm or get our own place. There are a few houses near campus, and they are for rent."

Mercedes nodded as she listened to him explain. "And which boys exactly? Because I don't trust that Tyler boy." She asked, putting some mashed potatoes on his plate.

Jordan shook his head. "Ma, Tyler apologized like a million times."

"Uh-uh, that damn boy harassed me for three weeks after 'accidently' walking in on me after a shower. I can't come visit if he's there."

"Ma! He wasn't harassing you, he was trying to apologize!" Jordan defended. "Gigi, tell her she's overrating."

Gina smirked at her grandson. "I don't think this time I can, he showed up at my damn house too. Cute little thing though."

Mercedes cut her eyes at her mother. "Cute? That little bastard knew what he was doing." She said, digging into her food.

Jordan and Gina shared a look before snickering. "Ma, it's okay if he made you hot." Jordan teased.

Gina nodded. "It's a natural response, besides you probably have cobwebs down there."

Jordan gagged. "Eww, eww, tmi… I'm going to eat outside." He said, grabbing his plate and quickly leaving the room.

Gina waited until he was out of earshot. "You know that boy was sorry for what happened."

Mercedes took a long sip of her drink, avoiding her mother's eyes. "I know." She said, shuffling her food around. "Do you think daddy could get them into one of those houses near campus? He knows a lot of the people that build most of the village.

"Mercedes look at me." her mother commanded and when her daughter met her gaze she couldn't help dropping her fork. "Oh tell me you didn't sleep with that boy?"

"WHAT? Hell no! He's Jordan's friend!" She spat. Gina just looked at her before Mercedes rolled her eyes. "Fine, he might have kissed me but that's it."

Gina smirked. "And?"

"And nothing. I was caught off guard and he is over twenty-one…but once I came back to my senses I kicked him out."

"Well damn if only a kiss got that child acting a fool, be glad you didn't give it up." Gina teased.

"I'd give it up for Coach Sam though." Mercedes smiled toying with her food.

"I thought you said you weren't interested?"

"I'm not. I can't be. But in another life…oh in another life."

Raising an eyebrow Gina took a sip of her drink. "He's that fine?"

"Mom the man looks like Thor with big strong arms and ugh piercing green eyes." Mercedes fanned herself and Gina shook her head.

"Girl you are sweating. Pull it together."

Mercedes shook off the thought of Sam and looked at her mom. "You still didn't answer me. Do you think Daddy can help?"

"Girl you got his number don't ask me. We aren't talking."

Mercedes laughed. "Since when? You two are the only divorced couple I know who still have weekly dates. What he do?"

Gina put her glass down. "The man asked to move back in. I divorced that man ten years ago and yet he thinks I want him to move back in."

Mercedes laughed, her parents married young, and tried to make it work, but when they couldn't they separated for a year, and a divorce followed. Her father moved on to his second and third wife, but her mother was like a magnet for him and somehow they continued to find each other.

Last year, Mercedes hadn't heard from her mom for almost two days, and when she walked in on her parents in her mother's living room, she realized that you could be traumatized at any age.

Shuttering, Mercedes sighed, "Mom, you love him. You tried to move on, so did he and yet you two are still right here. So why not test the waters, see if it's worth it."

"I could say the same thing for you, Mercedes your whole life is that boy and he's moving, you need to put yourself out there, just not with that little boy Tyler, he clearly can't handle you."

Mercedes shook her head. "Uh-uh moma, I don't have time to do that besides I'm up for a promotion and need to focus on that, Jordan's considering going pro and of course, the Anthony of it all."

Gina sighed. "I thought he didn't want anything to do with you or Jordan?"

"One part of that is true…"

"I don't understand?"

Mercedes looked out the window, seeing Jordan eating and video chatting with someone before turning to her mother. "He came into the bank a few months back and I didnt know it was him at first but when it hit me, I refused to help him." She shook her anger away. "All this damn time and he… he didn't even ask about Jordan, can you believe that?" She asked quickly, wiping a stray tear.

"So he saw you and what?"

Clearing her throat she shifted. "He was the same bastard he was in high school, thinking with his little head. He propositioned me and when I shot him down, he insulted me and had the nerve to say that he was the best I was ever going to have."

Her mother looked at her before reaching and wiping the other tear. "Don't let any man make you feel less than, he doesn't deserve your tears."

"They're not for him, they're for that boy sitting out there… he looks so much like him and even if I wanted to resent him I couldn't. I'm mad because had Anthony asked about Jordan I would've crumbled."

"Well maybe you should really consider getting out and at least sleeping with someone. I know as your mother I should give you better advice but honey, you need to get laid if it's been that long?"

Mercedes rolled her eyes. "Contrary to popular opinion, I've had plenty of visitors…"

"I'm sorry baby girl but your toys don't count as visitors." Gina teased.

"Since you're so invested in my sex life, Matt is very real and not a toy and…" she coughed. "Santana visits sometimes."

"Mercedes Renee Jones! How long have you been down with the taco?"

"I said she visits, I just accept the gift." Mercedes replied, shrugging. "Besides you didn't really think Anthony was the one that introduced me to oral, did you?"

Gina picked up her glass. "Girl, sometimes I think we have a way too open relationship." She laughed. "I should have known though, you girl's had way too many sleepovers."

She couldn't help laughing. "She satiated my curiosity and sometimes we got drunk and she got frisky."

"Ain't she married?" Gina questioned.

Mercedes opted to return to her now lukewarm food. "I mean… that has nothing to do with me."

Her mother just shook her head. "Well to each their own but cut it out and call that coach. If he's as fine as you say, why not have him break your back a few times?"

"GRANDMA!" Jordan shouted, making both women jump seeing him behind them.

"When? Stop sneaking around the damn house!" Gina said, playfully hitting him. "Gave me a damn heart attack."

"Stop encouraging my moma to be nasty!" Jordan said, shaking his head.

"From what she told me, she's already nasty."

"Ewww ok that's my cue, I just came in here to let you know I was about to head out."

Mercedes looked at him, raising an eyebrow, but before she could speak, someone knocked on the door and Tyler walked in with a wide smile."

"Heyyy Ms. Jones, you are looking…mmm mmm mmm."

"Boy what did I tell you about coming into my house?"

He walked over to her with a smile. "I heard a song today and it made me think of you."

"Ty man, I told you about lusting after my ma!"

"Jay, you better get that boy out of my house." Mercedes warned.

"Come on Merce, let the boy sing you a song." Gine said, smirking.

Mercedes cut her eyes at her mother as Tyler got on one knee. "Meeee and Mrs…Mrs. Jones, we got thang-"

"Nope." Mercedes said standing. "Tyler, don't make me call your mama. Get out of my house."

"Man, my Ma is gonna cut you if you don't get up and leave right now. She got a look I have only ever seen once in my life. We better go."

Tyler stood and smirked. "See you later baby." He turned and walked towards the door with Jordan. "When I'm your dad, you're gonna need to move out."

"Girl ain't no way you just kissed that boy. You got him sprung."

"Mom, I told you we didn't have sex." Mercedes said firmly.

"Uh huh, look you are either gonna give in to that man child or actually call the coach, cause Tyler looks like he is ready to be your baby daddy."

"I'll think about it, but like I said, I won't do it if Jay is not on board and it's clear he's not."

"Who says you have to answer to your child? What's a little meaningless sex going to do? As far as I'm concerned, a one night stand with agreeing adults is reasonable."

Mercedes knew her mother was right but she also didn't want to put Jordan in any position to resent her later. ."I'll think about it, if you call daddy and get Jordan set up. I would really feel better knowing he was somewhere safe."

Her mother sighed. "Fine but I want you to text him now." She said, holding the card up.

Mercedes rolled her eyes, snatching the card and pulling her phone out. "Being pimped out by my own mother, a new low for you." She mumbled, typing his number before sending a message. "There, happy?"

Gina leaned in reading the message before smirking when she saw his fast reply. "Honey, just call me Big Moma Gina because you got a date."

Mercedes turned the phone around before biting the inside of her cheek. "Seems I do…"

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