But no luck. They kept him in. Still taking the huddle, hobbling a bit into it.
“Tyler Reed is staying in the game,” the commentator reported. “I’m surprised Coach Sinclair isn’t taking him off the field. Without his legs, he’s not worth much to the team, isn’t that right, Jeff?”
Another commentator made some irrelevant observations.
The lines were drawn again. The commentator was going on about how he had no idea what the Argonauts were planning. Then, the play hit.
Ethan again reeled back with the ball. Tyler stayed in the back, supposedly out of the way. The twins rushed forward into the opposite team’s line, backed up by the rest of the team.
The deception was made. Ethan handed Tyler the ball again, and Tyler took off to the side.
He was off. Not as fast as he could be, but faster than any of the rivals expected.
They sent players after them, but apparently, the twins formed a great defensive wall, running over any opponents and clearing the way for Taylor.
The commentator’s excitement matched my own and the crowd of Argonauts supporters around me. “Those Rollins twins are barreling down the line, proving their place as the leagues’ most dangerous set of bruiser brothers. One down, two, three, and the twins are still going.”
I held my breath while others around me shouted encouragement at the screen as if the players could hear them.
“Reed is still rushing. Knights defense is still gunning for him as he goes down the field. O’Hare rushing him. It seems like he’s going to take him down. No, wait... is that Paulson? The quarterback is chasing down the defense? What is going on?”
Ethan was literally rushing from behind. Apparently, this was odd, but what would I know about tactics?
“Paulson barely grabs and takes down a defender. Reed is still going. Smith is coming up from behind. Smith diving, Reed diving, the end zone is in sight... and... and...”
The ball was right on the line, referees running in. I gripped my bottle tightly as I watched.
“And... it’s good! Touchdown for Reed!”
I could hardly hear the commentary for all the excitement around me but everyone hushed to hear the final result.
“And the Argonauts have snatched the game from the jaws of defeat and are our winners, 31-30!”
I threw my hands up, cheering, and sharing the victory of my boys right alongside them.
“Didn’t take you for that big of an Argonauts fan.” My dad’s voice was in my ear after giving me a minute to celebrate.
“I wasn’t. At least not until very recently.”
He laughed. “That was one hell of a play. Putting the faith in Tyler Reed after he took a beating like that was a ballsy move. And Paulson might have torn something coming from the rear that fast.”
His knowledge of the game truly dwarfed mine, most people’s did, but even I saw how special that play was.
The boys’ success made my heart leap a little. I guess some deep part of me truly was worried I might have impacted them negatively, however absurd it may have seemed.
Dad stood alongside me, and we watched as the camera focused on the players celebrating.
“Paulson, Reed, and the Rollins are the most potent squad in football. I don’t know how they do it,” the commentator continued.
They got along fine with an unbreakable platonic bond, I thought. And I hoped it would be impossible for anything to come between them. Not even a woman.
“A stunning win indeed for the Arlington Argonauts,” the commentator continued on. “Especially with the controversy surrounding Hank Fields and his absence from the field tonight.”
Hank Fields? Didn’t one of them tell me that Hank was their friend who I’d met that first night? I wondered what that was about.
“Stay tuned, we’ll have post-game interviews with the Argonauts. Be sure to answer questions about the game and the fields controversy. Paulson, Reed, and the Rollins twins are all guaranteed to be there.”
“Dad,” I turned to face him. “I’m so sorry about yesterday.”
“I was worried about you.” His expression filled with concern.
“It was a brief stomach and head thing. It passed really quickly. I’m fine now. And I wanted to let you know I’m thrilled for you. She’s lovely. I can tell by looking at her face what a terrific, kind woman she is.”
I had to get everything said before they returned to the Argonauts on the TV. I wanted to see what my boys had to say. I wanted to hear if Tyler had gotten hurt badly. And about the issue with Hank.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
JAKE ROLLINS
It’s another squeaker.
Sure, given the rumors, Hank passed on this game off, and he was always core to our tactics. It was a lot easier with him as our guard during our rushes than with his replacement. But Hank’s head wouldn’t be in the game, and Coach Sinclair assured us this temporary replacement was out of empathy rather than some bigoted move from above.