"I'm fucking jacked. We are going to crush this."

"I know."

"Will you wake Rowe before four your time. I want to talk to her before I go into full-game mode."

"You know I will." I pause for a brief second. "State, you know I love you and believe the world of you. I have no doubt you'll kick ass."

"Thank you. I needed that." It's his turn to pause. "And a dozen naked selfies wouldn't hurt."

I full out cackle into the phone. "I'll see what I can do, man cub."

"I love you, Queen."

"Love you, too, I'll FaceTime soon."

I end the call knowing that we could go on forever with this little back and forth game of ours. I look over to Shayne perched on the couch with a bowl of popcorn balanced on her stomach while watching some dumb reality show.

"How's the hometown, horndog hero?" She asks not moving her attention from the show.

"Hanging in there."

"God, I can't thank you enough for getting me out of that game."

"You've mentioned that a thousand times now, Shayne."

"Seriously." She pops up into an upright position with popcorn nestled in her hair. "If I had to swallow another fucking game, I might have pierced my eyelids."

"Oh, Shaynee Poo, you have it hard for Ryder... and daddy issues."

She sends me the bird as I make my way to the kitchen to get the game day food prepped. It's not the traditional wings and dip, but more of a Pop Tarts and ham sandwich combo. I bring the plates out and go into Rowe's room.

She's snuggled deep in her blankets with her Rapunzel nestled in her arms. She's so sweet and has been through hell and back. It's taken a toll on her and she's been napping more than usual. I crawl into bed with her and begin to massage light circles on her back until she rustles around.

"Hey, baby. It's time to wake up."

She groans and rolls over.

"It's almost game time, baby. You need to get dressed and State wants to talk to you."

"Is he here?" She asks through sleepy lids.

"No, baby. He's in Arizona, but wants to talk to you before the game."

"Okay." She rolls back onto her belly. "Ten more minutes."

"I'll be back in a minute. I'll run a bath to help you wake up."

I swear she's stronger than I'll ever be. She's held me while I cried and even brushed away my hair. She's sung me to sleep while being the strong one. Rowe is the most amazing person I've ever met. I know she's destined for greatness and I'll be there every step of the way.

"The water is ready."

"Okay." Rowe props her sleepy self up in bed.

I hold my hands up to her and love it when she crawls into me. A large smile spreads across my face when I can hear Miss Tami scolding me not to pack her everywhere. She'll always be with us. I take Rowe to her bathroom and help her get in the tub. I squirt in some bubbles and then pass Rowe her favorite tub toys. Before long she's waking up, singing a tune, and playing in the tub. I sit back and watch her. Miss Tami left me with the best gift of all.

"Why isn't he answering?" Rowe presses her nose up to the screen with her wet braid swinging from side to side.

I pull her back into my lap. "Just hang on, it's been two rings."

The dial tone goes silent as the call connects.

"He's there. He's there."

Rowe peers into the phone on pins and needles waiting for him to answer.

State's sly grin fills the screen with a whole bunch of clatter in the background.

"Just a second, girls." He turns to the people behind him. "I'll be right back."

I see Coach Pete nod in the background . There's several seconds of him pacing through a long hallway until he enters a quiet room.

"Who is this calling me?" He waggles one eyebrow into the phone.

"It's me, Shrek." Rowe waves into the screen.

"Is this my princess?"

"Yes, it's me." She presses her face closer to the screen.

"Oh, I see you. Nice jersey."

She focuses the phone into the number seven across the front. "Where's the team?"

"They are all getting ready. It's the big game."

"Are you excited?"

"I am. I want to win and then get home." State's pearly whites shine through the screen.

"I don't want you to go home." Her face morphs into a sad one.

"Why?"

"Because you're so far away."

"My home is with you and Baylor."

She lights up and kisses the screen. "Then win that game and get home."

She throws the phone to me and hops from my lap.

"Hey." I smile and give him a wave.

"Hello, gorgeous."

"Oh, shut it."

I've never looked worse in my life. Bags under my eyes adorned with black lines. No hints of make-up and ratty-ass hair, yep, I've never looked worse.

"I'm serious. And I'm coming home as a champion, Queen." His eyes light up like they haven't in the past month.

"I believe you, State. You told me a long time ago, when we were young kids, you'd be a world champion and I never doubted you."

"Baby, do you remember our pink and blue mansions with no fence."

"Yep." I smile a genuine smile with hopes of the future lingering in sight. "With no fence and an Xbox."

"Yes, we never knew back then we'd fall hopelessly in love."

"I think I knew." I wink into the phone.

He only grins and doesn't respond, neither I do.

"But I'm thinking we change plans to one house with a white picket fence around it, add in Rowe and all the princess crap. Plus, I may want a dog down the road."

"And a cat," he adds.

"Possibly a goldfish," I reply.

"Deal, Queen."

"With bubblegum ice cream every night."

"Every night forever," he replies.

"State."

"Yes."

"Go kick ass."

"Okay, Queen. I love you."

"Always. Love you."

When the call ends and his deep pools of chocolate eyes disappear, I feel a pang of hurt for a second. Rowe distracts me by dancing around in her game day gear, chewing down on her favorite flavor of Pop Tarts. Shayne stands by her, twerking to a song playing in her own head.

They entertain themselves over the next hour before settling down. They take their places. Rowe fiddles with her bracelet listening to all the pre-game shit. Her face turns sour when the commentators favor the opposing team.

The pre-game intros into a special edition and the television is flooded with blue and orange. Familiar shots of the stadium come into view and then the headline flashes over the screen, "Who Really Cares?"

Several of State's teammates appear on the screen, saying their name, then repeating a random name after theirs.

Coach Pete finally fills the screen.

"Who Really Cares?" The three words flow powerfully off his tongue. "Look at my team and you'll see."

Childhood pictures blast across the screen, with the players repeating names in the background. A few players are zoomed in on and share their stories of beating the system and making it to college. Their story rings true and I find myself relating easily.

State is next on the screen in a pair of black gym shorts, twirling a ball on the tip of his fingers.

"I'm State Blake."

The camera then zooms into a picture of him and Miss Tami from our elementary years. He's sporting a black and swollen eye, but she's smiling proudly hugging him to her.

"She saved me."

He shares his story and it's similar to the others. A child who was forgotten because of drugs and violence, and he morphs into just another victim. However, it's a stark difference because he had her. I tune out the parts of his adoption and the years we missed together.

He repeats. "She saved me."

I glance up to the screen to see us in our Halloween costume, other random selfies, and then several of him and Rowe. The last one the special focuses in on is a picture of him and Rowe. He's wearing a crown, looking down at Rowe. The picture is an up close selfie of mostly her nose and eyes.

"She completed my world."

The final picture is of all of us at the pumpkin patch with scrolling text of, In loving memory of all those who cared and saved the lost souls of the world. Miss Tami, you'll never be forgotten. I have your girls safe in my hands.

The tears roll. I want nothing more than to be in State's arms hugging, kissing and loving the hell out of my gentle giant. Rowe prances around the room in a state of euphoria from seeing her and State on the television.

"Did you see my bracelet?"

I nod and wipe away the tears.

The popcorn and Pop Tarts fly as we watch the game. I wouldn't be surprised if the police come knocking any second. Our offensive is aggressive. Their defensive rises to the occasion. But by the second half, it's our defense scoring the points. State has several sacks and even tips the ball twice. Luckily, the ball ends up in his teammates hands and they run it in for a touchdown.

The camera loves his parents. Every chance they get, they focus in on his parents and gloat about the fact State was adopted and came so far in life. A few months ago, I would've become ill and despaired, but tonight I smile. It's sheer joy for State and his parents. They deserve this.

It's down to the fourth quarter and our offense is on the field. Ryder has had a tough game. He releases the ball and it lands into the defenses' hand. Yet, another interception. State leads his guys onto the field. It's evident they're exhausted, but their will is too strong to let go.

Two minutes. Two long, fucking, minutes are left on the game clock. I've learned so much can happen in football in the matter of one-hundred twenty seconds. Everything can be destroyed in that matter of time off the field, too.

The first play, State and his men stop the run. The second play the running back gains six yards. The third play the quarterback goes back and ends up throwing away the ball because of the pressure. Shayne and I leap into the air, cheering and screaming.

It's not until I focus back into the television that a player is down. The sea of blue alerts me then as the coaches run out onto the field. The network cuts to commercial and I don't say word. Shayne picks up on my nerves, so she helps Rowe in the kitchen to another cup of apple juice.

In Rowe's heart her hero has already won the game of his life. The score doesn't matter to her. But to me it's everything. State has put aside his football career to take care of us. If it's him lying injured on the turf...my world will quit spinning.

Commercials are over and it goes back to the game. State jumps up from the ground, waving off the coaches. Another player is lying down as well, but the coaches aren't focused on him.