Page 17 of Fumble Into the End Zone

As we walked away, a sense of freedom settled over me after seeing Onna one last time.

Chapter 5

First Game of the Season

Mia

Scott and I sat, nervous and ready. We had checked the sound board twice. Kindness booking Bryce Prescott on my podcast was big. He was the most sought-after sports interview, but not for football reasons. People wanted access to his personal life but I held on to my code about respecting his privacy. We were here to discuss football and analyze plays.

“Mia, this is big. Are you going to touch on the Vick situation?” Scott asked.

I sat in my seat and shook my head no. “It’s not my place,” I said.

The vibration of my phone caught my attention. A black Jag sat outside the studio. Without confirmation, I knew it was Bryce.

“He is here,” I said.

“All right, let’s do this,” Scott said as he positioned himself behind the glass.

It took several minutes for Bryce and Kindness to enter the studio.

“Kindness,” I squealed and squeezed my friend until she patted my back.

“I see the locs. When did you get these?” she asked.

Getting locs was a last-minute decision I made after seeing Nathan and Latrice. I needed something to signal a new journey. My new locs fell to my shoulders, but my loctician told me to expect shrinkage as they mature.

“I love your necklace,” I said and pointed to the pink crystal.

“Ahem,” Bryce cleared his throat with a cough.

“Where are my manners? Mia, meet your co-host, Bryce Prescott. Bryce, meet the queen of podcasts, Mia Robinson,” Kindness said.

We exchanged handshakes, and Scott ushered Bryce into his seat.

“Is there anything off limits before we start, Bryce?” I asked, adjusting the mic pinned to my shirt.

“No,” Bryce said with confidence.

“It’s Mia, invading your podcast airwaves. We are the number one go-to for the culture and sports news. Tonight, my co-host is Bryce Prescott, the starting quarterback for the Houston Armadillos. Welcome, Bryce.”

“Thank you for having me on, Mia,” Bryce said with confidence.

“We’re going to start the show with the trending list of the greatest wide receivers, past and present. This week, a list circulated online and caused a stir. A few of the all-time greats spoke out about the viral ratings. Bryce, being a quarterback, we need your ranking. My top five are Johnson, Davers, Moss, Jackson, and Jones. Bryce, we’re listening?”

“Mia, if I’m being honest, I would replace Jones with Austin.”

The horns blared from the soundboard, and Bryce smiled at me from behind the mic.

“Bryce, you’re going to have to defend leaving Jones out of the top five. Do you hear yourself right now? We’re talking about a two-time Elite Bowl Champion with Hall of Fame numbers.”

“Let’s have a deeper discussion about Jalin Austin’s receptions,” he said and compared the two wide receivers’ stats.

I peered over at Kindness with a smile. Bryce was comfortable with me. The show flowed with ease as we toggled over to basketball and then baseball.

“What are your thoughts on the Fire Bombers?” I asked.

“I believe they can bring home the Series if Rex keeps throwing those fast balls,” he said.

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