They spent the next fifteen minutes running drills in the back yard, then Linda suggested they jog over to the park where there was more space. They spent another hour there, before coming back home.
It was as they were leaving that Jon saw him: the last person in the world he wanted to see right in that moment. Biff Meadows. He was walking with some other kids from school, but Jon didn't care about them. On any other day, Jon might not have even noticed Biff. But today, he shone like a beacon, a siren in the night that he new was drawing his mother ever closer.
Jon conspicuously looked away, so he missed the moment when one of Biff's friends fumbled their own football, causing it to roll directly in front of Jon and Linda's feet. He did notice, however, when Linda handed him their football to pick up the one on the ground, noticed when she took a few steps back and juked like she was dodging a defender before sending yet another perfect spiral straight into Biff's hands. He noticed a ripple as her button-down shifted and changed into the silver, blue, and green of a Russell Wilson Seahawks away jersey, to match the blue, green, and silver of Biff's otherwise-identical home jersey.
"Hey," Biff smiled, surprised, "this lady's got some moves! Why haven't we seen you out here before?"
"We usually just stay in our back yard," Jon offered, trying to get out of the conversation quickly. It didn't work.
"Jon Gibson? Is that your mom?" Biff pointed at Linda with the football while looking at Jon. But then he got an excited little look in his eye. "Do you guys want to toss a ball around with us?"
Linda was about to answer, but Jon interrupted her. "We were just heading home. We've already been out here a while, and I'm getting a little tired."
Linda hid her disappointment, but nodded and followed her son home. As they were walking, though, Jon could swear he felt Biff's eyes on him until they were out of the park.
