Chapter 28 - Part 1

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*3rd POV

{In Texas, the Holy Trinity is God, football, and barbecue… not necessarily in that order.} - Future Sheldon.

"Ready... Set... Hut!" Veronica watched the field, her eyes landing on Georgie as he prepared to block another player. As the center snapped the ball to the quarterback, Georgie darted past the opposing team with surprising speed.

Tony, the quarterback, noticed Georgie's movement but hesitated. Georgie was a benchwarmer, after all. Sure, his infamous tackle that sent a player to the hospital had been impressive, but Tony didn't trust him enough to carry the ball. Instead, Tony scanned the field and passed the ball to another teammate, the wide receiver.

The wide receiver caught the ball smoothly but failed to notice the defender closing in. Within seconds, he was tackled.

"Damn it…" Tony muttered under his breath, frustrated. He had seen Georgie open earlier but chose not to pass to him. He knew it wasn't the right call but shrugged it off since it was just practice.

"Tony! Come here for a sec." Assistant Coach Wayne called out. Tony jogged over, his shoulders slumping as he approached Coach Wayne and Coach George Sr.

George crossed his arms, his expression stern. "Why didn't you pass to Georgie?"

"I… I didn't see him." Tony tried to excuse himself.

"Don't give me that crap." George retorted. "I know you saw him, and you knew he had a clean run to carry that ball."

"Alright, Coach." Tony finally admitted, walking back to the field.

Wayne glanced at George, his eyebrow raised. "Don't look at me like that." George said defensively. "I'm not playing favorites. I just know the boy can run."

"Fair enough…" Wayne replied, returning his focus to the field.

As the team prepared for the next play, Tony looked at Georgie. "Can you handle this?"

Georgie nodded confidently.

"Alright, here's the plan. Georgie, you're running straight downfield. I'll throw the ball as far as I can. Black, you cut in for a slant as the backup option."

The team nodded, including Georgie, who was eager to prove himself.

Tony lined up behind the center, scanning the defense. The opposing team was tight, ready to blitz the line.

"Ready… Set… HUT!"

The ball snapped, landing securely in Tony's hands. He quickly searched for Georgie but couldn't see him—until he noticed him sprinting far downfield.

"Good Lord…" Wayne muttered, watching Georgie's speed. "Can Tony even get the ball to him?"

George smirked. "Well, he can try."

Tony gritted his teeth. "Alright, let's do this." he said, positioning himself for a deep throw. With a quick motion, he launched the ball toward Georgie.

Georgie, running at full speed, turned to spot the ball. It wasn't a perfect pass, but he adjusted and caught it mid-stride.

The crowd erupted as Georgie dodged one defender after another, using his agility to outmaneuver everyone chasing him. Finally, he crossed into the end zone.

"TOUCHDOWN RED TEAM!" Wayne shouted, elated.

Georgie grinned ear to ear as his teammates ran to him, lifting him into the air like they had just won a championship.

Veronica jumped up and down in excitement, cheering loudly. Georgie waved to her, his smile growing wider when he noticed Fenley watching from the stands with a proud expression.

"What are you doing?! Get back in line now! This is just practice!" George yelled at the players. But anyone who saw him could tell he was grinning proudly.

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3rd POV

"Fiuhh… You should've seen the boy run, Mary." George said at the dinner table, gesturing to Georgie while holding his last beer of the day. After his recent hospital stint, Georgie had been strict about limiting his beer consumption, even roping Mary into enforcing the rule.

"He ran like lightning, dodging every defender to score a touchdown!" George continued, beaming.

"That's great, Georgie! If I hadn't been taking Sheldon and Tam to the comic store, I'd have seen it myself." Mary said, glancing at Sheldon. Being a Texas family, they all appreciated football and understood George's enthusiasm.

"Thanks!" Georgie replied with a smile, but Missy interjected. "I still prefer Big Brother as a singer."

"Done!" Georgie said, grinning at Missy before turning to George. "I quit football!"

Both Mary and George froze in shock.

"what? Hang on a second!" George exclaimed. "Why would you quit? You're good at this!"

"Missy likes me singing better than playing football." Georgie replied casually. "And honestly, I'd rather do a job that makes more money. Singers make more than football players, right?"

"Wha?" George stared at Georgie, stunned by how easily he dismissed football. "American football is the number one sport in this country. Do you have any idea how many people show up to watch an NFL game? Over 50,000 per game!"

"Actually." Sheldon interjected, not missing a beat, "the average attendance ranges between 63,000 to 65,000, with TV viewership hitting around 15 to 17 million. It's quite impressive statistically."

"See?" George latched onto Sheldon's statement, pointing at Georgie. "Thousands of people could be watching you play one day. Isn't that something? A chance to make a lot of money!"

"Only in America." Georgie replied, his tone calm but firm. He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "American football isn't big outside the States. In the rest of the world, 'football' means soccer, and that's way more popular globally."

Sheldon nodded. "He's right. Soccer's international appeal far outweighs football. Statistically, international singers also tend to earn more than NFL players."

George gaped at his sons, blindsided by their shared logic. "You're not quitting football!" His voice rose, the words coming out as a command.

"George…" Mary placed a gentle hand on his arm, hoping to temper his tone. She glanced at Georgie, silently pleading for him to back down.

Missy shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her earlier comment about preferring Georgie as a singer now weighing heavily on her conscience.

Georgie didn't flinch. Instead, he asked calmly, "Why?"

"Why?! Because I said so!" George barked, turning away and reaching for his beer. He emptied it in one long gulp, slamming the bottle on the table.

Georgie leaned forward, his voice steady. "Is it because this is your dream?"

George froze for a moment, caught off guard.

"No, Georgie." Mary stepped in quickly. "We just want what's best for you. Your father knows you have talent, and he wants to see you succeed."

"No, Mom." Georgie said, his voice soft but resolute. "You can't force what you think is best for us. What you can do is support us. Be there when we mess up, guide us when we're lost, and cheer us on when we follow our own paths."

"If Missy wants to be a CEO, I'll back her up. If Sheldon ever doubts his path, I'll remind him of who he is…"

"…I won't doubt myself. I'm going to be a theoretical physicist." Sheldon interrupted, matter-of-factly.

Georgie chuckled briefly before continuing. "The point is, I love this family. I love you and Dad. But if you really want what's best for us, then trust us to figure out what that is."

The table fell silent, the weight of Georgie's words hanging in the air. George stood abruptly, muttering, "… I need some air." before heading out to the porch.

Missy slid over to Georgie, her voice barely above a whisper. "Am I in trouble?"

Georgie Get up from his chair and walk to her, "Of course not." Georgie reassured her, draping an arm around her shoulders. He gave her a gentle pat on the back.

Mary watched them for a moment, her expression conflicted. With a soft sigh, she stood and followed George outside.