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Skip looked at the young e, Skip could only see the hurting and sad little boy inside of him

"Hey little Duke… it's not the end of the world" Jayden lifted up his head hearing his words His words sounded like words of hope and Jayden needed to feel some hope; he needed a way out; a way that would put his heart at ease and bring peace within his soul

"No matter what has happened in yours and your father's pasts; toain with him"

"Hey… Mr Cleaves… Mr Cleaves…"

"Hello…" Jayden answered his phone expecting to hear Mia's voice but was taken by surprise at hearing her father's voice

"Watch super-boith you and some of your friends?" Jayden repeated his request Jayden wasn't a diehard sports fan He knew football but not like other ure therefore he had never done that whole sports- and he didn't have the same affection for or love of sports like his friend Avery had

"Well sir… I'm not really… Of no… it's not an excuse… Okay then sure I'll see you"

Jayden entered Mia's house around four in the evening for Super Bowl XLIII Entering the living roo for the party of the life time Behind the 55 in flat screen TV Skip had squeezed in two big buffet tables against the bayUnderneath the tables were rows and rows and rows of beer on ice in old-fashioned tin-tubs and a couple of coolers filled with soda pops and water

"The Steelers take on the Cardinals…" Skip excitedly said as he brought in another serving tray of buffalo wings The spread on the tables was a king's feast Buffalo wings, pizza, sub sandwiches, cheese sticks, all sorts of chips and dips, trays withrolls andthe National Anthe" Jayden offered since this was like his first official super bowl party

"Yea go down in the baseo down the stairs, look right under the" Jayden said as he followed Skip's instructions Going downstairs was like stepping back in time on Mia's childhood Jayden stopped and took in all of the things that were once used as Mia was growing up The first thing that caught his eye ere the cee of Mia's young life from birth until her sweet 16 birthday party and prom were on theown Then there was a baby's carrier and stroller followed by her walker He alainst the wall but its legs were sticking out He saw pictures of Mia's er as forced into manhood before he had time to think about what parenthood entailed Jayden's respect for Mia's father grew He could have ran aith fear and ignorance of not knohat to do or how to survive, but instead he chose to stay and protect those who he was responsible for