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Tears welled in otten jerseys when the new football season started I beggedbeans and rice on a good day and I wanted a stupid football jersey, when there was no e could afford it”

“You were a kid” She cuppedreasonable” Her gentle s past the tightness in my throat, I pushed on

“I don’t even knohen she —always” My voice cracked “But a fewof yarn in the duloves, a hat and a scarf—practical stuff But I still b

itched about that daers over the white 11 and turned it over My na block letters on the back My favorite number My number now “A kid who had no idea what real life was like and how bad things could get I never got to tell her how id air bit attears

“She knew” Jules coveredthe top

We walked back to the car hand-in-hand, and I couldn’t take ht even when she was dead tired, working on it whenever she had a spare moment

Back at Jules’ house, I sat in the kitchen and laid the jersey out on the table I squeezed Jules’ hand

“Do you want to get it fraers over the number 11 and smiled

“Maybe later” I held the edge between ers “I want to hold on to it for a bit” A vision of a little girl in glasses with eyes just like her mother was so vivid I could ale back yard in fall wearing this I ran randmother had made I had a piece of my mom, and I’d be able to share that with her

The little girl with herspirit would sit on my lap on the back steps and I’d read her one of her favorite books, The Tale of The Flopsy Bunnies

“Of course” Jules got up and walked behind ainst my back

Wrapped up tightly in her arined what it would’ve been like to have my mom see my face when I opened it To have her see me walk out onto the field as a professional football player

“She knew All the things you think she’sout on She knew you loved her and she knew you’d find your happiness” Jules kissed the back of rabbed some of my favorite cookies

The front door opened and it sounded like a parade was charging into her house

“We’re in here,” she called out