The Tuckers had woken up early to go wait for Andrew and company at the airport.
They had parked the cars and were walking at a calm yet expectant pace toward the main arrivals entrance.
At the front walked Merle Stonewall Tucker, Andrew and Lily's grandfather and Cam's father. His presence was impossible to ignore: straight-backed despite his years, large build, wide hands, and a considerable belly.
He was bald, with a thick gray mustache.
Walking beside him was Barb Tucker, his wife and Andrew and Lily's grandmother.
If Merle commanded respect simply by standing still, Barb achieved exactly the opposite. She wore an almost permanent smile and radiated warmth. Her curly hair fell to her shoulders, and her eyes carried an easy good humor.
Where Merle seemed to say, "don't come any closer," Barb looked like she was inviting anyone into a friendly conversation.
A few steps behind them walked two middle-aged men: Paul and Raymond Tucker, Cam's brothers.
The only one missing was Pam, the eldest of the four. After her came Paul, the second oldest; then Cam; and finally Raymond, the youngest.
Paul, as the oldest brother, carried a more serious, responsible air. He wasn't as rigid as his father, but he also wasn't as expressive or expansive as his mother Barb, certainly not like Cam, who was always communicative, emotional, and dramatic.
Raymond, on the other hand, had grown up as the youngest and the most spoiled. It showed. He had a much more relaxed attitude.
Bringing up the rear were two girls: Sydney Tucker, a seventeen-year-old, and Ellie Tucker, who had just turned eight. Both were Paul's daughters.
Sydney stood out immediately. She was blonde, with delicate features and light-colored eyes. She wore her hair down, neatly styled, and light but well-applied makeup, just enough to look polished without seeming out of place. Unlike the rest of the family, her clothes were more urban and modern.
Holding Sydney's hand was Ellie, also blonde, though with a completely different air. Her hair was slightly messier, matching her restless, lively energy.
Instead of walking, she almost bounced. Her steps were short and fidgety, as if she could barely contain herself. Her eyes darted from side to side, shining with excitement at the thought of seeing her uncles from Los Angeles, and her cousin Andrew, the one who made her laugh and whom they always saw on television.
The family farm had been left in Pam's care. Thanks to that, Merle and Barb had been able to make the trip, even though the drive took several hours.
Paul, Raymond, and their respective families, on the other hand, lived much closer. They were about thirty or forty minutes from Columbia, the college town, their home was in Jefferson City, the state capital.
"Hey, sis!" Ellie said enthusiastically, turning her head toward her sister. Before Sydney could respond, she continued, "We're going to get to see Andrew play every weekend!"
"Not so fast," Sydney replied in a much more measured tone. "Andrew only accepted one official visit out of five. That doesn't mean he's going to end up choosing Missouri."
She paused briefly, then finally added, "But the odds are real now. Twenty percent, at least."
Sydney got along well with Andrew. They weren't especially close, partly because he, Cam, and the rest of the family only traveled to Missouri once a year during the holidays.
That made it impossible to have the kind of everyday relationship Andrew had with Haley, Luke, or Alex.
Even so, they always understood each other, had fun when they met up, and Sydney had long noticed how well Andrew treated Ellie. Though he had started out as the adopted son, by then he was, without question, a Tucker.
From an early age, it had always been obvious that Andrew loved football. As a child, he threw passes on the farm with Merle, with Cam, even with Paul.
Then the first reports began to arrive: that he was doing well on his elementary school team, that he stood out in middle school. For the Tuckers of Missouri, where football was respected almost like a religion, that was already a source of pride.
But what came next, in high school, no one had foreseen. Not Pam, not Merle, not Barb, not Paul, no one.
Andrew took a titleless team to glory for two consecutive years. Then he repeated the feat at an elite program, playing in games televised regionally and nationally.
Until he reached the highest point: a state final played in a college stadium, in front of more than fifty thousand people. All the Tuckers were there, cheering him on from the stands.
It was a night Sydney still remembers.
Then came the ESPN documentary. And in his senior year, nationally televised games became the norm. That allowed the Tuckers to follow his journey Friday after Friday, without missing a single game.
An absolute prodigy, and an enormous source of pride for the family.
So much so that even neighbors from the small town near the farm, or from Jefferson City, began to recognize the last name. After all, whenever he was mentioned, it was always the same: Andrew Pritchett-Tucker.
Though Merle didn't like that part at all.
To him, the Tucker name should never come second, especially not behind a Pritchett. He complained about it every now and then.
"Only twenty percent?" Merle grumbled, fixing his gaze on Sydney. "Missouri is a much better destination than several of the places he's already visited. He'd be in the SEC, the most competitive conference in the country, as the leader of the program, playing football in a state that truly lives and breathes the sport, not like California. It's the most logical choice."
Sydney let out a loud sigh, not bothering to hide her annoyance. "Grandpa…" she said, turning toward him. "That's exactly what we shouldn't do."
Merle frowned. "And what's wrong with telling the truth?"
"Because if those are the only arguments, the pride of Missouri, the SEC, 'this is how we live football here', that's not enough. It'll only create resistance, even if Andrew doesn't show it. I don't think he makes decisions out of pressure or emotional speeches. If you really want him to consider staying, you have to be more strategic."
Merle muttered under his breath. He hadn't liked her tone, but he didn't respond. He knew his granddaughter wasn't afraid of him, and, worse for him, he knew she wasn't speaking from ignorance.
Sydney understood football. She genuinely loved it.
The Tigers were a competitive program, yes, but not a dominant one. They had never won a Big 12 Conference championship. They had claimed the Big 12 North Division twice, in 2007 and 2008, only to fall in the conference championship game to Oklahoma both times. Always close, always one step short.
A strong, respectable program, but historically one tier below the southern giants.
For Merle and the rest of the family, Andrew could be the one to change that. The player capable of making the definitive leap, of turning Missouri into a champion.
But the reality was that something different was coming: a conference change, no less than to the SEC. A tougher, more physical, and demanding league. A far greater challenge for Andrew.
That's why Sydney had it clear: they couldn't rely on emotional arguments, local pride, or romanticized sports speeches. If they wanted any real chance, they had to think with a cool head and play their cards intelligently.
They kept walking in silence.
Until Barb broke it, speaking gently. "I'm more worried about his shoulder. Everything else can wait. The first thing is knowing how he's doing."
The conversation lingered there, suspended, just as they passed through the airport's main doors.
As soon as they stepped inside, Merle stopped for a second. His eyes locked onto three men sitting a few meters away.
He recognized them immediately.
David Yost, the Tigers' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Andy Hill, the wide receivers coach.
And Larry, the program's recruiting director.
Without saying a word, Merle gave a slight nod to the others, signaling that he was heading over, and began walking.
Sydney followed along with the rest. She had noticed the three men sitting there, but as soon as they saw the Tuckers, they immediately stood up. They even stepped forward with faint smiles and a professional enthusiasm.
That impressed Sydney. Three important, high-ranking names within the University of Missouri football program approaching with such respect. But it made sense.
You don't greet the family of a player who could change the course of an entire program every day. The status Andrew generated was already palpable, even before he appeared.
Merle was the first to reach them. He stopped in front of the three men and, without exaggeration, extended his hand.
"Merle Tucker, Andrew's grandfather," he said in a deep, steady voice.
David Yost was the first to respond. He stood fully upright and shook his hand a second longer than usual. "A pleasure to meet you in person, Mr. Tucker."
Beside him, Andy Hill nodded with a respectful smile. "Pleasure."
Larry, the recruiting director, completed the greeting, repeating the gesture with the same formality. There was no exaggeration or theatrics, just professionalism, courtesy, and very clear attentiveness.
Merle noticed that. The fact that they had stood up immediately, and the respectful tone.
He liked it. He gave a brief nod, satisfied, and then introduced Barb and the others.
The group talked while they waited. The conversation had begun formally, but little by little it relaxed.
Until, suddenly, someone glanced toward the arrivals doors.
It was time.
The sliding doors opened, and finally they saw them walk out. Andrew appeared first, pulling his suitcase with his left arm, the uninjured one.
On his left walked Cam and Mitch. The former carried Lily in his arms, while Mitchell handled two suitcases.
On Andrew's right was Steve, wearing his usual relaxed smile as he chatted with him.
And beside Steve was his mother, Melissa, a brown-haired woman with her hair in a high ponytail and glasses, whose composed demeanor contrasted sharply with her son's energy.
Cam was the first to spot the Tuckers. He said something they couldn't quite hear. Mitchell and Andrew turned their heads at the same time, and upon recognizing them, began walking toward them.
Once they were close enough, the Tuckers moved forward almost in unison, breaking any remaining formality.
The Tigers staff stepped back naturally, shifting to the sides and allowing the families to reunite without interference.
"There they are!" Barb exclaimed, stepping ahead with a wide smile. "It's been so long! How was the flight?"
The questions came quickly, one after another, as always. And, as always, she went in with her arms open. But the first person she hugged wasn't her son, nor Mitchell, nor even Andrew.
It was Lily.
From Cam's arms, the little girl reached out as soon as she saw her.
"Grandma…"
That was enough. Barb didn't hold back, she gently took her from Cam and pressed her tightly against her chest, emotional, peppering her cheeks with rapid-fire kisses like a machine gun.
One by one, the other Tuckers stepped forward and exchanged greetings. Ellie stared at Andrew as if she were about to sprint toward him at any second.
"Good game yesterday," Merle said, extending his hand toward Andrew.
Andrew smiled when he saw him. "Hi, Grandpa. Good to see you too," he replied, returning the handshake with equal firmness.
"Careful with his arm," Sydney warned when she noticed her grandfather was squeezing Andrew's right hand, the injured one.
Merle clicked his tongue without letting go immediately. "It's nothing. He's tough," he said, staring at him. "A shoulder injury isn't going to stop him from giving a handshake, is it?"
Andrew nodded. "Yeah, I can manage a handshake," he replied. "Still, thanks for the concern," he added, giving Sydney a smile.
She returned the gesture with a slight nod, 'He's taller…,' she thought, almost without realizing it.
"Andrew!" Ellie suddenly exclaimed, unable to hold back another second.
She ran straight toward him.
Andrew barely had time to react before crouching down to catch the force of the hug, laughing as he did.
"Hey, long time," he said, wrapping his arms around her carefully. "You've grown these past few months."
Ellie laughed proudly. "Obviously! I'm doing the grow-strong diet you gave me."
From Barb's arms, Lily immediately took in the scene. Her eyes widened just slightly, then she frowned. Without saying a word, she slipped out of her grandmother's arms before Barb could stop her and headed straight toward her brother.
On the way, she gave Sydney and her uncles a quick, almost reflexive greeting. No stopping.
"Careful with his arm," Lily warned in the childish voice of a five-year-old, but surprisingly serious.
Then she pressed herself against Andrew's side, claiming her spot as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Ellie narrowed her eyes. She stepped back as Andrew stood up again, watching the scene with an amused smile at the silent standoff.
Despite being close in age, Ellie eight and Lily about to turn six, they had never really played together when they met. It wasn't that they disliked each other, but they didn't seek each other out either.
There was something that kept them at a slight distance. And truthfully, they didn't have many opportunities to build that kind of friendship anyway.
Fortunately, the childish tension was broken by Barb, who finally focused all her attention on Andrew.
"There he is!" she exclaimed.
'Oh no… here it comes,' Andrew thought, accepting his fate. Every time he saw that expression on his grandmother's face, he knew exactly what was coming.
Barb was known for being extremely affectionate. Long hugs, kisses on the cheeks and forehead, hands squeezing his cheeks as if he were still a baby.
Andrew had resigned himself to it long ago. On one hand, he found it sweet. On the other, now that he was a teenager and far more accustomed to the old-school, restrained affection of Jay, or Merle, it felt a little awkward. Even his parents, Cam included, understood that he was growing up and no longer treated him like a little kid.
'Phew, I'm safe,' Mitchell thought, watching the scene from behind.
He had always struggled with how overly close and affectionate Barb could be, but he had never had the courage to tell Cam that it made him uncomfortable. With Andrew and Lily around, most of that attention shifted to them, and he came out relatively unscathed. Not always, of course, but much better than in the past.
"Grandma, careful," Sydney intervened. "Remember his arm hurts."
She said it with the intention of making the hugs a little less intense, and shorter.
Andrew shot her a grateful look and accepted Barb's affectionate greetings. This time, she restrained herself a bit, especially with the hugs.
When she finally pulled back, she held him at arm's length and looked at him with that unmistakable worried-grandmother expression.
"What happened to your arm?" she asked. "Is it serious?"
All the Tuckers immediately paid attention. They could have asked by message, but the game had ended around 10:30 p.m. in Los Angeles. With the time difference, it was already past midnight in Missouri. They had decided to wait and see him in person instead.
Andrew shook his head. "Nothing serious. Just a mild deltoid contusion. I'll be fine in a week and ready to play in the semifinal."
The relief was immediate. Several breaths were released almost at the same time.
Then a voice that didn't belong to the family group spoke up. "Just like the official Mater Dei statement said."
It was David, the offensive coordinator.
"Official statement?" Mitchell repeated, raising an eyebrow as he looked at him.
Steve jumped in before David could respond. "Are you telling me the school released a statement about this guy's injury severity?" he asked, pointing his thumb at Andrew.
David nodded. "On Mater Dei's official Twitter account. About an hour ago."
Andrew exchanged a surprised look with his parents.
It was the first time he had ever been injured. But among the Monarchs' fans, both inside and outside the school, there had been too many questions and too much concern. It made sense that the school would clarify the situation on social media.
Steve shook his head with a faint smile. "Man, you already sound like a college player."
Andrew snorted, amused. "We'll be one soon enough anyway."
Andrew introduced Steve and Melissa to the rest of the Tuckers. It wasn't the first time they had seen them in person, Steve had already been in the stands during the Mater Dei vs. De La Salle game, relatively close to them.
Still, this time the introduction was more formal.
"I watched the highlights of your game," Sydney commented, looking at Steve with a smile. "Great one-handed catch."
Steve was slightly surprised. Not so much by the compliment itself, but by the fact that they had seen his highlights from a game that had taken place less than twenty-four hours ago. A game that had only been regionally broadcast, not nationally. Someone in Missouri couldn't have watched it live.
And on top of that, the girl complimenting him was extremely pretty.
'No, no. She's my best friend's cousin,' Steve thought, clearing his throat.
"Thanks," he replied. "It's good to know I wasn't completely overshadowed by Andrew's games," he joked.
Sydney laughed. "Notre Dame versus Loyola was an incredible high school matchup. Though it's normal to get a little overshadowed by someone with my cousin's stats," she said, throwing Andrew a quick glance.
"Yeah, I know that all too well," Steve said with a light laugh.
Andrew shrugged, as if to say there wasn't much he could do about it.
"Still, I'm surprised you saw the highlights of my game," Steve added. "It was a regional broadcast. Are the highlights already circulating that fast?"
"Don't underestimate Sydney," Andrew said. "She knows a lot about football. Watches a ton of games and wants to study for a Bachelor of Journalism, focused on sports journalism."
The comment didn't go unnoticed. A few steps away, the Tigers staff exchanged brief, discreet glances, taking mental notes without intervening.
Steve's eyes widened slightly. "Seriously?"
It wasn't exactly common for a girl to want to study journalism focused on sports, especially football.
Sydney nodded as if it were no big deal. "Yeah. And Missouri is one of the best options for that. It's always near the top in the rankings," she replied. "Though I'm not as obsessive as Andrew. He breaks down games from today, ten years ago, any era. I just enjoy analyzing them."
Steve swallowed and forced himself to stay calm. Was there anything more tempting than a girl who watched football and actually understood it? To the point of wanting to become a journalist?
Luckily, at that moment, someone interrupted them.
"Ahem, ahem."
Mitchell cleared his throat softly, drawing the attention of the three.
"I think we still need to properly greet everyone," he said, gesturing toward the group of coaches.
'Right…' Andrew and Steve thought, stepping toward the group of coaches.
Mitch, Cam, and Andrew didn't seem surprised by the caliber of the staff who had come to receive them. During the previous visits to UCLA and Georgia, it had been exactly the same, VIP treatment from the very first minute.
"Thank you for choosing us," David said, shaking Andrew's hand.
"Yeah, you won't regret it. It's going to be a great weekend," Andy, the wide receivers coach, added, shaking Steve's hand.
After the greetings, David spoke again. "The SUVs are already waiting for us. Shall we?"
Andrew, Steve, and the others nodded and began walking toward the airport exit.
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