It was dark when the airport buses brought the Huygens, football team home. Durango was in the first bus. Griff was in the second bus. Mira was playing in San Diego that evening and was not home.

Caydance emerged from the coaches cottage, walked across the hill, turned on the Presidents House front porch lights, walked down the hill, waved to the players as one by one they exited from the Offense bus. Griff stepped out of the bus, lifted Caydance up, swung her around in a figure skating maneuver he learned from his mother. "We are unbeaten!"

On a table in the coaches cottage was an unopened bottle of champagne. In the oven, slow basted lemon chicken and red potatoes were roasting. "Huygens 33-Swifts 31": Griff's words from the LA Airport. "That was the score with only little more than one minute left in the game, but the Swifts had the ball. Given how good their kicker is, all they needed to do was get in field goal range. They were almost there when we put Damian in the D line."

arrow Bus trips without beer were not what Griff was accustomed to. Caydance handed him a beer.

"I love you," he said. removing the game film from his briefcase.