The paparazzi flash blinds me as I step out of the SUV, still in my Ravens jersey, adrenaline buzzing from tonight’s win. But then I see her—standing under the flickering awning of the old diner, one hand gripping a stroller, the other pulling her coat tight. Natalie. My heart stops.\n\nSeven years vanished in a blink. Before I can move, the child looks up—big brown eyes, messy curls, a tiny hand reaching toward me. He says something. She leans down, whispers, and he giggles: "Da-da?"\n\nMy breath catches. This isn’t possible. And yet… he has my nose. My smile.\n\nShe steps back, fear flashing across her face. "We didn’t come for money," she says. "He just deserves to know you."\n\nThe phone in my pocket buzzes—coach calling about tomorrow’s strategy meeting. The championship is in two weeks. My legacy hangs in the balance.\n\nBut so does this moment. This boy. This chance.