Levar's mother shook her head sadly. It wasn't going well. Her family had a bad history with second puberty--an uncle who had disappeared shortly after growing breasts and never been heard from again. And football had been so important to Levar. . .
More than that, though, she felt a little guilty. She knew about the temptations boys could fall prey to in big-time football programs--the sex, the drugs, the corruption. And she knew the damage that football could do to the body and mind. And she prayed that God would protect her son from all the harm that football could do. And God had answered her prayers, but not in the way she wanted, not in the way that she ever imagined.
Clotilde took comfort in the fact that what had happened was God's will, and must be for the good. But it was so very, very hard on her child.
"Levar?"
"Yes ma?"
"Are you hungry? Can I bring you something to eat?"
"No thank you. I'm OK."
Levar was very far from OK, Clotilde thought.