"Xendo! Don’t make me ask again!” the boy’s mother threatened.

“Mom! Hop off! I’ve got one more round before the game’s over!” he called back from his room.

“What?” she yelled up to him. “You told me you were packing for school!”

“Oh, shoot!” Xendo muttered with a laugh.

He took one last, glorious look at his dream man, Rory Michael, dominating the court in the instant replay. Xendo Quaker ran his fingers through his messy, silver-gray hair and grumpily switched off his holoscreen. The roaring cheers of the 3451 Grounded Staffball tournament vanished. Xendo turned to the mound of wrinkled street clothes on his bed. He stuffed the pile into his duffel bag and ran down the stairs. 

“See, I’m done.” Xendo plopped his bulky bag on the kitchen counter. “Mom?”

“Great, honey,” Blinda Quaker called from halfway inside the oven she was scrubbing. “Can you go into town and pick us up some food?” 

“You’re a chef,” Xendo replied. “Can’t we just eat something here?”

“We’re saving the food I made for the superintendent’s visit tomorrow. Do you want to help me clean or get us lunch?” 

“Fine, I’ll go.” Xendo rolled his eyes and went to put on his shoes. 

“Don’t roll your eyes, it’s rude,” Blinda muttered without looking in his direction. She was going after an unruly grease stain. 

“How could you possibly know I rolled my eyes?” Xendo asked incredulously. 

“I’m Super Mom. I see all,” she responded. 

“Yeah, sure,” he chuckled. “I can’t believe I’m missing Rory’s staffball match.” 

Blinda popped out from the oven and gave Xendo a cheeky grin. 

“Ooohoo, the great Rory Michael!” she cooed in her sarcastic, mocking, mom voice. Blinda flexed her arm muscles as if she were the new model for Earth Digital’s male fitness blog. 

“I’m big muscle man, Rory! I wave sticks at glowing balls!” Blinda teased. “And my sport suit is too tight!” 

Xendo glared at his frumpy mother with her blonde hair in a messy bun as she struck multiple muscle poses and tried not to laugh. 

“Rory’s the best staffball player this century and his suit fits just right, thank you very much,” Xendo retorted with a playful grin. “Don’t make fun of my future husband, Mom.” 

“Husband?” Blinda laughed. “Doesn’t he have five different girlfriends each year?” 

The two came to a stare down. Blinda cocked a smile, and Xendo went back to tying his shoes. 

“Every cute guy is my potential husband until they tell me otherwise!” Xendo smirked. “He just hasn’t met me yet!” 

“Oh, is that so?” Blinda chuckled while staring at her son. His annoying confidence reminded her of his father. She softened. 

“Well, any husband of yours is welcome here. Maybe he’ll actually help me clean, unlike someone else I know!” she pestered while throwing her soiled towel at him. 

“He won’t. We’ll just be making out upstairs!” Xendo joked as he dodged the dirty kitchen rag and exited their tiny cottage home.