Her face seared with heat. “Yes, but I was afraid to ask. I didn’t want to bring up any painful memories.”
“I wouldn’t have shown my scars to you if I wasn’t okay talking about them. It happened a long time ago. I’ve had years to come to peace with it.” He ran a hand through his hair. “The round scars are from AC joint and rotator-cuff surgery, and the elbow is from a Tommy John procedure.”
Gemma remembered reading that name in herBaseball for Beginnersbook, but it wasn’t clicking where it was from. “Tommy John?”
“Tommy John is the nickname for reconstructive surgery of the UCL ligament in the elbow. It’s the ligament that allows a player to be able to throw a ball at a high velocity.”
She sat taller. “Tommy John was a pitcher, wasn’t he? I remember now. He convinced a doctor to try replacing the ligament in his elbow. There was no way of knowing if the surgery was going to work, but it did, and it revolutionized modern baseball.”
“Somebody’s been learning about baseball. I’m impressed.”
Her ears would soon be as red as cherries at this rate.
“You’re right. TJ surgery is sadly common.”
Gemma swallowed hard. “Both of those surgeries sound awful. I’m sorry you had to go through them.”
“For a long time, I was too, but you know what? In a weird way, I’m kind of glad it happened the way it did. It changed the course of my life, and without the injuries, I never would’ve become a teacher or a junior baseball coach.”
Gemma thought about her hip and the way the sequence of events had unfolded of late.I wished for more time in Sequoia Valley, and I got exactly what I wanted. He’s right.
“I guess if I had to find something positive about all this, it’s that I’ll be able to spend more time with you and my bestie.”
“I would never wish an injury on anyone, but I’m glad you’re coming here too.” Tim sighed. “I’ve missed you.”
She drew a small circle on the fabric of her bedsheet. “I’ve missed you too.”
As Tim leaned forward toward the camera, his desk chair squeaked. “Is there anything else on your mind you’d like to get off your chest right now?”
“No. I don’t feel as alone as I was before. I feel a little lighter knowing that if you can get past two major injuries, I can too.” A few pangs of guilt pulled at her. “What about you? You sound exhausted. Can I do anything to help you?”
“I am.” He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “But as much as I appreciate your help, these reports are ones I have to do on my own. We have parent-teacher conferences coming up. The prep always leaves me anxious.”
“Are the parents that scary?”
“If their kids are doing well, no. They’re happy to sit and chitchat with me. If their kid is struggling, yes. Teachers are the ones who take the blame for the poor results of kids in the classroom.”
“Do they yell at you?”
“Sometimes. On the whole, most parents are good, but there are a couple who I know are going to have to be handled with kid gloves. The bright side is that you’ll be around to distract me.”
“I will.” She nodded emphatically. “You can count on me to do whatever it takes to help get your mind off work.”
“I’m looking forward to having some quality alone time with you.”
Her spine tingled in delight.
“I won’t keep you. I have a flight to book.” She picked up the mobile and winked at him. “Try and get some rest tonight, so you’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”
“I’ll try,” he chuckled. “Good night, Gemma-rella.”
“Good night, Timmy.”
Clicking off her mobile screen, she couldn’t help but feel as if something between them had shifted. Tim had shared something intimate and personal about his past. It wasn’t the type of thing that people who were just friends shared with one another. Yet, she didn’t know what to label them as.
Tim has walked the same path as me. He knew exactly what I needed to hear. If only I could return the favor and tell him what he needs to hear. Maybe if I talked to Mum, she’d be able to help. She’s been teaching for more than twenty years. If there’s anyone who has experience with difficult parents, it’s her.
Gemma glanced at the time on her mobile. If she called home now, she should be able to catch her parents before they went to bed.
