“Fuck the car, son. Are you really okay?”
“I’m fine, Tata.”
Alex brushed his fingertips over my forehead and said, “Looking at the bruising on his forehead, I’d say he’s under concussion protocol, Mikal. The doctor mentioned calling in a consult and test results.”
“That’s good. So nothing’s broken or anything?”
“No, Tata. I’m good. Just some aches and pains and bruises.”
“Good, we’ll be there soon. And Alex… I cannot thank you enough.”
“No thanks needed.”
Daddy hung up and tossed the phone on the tray table, all while staring at me.
“That was awkward as fuck.”
Nodding, I said, “Beyond awkward.”
Voices came through the door just before it clicked open. Alex moved away from the bed. My stomach dropped. I hated all the secrecy. The life I’d been dreaming about was right there… just beyond my reach.
The doctor who treated me came in with another doctor and a nurse.
“Hello, Aiden,” she said, “This is Dr. Ramadi. He’s a neurologist. Coach, if you could step out…”
“He can stay,” I said.
“Alright. Aiden, it’s nice to meet you. I reviewed the CT results, and things look pretty good. Despite playing hockey, you don’t seem to have suffered much in the way of head trauma.”
“No. I’ve had one very minor concussion before today.”
“That’s good. The whack to your head today was pretty severe, as evidenced by the bruising. Now for the part you’re not gonna like, but I’m hoping the coach is a reasonable guy who cares more about the player than the game or the win…”
Rage, the likes of which I’d never experienced, filled me.
THIRTY-EIGHT
SASHA
“You don’t get to…”
“Aiden, it’s alright,” I said, interrupting my boy.
He shook his head. “But it’s not…”
“It’s alright. The doctor is looking out for you. It’s his job. Unfortunately, there are coaches out there who would ignore a doctor’s orders and push a player back onto the ice before they are ready,” I told him.
He folded his arms over his chest, his face taking on the bratty look that made me want to paddle his ass. Staring at Aiden, I directed my words to the physicians in the room.
“Rest assured. Aiden Mercer will not be taking the ice until he is ready and a doctor agrees.”
“That’s refreshing to hear, Coach…” he guy trailed off, so I said, “Storm. Sasha Storm, Dr. Ramadi.”
We shook hands, and the doctor looked back at Aiden. “This knock to the head is not minor, but it could be much, muchworse. So, we will be keeping you overnight, just to be safe. No games, no practices, no workouts for the next week. At that time, we will re-evaluate. I also want you to limit screen time. So, no video games and limit your computer and phone time as much as possible. If you can get someone to do the reading and typing, you can do class work, but I’ll be giving you an excuse to email your professors.”
Aiden’s eyes grew wider and wider the more the doctor spoke. I wanted to comfort him so much. When he looked at me, those beautiful steel gray eyes that drew me in the moment our gazes locked, pleaded with me. I locked my knees to keep from going to him. My gaze dropped to Hawk, and Aiden’s did too.
Aiden’s hands sank into Hawk’s fur. Hawk whimpered, inching forward until he could lick and nuzzle Aiden’s neck, cheek, and chin. Aiden took a deep breath and muttered, “Okay. I understand.”
