“We’ll see about that.”
“Yeah, there’s my competitive girlfriend,” I teased.
“Girlfriend?”she asked.
“Of course, you’re not dating anyone else are you?”
“No.I just like the sound of that.Girlfriend.”
She leaned forward and gave me a sweet kiss.
“What happens when the season is over?”she asked, her lips a few inches from mine as she stared into my eyes.
“You could stay here in Seattle with me for a few months,” I suggested.
“Or you could come to Vancouver.”
“I don’t know,” I teased.“I hate crossing the border.”
We talked quietly for a while then turned on an episode ofModern Family, watching it until we both fell asleep.
The playoff series turned out to be very competitive.Seattle won the first two games and Vancouver won the third.We headed up to Vancouver for the next three games, and Yvonne’s team won two of them, but then we won the third, tying the series at three and three.That meant that game seven, the championship game, would be held in Seattle.
On the ice, Yvonne and I played our hardest, putting our personal relationship to the side.As we should.She did her best to block my shots and I did my best to push past her and score, just like we always had.
It was just like the old days until the final period of the final game.We were tied and I had the puck.Yvonne body checked me hard, moving fast and sending me flying against the boards.I went down on the ice.Hard.I heard a loud crack, then I was laying on my back struggling to breathe.Then everything went black.
Yvonne
Ididn’tstayformyteam’s celebration, didn’t even bother to change my clothes.The instant the buzzer sounded, indicating the end of the championship game, I was running to the locker room, ignoring everyone else.I tore off my pads and skates, grabbing my stuff from my locker and heading for the exit still wearing my uniform.
As I ran I tried not to panic.
It had been a simple body check, something we did a million times in this game, but somehow the combination of momentum and loss of balance sent Toni flying off the boards and onto the ice, landing hard enough to crack her helmet.When I realized she was unconscious I’d dropped to my knees, sobbing, begging the medics to tell me if she was okay.Two of my teammates had to pull me away to let them put her on a stretcher.
I was contractually obligated to stay until the end of the game, but my coach at least had the good grace to bench me.I watched as my team scored the winning goal, but I took no joy in it.Not when I didn’t know if Toni was okay.
I was in the parking lot pulling up the Uber app when I realized that I had no idea where they would have taken Toni.My phone beeped and I breathed a sigh of relief.
Unknown Number:Yvonne, it’s Marta Lindstrom.We’re at Seattle Municipal Hospital.Toni was awake and asking for you when they took her back for tests.
Yvonne:I’m on my way.
As soon as the Uber pulled to a stop in front of the hospital I was out of the car and running into the Emergency Room.I waited impatiently as a huge security guard made me go through the metal detector, then I hurried to the reception desk.
Where no one would tell me anything.
“I don’t care about privacy, the woman I’m going to marry is in there!”I yelled.
I’d never yelled at anyone in my life, but I was frantic to see Toni.The receptionist was unimpressed, probably because she got yelled at on a regular basis.Someone grabbed my shoulder and when I swung around, I realized that it was Toni’s father.
“Her mother is back there with Toni now,” Mr.Lindstrom said, his face kind.“Come sit with me and I’ll tell you what I know.”
Two excruciating hours later Toni walked back out, her mother’s arm around her waist.There was a bandage on her cheek, her arm was in a sling, and she looked pale, even for Toni.When she saw me, she gave me one of her bright smiles, but I could see the pain behind it.
“You came.”
Was she surprised?
