What had it been over?Oh yeah, I announced that I was going to moveout.
“It’s okay, Ryan. We’re almostdone.”
He left me alone again while the machine took another X-ray. Finally, when he finished, he came back into the room with the other trainers and I carefully pulled on myjersey.
“The images are processing now and will take a little while. Why don’t you go grab a shower and get into something comfortable?” the doctorsuggested.
I looked at the trainer who had been holding my mitt, but his hands were emptynow.
“I set your mitt at your locker,Ryan.”
“Thank you,” I said and held my side as I walked down the hall to the lockerroom.
If I could hurry, I’d be able to take a shower before the game was done. One of the trainers fell into step next to me and walked down the hall withme.
“It’s the top of the ninth, so you have enough time to shower and change in private. The towels are already out. I will set some water and Gatorade at your locker while you’re in theshower.”
I thanked him and was grateful that he wasn’t trying to ask me questions, but it still felt awkward. I couldn’t help but feel as though I was in trouble. Even though I had time, I still hurried in the shower. I should have been concerned about the game, but all I could think about were the X-rays.
I grimaced as I ran my lathered hands over my sides. I concentrated on the way my ribs felt as I took slow breaths. I guess I’d find out soon enough if something had been broken. I carefully walked to my locker with a towel wrapped around mywaist.
To my surprise, one of the trainers had set clean USC Trojan baseball sweatpants, t-shirt, and a sweatshirt on my chair. I dressed as fast as I could and sat back down just as the team was making their way down the hall. Some of the guys came over to me and asked me how I was. I said that I’d hurt my ribs and the team doctor was waiting for my X-rays toprocess.
Skyler’s locker was next to mine, and as he was unlacing his cleats, I asked him if I could move into the spare bedroomtoday.
“Yeah, man. I told you that it’s all yours whenever you’reready.”
“Thanks. I’mready.”
“Do you need to go home and getstuff?”
I shook my head and looked at my backpack and gearbag.
“I have what I need,” Isaid.
“Alright. You can ride home withme.”
After our team talk and as the crowd dispersed, the team doctor stood a short distance away with the coach and trainers. All of them were looking at me, and the doctor motioned for me to followthem.
“Have a seat, Ryan,” the coach said and took a seat behind hisdesk.
I slowly sat down across from him while the trainers and assistant coaches quietly took seats or leaned against a wall. The doctor flipped a light board on and put my X-rays up ondisplay.
“You have two broken ribs, Ryan. Several are bruised,” the doctor turned and looked atme.
“How did this happen, Ryan?” Coachasked.
My knees bounced nervously as I scanned their facesquickly.
“My brother and I, we fight a lot. It doesn’t usually get out of hand. Not like this,” I stammered. Once again, I covered up for myfamily.
“Does your brother know that he’s messing with a vital investment of the USC Athletic Department?” one of the assistant coachesasked.
Damn. I never thought of myself as an investment, but I guess I was. The coach waved off the assistant coach that referred to me as aninvestment.
“Ryan, is your brother older oryounger?”
“Older by sixyears.”
