Page 14 of George’s Big Day

“That’s very nice of you to say.”

“Only stating the obvious. But tell me, have you ever fallen off anything?”

I had to think.

“See?”

“Aw, you sound so sad,” Kurt commiserated.

He got flipped off for that.

“So about Baylor’s arm, will he still have full use of it?” I tried to sound serious.

“Is that an honest-to-God real question?”

“He was pretty upset about getting hit with the ball,” I pointed out.

“If he wants to compare injuries, you’re the one with blood in your right eye and a bruise on your left cheek. I suspect there’s more damage than that, yes?”

I shrugged.

“I don’t suppose you’d let me take a look at you.”

“I thought you were an ear guy,” I teased him. “And I have to tell you, mine are fine.”

“That’s a specialty, you understand? I’m still a doctor.”

“Yes, I know. Kurt vouched for you earlier.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course.” Kurt chuckled.

“But so you know, I was cleared to come home by the US military.”

“That does in no way fill me with confidence.”

“I’m good,” I said as Kurt wrapped his arms around my neck. “He’s got me.”

“Yeah, well, that’s probably for the best. I don’t think any of us can get out there to you anyway.”

“Why not?” Kurt asked.

Javier pointed at Bubs, who was sitting on the deck, a foot from the entrance. He was puffed up and making that low warning noise cats made right before they ripped your face off. “He’s much scarier than the dogs.”

That was probably true.

“I hope Baylor doesn’t keep up the whining, because Claudia is this close to telling him what he can do with his whole I-can’t-move-my-arm bullshit. It’s really ridiculous.”

“Oh?” I asked.

“Yeah. Like Carson can throw a ball hard enough or fast enough to hurt anyone anymore,” he scoffed. “I mean, didn’t Baylor see what happened to him at the Fiesta Bowl all those years ago? No one gets better from something like that.”

“Absolutely not,” Kurt was in total agreement. “That’s crazy.”

It certainly was.

TWO