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“I'm game if you are.” He kissed her again, then nodded toward the field. “Off you go. It's your last game—make it a good one.”
He watched her throw a few practice pitches before the first batter came up. After slinging the requisite barbs back and forth, she wound up and delivered a blistering pitch, and the batter swung and connected soundly with the ball.
When Will looked back at that moment, he would consider it extremely lucky that the reserve team was playing the fire department team. Who better to have around than a dozen EMTs and paramedics when the woman you love takes a line drive to the head?
The sound of the not-so-soft softball connecting with Elizabeth's skull was loud, much louder than the sound of her body hitting the ground. For a moment Will just stared, his mind unable to process what his eyes had observed. A swarm of people converged, and Will snapped out of his trance and ran to her.
“Back up, give her space,” one of the firefighters said. “Anyone who isn't on the FD needs tobackup.”
“Elizabeth!” Will called out, and dropped to his knees next to her. She was out cold, and his heart plummeted to his stomach.
Someone said they’d already called 911, and Will kneeled as close to her as he could while trying to stay out of the way. He held her hand, grasping it tightly. A paramedic examined her, and must have read Will’s panicked expression.
“Hey, man, don't worry, she's breathing fine. The truck will be here in a few minutes, and we’ll get her to the hospital.”
“Okay. Okay,” Will responded, nodding rapidly. He heard sirens coming closer, and moments later the ambulance pulled into the parking lot.
Her eyes suddenly opened, and she looked around at the people hovering over her until her gaze came to rest on Will.
“What's...what's...?”
He gently squeezed her hand. “Shh. No talking.”
Her mouth moved, but she was silent. Suddenly, her eyes widened, and she turned her head and vomited into the grass. She turned back to him, her eyes filled with confusion, and fear gripped his heart.
Instantly the ambulance crew was there with a backboard and a neck immobilizer. “She might have a concussion,” one of them said. “Why don't you meet us at the hospital?”
Brenda handed Will Elizabeth's bag, and he thanked her and then asked if anyone knew if she’d ridden her bike to work.
“It’s here, I’ll take care of it,” another coworker offered. “Go.”
Will nodded briskly, jogged to his car, and followed the ambulance out into the street.
Not five minutes later he roared into a parking space at the hospital. The paramedics were taking Elizabeth from the back of the ambulance, and she was still disorientated and confused.
Nearly two long hours later, after having a CT scan of her head, it was determined she had a concussion. She’d begun to come around, and though still nauseous and dealing with a headache, she sounded more like herself. They talked quietly in the small bay in the emergency room, surrounded by beeping machines that monitored her blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen level.
She smiled weakly. “Not a great way to end the season, huh?”
“An injury-free game would have been preferable.”
“What a mess. I'm sorry.”
He leaned on the rail of the bed and lightly stroked her face, pushing her hair to the side but careful to avoid the tender area where the ball had struck. “Sorry for what? I'm just glad you're okay. That scared the hell out of me.”
“I would say it scared the hell out of me too, but I don't remember if it did or not.”
“I was scared enough for both of us, believe me.” He stood straight and stretched, peeking outside the door to see who was around. “No sign of Charlotte.”
Elizabeth shook her head slightly, then grimaced. “Ouch. No, she’s off.”
“We need to find out what's going on. Do you think they'll keep you here tonight?”
“I hope not.”
The doctor came in and introduced herself about ten minutes later. "How are you feeling, Elizabeth?"
"Okay. My head hurts and I’m nauseous, but it’s better than it was earlier."
