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Determined, we head for the final period. They’re closing in, and if this goes to sudden death and I’m not there I’ll want to die. The referee whistles to start the period, and I immediately grab the puck, heading for the goal full of enthusiasm.
However, I don’t last to see the five minutes Coach handed me — a few Vipers players come to body slam me against the boards.
I feel a sharp pain in the middle of my spine, the air is snuffed out of me, and I blackout for good, not even seeing when or how I left the rink.
I do know the last thought I had was of Elsa.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
ELSA
I’mwalkingfromsideto side in this hospital’s waiting room, alone, for now, but I already messaged Parker, my mom, and Harvey’s mom.
I asked mom not to come because I felt like she would stress me out more, but I promised to keep her posted. I told her and dad that I was pregnant when I got back to Boston. As I thought, my mom was beyond thrilled and my dad just looked at me and said, “Is he going to marry you?”
It had been a tough conversation, but when I told my dad that Harvey said he’d take care of me and the baby wanted to marry me and I was the one having cold feet, he looked relieved and said something about how it was a good thing he’d take responsibility.
I had told Parker too, who had just looked at me with shock, silence, and wide eyes before getting excited that his sister and best friend were expecting. I’m just glad he had come around to us being together before the baby news.
“When are they going to let me see him?” I grab an unsuspecting nurse and the poor lady barely knows what hit her.
“Who are you wanting to see, ma’am?” she says, caught off guard.
I let her go and she clearly feels much better. I reply, “Harvey Baker, please!” I bring my hands close to my body.
“Oh, the hockey player!” she says, animatedly. “He’s in the ICU right now, dear, stable, but they’re still doing tests.”
I growl, frustrated. “That’s it?” I ask, losing all hope.
“I’m sorry dear, it’s all I know! Once he’s moved to a room, you’ll be able to see him,” she says.
“And when is that going to happen?” My fists are curled into angry balls.
The nurse just shrugs, leaving me exasperated and crying. She pats me on the arm as a means of consoling me, then leaves, and all I want now is a hug, even from her.
But that hug takes one full hour to occur. Parker is the first one to arrive and finds me crying with my head in between my legs, and holds me tight against his chest, on which I completely collapse and crumble in tears.
“It’s going to be okay,” Parker says in a calming tone. “He’s one tough cookie, isn’t he?”
I sniffle, trying to recompose myself, but nothing in my life ever seemed as hard as this. “He’s still undergoing testing. Oh, Parker, why did they hurt him?”
Parker snaps his fingers. “They already got a witness. Several of the players on the other teamandthe referee were bought by the mob to force an injury on Harvey. And apparently, they got him.”
He shakes his head, and I just feel my heart being crushed.
A doctor enters the waiting room and calls out, “Relatives of Harvey Baker?”
Parker and I quickly step forward and rush up to that doctor at the speed of sound.
“I’m his girlfriend, and he’s his best friend, doctor,” I say, nervous. There’s a chance he might only want to talk to family, which I'm not sure I can handle right now.
“No immediate family here?” the doctor asks, making my heart sink even further.
“His parents are driving over and should be here soon, but for now, it’s just the two of us,” I inform him, feeling somber and impatient to see Harvey.
“Understood,” the doctor consults his clipboard. “I’m Doctor Jacobs. Harvey is responsive and stable, with no life-threatening risk.”
Parker and I breathe a sigh of relief.
