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I don’t bother with getting my bag or anything else I left on the sideline. I know Heather will get it, and right now, the only thing that matters is getting to the hospital to make sure Aaron is okay.
We get to the parking lot, only to realize we all rode on the bus, and I have no idea how we’ll get to the hospital.
“This way!” Dad yells, motioning for us to follow him to the street. “Debbie said she’s parked over here.”
I pick up my footing now that I know we’re looking for Aaron’s mom’s car. When I see it parked on the street, we all hurry even more to it and wait for my dad to unlock the door, then let us all in.
I sit up front, and when Beau’s hands reach from behind me to grab my shoulders, I relax a bit at his touch and drop my head back on the rest as I cover his hands with mine.
Nothing is said as we rush to the hospital, which thankfully isn’t too far away, and my dad is able to find it with ease.
Dad parks the car, and we all hurry out, slamming the doors behind us. We run through the big sliding doors withEmergencywritten over them in big, bright red letters.
Aaron’s mom is sitting in the waiting room, bawling into her hands, all alone.
I run to her side. “Debbie!”
She stands up and wraps her arm around me. “Oh, sweetie,” she cries into my arms.
“Is he okay?” I ask.
She steps back and wipes her eyes. “The doctor said they’re going to do all they can. They had to rush him into surgery, so I really don’t know what’s going on.”
I cover my mouth in fear.
Dad walks over and gives her a hug. “He’s going to be okay. This is one of the best hospitals in the state.”
Debbie nods as she rubs her lips together. She looks up and is taken aback when she sees Beau standing a few steps back, still in full gear.
She reaches her hand out to him. “That was a great catch.”
He grins as they grip hands. “It was a great throw.”
She smiles at that. “It sure was.”
Dad places his hand on Beau’s gear. “Let’s get you out of these pads at least.”
Beau lets out a small chuckle. “I probably should. I’m kind of out of place, sitting here in full gear.”
“Just a little,” Dad teases. “There’s not much we can do but sit and wait until he’s out of surgery. We might as well get comfortable.”
Dad and Beau head back to the car to put Beau’s pads away as I sit with Debbie.
“I knew something like this would happen eventually,” Debbie says under her breath.
“Why?” I turn to face her better in my seat.
“I just always had a feeling.” She looks at me. “If you guys didn’t live next door, I would never have allowed him to play. It’s just too dangerous. But he grew up idolizing all those players who were at your house every Thursday night, and I knew I’d never be able to tell him no.”
“We’re all glad you allowed him. He’s really good.”
She sighs as her lips tilt up the slightest bit. “That he is. He gets it from his daddy.”
Of course, I know his dad left them when he was little, but I’ve never heard her actually mention him.
“Really?”
She nods. “Yep. He was the football star of his high school as well. I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree even if the tree was cut down and the stump’s been ground to bits.”
