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ASHLYN
“No, honey. We haven’t heard anything yet. Make sure you set the alarm and go to bed. You’ve got rink time before school tomorrow. I’ll be home in a little bit, okay?”
Lindy rolls her eyes as if I can’t see her, and I fight the urge to remind her we’re FaceTiming. “I know, Mom. Love you.”
“Love you too, sweetheart.”
My beautiful daughter smiles before her face disappears from the screen, and I make my way back inside the busy hospital waiting room. When we got here nearly two hours ago, Maddie rushed to the front desk, begging the nurse for information on Watkins. They looked less than thrilled and pointed us to the waiting room. According to the woman who seemed more interested in her phone than us, everyone and their drunken brother had been calling, trying to get the same information we wanted, and we’d just have to wait our turn. We could have played the Kingston card, but that’s not our style. Maddie and I weren’t born into this family, and I’m fairly certain neither of us is completely comfortable with everything that comes with it.
Judging by the look on Maddie’s face when I sit back down, our turn hasn’t come yet. “Hey... you doing okay? Can I get you anything?”
“No. I’m fine.” She holds up the coffee I got for us an hour ago, the one she’s barely touched. “I feel bad that you’re waiting with me. I swear, I’m fine. Go home.”
Maddie Kingston is the type of woman who’ll always try to do it all herself. She hates asking for help. Something I can absolutely relate to.
“I know you’re fine. I also know your husband wants to be here with you, but I told him I’ve got you. So it looks like you’re stuck with me.” I lace her fingers through mine and squeeze. “He’s going to be all right.”
“You don’t know that,” she whispers. “Watty loves to act tough. He always has. But he’s not invincible. He can break like the rest of us.” She closes her eyes, and a sad smile pulls at her lips. “He practically lived with Brandon and me after I graduated from college.”
She laughs softly and wipes away an errant tear. “Did you know I accidentally kicked him in the balls the night Daphne went into labor? God, that feels like a lifetime ago.”
“No,” I laugh. “Do I want to know why?”
But before Maddie gets a chance to answer, it feels like all the oxygen is sucked out of the room. We both turn toward the sliding doors as Brandon and a few others from the team walk in.
Maddie runs toward her brother and buries her face in his chest, and of course, I look away like the coward I am and focus on the Kings head coach, Joe Sinclair.
He stops in front of me, looking calm and collected, not like he just won a football game, gave a press conference, and rushed to the hospital all in a two-hour time frame. “Have you heard anything?” I ask.
Joe looks around for a quiet corner, and I follow. “I was on a call with Scarlet on the way here. Watty’s neck was compressed when he landed. The good news is he has feeling and movement in all his extremities. But we don’t know the extent of the injuries yet.”
He looks devastated at the idea of one of his players being hurt.
Joe Sinclair is a good man and a good coach, who’s been with the Kings since before I married John. His players are lucky to have him.
Not all athletes get that lucky.
“Thanks, Coach. I appreciate it. Has anyone called his family?”
“Scarlet has, and I think Dixon touched base with them in the locker room. His mom is catching the first flight out. You should go home, Ashlyn. There’s nothing you can do here.”
Maddie and Brandon join us before she gives me a quick hug. “Coach is right, Ashlyn. Brandon can take me home. You should go check on Lindy.”
Okay then. I guess I’ve been dismissed.
I slip an unaffected mask in place, hoping it covers the twinge of hurt and hug her back. “Okay. Text me if you need anything.”
With my purse in hand, I head for the door before a voice stops me.
“Ashlyn, wait up,” Brandon calls out as I push through the door and stop on the other side. He catches up to me in a few long steps. “Come on. I’ll walk you to your car.”
“I’m fine, Brandon.”
“I know you are. But it’s late, and I’m here. Let me walk you to your damn car.” There’s something in his voice, a strain I don’t recognize and don’t have the energy to argue with. So I walk silently by his side as we cross the bridge to the parking garage and down a few flights of stairs instead of taking the elevator. I’m not a fan of small spaces.
“Thanks for staying with Maddie.” He shoves his hands in the pockets of the suit pants he must have worn to the stadium tonight. “She and Watty have always been close. The two of them used to gang up on me whenever they could.”
“I’d like to see that. Your sister thinks you hung the moon. I can’t imagine her ganging up on you,” I snicker.
