21. Corrigan
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CORRIGAN
“ S o, Connor, it looks like we have confirmation that we are looking at a dislocated shoulder,” I tell the sweet young boy and his mother who is seated next to him on his bed. “The good news is at least we’re not dealing with any kind of long-term fracture or tear.” I explain to his mother, “The doctor plans to reset it and treat him for any residual pain along with a little bit of physical therapy but other than that, I don’t imagine he’ll have too many restrictions once everything is put back together and recovering. The doctor will be coming in in just a few minutes to talk you through everything and to reset Connor’s shoulder.”
“Thank you so much,” Connor’s mom says with an appreciative smile.
“You’ve must’ve been playing pretty hard, huh Connor?” I ask him. “I see you’re a hockey fan.” I nod to the Anaheim Stars t-shirt he’s wearing. “You like the Stars?”
“Yeah. I want to be on their team when I grow up.”
I lift my brows in surprise. “Ooh. Well, that’s a big goal. What position do you want to play?”
“I want to be a Winger. Or maybe Center.”
“I think you’ll be great at whatever position you choose.” I smile at the kid and lean down so I’m a little closer to him. “Can I tell you a secret?”
“Yeah.”
“It just so happens that I know a few of the Anaheim Stars players.”
One much more than the others.
Connor’s eyes grow huge. “You do?”
“Mhmm. And I can’t wait to tell them that I met you and that you’re going to be on their team one day so they better keep working their butts off because when you’re big and strong, you’re going to come along and blow them all off the ice.”
Connor laughs as I’m paged to the nurse’s station.
“Oh, that’s me. If you guys will excuse me, the doctor should only be another minute or two.”
Connor’s mother thanks me again and then I hustle out to the nurse’s desk to see where I’m needed.
“They need you in Oncology,” Brenda, one of the charge nurses, tells me when I check in.
“What?” My brows pinch together. “What for?”
“No idea.” She shrugs. “They just called down and asked for you specifically.”
“Huh. Okay. I’ll head up. Thanks.”
Not knowing anyone on the cancer wing, I scurry up a few floors and am buzzed through a few locked doors just before I run into a beaming Layken.
“Lake? What the hell? Did you page me?”
She nods her head excitedly and loops her arm through mine. “Yes and I’m sorry if I interrupted anything but I thought you might want to see this.”
She walks me down a hallway toward the end of the wing.
“See what?”
“Last room on the left.”
We stop outside a large room that is primarily used for gatherings or meetings between certain patients and family members or friends, but today, is filled with smiling children, three Anaheim Stars hockey players, and one very loved team mascot. There’s a small net on one end of the room and several different colored plush balls for each of the kids piled on the opposite side. Lumin helps one of the kids from her seat and hands the young girl her very special light-up hockey stick. The one she carries on the ice at all Anaheim home games. She helps the girl line up her plush ball and use the stick to shoot it across the floor where none other than Bodhi Roche stands by to watch as each ball enters the net.
I watch with an elated smile on my face as Bodhi raises his hands and announces to the room, “She shoots! She scooooores! High fives for Chelsea!”
Layken leans over and murmurs in my ear, “I just thought you might want to see your guy in action. He’s really great with the kids.”
“I didn’t even know they were coming today. Bodhi didn’t mention it.”
“They met with me about the Children’s Art Auction next month and even helped some of the kids with some artwork earlier. Bodhi was already in for helping out, but he asked the others to join in too and they all said yes. The whole team is coming this year, and every year after if Bodhi has anything to say about it, but these guys were available today so after we met in my office they agreed to stop by and say hi to the kids.”
“Bodhi did all this?”
“Mhmm.” I glance at Layken and notice she’s giving me a happy side-eye. “He’s a pretty good guy and I’m going to have to approve of whatever relationship you two have got going on because I can’t find a reason not to.”
“Yeah,” I sigh as I watch him through the window. “He is a pretty good guy.”
“So does that mean you guys are…you know.”
I nod slowly. “I think so, yeah. We both agreed it’s what we want so we’re giving it a go and we’ll see what happens.”
“What about your dad?”
“We’re not telling him just yet. When we’re both ready we’ll sit him down.”
“Please let me be a fly on the wall when that day comes.” She snickers beside me and I bump her with my hip.
“You’ll be among the first to know for sure.”
Layken gestures to the net and plush balls being used by the kids. “Ella said they had this stuff in storage to use with kids when they’re at the arena so she asked if she could bring it along and the team said yes.”
I smile nostalgically at the net where Bodhi stands. “That net was mine when I was a kid. Can you believe that?”
“No way.”
I nod. “Yep. Mom didn’t want to get rid of it when I outgrew it and Dad suggested saving it for things just like this.”
“Well then I guess I should be thanking you. These kids seem to love it.”
I watch quietly as Bodhi teases the hair on the head of one kid and makes him laugh with his silly plush ball tricks and then he stands and shakes hands with the kid’s parents.
Harrison Meers wheels the next kid over to where he’ll shoot his ball across the room and August Blackstone crouches down to allow the boy to choose what color ball he wants. When he points to the green ball, August sets it down in front of his wheelchair and Harrison helps him line up his stick. Together they shove the stick against the ball and watch as the ball rolls into the net. The families in the room applaud as once again, Bodhi raises his arms and says, “Another excellent scoooooore! You guys are good at this!”
I can’t help but smile warmly as I look on from outside the room because Bodhi Roche is every bit the good guy I thought he was. And that knowledge further confirms the decisions I made the night we met. That the decision not to tell him I knew who he was because somewhere inside the professional hockey player was a normal young guy who needed a little guidance and encouragement, was the right decision.
A few minutes later Bodhi happens to look up and sees me standing with Layken near the doorway.
“Hey!” His beaming smile is enough to melt all my insides. But I melt even more when he leans down and kisses my cheek.
“Hey yourself.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I work here, silly. If anyone should be asking that question round here, it’s me.”
“I was going to stop down and see you on my way out,” he tells me. “Looks like Layken beat me to it.”
I wiggle my brows. “She’s super sly that way. That’s why I keep her around.”
“Huh.” Layken sighs. “And here I thought it was my taste for Chinese and my sparkling personality.”
I nudge Layken’s shoulder with my own. “That too babe.”
She laughs. “Bodhi here is going to make sure our children’s art auction is the biggest hit yet.”
“Oh yeah?” I cock my head. “That’s a pretty big promise.”
“Lucky for you, I know a few people with heavy pockets.”
“Lucky for them,” I say. gesturing to the kids still laughing inside with Lumin and August. “Not for me.”
“Don’t worry Diary Girl,” he says with a wink. “I’ll make sure you’re feeling lucky too. I promise.”
Layken’s brows shoot up and she gives me an amused glance. “Oooh listen to this guy, Corrigan. I do believe you found yourself an ooey gooey cinnamon roll.”
“Cinnamon roll?” Bodhi lifts a brow. “Is that code for something?”
“Yeah.” I reach out and pat Bodhi’s chest with my hand a few times. “It’s the super nice guys who are really good at doing things for other people. The guy who cares more about his girl than he does himself.”
“Yeah.” Layken nods. “Like the guy who carries his girl’s bags when they’re out shopping.”
“Or the one who takes his girl to a bookstore on a date because what could be better than buying her one of the books on her Tbr.”
“Oooh yes!” Layken claps her hands as Bodhi cocks his head.
“Tbr? What is Tbr?”
“To Be Read,” Layken answers. “Every girl has one.”
He looks at me. “Do you have one?”
“Pshhh.” Layken waves her hand dismissively. “Bodhi, my man, she’s got one a mile long. She has Tbrs for her Tbrs.
“That’s only because this hospital takes up all my free time and I don’t get the time to relax and read. And when I do, it’s your book.”
“Your book?” Bodhi turns to Layken. “You have a book?”
“She wrote a book,” I tell him. “And it’s badass.”
“Really? You wrote a whole book?”
Layken nods. “It’s almost done. But yes.”
“Wow. That is pretty badass. Congrats. When will I get to read it?”
Layken’s cheeks turn bright pink. “Uh, that’s a great big never.”
“What?” Bodhi smiles. “And why not? Is it one of those spicy kinds of books?”
“Yes. And I do not need my friends judging me for my steamy bedroom scenes thinking the way my characters act is the way I act.”
“Friends, huh?” He rubs his chin between his thumb and forefinger. “So, we’re friends now? Like, officially?”
Layken turns with a smile and we follow along as we start to head out of the oncology department.
I suppose I do need to get back to work.
“Mr. Roche, I was officially your friend the very night I found out about you.” She turns again and points a finger at Bodhi. “But if you do anything to fuck over my best friend, I can guarantee you I will quickly become your worst enemy. Do I make myself clear?”
“Crystal.” He smiles. “I promise I won’t let you down.”
“Good.” She puts her arm around him. “Now, what can you tell me about Griffin Ollenberg?”
___
“I’m really glad I got to see you, Bodhi. That was a nice surprise.”
He squeezes my hand in his. “Ditto. I didn’t expect to see you at the door. I knew you were probably busy downstairs so I didn’t want to bother you.”
“It’s kind of a slow day today so bother away. The only patient I had was a kid who dislocated his shoulder playing hockey.”
“Ooh,” Bodhi cringes. “That hurts like a bitch as an adult. I feel bad for the kid.”
“Yeah. I should’ve looked to see if he was still here and asked if I could introduce you. He even told me he wants to be an Anaheim Star one day.”
“Wouldn’t be this kid coming out, would it?”
He lifts his chin, gesturing to a woman pushing her son in a wheelchair outside the hospital doors.
“Oh my gosh, yes! Connor!” I smile at the kid who immediately sees right past me to the man standing beside me. “How’s your shoulder, Bud? Did you get it all popped back into place?”
“Uh huh,” he says, staring open mouthed at Bodhi.
“That’s great! Make sure you take extra special care of it and don’t push yourself too hard, alright?”
“Uh huh.”
“Oh, and look who I just happened to find standing out here waiting for you to come outside?” I pass a wink to Bodhi who smiles in response. “Do you know Bodhi Roche?”
“Umm, yes! I know all about you! You were killer when you played in Boston and now you’re on our team!”
“That’s right.” Bodhi nods. “I heard you had a bit of a rough go today, huh?”
“Yeah.” Connor shrugs like it’s no big deal. “Simon Kinney checked me into the glass and then knocked me over and I dislocated my shoulder. But the doctor popped it back into place and it doesn’t hurt so much anymore.”
“That’s good to hear. But make sure you take care of it at home, alright? Do all the things your doctor told you to do so you can get back on the ice in no time.”
“I will. And one day I want to be an Anaheim Star.”
“I have no doubt you will be Connor. How old are you?”
“I’m nine.”
“Well, you know the Stars hold a hockey camp every season that many of us help out with.” He glances up at Connor’s mom. “If you look on our website, you can register him around this time next year. The camp starts in January.”
Connor gasps. “Can I Mom? Please?”
His mother smiles and pats his good shoulder. “Well, let’s see how well you do with this shoulder recovery and then pray you don’t suffer any more major injuries and then I think we could definitely look into it.”
“Yes!” Connor pumps his fist. “I can’t wait!”
“Good!” Bodhi offers Connor a fist bump. “Then until next year, Connor. I hope to see you around so we can play a little hockey together. How does that sound?”
“That would be amazing!”
“One last thing.” Bodhi reaches behind his head and pulls at the fabric of his jersey until it comes up and over his head. He pulls a black marker from his pocket and signs his name across the number on the back and hands it to a shocked and elated Connor. “Here ya go. Consider it something to inspire you to keep up the great work and get better so we can get you back on that ice.”
“Wow!” Connor exclaims. “Thank you so much.”
“My pleasure.”
“Wow! High five, Connor!” I lift my hand for Connor to give me a high five and then lean down to murmur, “I don’t even have a Bodhi Roche jersey. I’m kind of jealous.”
Connor shrugs innocently and whispers back, “Maybe if you ask him for one, he’ll give you one too.”
I chuckle. “You’re probably right. I’ll have to consider that.”