Chapter 28
CARTER
Theo’s surgeon comes out to talk to us just after one in the morning. She looks exhausted, but she’s smiling when she tells us that everything went as well as she could have hoped, and she expects Theo will make a solid recovery, despite the extensive repairs his injury required.
Only time will truly tell us what challenges he’ll face when it comes to hockey. The surgeon mentions lingering tightness from the tendon repair and potential nerve damage that could have long-term impacts, but overall, we have every reason to be hopeful.
“Theo is still in postoperative recovery,” she says once she’s gone over everything. “But once he’s moved to a regular room, a nurse will take you up to see him.”
I breathe out a sigh and sink back onto the couch. “So, more waiting,” I say.
Sarah sits down next to me and drops her head on my shoulder. “I don’t know how the two of you still have your eyes open,” she says to me and Miles. “I barely can, and you’re the ones who played a hockey game tonight.”
“Yeah, but you put my kids to bed,” Miles says from the opposite row of chairs. “I’ve done both, and hockey is easier.”
I lean my head back against the wall and chuckle. “I believe it.”
Five minutes later, a nurse walks into the room, and I sit up a little taller, surprised Theo has already been moved. But then I recognize Rebecca.
Something tells me she’s not here to take us to Theo’s room.
She sits down directly across from me, her expression focused, resolute.
“I wasn’t going to do this,” she says. “I’ve been trying to avoid coming in here, but then I kept coming up with random reasons to walk by, which is so entirely stupid.
I’m over him. It’s been years. Of course I’m over him.
But I think…I just need to know that he’s doing better.
Not from the surgery. Which…I did hear it went well.
I just mean…from before.” She meets my eyes, and suddenly, I’m right back in high school telling her that Theo doesn’t want to see her again.
Rebecca was far too patient with Theo back then.
She tried so hard to be what he needed, but he was wrestling with demons that were much bigger than what any of us should have had to handle.
He turned so far inward, the only thing he managed not to give up on was hockey.
And that was only because I didn’t give him a choice.
It’s a credit to her character that after how he treated her, she still cares about him at all.
“Is he doing okay?” she asks. “Is he…happy?”
I consider how to answer. Theo doesn’t know she’s here, doesn’t know she’s asking, and I don’t want to betray his privacy. But she also went through a lot for him—more than she deserved. “It took a while,” I say. “But he’s doing a lot better. He’s happy.”
She sniffs and lifts her gaze to the ceiling like she’s trying to fight back tears.
“That’s good. That’s what I want for him—that’s what I’ve always wanted for him.
” She lifts a hand to her forehead and lets out a little laugh.
“I was supposed to scrub in for his surgery,” she says.
“I mean, what are the odds? That of all the ORs in the country…” She takes a deep breath.
“Anyway, thank you for the information. And I’m sorry to barge in on you like this.
” She looks over at Sarah. “Also, I read about your wedding online and you were such a beautiful bride, and I really hope the two of you are very happy.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, suddenly realizing I never introduced Sarah. “I should have introduced you. This is my wife, Sarah, my brother-in-law, Miles, and the Jaguars’ head trainer, Nico Alvarez. This is Rebecca Bradley. We went to high school together.”
She takes a deep breath. “It’s nice to meet you all,” she says. “I feel like I’m making a really terrible first impression.”
“Not at all,” Sarah says. “You’re totally fine. I know a little something about how these guys can get under your skin.” She tilts her head toward me, and Rebecca laughs.
“Ha. Yeah. That’s an understatement,” she says. “I should get back to work now, but thank you for talking to me. And not making me feel silly for needing to ask.”
“No problem,” I say. “It really is nice to see you again.”
She stands and adjusts her nursing badge.
“I was really glad to read about the two of you making it to the NHL. I know how badly Theo wanted it, and I have a feeling he got it because you didn’t give up on him.
He’s lucky to have you, Carter,” she says, then she moves to the door. “It was nice to meet all of you.”
“Um, just for the record,” Miles says as soon as Rebecca is gone, “I don’t think she’s really over him.”
I let out a chuckle. “Yeah. Me neither.”
A few minutes later, another nurse shows up, this one fully prepared to take us to see Theo, who is finally out of recovery.
Nico and Miles stay back in the waiting room, and Sarah offers to do the same, probably wanting to give me time alone with my brother. But I quickly dismiss the idea. I want her beside me. She’s been my lifeline the past few hours—I’m not about to give her up now.
“Is he awake?” I ask the nurse when we finally reach Theo’s room.
“He’s still a little groggy,” she says. “But he’s awake.” She pauses, hand on the large wooden door. “He needs his rest, so a short visit would be best.”
Seeing Theo in a hospital bed, IV attached, oxygen cannula in his nose, feels like a punch to the gut.
My stupidly strong, annoyingly boastful brother looks terrible. His skin is pale, and he has dark circles under his closed eyes. His left arm and hand are heavily bandaged, resting on a pillow at his side.
Sarah and I hang back while the nurse approaches. “You’ve got some visitors, Theo,” she says, and Theo opens his eyes. He scans the room, eyes finally landing on me, then he smiles.
“Took you long enough,” he says, his voice raw and scratchy.
Sarah sits in the chair near the foot of the bed while I step up and take Theo’s hand. His grip is stronger than I expect it to be, and it sends a surge of emotion through my chest.
He’s okay. He’s here, and he’s okay.
The nurse takes a second to hang a new bag of IV fluids, then she moves to the door. “I’ll be back in a few minutes for another vitals check,” she says, then she leaves us alone.
“Way to scare me half to death,” I say to Theo, and he gives me a tired grin. “Sarah’s here too, and Nico and Miles are still in the waiting room. And Coach Kimzey will be back in the morning.”
Theo leans to the right and looks around me. “Hey, Sarah,” he says, and my wife stands, moving up beside me.
“Hey, Theo,” she says, her voice soft.
Theo drops my hand and points between the two of us. “So…where are we at with this?” he asks, his words slurring the slightest bit like he’s still a little bit under the influence. “Have we gotten to the part where you two just admit you’re in love with each other? Or…not yet?”
My face heats even as I look over at Sarah to see her pressing her lips together, clearly fighting a smile.
“Seriously?” I say to Theo. “You’re just asking right in front of her like it’s no big deal?”
“What?” he says. “It’s a fair question.”
I hold Sarah’s gaze for a long moment. She doesn’t seem bothered by Theo’s question at all. There’s no uncertainty behind her eyes, no hesitation. Just warmth and what feels an awful lot like love.
I turn back to Theo. “We’re working on it,” I say. “But someone decided to have a big dramatic accident, so we haven’t had a lot of time to talk.”
“Whatever, man,” Theo says. “You’ve known how you feel for weeks. Don’t pin this on me.”
Sarah starts to chuckle, and I shake my head. It’s not like he’s wrong, but I’d rather he not tell Sarah before I can.
Theo clears his throat, wincing, then licks his dry lips. “Is there any water in here?”
“I’ll get you some,” Sarah says, lifting a hand to my arm and giving it a quick squeeze. “I’ll be right back.”
I nod, watching her as she leaves the room, then I look down to see my brother watching me. “I’m happy for you, man,” he says. “You deserve it.”
There’s a distance in his tone that makes me think he doesn’t believe the same thing about himself, and I think about Rebecca, wonder if I should tell him that I spoke to her.
I’m sure I will eventually, but maybe not tonight.
“Did we win?” Theo asks.
“Nah,” I say. “We scored one more time, but they took it in the end.”
He huffs out a laugh. “Cause y’all suck without me.”
“Yeah, we do. Which is why you’d better heal quick.”
He closes his eyes for a long moment before he opens them and fixes his gaze on mine, his expression serious. “Be straight with me, man. Did you talk to the surgeon?” He takes a steadying breath. “Will I…”
I nod, knowing exactly what he’s asking even if he can’t find the words. “Yeah,” I say. “You will. It’ll take a lot of work. Rehab. But there’s no reason why you shouldn’t expect to play again.”
He nods, letting his eyes fall closed. It seems like it’s getting harder for him to stay awake. “Whose blade was it?”
“Dmitri Isakov,” I say. “They’ll have an official review, but Fly was right there when it happened, and he says it was pretty obvious it was an accident.”
“I’d never blame Dmitri,” Theo says. “I love that guy. He probably feels terrible.”
“Yeah, he texted already,” I say. “Probably messaged you too, which, come to think of it, I have your phone if you want it.”
I pull it out of my pocket and use my own face to unlock it. “Yeah,” I say, scrolling through his notifications. “You’ve got a message from him and pretty much everyone else you’ve ever met.”
“I’ll look at them tomorrow,” he says. “What happened to Kiminsky?”
“He got a major for boarding,” I say. “That was it.”
“No game misconduct?”
“The refs ruled the cut wasn’t a direct result of the hit.”
Theo grumbles. “Did you let Kiminsky know how you felt about that?”
“Two solid hits in the last half of the third,” I say. “You know I’ve got your back.”
He holds up his good hand, and I step closer, gripping it with mine.
“I do know that,” he says. “I always know that.”
“I can’t play this game without you, man.” My voice cracks, tears springing to my eyes, and I suddenly feel so tired, so completely frayed by everything that’s happened.
“You won’t,” Theo says, like he’s the one who’s supposed to give me reassurance. “I mean, if it was you who got cut, you’d probably be done. Career over. But me? I’ve got this.”
I drop his hand and gently shove his good arm. “Shut up.”
Sarah comes back in with a cup of ice water and a straw, so I help Theo sit up enough to take a drink while she holds the straw to his mouth.
“Thanks, Sarah,” Theo says. “Now, will you please take your husband home and put him to bed? You both look like you need to sleep.”
“We’ll be back tomorrow, all right? And Mom’s flying in first thing. She should be here around nine.”
Theo nods, his eyes already closed. “I love you, brother,” he says. “Thanks for being here.”
“I love you too,” I say, then I make my way to the door where Sarah is already waiting.
She slips an arm around my waist. “You okay?” she asks, and I nod, wiping my eyes.
“Yeah. Just tired. Ready to go home.”
Home. The word has had a different meaning lately. The new house helps, but it only feels like a home because Sarah is there. She’s what I crave, and I’m suddenly intensely aware of how lucky I am that going home means having her with me.