Chapter SIX
Ross steadfastly refused to go to the E.R. so he could cheer his team to victory. After the game was over, Emmett convinced Ross to have his knee checked out. Mike and the other professional players offered to take him to the hospital, but Melissa insisted on doing it herself.
“I’m the one who caused the accident,”
she told them. “I won’t rest until Ross gets proper medical treatment.”
Ross held up his hand. “No E.R. visit. I’ve called my sports medicine doctor, and he’s referred me to a surgeon at Mass General in Boston, who will see me right away. Thanks for your offers, guys, but it’s important for you to stay here and do your part to promote the center.”
“Okay, then I’m driving you to Boston,”
Melissa told him. “The surgeon will see you this evening?”
“Yes. If they must operate, it’ll be done as soon as possible. Remember, I’ve been through this routine before.”
“Okay. Why don’t I pack an overnight bag and help you pack one for yourself?”
said Melissa.
“Do you really want to do this?”
Ross asked.
“Yes. This will make me feel a whole lot better about being the cause of this injury.”
Ross placed a hand on her shoulder. “It was an accident.”
“I know, but I still feel bad,”
said Melissa. “Besides, my SUV is large enough to give you plenty of space to stretch out either in the front or on the back seat.”
“I’ll ride with you to Ross’s house to make sure he has everything he needs and to see that he’s as comfortable as possible in your car on the ride to the hospital,”
said Emmett, standing by.
“Thanks. I appreciate that,”
said Melissa. “You can give me instructions on handling his injury.”
Dirk approached. “I’m sorry this happened, Ross. I guess this means you won’t be going to the special event this evening, Melissa. I’ll miss you. Are you going to be all right traveling home by yourself?”
“Yes, thanks. I can stay in Boston for as long as it takes. I’ve got culinary friends who live there who’ll give me a place to stay if it becomes necessary.”
Melissa left the crowd and went to her SUV.
She drove her vehicle as close as possible to Ross in the dugout, then got out and studied the logistics of getting him inside. Emmett helped her rearrange the seating in her car so Ross could either stretch out across the back seat or sit in the reclining front passenger seat.
Mark and Tyrus helped get Ross into the car. Melissa watched his face closely and knew from the pained expression that he was hurting. Guilt stabbed her.
Ross opted to stretch his leg out across the back seat. Emmett got into the passenger seat, and Melissa took off for home.
“I’ll park at Ross’s house and run across to my house to pack,”
she said as they headed for The Meadows.
As she drove, Emmett talked to Ross. “There comes a time when it’s easiest to take care of the situation once and for all. This knee has been a problem for some time. No doubt your doctor is right, and arthritis has set in, and what was mended may now need replacement. Without specific knowledge of your situation, I agree that what your doctor told you makes sense.”
Ross let out a long sigh of resignation. “I’ve had one knee replacement done, and I guess the time has come for the other. I should never have gone for that motorcycle ride years ago.”
“It’s not my favorite form of transportation for anyone. I’ve seen too many accidents with them,”
said Emmett. “Okay, give me a list of what to get for you, and I’ll go into your house and pack up what I can.”
“The master suite is on the first floor. Help me inside, and I’ll get my stuff together.”
“I’ll help you, too,”
said Melissa. “One on each side of you.”
Ross looked at her. “Okay. Thanks.”
Melissa pulled into Ross’s driveway and stood by while Emmett got Ross out of the car onto the driveway’s pavement. Then she came close, and Ross wrapped one arm around her shoulder and the other around Emmett’s, and they slowly made their way inside his house and into his master bedroom.
Sweating from the effort, Ross collapsed into an overstuffed chair and told her what he wanted and where it was.
While Melissa worked to get his toiletries together, she observed the double spa tub, the extra-large shower, and the cute shelf holding some plants and candles next to the spa. White towels offset the pale-gray tile flooring and lighter gray walls with a few sunset orange accents that matched the bedroom's gray, white, and burnt-orange theme.
She remembered Whitney had helped him decorate his house and silently applauded her.
“Ready?”
Emmett said to her.
Melissa put the last of Ross’s toiletries in his leather Dopp kit and returned to the bedroom.
“I think I’ve got everything you wanted. If not, I’ll see that you have them,” she said.
“Thanks,”
said Ross. “Let’s get on the road.”
“I’ll drop you off on the way,”
Melissa told Emmett.
“Thanks. I promised Crystal we’d go to the dinner event tonight. I’m going to ask for donations in Ross’s name. That ought to bring in some extra money.”
“It’s not necessary to use my name,”
said Ross.
Emmett clapped him on the back. “You’re a hero to people in town. If that helps with fundraising, I say let’s go for it.”
Ross frowned but didn’t protest.
###
After dropping Emmett off at his house, Melissa programmed the destination into the car’s GPS unit and took off for Mass General.
She kept an eye on Ross in the backseat and saw that, after a few minutes on the road, he’d fallen asleep. She put on some soft classical music and settled down for the two-hour drive. She knew enough about Boston to feel comfortable. She’d travel south on I-93, get onto Route 3 in Boston, then onto Charles Street, and turn left onto Fruit Street. She just hoped traffic would be okay.
Listening to the music, knowing Ross was safely tucked away in her car, Melissa drew a deep breath, recalling the incident. Everything had happened so fast. She was running, and the next thing she knew, she was lying on top of Ross and feeling as if she couldn’t catch her breath. It didn’t help that Ross gave her a look of … something. Then, in a flash, it was gone, and pain spread across his face, erasing any softness it had held.
###
She’d just reached the outskirts of Boston when she heard Ross stir and whisper, “Son of a bitch, that hurts.”
Concentrating on the traffic around her, she kept quiet as tension inside the car grew. They were almost there.
She found the Emergency Room entrance and parked outside the door.
“Stay here. I’ll get someone to help us,”
she said to Ross. She got out of the car and hurried inside.
Moments later, she returned with a staff member who got Ross into a wheelchair.
“I’ll park somewhere and return,”
she told Ross.
He acknowledged her with a wave and was wheeled inside.
###
When she entered the Emergency Room, she checked in at the desk and told the woman she was there with Ross.
“Yes, Dr. Rusko is with him now,”
she said. “You can wait here. Someone will let Mr. Roberts know you’re here.”
Melissa sat in the waiting area, nervously flexing her fingers. A short while later, a stocky bald man of average height wearing horn-rimmed glasses approached her. “Melissa Hendrickson? Are you with Ross Roberts?”
She stood and clasped her hands. “Yes. Is he okay?”
“Hello. I’m Dr. Rusko. Ross told me it was okay to give you his medical information. He’s in a lot of pain, and his knee is in bad shape. We’re going to keep him here so we can run several tests. And because the joint is so badly damaged, we’ll operate as soon as possible. My colleague, his sports medicine doctor, has requested we not wait. It’s a matter of the sooner, the better.”
“May I see him?”
Melissa asked, feeling sick to think of her part in his injury.
“We’ve given him some pain medication, so he may be a bit groggy,”
he said. “Follow me.”
Dr. Rusko led her to an examination cubicle and stepped away. “I’ll give you two some privacy.”
Ross looked up at her. “Guess I’m going to become even more bionic. Thanks for bringing me here. Dr. Rusko seems excellent.”
His eyelids fluttered.
“I’m so sorry this happened,”
said Melissa. “I’ll stay in Boston until after your surgery.”
He gazed at her and closed his eyes. “It’s not your fault, Melissa.”
“Oh, but …”
She stopped when he realized he’d fallen asleep.
###
Before she left the hospital, she called Annette “Nettie”
Mancini, her friend from culinary school. Nettie worked and lived in the North End of Boston. Melissa had promised to visit her one day soon, but not under these circumstances.
Since it was a Saturday night, Melissa knew not to expect Nettie to be home and left a message telling her about her predicament. Satisfied she’d done her best to reach out, Melissa went outside to her car. On the way, she was pleasantly surprised when Nettie called.
“Hi, Melissa. I got your message. I’m working as usual, but I’d love to see you. We’ve got room for you to stay for as long as you need. It’s about time we caught up. It’s been too long.”
“Thanks. It’ll be nice to see you. When will you be at your condo?”
“Not until eleven or so. Jason will be home even later. But I keep a key inside a planter outside my door. The planter is specially made with a spot for a key inside, not under it. You’ll see for yourself. And the code to get into the building is 4624.”
“No animals to know about?”
Melissa asked. “I know you wanted a dog.”
“No, not yet. When we move to the ’burbs, I’ll try for one. The city is too inconvenient for pets.”
Melissa smiled at the way Nettie, as usual, seemed to have things planned out. They’d always gotten along well. It was a shame that, with their busy schedules, they hadn’t seen more of one another. Annette was engaged now to Jason Rockwell, who was part-owner of the restaurant where they both worked. They were a good match. Nettie was busy making wedding plans for the following June. Melissa had already agreed to be a bridesmaid.
###
The North End was conveniently close to Mass General Hospital, and the condo Nettie and Jason shared was on Cooper Street with parking nearby. It couldn’t be better. Melissa liked Jason and was used to Nettie’s half-hearted housekeeping. They’d shared a room at culinary school.
Melissa parked the car. Shaking her head at the cost of the overnight fee, she realized how simple life was in Lilac Lake. She walked down the street to the brick apartment building, passed the entry point, and took the elevator to the fourth floor. She found the key in the planter in the hallway and opened the door. She’d always liked the condo. Barely over 1,000 square feet, the space was well laid out with two bedrooms and two small baths. The kitchen had undergone an upgrade before Nettie and Jason bought it. Since then, they repainted and decorated each room with inexpensive but creative art done by local artists.
She put her overnight bag in the den/office/guest room and decided to take a walk. The North End was European in flavor. Contemporary buildings sat side by side with historic brick buildings. Cobblestones and bricks covered some of the ground surfaces and walkways. And always, the shops and restaurants beckoned. Now, in the early evening, people strolled the streets lured no doubt by the wonderful aromas floating from places like Mama Maria’s. In one small area, a person could choose any Italian cuisine they wanted. Hanover Street, Salem Street, and North Street were just three of the streets loaded with Italian restaurants and bakeries, enough to satisfy anyone.
Melissa realized how hungry she was and stopped at a casual restaurant serving homemade pasta and seafood. She placed a to-go order, and when it was ready, she headed back to the condo, stopping at a bakery on the way for a chocolate cannoli for dessert. She’d worry about calories later.
Feeling content with her walk, Melissa entered the condo and plated her dinner.
Aware her parents were working at the restaurant, Melissa called her mother to update her on Ross. Her mother was the heart and soul of the restaurant, greeting people and making them feel welcome.
Her mother, predictably, said she’d call a few people at the fundraising event so they could share the news.
“Thanks, Mom. I’m still trying to get over the fact that all this has happened. After I eat dinner, I’ll return to the hospital to see what I can do to help Ross. He was pretty out of it when I last saw him. Hopefully, he’ll be a little more awake.”
“You’re alright staying with Nettie?”
her mother asked.
“Yes. She said I was welcome for as long as I wanted. Both Nettie and Jason are working at the restaurant now. Depending on how long I’m here, I may return home for more clothes if necessary. I’ll let you know about work as soon as I can.”
“No worries. That’s why we have Geoffrey and you acting as chefs. The time will come, I hope, when you work less and less after you marry and start a family of your own.”
“Mom,”
Melissa groaned. “Don’t go there.”
“I know, darling. I’m sorry. I just can’t help wondering when that’s going to happen.”
“I’ve got to go now. Thanks for your help.”
Melissa ended the call and emitted a long sigh. She knew her mother wanted the best for her, but talk like that always made her feel like a failure.