34. Really? My best friend is lying in a hospital bed, and you’re flirting with me?
34
"Really? My best friend is lying in a hospital bed, and you’re flirting with me?"
Aaron Miles
I just finished my post-practice media interview, and I’m about to leave the arena when I check my phone and see four missed calls from Beth.
My breath catches in my throat as I press her name to call her back.
“What’s wrong?” Adler asks, frowning as he walks past.
“Beth tried calling me four times. I don’t know,” I breathe out.
“Beth? Is she o kay?”
Hawthorne and Beaumont are listening too, but I don’t know what else to say.
Finally, she picks up. “Aaron, sorry to bother you,” she rushes, her words pouring out in a tumble. “Marissa fainted and hit her head. She’s at the Brooklyn Memorial Hospital, and I can’t reach her dad—”
“I’m on my way.” I drop the phone in my bag. I’ll try Coach’s number too, but I know he’s not going to look at his phone since he’s in a meeting.
“What’s going on?” Adler asks, panic lacing his voice.
“Marissa’s at the hospital. She fainted after giving blood and hit her head. I don’t know the details. I’m going over there. I don’t want her to be alone.”
“We’re coming too,” Beaumont says, grabbing his bag.
“Absolutely,” Hawthorne adds.
We hurry outside. It’s a good thing Hawthorne is driving us to the hospital, because I can’t see anything besides Marissa lying motionless on a hospital bed with a concussion—or worse. What if she has internal bleeding and never recovers? What if she gets amnesia and doesn’t remember she loves me? A mix of fear and self—hatred swirl in my head, and I’ve never had so much regret for denying my feelings all this time. I should have been open about how I felt from the start. At least we would have had fifteen years of happiness. No, what am I thinking? She’s fine. She has to be.
We finally arrive, and we join Hayley, Emma, and Beth in the waiting room. They spring to their feet, worry clouding their faces.
“What are you all doing here?” Beth asks, eyes roaming between us.
“Where is she?” I blurt out, fully aware that I’m being rude.
“We haven’t seen her yet. She saw a doctor, but they’re not telling us anything for now.”
I take off my cap to rub my head. I hate this. Knowing that she’s in one of these hospital rooms all by herself is unbearable.
“Where’s Coach?” Beth asks, glancing at the hospital entrance.
“Still in a meeting,” I say, glancing at my phone. “I texted him, but he probably won’t see it for a while. Trade deadline is tomorrow.” Gosh, this is not happening. I need to see Marissa.
“Oh, right,” Beth mumbles, sitting back down. “Is one of you leaving?” Her eyes fall on Adler.
“Why?” he asks, not missing a beat. “Afraid you’re going to lose me? Don’t worry, Elizabeth. I’m not going anywhere.” He takes a seat next to her.
She arches an eyebrow. “Really? My best friend is lying in a hospital bed, and you’re flirting with me?”
“Just trying to lighten the mood!” he retorts, and the others chuckle. “Marissa is a tough girl. She’ll be all right. She has to be,” he adds quietly, wringing his hands. That sends me into a downward spiral, reminding me of the seriousness of the situation if even Adler is concerned about it.
What if she has a skull fracture or a hematoma? Or worse, permanent brain damage? I want to scream and hit my head against the cold tiles on the wall, but I don’t think even that would be enough to calm me down.
“I’m going to ask to see her,” I say, heading toward the nurses’ desk.
“We already tried,” Emma says. “It’s family only.”
I walk up to the counter anyway.
“Hi,” I begin, trying to speak slowly and calmly. “I need to see Marissa Martin? She was admitted not long ago after fainting and hitting her head.” My throat closes as I pronounce the words.
“Are you family?” the nurse asks, peering at me over her glasses.
“No,” I say, wringing my hands.
“Then I’m sorry, but I can’t let you see her. It’s protocol.”
“Please, you have to let me see her. I beg you.”
She arches an eyebrow, indicating she couldn’t care less about my plea.
“I’m her boyfriend,” I say. My words are followed by a collective gasp behind me. I’m done loving her quietly. I want to love Marissa LOUD, starting now. Just like she deserves.
“I’m sorry,” the woman says, grabbing some forms and a pen. “Family only.”
I place both hands on the desk, my knuckles tensing. “Please, you don’t understand. We haven’t been able to reach her dad. She doesn’t have anyone right now, and I don’t want her to be alone. She’s everything to me,” I ramble, feeling tears welling in my eyes. “Everything. And like a coward, I waited fifteen years to tell her that, and now I’m afraid I’ll never get that chance again.”
The nurse glances back at me. I can tell she’s hesitating, so I give her my best puppy-dog look—it’s supposed to be one of my strengths, after all. “Please. Just for a minute. I promise I’ll be quick. I just want her to know she’s not alone. Hold her hand.”
She puts her paper down with a sigh. “Fine. Follow me.”