36. Violet
VIOLET
“Hang tight while I order that MRI.” The doctor taps the tablet on the rail at the end of the bed. “Hopefully it won’t take too long.”
As he leaves, he pulls the curtain to give us privacy.
“Fancy meeting you here,” Gavin says, and attempts a smile.
“How are you?”
“Been better.”
He scoots over on the bed and tugs me to sit with him.
I hesitate. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“The damage is done, baby doll.”
“What happened?” I breathe him in as I climb in next to him and wrap myself around his middle.
“I fucked up my knee.” He stills under me. “How did you get here so fast? Wait, how long have I been here?”
I lift my head to meet his gaze. “I’m sorry. We were running late. By the time we made it, you’d already left.”
“You were at the game?”
“Sort of. When Jane and I got to our seats, I couldn’t find you, so we didn’t stay. I’m sorry. I know you said I shouldn’t come, but I had to.”
Sooo… turns out I wasn’t positive about not coming.
I spent all day yesterday feeling like a jerk for every mean thing I said about him, about basketball and the entire jock population, and I decided the only way I knew how to show him that I accept every part of him was to get on a plane and watch him do his favorite thing.
Only I messed that up too. I was in such a state of anxiousness about coming against his wishes that I left my purse, with my ID, at the house.
Jane and I had to go all the way back home and then we missed our flight, which put us getting in later than we planned.
I killed my phone by frantically checking the time and composing texts I couldn’t bring myself to send.
When we finally made it to our seats, Gavin was nowhere to be found.
We spent another thirty minutes trying to figure out where he was.
We overheard two guys behind us talking about the play that sent Gavin to the ground in what they described as a “nasty” fall.
So, we looked for him at the arena first. Not that we could get very far. Jane tried to bribe a security guard; it wasn’t pretty. Eventually, she thought to call the closest hospital.
“I was looking for you,” he says. “I hoped you’d come. I’m sorry I was an asshole.”
“I get it. I have said some pretty awful things about you, your teammates, and the entire athletic community.”
“Well, you didn’t have the best intro to Valley jocks.”
“That isn’t true. Dahlia is amazing.”
He laughs softly and then falls quiet again.
“Your dad is in the waiting room.”
A small huff leaves his lips. “Always playing the part of the perfect dad when people are watching.”
“I don’t know your dad or all the things that have happened between you two, but he doesn’t look like a guy who’s out there just playing a part.
” He looked soberingly normal with his head in his hands, leaned over in a cheap plastic chair with all the other people waiting for news of their loved ones.
“He’s probably pissed at me.”
“Why?”
“I yelled at him in front of a bunch of reporters.”
“What?”
Gavin looks embarrassed as he says, “I didn’t know the cameras were on us. I just snapped.”
I squeeze his hand. I don’t know the right thing to say. His relationship with his dad is a complicated subject and he has enough going on at the moment.
“I’m sorry I was late. I was looking forward to waving that sign proudly for you.” I nod to the glitter sign I brought from home.
He smiles again. This one lasts longer. “I’m just glad you’re here.”
A nurse comes to take Gavin to get an MRI and I head to the waiting room. Tommy is coming down a long hallway, headed my way, with a bag of chips and a cookie in one hand and a can of Coke in the other.
“Hi,” I say. “Hungry?”
“I bought them for Gavin. I figured it was better than a ‘Get Well Soon’ balloon.”
“They took him back for an MRI. Have you seen Jane?”
“No.” He nods to a couple of empty chairs and we take a seat.
“Cookie?” He offers me the one that’s supposed to be for Gavin. When I don’t immediately take it, he says, “We might be here awhile.”
“Thanks.” I take it and break off a small piece.
“I keep seeing it over and over.” Tommy’s leg bounces as he tears open the chips. “The angle was bad. He just crumpled to the ground. I’ve never seen anyone go down like that. And I never expected it to be him.”
His phone makes a sound, and he wipes his hands and sets the chip bag on a table next to him before digging it out. “Valley won.”
“That’s great.”
Tommy nods. “They had to. Gavin never would have forgiven himself if he thought his getting hurt cost us the game.”
“I’m guessing he’s out the rest of the season.”
“At least.”
“You mean this could be it? He could be done forever?”
He shrugs one big shoulder. “A lot of guys aren’t the same after knee injuries.”
A knot tangles in my chest and drops to the pit of my stomach.
Jane reappears as Tommy and I are silently staring at the wall, both lost in our own thoughts.
“I ordered food. It’ll be here in thirty.” She drops into the seat next to me.
“Thanks.” I lean my head onto her shoulder.
“It’s going to be okay,” she says.
I hope she’s right.
When Jane said she ordered food, she should have said she ordered enough food to feed an entire waiting room. The man behind the reception desk eyes us with annoyance until Jane takes him a carton of noodles and beef.
Guys from the team start to arrive, Coach Reynolds and his wife, and others that I assume are part of the team in some way. The mood has lightened. Everyone is worried, of course, but we eat and joke.
Only one person hangs off by himself. I scoop up what’s left of the food onto a plate and walk it over to where Anthony Leonard sits.
His head is down, and he stares at the floor, completely lost to the rest of the room.
“Do you want something to eat?” I ask.
He looks up slowly and eyes the plate in my hand. “Thanks, but I’m not hungry.”
I turn to flee, but he asks, “How is he?”
Something in how broken he looks compels me to answer him. “They were taking him to do an MRI. I don’t know anything else, sorry.”
He shakes his head. “I talked to Dr. Chase, but how is he?”
“Oh. I’m not sure.”
I can tell he’s displeased with my answer, but he just smiles and nods.
I set the plate down on a table near him, just in case he changes his mind about eating, and take a seat two chairs down from him.
“I think he’s disappointed and scared right now, but I’m not really sure.
He didn’t say a lot. You could go ask him yourself.
You’re family. I had to bulldoze my way in, but if you tell them who you are, they’ll let you see him. ”
“He doesn’t want me back there.” He waves a hand. “Besides, he has his coach and his teammates and you.”
“Sometimes we have to show up for people even when they don’t want us to. He didn’t want me to come to the game, but here I am.”
“Why?” His brows pull together in question.
“I said some mean things. It’s a long story.”
He doesn’t push for more of an explanation, but he keeps watching me.
“Is it true that he might not play again?”
“It’s a tough injury to come back from.” His mouth pulls into a tight line. “If he wants to play again, he’ll probably have a long road ahead of him.”
“If?”
He shrugs.
“Gavin loves basketball. He wants to play it off like it’s not important, but he loves it. I think he’s afraid people will always compare him to you, no matter what he does.”
“He got his love of basketball from his mother. I wasn’t around enough to take any claim on that.”
I don’t think it’s that simple. I know that Gavin looks up to his dad, even if his anger and resentment overshadows it.
“I don’t know everything that’s happened between you two, but you can’t move forward if you’re holding on to the past. If you and Gavin are going to have a relationship, you’re both going to have to accept that. ”
“And if he can’t?”
“Then at least you did everything you could.” With that, I leave him to his thoughts.
Dr. Chase comes out a couple of minutes later, and after a quick chat with Gavin’s dad, he lets Coach Reynolds know they’ve moved Gavin up to a private room and the guys can see him.
Jane and I hang back.
“I think I’m going to head to the hotel soon. Are you staying here tonight?” she asks.
“Oh. I don’t know. I hadn’t thought about it. I doubt they’ll let me.”
Mr. Leonard steps up to me and pulls a rectangular card from his pocket. “I talked to the nurses and Dr. Chase. He’ll be here for at least tonight. They’re bringing a cot into the room for you. If you or Gavin need anything, will you let me know?”
He extends the paper to me, his business card.
I take it with mixed feelings, but I know I will never call him without Gavin’s knowledge. “Thank you.”
With a nod, he walks away.
Jane stares down at the card. “You could probably sell his private number, or we could spam him with prank calls.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Laughing, I slide it into my purse. “Go ahead to the hotel. I’ll check in later tonight. What time is our flight tomorrow?”
“Whenever you want. I’ll reschedule it.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
She waves me off like it’s no big deal.
“I will call you later when I know what’s going on. Do not do anything until then.”
“Okay.” She gives me a one-arm hug. “Go play nurse to that sexy man of yours.”
I wait until some of the team starts trickling out before I make my way to Gavin’s room. He’s sitting up in bed, left leg elevated on a foam pillow. Jenkins is telling him about something that happened in the game, and Gavin and the few guys that are left laugh.
“Okay, everyone. I think it’s time for him to get some rest.” A woman I hadn’t seen steps forward from where she was hidden out of view. She’s tall, with her dark hair pulled back in a low ponytail, and black jeans that make her legs seem never-ending. Gavin’s mom.
Coach Reynolds spots me in the doorway and smiles.
“She’s right. Time for us to go, boys.” He squeezes Gavin’s shoulder. “I’ll come by in the morning. Try to get some rest.” Coach gives him the same instructions Gavin’s dad gave me, to call him if we need anything.
His teammates offer up fist bumps and well wishes, then file out, leaving me alone with them. My palms sweat and my heart races.
His mom starts arranging things around the room. She has a presence, a very intimidating one that makes me want to slink away. I had not planned on meeting his mom tonight.
“There you are,” Gavin says when he notices me hovering in the doorway. “I wondered where you disappeared to.”
I step in and smooth my hair behind one ear. “I wanted to make sure you had some time with the team.”
Gavin’s mom stops what she’s doing and smiles at me. “You must be Violet.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I’m the Mom. Kelly. Nice to meet you.”
“You too.”
She picks up the ice bucket and then speaks to her son, “I’m going to get ice and track down your father. Has he been in since they got you to your room?”
Gavin doesn’t meet her gaze as he shakes his head.
“Oh, uh, he left,” I say. “Not long ago. He said to call if Gavin needed anything.”
The disappointment on Gavin’s face makes me wish I would have tackled and dragged his dad back here.
Kelly nods. “Well, he got Dr. Chase here, so that’s something.”
Gavin and I stare at her.
“What do you mean he got Dr. Chase here?” Gavin asks.
“Dr. Chase is the best there is. He’s like the knee-whisperer of professional athletes. I don’t know how your father got him here so fast, but I’m glad he did.”
“I thought…” Gavin starts then trails off.
“You thought you just lucked into a great surgeon here?”
“Yeah, kind of.” He shrugs.
“This was all your father’s doing.”
With that, she passes me and leaves the room.
I step closer to him and whisper, “I just met your mom. I’m kind of freaking out.”
He laughs and runs a hand through his messy hair. He’s out of his uniform now and in a T-shirt and shorts. “What? Why? You already met my dad.”
“I know, but meeting ‘the mom’ is a big deal. And yours is particularly intimidating.”
“She’s the best.” Gavin holds his arms out to me, and I go to him, sitting on the bed on his good side.
“You need to rest. I should go.”
He ignores me and wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer. “We’re having a sleepover. I got you a cot.”
I laugh at the small, uncomfortable looking contraption squeezed in between the wall and his bed. “What a gentleman.”
He hums. “I’m hoping you’ll sneak into my bed after my mom falls asleep.”
I snuggle into his chest as I laugh. “Wait, what?”
His chest shakes with his own laughter, and he points to the other cot across the room. “Did I not mention it was a supervised sleepover?”
“You definitely did not.”
“Well, I’m afraid she isn’t going anywhere. My surgery is scheduled for first thing tomorrow morning.”
“Surgery?”
“Yeah.” He blows out a breath. “Dr. Chase thinks it’s the best option, and apparently, he’s the best.” He leans back against the pillows stacked against the headboard. “Hey, about the other night.”
I shake my head. “It’s okay.”
“I was an asshole.”
“It’s okay,” I say again. “We can talk about it later. You need to get all fixed up first.”
“All right.” He takes my hand. “What time do you leave tomorrow?”
“Early. Do you want me to change my flight? Nothing important is happening in class Monday.” Or I hope not anyway.
“No. I’ll be out of here tomorrow afternoon anyway. My mom is driving me back to school.”
“That soon?”
“I’m only here tonight because Dr. Chase wants to do the surgery at some godforsaken hour.
It’s usually an outpatient procedure.” He shakes his head.
“It all makes sense now that I know my dad got him here. I probably would have had to fly back and meet with doctors, making it days or weeks before they could fit me in, so I guess I’m thankful. ”
I squeeze him a little tighter.
“I’m sure they’re printing it in some paper right now.
‘Anthony Leonard Hires Top Surgeon for Son,’” he says the last part like he’s reading the news from a teleprompter.
His voice changes again, this time to annoyed.
“All for show and then gone without a word. I don’t know whether to be happy or pissed anymore. It’s all such bullshit.”
I curl up next to him and he drops his chin to the top of my head. “But you’re here and that’s all that matters.”