CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The mid-summer tennis tournaments at the Sports Center were something Hazel had worked hard on.
For all ages, the matches ran from early morning to evening for two days.
She was especially excited about the kids’ tournaments on day one.
There were three. One for ten to twelve-year-olds, one for kids thirteen to sixteen, and lastly, one for seventeen to twenty.
Both Hazel and Mike were looking forward to seeing Jed’s match. He’d wanted to play against older kids, but Mike thought it was best if he competed with kids more his age in the first group.
On this late July morning, Hazel stood watching Jed prepare on one side of the court, facing a twelve-year-old who was talented for his age.
Once play began, it was evident how much Jed wanted to win with the way he moved and swung his racket, putting his natural talents and strength to work.
In one instance, a rally between the boys went on and on with each player determined to win the point.
When a soft shot dropped on Jed’s side of the net, Jed shot forward to get it and tripped.
In his eagerness to win the point, he’d stretched too far and lost his balance.
He stumbled, twisting his ankle, and fell to the ground with a shriek of pain.
His racket clattered to the hard surface beside him.
Hazel and Mike rushed onto the court.
“Ow!” Jed held onto his ankle as tears rolled down his cheeks.
“Be careful. Don’t move him,” said Hazel, kneeling beside Jed and holding onto his hand.
Mike called the EMTs.
Hazel swept a hand across Jed’s brow, looked into his eyes, and said, “Lie still. We’re getting help for you.”
Outside the fence, spectators gathered, trying to get a look at the situation.
The boy Jed had been playing against looked on from the circle of concerned people who’d formed around Jed. “I’m sorry.”
Hazel looked at him and shook her head. “It’s not your fault. It was an accident. That’s all.”
Mike returned to them, and shortly afterward, the EMTs arrived on the scene.
After checking Jed over carefully, one of the men said, “It looks like a badly sprained ankle. But we need to make sure. We can take him over to the Emergency Clinic to be checked out.”
“We have to wait for his foster mother to approve,” said Hazel, still holding onto Jed’s hand. “She’s on her way.”
She looked up as Mike and Lisa hurried toward them.
“Oh, Jed! I’m here,” Lisa said, taking hold of Jed’s free hand and turning to the EMTs. “How bad is he hurt?”
“We think it’s a badly sprained ankle,” said one of the EMT’s, giving her more details. “We can take him to the clinic here in Lilac Lake, and you can ride with him.”
“Okay,” said Lisa. “I’ll go with him.”
Jed whimpered and clung to Hazel’s hand.
“Where are the other children? Do you need me to help?” Hazel asked her.
“They’re okay. My neighbor is with them,” said Lisa. “But maybe Jed would like you to come to the clinic too.”
Jed nodded emphatically.
The EMTs put Jed on a stretcher and carried him over to the ambulance.
Lisa and Hazel climbed into the vehicle beside him.
“Pretty exciting to get a ride in an ambulance,” said Lisa, smiling gently at Jed.
His lips quivered and he turned to Hazel. “When can I play tennis again?”
“We’ll see,” Hazel said. She’d heard bad sprains could be more challenging to deal with than a bone break. Either way, it would be some time before Jed could play again.
They arrived at the Emergency Clinic that Crystal’s husband, Dr. Emmett Chambers, had created in addition to handling his practice. The EMTs explained what they’d found to a nurse, and Jed was placed on a bed in an examination room.
While Lisa talked to the receptionist, Hazel stood by Jed as Dr. Chambers came into the room to examine him.
Hazel was impressed by the gentle way her friend, Emmett, talked to Jed as he examined him.
“We’ll take an X-ray of the ankle to clarify the injury and then we’ll see what we can do about helping with the pain. Does that sound okay?” he asked Jed, speaking to Lisa and Hazel as well.
Jed was quiet as a nurse lifted him into a wheelchair and rolled him away.
“Good luck,” Hazel said to him.
“It’ll be fine,” said Lisa, giving Jed a pat on the back.
After they left, Hazel waited in the exam room with Lisa.
Lisa’s eyes filled as she turned to Hazel.
“Thank you for staying with Jed and me. I see how he’s bonded with you.
It’s a good thing because my husband and I might not be able to make the move with him.
The case worker says there could be some restrictions on taking him out of state.
” She sniffed. “We love that boy and want to take him with us. But there might be a period of time before that can happen. I’m hoping you would be willing to help us while we work on the issue. ”
“I would do anything to help Jed. Mike, too,” said Hazel.
The conversation stopped when Jed was rolled back into the room by the doctor.
“Well, how’s my boy?” asked Lisa, coming to Jed’s side and holding his hand.
“Nothing is broken, but he’s had a bad sprain,” said Emmett.
“I’ve wrapped the ankle with an elastic bandage to wear until the swelling has gone down.
Then we’ll transition him into a soft boot to give the ankle stability.
He tells me he doesn’t need crutches, that he’ll hop on his other foot until he has a boot. ”
“I told the doctor I want to play tennis,” said Jed.
Hazel exchanged glances with the other two adults in the room and kept quiet.
“We’re going to help you heal as quickly as you can,” Emmett said to Jed. “I’m giving your mother a topical NSAID to put on your ankle to help with the pain. You’re to keep your foot elevated and still. And you’ll need to ice it for 15 minutes three or four times a day.”
Jed frowned and looked down at his bandaged foot.
Emmett patted him on the back. “You’re young and healthy. The closer attention you pay to my instructions, the faster you’ll heal. I’ll see you back here in a week.”
After he left, Jed looked at Lisa and Hazel with a gloomy expression. “What am I going to do all day?”
“For once, you can sit and watch television,” said Lisa.
“I’ll bring you some games or something to keep you occupied,” said Hazel. “Is that all right, Lisa?”
“Yes,” said Lisa. “That would be very kind.”
When the three of them walked into the waiting room, Mike stood up from his seat on the couch and walked over to Jed sitting in a wheelchair. “How’s the tennis star?”
“I can’t play for a while,” said Jed, pouting.
“But the doctor says he’s young and healthy and should heal quickly,” Hazel said.
“Sounds like a plan,” said Mike to Jed before turning to Lisa. “I can give you a ride home anytime you’re ready.”
“Thanks so much, I’m not sure what I’d do without your help.”
Crystal, who helped Emmett in the office regularly, came from behind the reception desk.
“I’ll email you the necessary paperwork so you can take care of it, Lisa.
In the meantime, let us know if any problems come up.
I understand Jed didn’t want crutches and will do well holding on to someone and hopping. If that changes, let us know.”
“Thank you,” said Lisa. “Now we need to get this boy home.”
Mike carried Jed to his car and placed him in the backseat. Lisa climbed in beside him, while Hazel sat in the passenger seat.
After sliding behind the wheel, Mike drove to Lisa’s house.
“Please wait here with Jed,” said Lisa as they pulled into the driveway. “Let me go inside and make sure everything is ready for him. He’ll be staying on the couch for the next week, and I want to make sure we’ve got room for him there.”
After Lisa dashed into the house, Jed began to cry. “I don’t want to stay home on the couch. I want to play tennis. If I don’t play tennis, you’ll forget me.”
Hazel turned in her seat to face him, sitting in the back.
“We’re very special friends. And friends don’t forget friends when they can’t be together.
They save up their stories to share for times when they can be.
” She knew those very words might be important in the future when the time came for Jed to move away.
“I’ll try to come up with some exercises for you to do to keep you ready to return to the courts,” said Mike.
“We’ll check on you. In fact, I have an idea of how we can,” said Hazel, hoping she wasn’t overstepping her role as a friend.
Lisa appeared on the front porch and waved them inside.
Mike and Hazel got out of the car, and while Mike lifted Jed into his arms, Hazel hurried up to the porch to see if she could help Lisa.
“Thanks,” said Lisa. “Would you check on Harry? I’d appreciate it. He’s a very busy toddler. Baby Simon is napping.
Hazel walked inside and saw Janis Tolland, the nurse who lived next door, packing up her things and getting ready to leave.
“Hello,” said Hazel. “I’m so glad to see you. You’re such a sweet neighbor.”
“I’m always glad I can lend a hand,” said Janis. “It sounds like Jed has some couch time coming. I’ll help Lisa whenever I can.”
They turned as Mike carried Jed inside and placed him on the couch.
He smiled up at Janis, and then Lisa said, “I think we’re all set here. Jed needs to rest.”
Harry toddled over to Jed. “You sick?”
“My ankle is,” said Jed, squealing when the toddler threw himself on Jed for a hug.
Hazel used that moment to privately ask Lisa’s opinion about the ideas she had to keep Jed occupied.
Lisa listened and said, “That would be wonderful. He’s a lucky boy.”
“Time to go,” said Mike. He patted Jed on the back. “Hope you feel better, bud. Get lots of rest.”
“Yes,” said Hazel, hugging Jed. “Do as the doctor said, so you can heal faster.”
Jed nodded solemnly, his eyes swimming with tears.
###
Outside, Hazel let out a long sigh. “Let’s go somewhere where we can talk.”
“I know the perfect place,” said Mike. “The gang at Jake’s was talking about it last time we were there.”
Remembering, Hazel smiled. “I know where you mean. Let’s go.”
Mike drove into the center of town and over a couple of blocks from Main Street to the park that David Graham and his family had created in his sister’s memory.
“This is so pretty,” said Hazel, gazing at the colorful, well-maintained flower beds lining the lot. “An oasis of peace.”
Mike took hold of her hand, and they walked down the wide flagstone path to a wooden bench in the far corner.
Once they were seated, Hazel said, “I had a talk with Lisa at the Emergency Center while Jed had X-rays done. She and her husband want Jed to accompany them out of state, but there may be some difficulties they have to overcome. During that time, they might need us to help them. I didn’t tell her we’d both already started the process of becoming foster parents.
But I thought we should inform the authorities if we need to take Jed on for a while. ”
“So, we’d be his temporary foster parents while they get the paperwork sorted and approved before he could go to Pennsylvania with them?” said Mike.
“That might be the case. It’s obvious that Jed is happy with them, and they love him. We don’t want to interfere with that.”
“I’d want to be sure Jed is okay with it,” said Mike. “His moving with his family wouldn’t necessarily mean he can’t come and stay with us for summer tennis camps. That might be one way for him to have the best of both worlds.”
“We can help him have that,” said Hazel. “And maybe this is the best way to see how we want to move forward together without the added pressure of suddenly having a ten-year-old child.”
Mike wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. “It might be smart to go ahead and have home studies done on both of our houses so the proper people have an idea of how it could all work out now and, possibly, in the future.”
Mike was right. Neither of them wanted to be forced into a permanent relationship before they were ready. “In the meantime, I have some ideas about making this next week a little easier for Jed. Lisa has already approved.”
Mike laughed when she told him. “No kid is going to dislike that.”
“We’d better get back to the Sports Center,” said Hazel. “I have to see about a proper accident report being filed, and I believe you have a class.”
“Tonight, I want to take you to Chica’s for dinner.”
“Sounds delicious,” said Hazel. “I love their Mexican food, and their margaritas are the best.”
Mike studied her and then kissed her, gently at first and then with more passion.
When they finally broke apart, Hazel gazed at him, knowing she’d found the man she’d waited for all her life.