Chapter 28 ALI - GET UP #2
I let out a shaky laugh. Only Mer would wish a game-misconduct on her husband so she’d be free from having to worry about him.
She’d been like that since we were teenagers.
I, on the other hand, used to cheer JP on in fights.
The rougher the game the better. But either pregnancy or age changed me, because I now worried every time he skated even near the corners.
“You think JP will be out for the third period?” I asked.
She gave a hesitant nod, but she looked like she was hiding something.
“What aren’t you saying?”
She bit her lip nervously. “JP had a similar thing happen during playoffs. He didn’t stay down or anything, but he skated off holding his arm just like that.
His shoulder popped out of the socket. He made Colt pop it back in for him in the locker room.
But he seemed totally fine after that,” she added quickly.
“Colt said it was just a freak thing. I yelled at them about it, and I told JP he should get checked out by a doctor, but you know how they are. JP promised he’d go in after the playoffs.
” Her face pinched. “I’m so sorry, I should’ve hounded him about going in this summer, but he seemed fine, and we all kind of forgot. ”
“No, it’s not your fault,” I said quickly, and her face immediately relaxed.
While I hoped it was as simple as popping his shoulder back in, I had a feeling it wasn’t.
JP wouldn’t have stayed down on the ice like that if this was a simple problem.
I just hoped he wasn’t in too much pain.
My face creased. “Wait, how did Colt even know how to do that?”
She threw her hands up. “That’s what I said. I guess Colt did it for him once before when they were rookies. He said there’s YouTube videos for everything. At the time, JP was scared to tell anyone he was hurt because he didn’t want to get sent back down to the minors.”
My mouth gaped open. How had I had no clue his shoulder was hurting? Then again, that wasn’t entirely true. JP let it slip this summer that his shoulder was sore.
When players finally started stepping onto the ice for the third period, I practically held my breath as I watched them fly around the corners, but JP’s #26 jersey was missing.
As Colt rounded the boards for a light warm-up stretch, he made eye-contact with Mer, and his face looked grave.
“You should go to him,” Mer announced.
“What? Go to JP? No, I can't.” I shook my head. “He won’t want me down there.”
“Yes, he will. You’ve had arm injuries, you can make him feel better about it,” she urged.
“They might call you down anyway. I’m pretty sure Colt told me that JP changed his emergency contact to you.
It used to be me because I’m at all the games, ya know?
His dad’s still in Michigan and he’s a bit older, so it just made sense.
” She rambled on, but my mind whirled with this new information.
“I’m sure you’ll get a call from someone on the medical staff in a few minutes if it’s serious. ”
I blanched. “If it’s serious?”
“No, I mean…” She was really scratching her neck now. “I’m sure he’s okay,” she tried to be reassuring. “He skated off on his own, so that’s a good sign.”
As the players ran through warm-up drills on the ice, Kappy and his co-anchor appeared on the jumbotron. While they discussed game points, I sat there debating what to do. I really wanted to go to JP, but I didn’t want to overstep. Then again, my anxiety was ratcheting up by the second.
“Okay, I’m going.” I stood on shaky legs. I had to see that he was okay with my own eyes. Mer was right—he did skate off on his own, but what if he hit his head? What if he had a concussion? I knew that feeling, and it wasn’t a good one.
“Good, he’ll want you there.” She gave me a reassuring nod. “Want me to come with you?”
“No, you stay. I think I'm okay.”
As soon as I stepped into the elevator to go down to the ground floor of the stadium, my phone started buzzing. A call from an unknown Illinois number flashed on my home screen, making my heart plummet. Mer said I’d get a call from the medical staff if it was serious.
“Hello?” I answered.
“Is this Ali Antonova? You’re JP McQuaid’s emergency—” The phone call cut out.
“Hello?” I asked desperately. “Can you hear me?” I hit the elevator button again, trying to get out so I could hear the rest of the call, but it was no use.
I had no service. Staring up at the metal box ceiling, I wanted to cry.
I just needed to get to him. I needed to see him.
My hand flew to my chest, trying to calm my breathing as I counted down the lit up numbers on the elevator.
As soon as the metal doors dinged open, I power-walked down the cement hallway as quickly as I could.
I didn’t stop for anyone. I used the family badge I was given after my first game here, and each time I flashed it, security nodded me through.
I didn’t even hesitate crashing into their locker room—something that would’ve mortified younger me.
“You okay?” I blurted out as soon as I pushed open the heavy door.
JP sat there looking sweaty and disheveled. His helmet and gloves were strewn on the ground, but he was still dressed in the rest of his gear. His eyes dropped to my abdomen. “Are you okay?”
“Me?” Looking down, I realized my hand was protecting my stomach. “Oh, yeah, I'm good.” Relief flooded his eyes as I strode across the room to him. “I’m worried about you.” I came to a stop in front of him, unsure if I was allowed to reach out and touch him.
He gently tugged me forward to sit on his thigh. As soon as I was seated, his sweaty head came down to lay on my shoulder. His right arm hung limp at his side. He closed his eyes, and the only sound in the locker room was his deep breathing.
“What can I do to help?” I whispered.
“You’re doing it,” he mumbled, curling his left arm tighter around me.
I patted his cheek and closed my eyes, grateful that he seemed to be mostly in one piece. “How’s it feeling?” I touched his chest, and his whole body tensed. “I won’t touch it,” I promised.
His forehead creased. “It’s fine. Just needs to be popped back in,” he said in a low voice.
I swallowed hard. He had to be in a lot of pain if his shoulder was stuck in the wrong position. Maybe that’s why he hadn’t taken his skates off yet? I slid off his lap. “I’ll help untie your skates.”
“No, no.” He shifted his feet away from me.
My eyes narrowed on his, trying to read him. “Wait, you’re not going back out, are you?”
“Of course,” he said without missing a beat. “I’m fine. This has happened before.” His jaw tightened as he tried to sit more upright. “Just needs to be popped back in.”
“Stop moving.” My hands flew to my temples. “Don't you need an x-ray or something? You can’t just pop it back in and go out.”
His forehead creased. “Yeah, I can. I’ve done it before.”
I blanched.
He cracked a small grin. “Oh, c’mon, you’re one to talk.”
I rubbed my forehead. He was right. It felt like we suddenly switched spots. I was usually the injured one wanting to get back on the ice. “I do not like being on this side of things.”
He let out a rough chuckle before wincing again. “I prefer it this way. I hated seeing you in pain.”
I looked down at my swollen stomach. “Well, you’re about to see me in a lot of pain in a few months,” I tried to joke.
The empathy on his face almost made me laugh. He opened his mouth to say something, but a guy from the team’s medical staff walked in wearing slacks and a team quarter-zip.
“Ben,” JP said in greeting.
“McQuaid,” the young guy said back.
I moved to the side so Ben could examine JP’s right arm. As soon as Ben lifted scissors to cut JP’s jersey, JP backed up.
“No, stop. I can take it off,” JP said.
“Just let me cut it.”
“I’m gonna need it,” JP argued back.
Ben snorted. “No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am,” JP said through gritted teeth.
Ben rolled his eyes. “We’ll get you another jersey if you can go back out. Now let me cut it.”
JP blew out an annoyed breath.
As soon as Ben removed his jersey and lifted his shoulder pad, I gasped. JP gave me a wary look. I rolled my lips together to keep quiet, but it did not look good. I could actually see a divot in his shoulder where it was separated.
“Yeah, so it’s not supposed to look like that,” Ben said calmly.
“Just pop it back in,” JP said. He clenched his jaw. “I’m ready.”
“No way,” Ben scoffed. “You trying to get me fired?” He typed on his phone for a second before saying, “First thing’s first, we need to get some imaging done.”
JP’s mouth fell open. “No way. If you won’t pop it back in, get someone else back here to do it. Get Colt.” Standing quickly, JP tried to hide his flinch, but I saw the pain on his face. “I’ll go get whatever x-rays you want after the game.”
Panic ricocheted through me, but Ben blurted out a laugh.
“No, you’re absolutely not going back out,” Ben said with a snort, making my heart calm a little. “We’re winning 5-0. You’re going to the hospital, Coach’s orders. How long has it been hurting?”
“Hasn’t been,” he lied.
I gave JP a disappointed look. “You mentioned it on the cruise,” I whispered.
JP’s brow furrowed. He used his left hand to rake a hand over his head. “I did? When?”
“When was the cruise?” Ben asked me.
“July,” I answered.
Ben’s eyes bugged out. “You’ve been hurt since July?”
I continued staring at JP, trying to make him tell the truth.
“May,” he finally admitted, dropping his eyes to the floor. “Pain started after a weird hit back in the playoffs.”
“And…” I gave him a pointed look.
He gave me a double-take, probably surprised I knew more about it. “And Colt popped it back in for me in May.”
Ben swore under his breath. “You hockey players are a pain in my ass,” he grumbled to himself. “Well, let’s get some imaging done to see what we’re dealing with. Let’s hope you can avoid surgery.”
“Surgery?” JP’s face went slack. “No, I’m fine,” he argued. His eyebrows pulled together. “I’ll show you, I’ll pop it back in myself.”
“Do not do that,” Ben ordered loudly, making JP pause. “You could cut off blood flow or fuck up nerves. Just let the surgeons handle it, all right?” he warned.
JP looked like he was about to argue, but I grabbed his left hand, making him look down at me. “It’s okay,” I mouthed.
“We’re going to the hospital. Tonight. Should probably get your dumb head checked out too,” Bun mumbled to himself before looking at me. “I can’t trust him. Can I trust you to make sure he gets to the hospital? We’re calling a ride for him right now.”
JP sat back down in his cubby and closed his eyes, looking like the picture definition of disappointed.
“Yeah, I'll make sure,” I said softly.
As soon as we were left alone in the locker room, I walked between his legs to stand in front of him. His hand immediately went to my stomach and my heart melted. “You’re in a lot of pain,” I whispered. “I can tell.”
“I’m fine,” he rasped, but he didn’t meet my eyes.
I reached out to hold his cheek. He immediately turned his head to kiss my wrist. “You’re not,” I said gently. “But you will be.” I pressed a kiss to his brow. “C’mon, let’s get moving.”