AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I’m helped up carefully and the Doc lightly holds my elbow in his hands. Standing up, my stomach dips and I feel a little light headed. My knees attempt to give out, but Bently has a firm grasp around my waist and hoists me up, practically carrying me the rest of the way.
“It’s going to be alright man,” Bently says as he hands me off to another team doc who hurried up the steps of the dugout to grab me from Bently. I’m rushed into the locker room for a closer assessment of the injury and to the mobile X-Ray machine that’s set up in the trainer’s office.
The movement surrounding me is fast, the trainers and the docs move in tandem around me, silently as if it’s a dance to find out the outcome of this injury, and of my entire future.
TWENTY-ONE
SAWYER
IT HAPPENED SO FAST.
First, Gunnar was waiting for the perfect pitch and then the next second he was down on the ground. The stadium was silent, all I could hear was his screams, and the whooshing of my heart beat.
The trainers and team doctors took him off the field and then he disappeared into the dugout and then out of sight. The game continued on, the Hornets brought out Bellows, the fans continued to cheer for their respective team. Bellows played through the inning as I waited impatiently for any sort of update on Gunnar while my knee bounced. I eventually left my seat with the other girlfriends and wives of the Hornets players and paced in the tunnel.
After what felt like forever, Bently appeared from the doorway and in silence, he craned his head to follow him. My being in this area was breaking the rules, but at this point, I didn’t give a shit, I don’t think that Bently does either right now. My man was injured and I needed to know what the hell was going on.
My cell kept pinging, but I ignored it as Bently led me through the hallway and into the small room that looked sterile and unwelcoming. Gunnar sat on the exam table, with his hand clutching to his wrist. His elbow was a dark blueish-black and swollen and he looked like he was heavily concentrated on his breathing. He didn’t notice me until I stood beside him.
“Hey babe.” I say quietly.
“Hey love. How’s the game going?” He asks with his eyes all glassy from the pain.
“I don’t know. I stopped paying attention and… oh man Gun… are you okay?” I lose my cool and rush out.
“My arm is kind of numb, I have a killer headache and I’m basically a sitting duck in here just waiting for the Doc to come back with the results of the X-ray.”
I open my mouth and before I can say anything else, the team doctor walks into the room with a solemn expression. He nods to me and with sympathetic eyes; he turns and places the X-rays to the light table.
I hear Bently sigh deeply and I squint my eyes to be able to see what he sees.
It’s then, that the doctor turns around with a frown on his face. “Your elbow Gunnar, it’s fractured,” he says with remorse.
“Shit.” Gunnar expels.
“This kind of injury, it can take up to eight weeks for a full recovery. The good news is that I don’t think you will need any sort of surgery, from looking at the X-Ray. You’ll have to be in a cast, but overall with some PT, you should be ready for next season in Arizona.”
“A cast? That’s all he will need?” I ask for confirmation.
The doctor turns around, grabs something out of the fridge in the far corner of the room, he returns with an ice pack, and places it around Gunnar’s elbow carefully.
“We need the swelling to go down before we can cast you, so I want to put you in a splint first,” he says.
Gunnar does not say anything, but Bently clears his throat, I look up at him and notice that his face is green and he’s sweating, a lot. “Is he done playing ball, Doc?” He asks.
“Not at all. As long as you take it easy, follow directions and go to PT - you should be fine. I would recommend that once you’re ready to play, that you ease yourself into it, don’t go balls to the walls. Listen to the team doctor in Arizona and don’t skip out on appointments or check-ups. You’re lucky that this happened at this point of the season. What’s unlucky is that Chainsaw here is going to have to do all the heavy lifting for your move.”
“That’s okay; she’s more of a man than he is sometimes.” Bently jokes, squeezing Gunnar’s shoulder and coughs.
“And that’s okay, Bently was going to do all the work anyways.” I retort with a wink at the guys.
“You can return to the dugout, but you’re done for the rest of the night, I’m sorry Gunnar that you didn’t get more playing time before this happened, but I’m glad that this injury isn’t worse.” The doctor pats Gunnar’s shoulder sympathetically.
“Thanks Doc.”
“He give you any painkillers?” Bently asks as soon as the door shuts.
“Nah, I’ve got some aspirin or something. It hurts, but it’s not too intolerable. I feel like shit. Probably exactly how you look. But my arm is kinda numb and feels tight.”
