Page 34 of Offside

Declan's hand closed on his thigh.

Reyes looked at him. "Effective immediately, Bishop comes off your caseload. You don't assess him, measure his range of motion, mobilize the shoulder, prescribe or supervise his rehabilitation, or document his care. You don't access the chart. You're also removed from the routine club-level routing on his case. Zoe will be the point person."

"I understand," Declan said. "Bishop is off my caseload, effective immediately."

"If an immediate emergency occurs and no one qualified is available, you're permitted to stabilize him within your scope. Then you hand off as soon as possible, document why no alternative was available, and the access is audited. Emergency exception only. It's not road coverage and it's not a consultation loophole."

"I understand the exception," Declan said.

"Zoe is primary. If she's unavailable, medical operations assigns someone else. Vicki and I cover within our scopes. Before every road trip, the plan names the designee."

"Good," I said.

Reyes met my eyes. "You understand that Pryce is not the backup."

I nodded.

"Say it," Reyes said. "I want the boundary clear in the record."

"Pryce is not my PT. He's not backup for my rehab except in an emergency."

The statement took away the familiar assurance of Declan's hands on my shoulder.

It also opened up possibilities for our future.

Vicki slid a printed form toward Declan. "Your roster remains the same, except Bishop. You and Zoe already split coverage. Recusal isn't discipline. We're treating this as a recusal."

"The pre-transfer notes?" he asked.

"They remain part of the chart," Reyes said. "They'll be reviewed in the ordinary course because care changed hands. Accuracy is assessed by the record and the clinical picture, not by this conversation."

Declan read the form before signing it.

Park opened a second document on his laptop. "I'm recording a staff-player conflict disclosed before a relationship, with medical transfer effective today. The contract group doesn't need personal details. They receive medical information through the same authorized channel as before. Nothing from Pryce after this point."

"What if my agent asks?" I said.

"You can tell your own representative what you choose about your personal life. Pryce can decide whether you use his name or employment details. That's for you two to discuss. The club will only confirm that uninterrupted care and an internal conflict process exist—and only if confirmation becomes necessary and it's authorized."

I looked at Declan. "We'll decide before I tell him anything."

Declan nodded.

Park finished the entry and turned the screen so both of us could read the summary. It said enough to explain the boundary and no more.

"Any questions?" Vicki asked.

"When does Zoe take over?" I said.

Zoe closed the tablet. "When we go downstairs."

Declan and I both signed. Zoe and Reyes signed the medical transfer. Vicki took the forms with her when we stood. Park opened the blinds.

The corridor outside looked the same, but the world felt different.

Declan and I stopped near the stairwell while the others went back to the training room.

"It hurts," he said. "I'm the best care for your shoulder, even though I know the transfer is right."