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“Mr. Henderson, welcome back. You gave us quite the scare. How are you?”
Welcome back?
“Thirsty, I’m parched. Did we lose the game?” I ask again, this time a little annoyed with myself that I can’t remember.
“I’ll get you some water soon, I need to get your vitals first. I’d say you won, Mr. Henderson. You won the game of life.”
The game of life?
The woman that Gia referred to as Lyla hovers over me. It’s like they are familiar with each other, friends even, but I’ve never seen that woman before in my life. As my vision begins to clear, I look around, realizing for the first time that I’m in a hospital room. I’m hooked to machines that continue to beep in the background and do nothing to help my throbbing head.
Gia, despite her smile, looks like she hasn’t slept in days.
“Gia?” I look to my wife for answers.
“You had a cut and lost a lot of blood. We’re at Chambliss Health, the University hospital.” Gia explains. She looks at the woman, Lyla, who I’m now assuming is a nurse, and nods. There is something they aren’t saying.
I wiggle my toes and my fingers. I’m sore as shit, but they’re all there. I can move them. That’s always a good sign, right?
“I’ll grab the doctor; he’s making his rounds now. He will be around to explain everything very soon.” The nurse finishes up, giving Gia a quick hug before leaving us alone again behind the privacy of the curtain.
“You’re out of the playoffs.” Gia finally says with a nervous smile.
“Damn, I played like shit. That was my fault. I’m sorry about the fight, Gia. Do you, um, do you know what happened? Where’s Tyler? Is he okay?” I ask questions as the fog in my brain begins slowly clearing, much like my vision, unfortunately, it’s taking longer than I would like.
“He’s out of the playoffs too.”
“How?” That doesn’t make any sense.
“Chambliss dismissed him from the team.” She glances toward the floor and then back up to meet my eyes. Again, with the secrecy. It doesn’t sit well with me.
“Why would they do that? Is he injured?” I’m immediately concerned for T, despite where our relationship is right now.
I can’t just shut down on family. I can shut you out, but I can’t shut down my love for someone I grew up with my entire life, the brother to my wife. It’s just not the way I’m made. We might fight like hell, and I will always back Gia’s decisions, but my worry for his well-being won’t disappear.
“He’s fine, I guess. He didn’t die, if that’s what you’re asking.” Huh, she seems saltier about T than usual. I don’t have much time to dig deeper.
Knock. Knock. Two brief knocks sound off on the wall of the room.
“Damien Henderson, the man – the myth – the legend, or so you’ve come to be known in this unit. How do you feel?”
A man, probably in his late fifties’ steps into our space. His hair is silver and combed neatly. His jaw is coated in a matching silver beard that’s clearly been trimmed with precision. He’s tall and fit, and he wears a white coat like he owns the damn hospital. I like him immediately.
“Like shit, honestly,” I grunt and try to sit up, but pain shoots down my neck and into my shoulder, sobering my movements.
“Good, that’s what I’d expect. Do you recognize this woman? She’s been hanging around here for a few days. Says she knows you.” He smirks in Gia’s direction, and it annoys me that she smiles. Who does this fucker think he is? I take it back. I don’t like him at all.
“That’s my wife,” I growl, and his smile only magnifies, showing off what are surely overpriced store-bought veneers.
Gia snickers, and then recovers when she realizes I’m watching her, and I do not find him amusing.
“And your daughter’s name is?” He continues as if he didn’t just blatantly flirt with my wife using his fancy-ass doctor smirk.
“Astria,” I answer, still irritated with the guy, and paying very close attention to his flirty face and silver beard that I’m starting to think he colors to make himself look more sophisticated than he is.
“And your favorite sport is?”
“Hockey.” Which means I know how to check your ass in less than two seconds. Or I could if I wasn’t strapped to this damn hospital bed, flirty-doc’flirterson.
