She Makes Me Wanna

We won the game 3-1, but it was a hollow victory. The locker room was silent as we got changed, and Dan didn’t even make a speech. There was only one thing on everyone’s mind, and it was making sure that Emily was okay. I saw Dan talking on the cellphone, and by the look on his face I knew that we weren’t going to get good news. However, we loaded onto the bus and headed back to the hotel. There were no jokes, no laughter, nothing but a respectfully strained silence. I kept checking my phone, hoping that she would text me, but there was nothing. Jack looked like he was about to pass out, and I realized that he and Emily were a lot closer than they appeared. Patrick was also incredibly edgy, but in a more aggressive way. Geno and Flower sat on either side of me, and in that moment I realized how proud I was that the team cared so much about someone so new.

The second I got to the hotel I asked Dan for permission to go to the hospital.

“I just talked to the people in the ER, and they said she has a really severe concussion Sid…she’s going to be kept overnight for observation, and we’re going to get her back to Pittsburgh tomorrow morning to start working with our people immediately. You can go if you want, but I don’t think she’s going to be in great shape,” Dan said. I jumped in the first empty taxi I saw and told the cabbie to get me to the hospital. When I arrived, I threw him a few bills and told him to keep the change. I barged into the hospital like a madman, but a few of the nurses looked like they had been expecting me and asked me to wait in the waiting room. I paced the waiting room, not able to sit down, and texted Geno and Tanger every once in a while. They were just as worried about me as they were about Emily, and when I finally got a good look at myself in the window of the waiting room I could see why. I had the look of a cornered animal, nervous and afraid, and I forced myself to take a deep breath.

New message from: Flower

Sid, why are you freaking out so badly about this? I stared at the message for a few moments, and frowned before I typed my reply.

I’m freaking out because I almost lost my career over a concussion, and Emily just started playing. I’m freaking out because Brent Seabrook is a foot taller than her and probably fifty pounds heavier. I’m freaking out because I want her to be okay. I don’t want to see any of my friends or teammates go through what I did the last two years Marc. It’s hell. Living hell. You can’t sleep. You can’t eat. You want to do stuff but the second you stand up you feel like you’re going to puke. It’s not fun. It’s not good. I’m terrified that I’ll get another concussion. I’m terrified that Emily won’t come back from hers. I just…I hate them.

“Mr. Crosby? You can see her now,” a nurse said quietly, and I spun around, following her down a maze of hallways before I found myself in the Head Trauma ward.

“Hey Em,” I said, walking into her room. Emily was pale, drawn, and was attached to all sorts of monitoring equipment.

“Did we win?” she asked quietly, and I laughed quietly.

“Yeah, we won. We kicked their asses for you. How do you feel?” I asked, taking the chair next to the bed.

“Like shit,” she answered.

“I know the feeling,” I sighed.

“I bet you do,” she mumbled.

“The guys all told me to tell you to get better quick,” I said, holding up my phone. As if on cue, it buzzed, and I made sure that the light was set to the lowest intensity before I read the text.

New message from: Flower

Everything you said makes sense. I also think that you like her and don’t want to admit it. You’re being protective.

I rolled my eyes before tucking the phone into the front pocket of my suit jacket and sliding the chair closer to Emily’s bed.

“They said I have a concussion,” she murmured, her eyes flickering sleepily.

“Yeah I heard…I’m really sorry,” I said quietly.

“Don’t be…wasn’t your fault…hockey…I…chose it…” she said, falling asleep quickly. I patted her hand and leaned back in the chair, fully prepared to spend the rest of the night in the hospital.

A few hours later I was woken up by my phone buzzing violently in my pocket. I pulled it out, my eyes smarting from the light, and checked the caller ID.

DAN BYSLMA

“Shit,” I muttered before answering the call.

“Sidney where the hell are you?” Dan asked as soon as I answered.

“The hospital,” I whispered, stifling a yawn.

“Did you fall asleep or something?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I said.

“Alright, well head on back to the hotel and get some real sleep…you gotta be able to play a good game if you don’t want Emily to feel guilty,” Dan said, and I sighed.

“Alright Coach,” I said before hanging up. I looked at Emily, who was sleeping soundly, and bit my lip before making the rashest decision I ever made. I bent down and kissed her on the forehead, brushing a few strands of her hair out of her face as I did so. Her eyes flickered open and I froze, inches from her face.

“Captain?” she croaked.

“Hey…uh…I gotta go. Dan is going to kill me if I stay any longer. Get better quick, okay? I’ll see you when we get back to Pittsburgh,” I whispered.

“Kay…see ya around Captain,” she muttered before falling back asleep. I let out a sigh of relief and quickly scurried out of the room, my heart pounding as if I had just done suicides for twenty minutes. Flower’s text immediately came to mind. I can’t like her…we’re teammates and roommates. It wouldn’t be right.