Sequel: Pursuit of Happiness ›
The Ice Queen
092:
“I’m sorry- What?” Alyssa asked as she stared at the doctor in shock.
“The damage that was done to your body was too severe, even if you were to start playing again, you wouldn’t be able to play as well. Wouldn’t be as fast, as strong, wouldn’t be able to take a serious hit,” the doctor said and I gulped and watched as Alyssa looked down at her bed and clenched her sheets in her fists, “I’m sorry, Ms. Brace, we’ve done all that we can.”
“There has to be something-“
“No, there isn’t, sometimes things happen for a reason, maybe you’re meant to settle down-“
“I want to play my game! Not settle down!” she growled and I sighed and leaned against the window, I knew that she wouldn’t take this well, I wouldn’t take this well if they told me I couldn’t play, “So consult with your other doctors and figure out what the hell you have to do to get me back to my old self!”
“Alys-“
“No!” she snapped her head towards me, “Don’t say it, Milan!”
“Babe,” I breathed and she looked towards the ground and I sighed. I looked towards the doctor and nodded my head towards him, mentally telling him that I had it from here. I walked over towards Alyssa, sat on the bed and wrapped my arms around her. She clung to me and started to cry on my shoulder, “I’m sorry, Alyssa.”
“I don’t want to stop,” she cried, “I want to play.”
“I know you do,” I said and kissed her head, “I know.”
“I have to,” she said and I rubbed her back.
Alyssa’s been in the hospital for a little over a month now, she’s been awake for about two weeks now, she was going through test after test after test. The doctors wanted to see if a.) she was truly healthy enough to leave the hospital and b.) if there was a serious chance that Alyssa would play again. Rebecca went back to Texas three days ago, she had to stay longer because I went on a road trip and I didn’t want to leave Alyssa by herself in the hospital.
We all knew when she woke up that there was a very slim chance that Alyssa was going to be back on the ice, we were just hoping that she was in the slim category. The doctor had pulled me aside yesterday and told me that he ran every test that he possibly could, twice. There was no way that Alyssa would be back on the ice, no treatment, no medicine; her body was physically shot because her mother and the boyfriend almost killed her. They had Alyssa doing physical therapy, but still, he said it just didn’t look good. The doctor talked to the Bruins’ trainers, the trainers talk to our Doc, and Doc talked to Coach, the list went on and on, Alyssa was going to have to retire from the NHL.
“I’m not signing those papers,” Alyssa growled and I sighed and looked at her.
“Alyssa, you can’t be on the ice, your body is just-“
“You know growing up,” she sighed, she wasn’t looking at me, “Mom never wanted me to play.”
“I heard,” I said and she pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them.
“She would always embarrass me, always do something to take me away from the people and things I loved,” she said and then looked towards the window, “Now she’s done it again, she really done it, she’s taken hockey away from me.”
“Alyssa,” I placed my hand on her shoulder, “She didn’t take it away-“
“Then how come I’m going to have to retire?!” I snapped and looked at me, “How come I can’t play anymore? She fuckin’ took it from me!”
I honestly didn’t know what to say, I didn’t know what to do other than hold her, I felt so bad. She was crying against me, it was a good hour before she fell asleep, mentally exhausted from the news she had just heard before. I sighed and laid her on the bed and walked out into the hall, pulling my phone out and calling my friend.
“Looch! Hey, how’s Alyssa?”
“Hey Horty, she’s uh- Well, physically she’s doing better,” I said and then sighed.
“Physically?” he asked confused.
“Yeah, the bitch and her fuckin’ meathead did a damage on Alyssa,” I rubbed my face, “She’s not going to be able to play anymore.”
“No way,” Nathan said quietly, “I’m sorry man; tell her I’m thinkin’ about her- Hell, the boys were askin’ about her.”
“How’s that going anyways?” I asked since before he left the Bruins, his wife, Tammy cheated on his with one of the men who work at the Garden.
“We’re in a middle of a divorce,” he said sadly, “She’s still in Boston.”
“No way, are you serious?” I asked surprised and then shook my head, “What about the boys?”
“Well since I’m still not able to play because of my shoulder, they’ve been with me the whole time,” he said and sighed, “But as soon as I’m cleared, I don’t know what I’m going to do, so far Tammy doesn’t want anything to do with her own sons.”
“I’m sorry man, you know I would do something for you if I could,” I said and looked back into the room.
“I know Looch, I know man, and I appreciate it,” he said and I looked down the hallway to see Brad coming towards us, “Hey man, I actually have to go, I’ve got another doctor appointment.”
“Sorry man, didn’t mean to hold you up.”
“Naw, it’s all right, good to hear from you, I’ll be sure to call you again,” he said and I smiled, missing my friend, “I’ll have to talk to Red next time, sure she’ll love to talk to the boys too.”
“Auntie AJ does miss her boys,” I chuckled and then saw Brad appear in front of me, “I’ll talk to you later, Horty.”
“See ya, Looch,” he said and we both hung up and I looked at Brad.
“Nate?” he asked and I nodded my head, “How’s his shoulder?”
“Healing.”
“Divorce?”
“Shitty,” I said and he nodded his head, “You think it would go better since she’s still in Boston,” I said and his eyes widened, “Probably still fuckin’ that guy too.”
“What about Dylan and Zach?”
“Doesn’t want anything to do with them,” I informed and he just shook his head.
“How’s Red? They tell her the news?”
“She took it just like we knew she would,” I said and we both leaned against the doorway and looked at Alyssa’s sleeping form.
“Just wait until she’s out of the hospital and we’re on away trips, she’s gunna loose her mind,” he said and I nodded my head, “Serious depression is gunna start.”
“What am I gunna do? What can we do for her?” I asked and Brad shook his head, not knowing.
“All I know is that she’s gotta sign those retirement papers,” Brad said and then sighed, “Even if she doesn’t want to.”
“She’s definitely not gunna want to,” Brad was quiet, I looked towards him and saw him glaring at the ground, “What?”
“I’m just pissed,” he said and I waited for him to continue, “The bitch finally overdid it- For years AJ put up with her shit- But she took something precious to her.”
“Alyssa said the same thing before,” I said and Brad looked at me.
“At least she still has you,” he said and I looked at him, “Look man, I know you love her, but I’ve known Red my whole life,” he sighed and I looked at him, “This is- This is gunna be hard, for the both of you-“
“Pretty sure it’s gunna be more hard on her,” I said and he nodded his head and then shook it.
“When we were kids, Alyssa got hurt, it wasn’t bad- But it wasn’t good,” he said and sighed, “Her mom paid the doctor to tell her that she could never play hockey again, even though she obviously could.”
“What happened?”
“She went into an angry depression,” he said and I sighed, “That’s when Crosby started to hang out with her more and he tried to get her on the ice. Her depression went on for about a month before she figured out that she was lied to, that after she healed, she was perfectly fine.”
“Crosby?” I asked and he nodded his head, “Just how close was he to Alyssa?”
“They were pretty close,” he said, “Not as close as Red and I, but- I don’t know- Why?”
“Nothing, just asking,” I thought and then sighed and shook my head, ‘…It’s probably nothing…’
“Looch, what I’m trying to say, is that those four weeks, are going to be nothing compared to what the next four weeks- Hell the next few months are going to be on you and her,” he said and I just looked at Alyssa, “You have to promise me that you’re not going to give up on her.”
“Why would I give up on her?”
“She’s going to try and push everyone away, she’s going to want to be alone, she’s going to want nothing to do with the people and things in her life that make her happy,” he said and I looked at Brad, “That’s who she is, when something so good is taken away, she’s going to try and change her life so that it never existed.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“I saw it when her grandparents died, I saw it when a friend of ours died back in high school, I saw it when her parents were divorced, and I’m seeing it again now,” Brad said and I sighed, “Don’t give up on her.”
“I can’t, I love her too much.”
“The damage that was done to your body was too severe, even if you were to start playing again, you wouldn’t be able to play as well. Wouldn’t be as fast, as strong, wouldn’t be able to take a serious hit,” the doctor said and I gulped and watched as Alyssa looked down at her bed and clenched her sheets in her fists, “I’m sorry, Ms. Brace, we’ve done all that we can.”
“There has to be something-“
“No, there isn’t, sometimes things happen for a reason, maybe you’re meant to settle down-“
“I want to play my game! Not settle down!” she growled and I sighed and leaned against the window, I knew that she wouldn’t take this well, I wouldn’t take this well if they told me I couldn’t play, “So consult with your other doctors and figure out what the hell you have to do to get me back to my old self!”
“Alys-“
“No!” she snapped her head towards me, “Don’t say it, Milan!”
“Babe,” I breathed and she looked towards the ground and I sighed. I looked towards the doctor and nodded my head towards him, mentally telling him that I had it from here. I walked over towards Alyssa, sat on the bed and wrapped my arms around her. She clung to me and started to cry on my shoulder, “I’m sorry, Alyssa.”
“I don’t want to stop,” she cried, “I want to play.”
“I know you do,” I said and kissed her head, “I know.”
“I have to,” she said and I rubbed her back.
Alyssa’s been in the hospital for a little over a month now, she’s been awake for about two weeks now, she was going through test after test after test. The doctors wanted to see if a.) she was truly healthy enough to leave the hospital and b.) if there was a serious chance that Alyssa would play again. Rebecca went back to Texas three days ago, she had to stay longer because I went on a road trip and I didn’t want to leave Alyssa by herself in the hospital.
We all knew when she woke up that there was a very slim chance that Alyssa was going to be back on the ice, we were just hoping that she was in the slim category. The doctor had pulled me aside yesterday and told me that he ran every test that he possibly could, twice. There was no way that Alyssa would be back on the ice, no treatment, no medicine; her body was physically shot because her mother and the boyfriend almost killed her. They had Alyssa doing physical therapy, but still, he said it just didn’t look good. The doctor talked to the Bruins’ trainers, the trainers talk to our Doc, and Doc talked to Coach, the list went on and on, Alyssa was going to have to retire from the NHL.
“I’m not signing those papers,” Alyssa growled and I sighed and looked at her.
“Alyssa, you can’t be on the ice, your body is just-“
“You know growing up,” she sighed, she wasn’t looking at me, “Mom never wanted me to play.”
“I heard,” I said and she pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them.
“She would always embarrass me, always do something to take me away from the people and things I loved,” she said and then looked towards the window, “Now she’s done it again, she really done it, she’s taken hockey away from me.”
“Alyssa,” I placed my hand on her shoulder, “She didn’t take it away-“
“Then how come I’m going to have to retire?!” I snapped and looked at me, “How come I can’t play anymore? She fuckin’ took it from me!”
I honestly didn’t know what to say, I didn’t know what to do other than hold her, I felt so bad. She was crying against me, it was a good hour before she fell asleep, mentally exhausted from the news she had just heard before. I sighed and laid her on the bed and walked out into the hall, pulling my phone out and calling my friend.
“Looch! Hey, how’s Alyssa?”
“Hey Horty, she’s uh- Well, physically she’s doing better,” I said and then sighed.
“Physically?” he asked confused.
“Yeah, the bitch and her fuckin’ meathead did a damage on Alyssa,” I rubbed my face, “She’s not going to be able to play anymore.”
“No way,” Nathan said quietly, “I’m sorry man; tell her I’m thinkin’ about her- Hell, the boys were askin’ about her.”
“How’s that going anyways?” I asked since before he left the Bruins, his wife, Tammy cheated on his with one of the men who work at the Garden.
“We’re in a middle of a divorce,” he said sadly, “She’s still in Boston.”
“No way, are you serious?” I asked surprised and then shook my head, “What about the boys?”
“Well since I’m still not able to play because of my shoulder, they’ve been with me the whole time,” he said and sighed, “But as soon as I’m cleared, I don’t know what I’m going to do, so far Tammy doesn’t want anything to do with her own sons.”
“I’m sorry man, you know I would do something for you if I could,” I said and looked back into the room.
“I know Looch, I know man, and I appreciate it,” he said and I looked down the hallway to see Brad coming towards us, “Hey man, I actually have to go, I’ve got another doctor appointment.”
“Sorry man, didn’t mean to hold you up.”
“Naw, it’s all right, good to hear from you, I’ll be sure to call you again,” he said and I smiled, missing my friend, “I’ll have to talk to Red next time, sure she’ll love to talk to the boys too.”
“Auntie AJ does miss her boys,” I chuckled and then saw Brad appear in front of me, “I’ll talk to you later, Horty.”
“See ya, Looch,” he said and we both hung up and I looked at Brad.
“Nate?” he asked and I nodded my head, “How’s his shoulder?”
“Healing.”
“Divorce?”
“Shitty,” I said and he nodded his head, “You think it would go better since she’s still in Boston,” I said and his eyes widened, “Probably still fuckin’ that guy too.”
“What about Dylan and Zach?”
“Doesn’t want anything to do with them,” I informed and he just shook his head.
“How’s Red? They tell her the news?”
“She took it just like we knew she would,” I said and we both leaned against the doorway and looked at Alyssa’s sleeping form.
“Just wait until she’s out of the hospital and we’re on away trips, she’s gunna loose her mind,” he said and I nodded my head, “Serious depression is gunna start.”
“What am I gunna do? What can we do for her?” I asked and Brad shook his head, not knowing.
“All I know is that she’s gotta sign those retirement papers,” Brad said and then sighed, “Even if she doesn’t want to.”
“She’s definitely not gunna want to,” Brad was quiet, I looked towards him and saw him glaring at the ground, “What?”
“I’m just pissed,” he said and I waited for him to continue, “The bitch finally overdid it- For years AJ put up with her shit- But she took something precious to her.”
“Alyssa said the same thing before,” I said and Brad looked at me.
“At least she still has you,” he said and I looked at him, “Look man, I know you love her, but I’ve known Red my whole life,” he sighed and I looked at him, “This is- This is gunna be hard, for the both of you-“
“Pretty sure it’s gunna be more hard on her,” I said and he nodded his head and then shook it.
“When we were kids, Alyssa got hurt, it wasn’t bad- But it wasn’t good,” he said and sighed, “Her mom paid the doctor to tell her that she could never play hockey again, even though she obviously could.”
“What happened?”
“She went into an angry depression,” he said and I sighed, “That’s when Crosby started to hang out with her more and he tried to get her on the ice. Her depression went on for about a month before she figured out that she was lied to, that after she healed, she was perfectly fine.”
“Crosby?” I asked and he nodded his head, “Just how close was he to Alyssa?”
“They were pretty close,” he said, “Not as close as Red and I, but- I don’t know- Why?”
“Nothing, just asking,” I thought and then sighed and shook my head, ‘…It’s probably nothing…’
“Looch, what I’m trying to say, is that those four weeks, are going to be nothing compared to what the next four weeks- Hell the next few months are going to be on you and her,” he said and I just looked at Alyssa, “You have to promise me that you’re not going to give up on her.”
“Why would I give up on her?”
“She’s going to try and push everyone away, she’s going to want to be alone, she’s going to want nothing to do with the people and things in her life that make her happy,” he said and I looked at Brad, “That’s who she is, when something so good is taken away, she’s going to try and change her life so that it never existed.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“I saw it when her grandparents died, I saw it when a friend of ours died back in high school, I saw it when her parents were divorced, and I’m seeing it again now,” Brad said and I sighed, “Don’t give up on her.”
“I can’t, I love her too much.”