right where you left me

Chapter 54 - 10,000 Miles

"Oi! Oi!" I heard a voice say. My eyes were still closed, as I was trying to stop the pounding in my head. "Tippah! Tippah!"

I slowly opened my eyes to see Caitlin standing over me. Alanna was beside her, with Clare near my head.

"Are you okay?" Clare asked, holding my cheek.

"I- uh. What happened?" The girls all looked at each other, and no sooner had they done this, than the medics came straight over.

"Concussion, we think," Caitlin said to them, talking quietly, hoping I wouldn't hear.

"What?" I asked, confused still. I knew something had happened, I just wasn't sure what. This wouldn't be good. I knew it.

The medics performed the concussion protocol on me, and before I knew it I was off the pitch, laying down in a dark room as my head was still pounding.

I tried not to fall asleep, as I was told that would not be the smart thing to do. Instead, I listened to some very deep, sad music, that reflected how my emotions played with me.

After a few hours, I was told the news.

"You're not going to be able to play the next game," the medic said to me.

"Seriously! I feel fine now." That wasn't true but I knew that come Thursday I would be.

"It's the rules. That's the concussion protocol."

"Far out!" I exclaimed. "But this is important. This game is important!"

"But Tippah," the medic said to me. "Your health is more important."

I knew they were right but why did this have to happen? Sam was already out, and Tony would need to change the lineup again. It was all falling apart right in front of our eyes.

"I'm so sorry," I said to Tony, as I sat in his office, once he found out the news. He wanted to speak to me about it, making sure I was okay above all else.

"These things happen, Tippah," he said to me, his care shining through his smile.

"I just am so mad at myself."

"It's not worth it," Tony replied. "You'll be back for Canada. All will be okay."

"Will it?" I exclaimed, trying to hold back the tears. "Will it be okay? All I can think about is how I am letting everyone down. Once again."

"You are not letting anyone down," Tony replied.

"But-"

"You play a team sport, Tippah. This team is your family. They love you, we love you, no matter what. Let them bring you up, and you certainly are not letting anyone down." I tried to take what he had seriously, but it was hard. I couldn't think positively when I felt a nation would be mad at me. I felt the entire weight of the country was hoping for the best out of this team.

Sometimes it did get all too hard.

Sometimes it felt like the world was both loving and hating us.

It did get complicated.

I spent the next few days resting, wanting to train but knowing the pounding headache would only go away with rest. Both mental and physical.

I watched the girls out on the pitch, as I sat alongside Sam on the sideline. She wasn't yet ready to go out onto the grass, and I could tell she too was getting restless. It wasn't easy not being able to contribute. It felt as if I had so much to give but no opportunity to give.

"So, you're out for the next game?" Sam asked.

"Yep," I replied, pissed at myself.

"We can keep each other company," she chuckled.