The Tales of a Future Hockey Wife

Chapter 25: Heart Falling

~Eleanor~

When the announcer calls time for the fifteen minutes intermission, we all get up from our seats to get some fresh air. As good as the play is, it's way too warm in the theater. Plus, I need to use the bathroom and so does Vivienne. Blair stays in the lobby saying she'll order us something to drink. I get my phone out of my purse and turn it on. Right after the screen brightens, dozens of missed calls and texts pop up. In total, I have ten missed calls from C.T. Freeman, Ben's coach, and about as many texts. I ignore the calls to read the texts.

8:10 pm: Hello Eleanor, Benjamin had a little accident on the ice tonight. Please call me ASAP.

8:15 pm: It's Travis Freeman, Benjamin's coach, we called an ambulance. Please get back to me.

8:20 pm: We'll be at the Windsor Regional Hospital. I'll tell you when we have more news.

8:30: Benjamin got a bed in the ER. I am in the waiting room where I will stay until I hear from you.

8:50 pm: He got moved to the fourth floor, room 187-A.

I check the time, it's a quarter past nine. He got hurt an hour ago, so much could have happened in that amount of time. My heart beats fast in my chest as I dial Mr. Freeman' number. He answers on the second ring.

"Mr. Freeman, I am so sorry. I am at the theater with friends, that's why my phone was off," I say, hearing my voice shake with every word.

"It's fine Eleanor. Benjamin hit his head on the ice pretty hard. He became unconscious almost immediately which is why we decided to bring him in." His voice is a lot calmer than mine.

"Is he awake now?" I know he can feel my anxiousness in my voice. Anyone could decipher it.

"No, they sedated him on the ambulance. It's safer when they don't know if there is vertebral damage." I nod even though he can't see me.

"But he's okay?" That's all that matters right now. We have been through this before. Concussions are inevitable when you play hockey at Ben's level. The question is always how bad was it?

"They did a scan and they're waiting on the results. But he's strong. Are you on your way over?" I look around me. I stopped moving the second he answered the phone. Many girls got passed me in the bathroom line. I spot Vivienne washing her hands while looking at me with a worried look.

"I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Alright. See you soon." He hangs up, so I make my way to Vivienne. I grab her arm to support me.

"I have to go. Ben is in the hospital." I don't have the strength to explain more. They'll see when we get there. Nothing matters at the moment. I just want to get to the hospital as fast as I can. Vivienne nods and we leave the bathroom to find Blair. As soon as we do, I tell her the same thing I told Vivienne. We immediately exit the theater, get in Blair's car, and drive to the hospital.

During the ride, I think of all the possible ways he could have gotten hurt. Did someone tackle him hard into the boards? Did he get into a fight? That's not his style, but we never know in hockey. Coach Freeman mentioned possible vertebral damage. If it is the case, it means the end of his career. The thought makes me nauseous. Not again, I don't want to throw up again. I think about what I did tonight. I was supposed to be there. I was supposed to attend the game. If I would have been there, I would have been with him in the ambulance, I would be with him right now. But I am not. I am not because I preferred going to the theater with the girls I can't be honest whit but still call my friends. I chose them over him, and I shouldn't have. I should have texted him to warn him that I wouldn't come, and I didn't. I feel awful physically and mentally.

I feel my legs shake when I get out of Blair's car. She parked right in the visitor's parking lot, so we have to walk for a few minutes before we walk into the hospital. I have no idea where I am going but I walk around trying to find my way to the elevators. Thankfully, Blair knows her way around since both her parents work here. She grabs my hand, pulling me in the right direction. As soon as the elevator pulls up to the fourth floor, I spot Mr. Freeman sitting on a chair. I say his name, Blair and Vivienne following closely behind me. He gets up when he hears his name.

"Eleanor. I'm so glad you are finally here. He still hasn't woken up yet, but it's because of the sedation. That's all I know," he says his voice as poised as on the phone.

"What happened to him?" This is it and I know it. The second he opens his mouth; my secret will be out in the open. Blair and Vivienne will know that I have been lying to them for two years. My heart beats fast, but that's not why. I just want to know that everything will be fine.

"Honestly, I am not sure. He just stopped skating and someone from the other team bumped into him hard making him fall on the ice." He stopped skating? Why? Blair was still holding my hand, but she let go when the first words left coach Freeman's mouth.  After a few beats of silence and looks behind me, he adds: "he's with his sister now, but you can go in too." His sister? That's impossible. I scrunch my brows, accentuating the worried look on Mr. Freeman's face.

"Yeah, a blonde, leather skirt, high-heels." That's not Ben's sister. I know exactly who that is.

"That's not his sister. Ben's sister has red hair, freckles, and she wears nothing but jeans and wool sweaters. Plus, last I heard, she was still in BC finishing high school. That girl is not his sister, she is her cousin though." I point Blair, but the coach raises his shoulders. I turn around, but there is no one there. My heart falls even deeper than it already was. They left. They were so mad at me that they left. I knew this would happen, and it saddens me, but not as much as it should. Maybe once I know that Ben will be okay it will hit me, but I am too focused on Ben to fully care right now.

"You said 187-A, right? I'll find it, thank you for everything you did tonight." Without another look at him, I walk past the doors that lead to the medicine unit. Finding his room his easy, the numbers are written in big bold letters on each door. The second Brittany sees me, words start flowing from her mouth, but I don't listen. I grab her arm, pulling her from her seat all the way to the unit door. Right before I shut the door in her face, I tell her that I'll call security if she tries to come back here and I mean it. I don't want her near me or Ben.