C h a s i n g D r e a m s ➮ C a r r i s o n

• 23 •

Carrie found herself in the hospital at midnight. After throwing a big locker room party, the team went out for dinner. This was the first chance she had to get her wrist checked out. While waiting for her x-rays to come back, Carrie watched Harrison's game on her phone.

She knew something was broken, it was just a matter of what. She wasn't looking forward to the months to come. Wrist fractures often required a lot of physical therapy. It wasn't long before they came back with her results.

"It looks like you have both a colles' fracture and a distal radial fracture."

Carrie knew what those were. She'd broken the wrist bone and the forearm bone above it. Awesome. Just awesome.

"Am I going to need surgery?"

"As of right now, no. None of your bones came out of place or chipped on impact so we don't see the need for surgery unless something else comes up."

"I had surgery the first time I broke this wrist and my recovery time was a lot faster. Could we do that again?"

"I'm afraid your injury will heal best with time."

"How many months?"

"Four to five at most. You'll likely be out of a cast in a month and a half."

"Okay."

"Would you rather do a cast or splint?"

"Splint."

"Okay, we'll get that prepared for you."

Carrie picked up her phone after the doctor left the room. Harrison was up to bat with a 3-0 count. The next pitch nailed him right in the hand. Being hit in the hand was the worst. There were so many bones in the hand with so much that could go wrong. And there was no muscle to protect the bones.

Harrison threw his bat and grabbed his hand as manager Dave Roberts and the athletic trainer came running out. He was shaking out his hand and trying to clench it to make a fist. Neither of them were having good luck today.

The trainer was feeling his hand when they decided to pull him from the game. That wasn't a good sign. They were going to have an interesting conversation tonight about his hand and her wrist. His game was starting when her game ended so she didn't have a chance to tell him about her wrist yet. Hopefully his was nothing serious and he would be back in the lineup tomorrow.

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Carrie walked into Dodger Stadium and up into the dugout. Harrison was finishing his round of batting practice as she went to stand with the rest of the players. She was glad to be home. The guys knew who she was and quickly introduced themselves. She actually didn't talk with Harrison last night so he was unaware she was coming.

He came out of the cage toward the dugout. Harrison didn't even notice her until she called his name. "Carrie?"

Once he saw her, Harrison dropped his bat and came running over. "You had to surprise me back I see."

"I wouldn't call it a surprise. I think it's more like keeping a promise."

"You guys won it?"

"In three games."

"You're amazing."

Harrison kissed her. "Whoa what happened to your wrist?"

"I broke it in two places."

"How?"

"Trying to dive for a ball in center."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm okay."

"You sure?"

"It hurts a little bit but it's good."

"How long do you have to wear that thing?"

"They said about a month and a half," Carrie answered. "Enough time to let it heal."

"I'm glad you're here," he whispered before giving her another kiss.

"Me too Harrison."