Angels of Long Island | Mathew Barzal

~52~

THE NEXT DAY

Mat had morning skate because they have a game tonight against the Capitals. I was caught up on school work and errands to do so I told Mat I would go and sit with the WAGS.

Mat came home from practice at about 10 and he went and took a nap before eating something quickly and heading back to the Coliseum at around 4. That left me to head over to the rink closer to game time. I cleaned the apartment for Mat and around 5:30 I went to the rink. Once there, I met up with Paige (Ryan Pulock's girlfriend) and Meg Bailey. We grabbed drinks and headed to our seats. We usually sit at the top of one of the sections above our net.

We scored early and had a hard time holding the Caps off for the rest of the first period. The second started and Mat took the first faceoff at center ice. Paige and I had become pretty good friends over the last couple games and we made plans to hang out this week.

About halfway through the second, Mat was skating with the puck around the back of the net when Tom Wilson came head on and laid a shoulder to Mat's head, sending him crashing into the boards and crumbling to the ice. The ref blew the play dead instantly and ejected Wilson from the game. Mat was slow to get up. The whole arena was on their feet, and gasped when he went down. Now, not a peep could be heard as Damien, the trainer is running over to Mat, who's bent on his knees, holding his head. I stand, jaw dropped as I try to see around the tall man wearing a Bailey jersey and standing beside a little kid. As I watch as Damien reaches Mat and places a hand on his back, Mat's still bent over, holding his head. Damien holds a towel to Mat's face and when he pulls it back, there's blood. My heart sinks, not knowing what was wrong with him or being able to go to him. Damien puts the towel back to his face and tells him to hold it there. Just then, Matt Martin is standing beside them, ready to help Mat up. He gathers his stick, gloves and helmet and holds them until he slowly gets to his knees, and then his feet, bending over at the waist before slowly standing up, with Marts and Damien on either side of him, he's helped to the bench and down the tunnel, the trainers with him the whole way. By this point, my eyes had welled up with tears threatening to spill over. The little boy in front of me pulled on his dad's arm and asked "Dad what's wrong with Barzy?" "He might have a concussion kiddo." The tall guy says. He turns around to pull his seat down and gives me and the girls a slight smile before plopping down.

"Lex, I know you're freaking out. But he's in good hands." Paige says to me. Luckily, the second period finishes quickly and the third feels like a blur. I sit there, pretending to be engulfed in the game but my mind had a million things running through it. The guys exit the ice at the end of the game and I go with the girls to wait in our usual family lounge. My friend's guys all come out one by one and they all mumble things to me like "Let us know how he is" or "It's gonna be ok." Luckily, Lauren and Anthony stayed with me until Mat finally came in with Damien. He was only dressed in athletic sweats and a hoodie with a baseball hat on. I slowly step towards him and read his face to see if it was ok if I hugged him. When he held his arms out, I knew I could. I gingerly hugged him and he kissed the top of my head. "Hey Lexi, is it?" Damien asked. I nodded and he shakes my hand. "He's got a mild concussion and the force of the hit caused his nose to start bleeding, just watch and make sure it doesn't start to bleed again. We scheduled for him to see a doctor tomorrow so..." He explains. "I'll make sure he's there." I say. "I'll see you tomorrow Barz." Damien says, lightly patting his back. Luckily, it was Saturday and I don't have to be back at school for another day so I can take him to his appointment tomorrow.

"Here, sit down babe, I need to talk to Anthony for a minute." I tell Mat as he plops down onto the black leather couch. I grab Beau's arm and pull him aside. "Beau, what am I supposed to do, I have to go back to school on Monday. I can't leave him like this now." I whisper frantically. "LC, he'll be ok. Just get him to his appointment tomorrow and go from there. He wouldn't want you to miss school anyway. You know that. Just do what you need to do and we'll help him here until you get back." Beau says, placing calming hands on my shoulders. I sigh and nod before turning back to Mat. "You ready to go home, baby?" I ask. He has his head leaned back against the couch and his eyes are closed. When he tilts his head forward with a grimace, I notice that under his right eye is black and blue. He slowly stands and I take his hand. We say bye to Anthony and Laur before heading out of the suite and out to the car, which I now have to drive.

Mat gets in the passenger seat silently and buckles up. I turn the car on and drive slowly back to his apartment. "What time is your appointment tomorrow?" I ask. "9." Is all I get in response.

When we arrive at the apartment, I notice Mat let his head drop so the bill of his hat shields his eyes from the harsh lighting of the lobby and hallways. He was silent since we left the rink and I felt bad because I didn't know how to make him feel better. He unlocks the door to the apartment and lets us in, dropping his bag on the floor inside the door.

"Do you need to get a shower or anything?" I ask him as he walks into the kitchen. "Nope, I just want to go to bed." He says, going to a cabinet in the kitchen. He pulls out a bottle of Tylenol and takes two before heading to his bedroom. I follow him back, turning all the lights off and locking the door.

Once I get to the bedroom, I see he's already laid down, still holding his head. A tear slipped out of my eye watching him in pain. I grab his phone from where it was on the bed and plug it in, turning the sound off so it doesn't bother him in the middle of the night. I pull the covers back for him and he takes his shirt and hat off before getting under them. I go into the bathroom and change and get ready for bed before joining him.

Before I fall asleep, I text Anthony and say

"I don't want to ask him because I don't want to make him mad but do you know how long he'll be out?"

He responds only a moment later with "A week or two if he does what the doc tells him to." I sigh a breathe of relief knowing he'll only miss a few games.

I set my alarm for 8 and fall asleep.