Angels of Long Island | Mathew Barzal

~53~

I wake up around 3 because I heard stirring in the kitchen. Mat's not in bed so I get up and head into the totally dark kitchen, careful not to run into anything. "Mathew?" I say quietly. "I'm sorry babe, did I wake you?" He asks. I can't even see him, I can only hear his voice in the room. "It's ok, what's wrong?" I ask, coming to where I know the island is and I know he's also standing there. "I can't sleep, my head hurts." He mumbles. In the faint light of the moonlight, I go to him and wrap my arms around his warm body. "I know baby, did you take anymore medicine?" I ask. "Yeah, but it's not helping." He says. "Does your nose hurt?" I ask. "No." Is all I get. "Baby, why don't you come back to bed and try and sleep, standing upright for too long probably isn't helping." I say. He takes my hand and I walk with him back to the bedroom and he slowly lays down. I go to my side and lay down next to him, pulling the covers over both of us. With his back to me, I wrap my arms around him the best I could and lean my head against his back. "You'll be okay, babe. I promise." I whisper. Then he's asleep. 

The next morning, my alarm goes off and I jolt up to try and stop it before it wakes Mat. I roll over and looks at him peacefully sleeping. I almost don't want to wake him because he tossed and turned all night in pain. He didn't get much sleep but he has an appointment to get to. I gently shake him and he stirs. He wakes up and looks like he wants to yell at me but he realizes nothing here is my fault so when I say "Morning handsome, we have to leave soon, do you want something to eat?", all he does is shake his head no and get up to change.

Once at the doctor, he fills out all these forms and I sit on my phone and wait for him to get called. After a few minutes, he gets called back and I call Mat's mom to let her know.

"Hello?"

Hi Nadia, it's Lexi

"Lexi! How are you honey?"

Doin ok, pretty busy

"How's school going?"

Good! Almost done, it feels like graduation is crawling but I'll make it

"How's Mat"

I sigh before answering.

He's ok. He could be a lot worse. He only has a mild concussion and I'm at the doctor with him now so we'll see what they say but it should only be about a week or so recovery time.

"That's good, I'm relieved. I saw blood on tv and I was so worried."

Yeah, the force of the hit caused his nose to bleed and he has a pretty nasty black eye but he's surviving. He didn't sleep well last night. Lights hurt his head and he hasn't really spoken but two words to me since before the game.

"Well, if I know my son, his silence is caused by the disappointment in not being able to play. But he usually gets over things pretty quickly because as he says..."

"That's hockey." We say at the same time. We laugh and chat a bit more before I assure her once more that he's ok and hang up. Then I call my parents and explain to them what happened.

Just as I hung up with them, a man in a white coat comes out followed by Mat. I stand when I see them coming towards me.

"So, it's nothing too serious. Of course, we don't like for people to get concussed and we just have to make sure he doesn't keep getting concussions to prevent permanent damage. He should be fine in a week or so, I'd like to see him back at the end of next week just to check on him but I'm sorry to say no playing this week." Mat and I both nod and Mat shoves his hands in his pockets.

We leave the doctor and once in the car, I ask Mat again "Are you hungry?" "Yeah, I could eat." He says. "He speaks!" I say enthusiastically. He gives me a sarcastic side eye before chuckling and smiling. "There's that handsome smile." I say. "It sucks, but it's the nature of the game. That's what happens, I can't be mad about that. I haven't checked my phone, did Wilson get anything?" He asks. "Suspended for the next 3 games. Which is fair." I explain. He didn't have another word to say about Tom Wilson, which I think is extremely mature of him. On the way home, I stop at Chickfila and we get food to take home.

Once home, Mat goes directly to his room and I follow with the food. We plop down on the bed and eat our food. Mat must've been really hungry because he devoured his before I was even half done mine. After we ate, Mat took medicine for his headache and fell asleep. I tiptoe out of the room silently and go to the kitchen to get some homework done.

I must've dozed off because a while later, Mat's shaking me awake and I had fallen asleep at the table on my computer. "Babe, you should head back to school soon, it's getting late." He says.

"I can't leave you like this." I say, closing my laptop.

"I have a concussion, babe, I'm not dying." He chuckles.

"Well yeah but what if it gets worse or you need help with something or-" I ramble.

"Babe, I will be ok. I doubt anything bad will happen because it's just a headache but if it does, I promise you're the first one I call and Anthony is only like 10 minutes away. You need to be at school." He explains.

"I just don't like leaving you knowing you're hurt." I say.

"Look at is this way, the next time you see me, I'll be better." He explains before pulling me into a hug.

I gather some of my stuff and head out to my car to head back to school.

"You promise you'll be ok?" I ask, throwing my bag in the backseat.

"I promise. I promise I wont play or train till I'm cleared." He says, kissing my forehead.

"Ok, I love you." I say, standing on my toes to kiss him.

"I love you too LC. Call me when you get back to school." He says, hugging me tightly.

"I will" I say, climbing in my car and heading back to school.