Not All Hockey Boys Are Bad

Chapter 25

I watched as the trainer placed his hands on both sides of Jack's head. Jack seemed to relax a bit more, the pain seeming to lessen, but that was before the trainer pressed two fingers on each sides of his temple. Jack grimaced at the new feeling but said nothing. I squeezed his hand hoping he remembered I was still there.

Jack jolted when the trainer had pushed against right behind his ears. "That's it." Jack grunted out trying to get the pain to go away again. He was gripping my hand painfully but I let him knowing me being there was all I could do.

The trainer nodded at Jack then picked up the needle and injected a liquid into Jack. "Pain reliever." He said as if knowing what I was about to ask. "It'll help with the pain here in a few seconds." He went on. I nodded. I've seen this before. On TV when the major leaguers would get knocked out to hard. Each time I saw one, it was the end to their athletic career. I hoped this wasn't the end of Jack's. It couldn't be. Hockey was his life.

Not long after the trainer gave Jack the shot, Jack's assistant coach came into the locker room. It was about time. "How's he doing?"

"He'll be okay, but an ambulance is on it's way to take him to the hospital to make sure he has no severe brain injury or internal bleeding." The trainer reported. He was already repacking his bag. His job with Jack was done, and he would be in the EMTs hands when they arrived.

"That good news." The coach said.

Jack's eyes fluttered open. "What's happening... On the... Ice." He struggled to ask. I squeezed his hand subconsciously and Jack squeezed back.

The coach grimaced. "Not good." I frowned as Jack growled.

"Damn it!" He yelled out then winced at the force he used. I jumped at the surprise but quickly regained my cool.

Before anything else could be said the paramedics burst into the locker room with a gurney in toe. I let them hoist Jack onto it before I stood back in my position beside him. I followed Jack and the paramedics out to the ambulance where they loaded Jack up into the back as if he were luggage.

My stomach twisted seeing the inside of the ambulance I hadn't been in one since my appendix ruptured 6 years ago, but I never liked the sight of them.

"You coming with your boyfriend miss?" A young paramedic asked me. His hand was on the door ready to close it.

"Of course." I say climbing into the ambulance.

*****

We had been here for over an hour now and I haven't heard one word from the doctor about Jack. I was forced to wait in the waiting room while he was getting cat scans and what not. While I haven't heard from the doctors, I have heard from Georgia. She has been texting me non-stop giving me updates at the rink while I gave her updates of what's going at the hospital.

The game was over now. We had lost 4-2 because after what had happened to Jack the team couldn't get their heads back in the game. No one could, at least according to Georgia, but I believe her words. The team was headed to the hospital now and I thought about giving the hospital staff a heads up before a large group of sweaty boys make camp in their nice yet small waiting room.

"Are you a family member of Jack Vella?" A man in a white lab coat with a clipboard asked me. I was surprised I was actually being informed about Jack.

"No, I'm his girlfriend." If I even am officially that, I'm not sure what our official relationship status is yet.

The doctor looked down at his clipboard. "Well is any of his family here that I can speak with?"
He asks.