I was a Mistake

Epilogue- Eden

I thought about how hard it had been to leave the house this morning, the love of my life walking me to my car, his rugged scar covering the expanse of his broad shoulder. I had been tired and unmotivated and the only thing I wanted was to return to bed with my husband.

Of course, he would have to leave for work soon after I did anyway. He and his team were taking part in summer practice. The team would arrive early that morning and work drills, and return later that night for more work and a scrimmage. Noah was a football coach and teacher at the high school we graduated from, and I had never seen a man so devoted to his work. He had spent his college years on the football team, studying kinesiology and education.

Noah had never planned to play professionally after college. Although he was fantastic, the game really took a toll on his body. Each game left him with bruises and scratches, and never ending sore body parts. His friends on the team had begged him to move forward and make an effort to be drafted. Nevertheless, on a cold night in November, God decided that Noah would put his cleats and helmet up for good.

At the end of a completed play, when he didn't know to be aware, an angry lineman, easily ninety pounds heavier, from the other team tackled Noah from the side and broke his collarbone and dislocated his AC joint. It was believed that the blunt force trauma received from the large man slamming on top of his body caused his fractured clavicle.

It just so happened that was the one game I could not attend, doing a clinical in the hospital ER. It was truly traumatizing to see my fiancé rushed in on a stretcher, delirious from pain, shirtless with only a makeshift sling covering his midsection. His bruised and swollen shoulder sagged considerably and trying to lift his arm caused him to scream out in agony.

The x-rays showed the fracture was comminuted and displaced, the break of the bone out of line with many pieces fractured. I shouldn't have been able to help treat him due to hospital rules, but we were short staffed and I had no choice. I had to fight between remaining the calming nurse I had been taught to be and the frantic fiancé that was trying to take over.

Noah received surgery that next morning, spending the night with heavy medication to ward off the pain. I was forced to complete my shift before being able to comfort him. The surgery involved the clavicle being reshaped to its original position, the bone fragments being held together with plates and screws. It had been a very hard recovery for my ever active husband. For someone that had become accustomed to running two miles every morning and spending up to three hours training a day, Noah became depressed and agonized over not being able to so much as lift his arm.

Of course, after rehab, lots of prayer, and three months of working to obtain the proper function, Noah was back to exercising regularly. But he didn't want to go back to the football field, because the end of the season and his football career, had come to a close while he was recovering in a hospital bed.

Despite the pain and the devastating shock of losing his abilities so suddenly, Noah remained a positive light and continued his schooling and became an All-level Kinesiology graduate. He began his first year of coaching as I started graduate school, teaching Science classes to Juniors and Seniors. He loved the kids, becoming an incredible role model to them. Sometimes I couldn't contain the pride I felt for him.

"Eden, please, I need you to get me a coffee and meet me in the conference room." My boss rushed in, his papers askew and the back of his suit jacket flapping like a cape in his rush. That was how Charlie Greenberg was. Although he was never extremely late, he carried himself like he had left his clients waiting for three hours.

"Yes, sir, right away," I said and rushed to the kitchen. I made Mr. Greenberg's coffee just the way he liked it, three scoops of sugar and a lot of half-and-half. I tried to ignore the way my stomach rolled at the smell. I then retreated to my temporary office to grab the neat stack of papers I had prepared for the meeting.