Blindsided: Renegades 7 (The Renegades Series)

by Melody Heck Gatto

  Jaxon was newer to the team. He was young and floated between the minor league and the Renegades. Matt, the Renegades usual left winger, had been sidelined most of the season with an upper body injury, so Jaxon had been on the roster, just waiting for a chance to prove himself.

  “Moooose! Let’s do this!” Kris called from the other side of the ice.

  Sam never really understood the reason why they all called Jaxon “Moose,” but it was his nickname, so they just did. He was tall and lanky, so that could be it.

  The crowd was pumped. Not that they weren’t always excited, but tonight they were extra loud. They yelled and cheered. Chants of “Z” filled the arena, since Dom was in net tonight. Cowbells rang. Girls screamed. The puck dropped.

  Sam went after the puck like an animal after its prey. This was his game, in his arena, and Norton had no control over that.

  Sam shoved the puck towards Pat, who made a swift wrist shot at the net, but the puck bounced off the goal minder and back out towards Sam. He tossed the biscuit in Jaxon’s direction. Moose got the puck, skated around with the disc, stick handling and playing keep-away with Nashville. Once he was cornered, he passed it to Kyler.

  The young gun, Kyler, took a slap shot at the net. Jaxon went after the rebound, and there was a scuffle around the net for possession of the puck. Sam stayed back, hoping the puck would get pushed out and he’d be able to slide it through the ruckus and to the back of the net.

  Without warning, he was knocked off balance by a shoulder-to-shoulder hit and a stick jab to the ribs.

  “Fuck!” His middle ached, but his anger took over, masking the pain. Sam was tired of this nonsense. Norton was nothing but a thug. This was a game, and that idiot was taking this vendetta shit way too far. They were here to play. To win. Period.

  Regaining his composure, Sam stole the puck and skated around center ice. Taking control of this game, he was determined to win, fair and square. Sam shot the puck down into Nashville’s end to Luc, who rounded behind the net, stick handling the biscuit, keeping control of it and keeping it away from the opposing team.

  “Luc!” Sam called from along the boards, and tapped his stick on the ice. He was open and there wasn’t a Nashville attacker anywhere near him.

  Luc overshot it, and Sam had to chase it to the wall. He was focused on the puck, playing out his actions in his head. He’d get the puck, shoot it back to Luc, or see who was open on the other side of the net, and then try to get open for a one-timer shot at the net. Hopefully ending with a goal.

  But before he could turn to slide the frozen rubber disc to Luc, a stick slammed into his shoulders and lower neck, knocking him off his skates. There was nothing for him to grab onto to catch himself, and his stick flew from his hands as he fell forward towards the boards.

  That’s when he felt another check to his back.

  That second check shoved his head right into the glass. His face bounced off the edge between the wooden boards and the glass.

  His falling to the ice felt like slow motion. His surroundings were blurry. People were talking to him, but their voices were muddled as if they were underwater. The ice was cold against his face. He wanted to get up, but his body wasn’t responding to his brain’s commands. He tried to move one more time as more people surrounded him.

  Then everything went black.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Trina

  Sitting in the team suite, Trina had a bird’s eye view of the game. Sam was chasing the puck one moment, and then in a heartbeat he was down. Even from up here, the hit Sam took looked bad. He was lying on the ice, and she was frozen in place. She wanted to run down to the locker room. She wanted to cry and yell. She wanted to make sure he was okay. But she didn’t move. She couldn’t even speak.

  A quiet hush filled the arena, as her husband lay motionless on the ice.

  Her heart was lodged in her throat as they turned the jumbo screen above the scoreboard to the Renegades logo instead of what was happening on the ice.

  That was never a positive sign. A cold band of dread wrapped around her, choking the breath from her.

  The team doctor and EMTs ran out to him and joined the already large group of people surrounding him.

  Why hasn’t he gotten up yet?

  “Trina.” Paige’s voice came from behind her.

  Finally, Trina’s feet decided to move, but she still hadn’t found her voice yet. She turned, her legs now feeling like jelly, and fell into Paige’s arms.

  “Honey, let’s go down to the locker room. Look.” Paige pointed towards the ice.

  Renegades players and a few of Nashville’s players were helping stand Sam up. The crowd cheered. But Trina knew her husband, and he didn’t look okay. The big screen returned live footage from the ice, and it was clear that he didn’t acknowledge the crowd with a wave or even a thumb’s up. His usual wide smile was obviously absent.

  “C’mon, Tri. Let’s go,” Paige said again. Her voice got desperate. “Please…”

  For once, Trina was grateful that Paige was not only the Renegades Assistant PR rep, but also her sister-in-law. Slowly she nodded to Paige, her legs no longer numb, although she walked mindlessly as if her body was being controlled by someone else. Paige still held on to her and led her downstairs to the halls of the locker room.

  Loud voices echoed through the hallways. There was a lot of confusion, people talking and yelling back and forth.

  Goosebumps covered Trina’s flesh as chills ran through her. Even numb, she was chilled to the bone. It could’ve been because they were so close to the ice surface, but it wasn’t. Her shivers were from pure fear.

  Paige’s bold voice cut through the chaos. “I’m sure he’s in with the doctor.” Paige peered around a corner and nodded her head. “Yes, he’s in the exam room now. C’mon, we’ll go wait in the players’ lounge.” Paige put her arm around Trina and walked her to the sitting room. She stopped by one of the EMTs and whispered something, before continuing to the lounge. “Here, Tri, sit down. I’ll get us some water.” She sat Trina down on the couch.

  It was as if things were moving in slow motion. Trina heard everything Paige was saying, but she couldn’t respond to any of it. Once Paige handed her a bottle of cold water, she sat silent, sipping it. After all the commotion when they had arrived down here, now oddly everything had grown quiet. The knot in her stomach grew.

  “Paige,” someone called from the doorway and waved her over. Paige said something calming to Trina and patted her hand before getting up to talk to whoever it was.

  When she returned to Trina’s side, Paige half smiled, as she put her hand on Trina’s shoulder. “Tri, Sam is alert and talking. That’s a good sign. He knows who he is and where he is, but of course, they want him to get checked out at the hospital. They are almost positive he has a concussion, but…”

  “But what?” Trina gasped. Hospital? Concussion? The words jumbled in her brain and only made her panic more.

  “Honey, relax. It’s just… since he took that first hit to the head not too long ago, they want to be extra cautious with this one. He blacked out for a few minutes while on the ice, so they want him to go to the hospital and get some scans, just to check.” She paused and examined Trina’s face. “Remember, I went through this with Ty. They took him to the hospital and even admitted him for observation. But he was fine. I’m sure Sam will be, too. The ambulance is here now to transport him. Do you want me to drive you?”

  “Um, I…” Trina closed her eyes and tried hard to breathe. Her chest was tight, and she gasped for air.

  “Oh honey, he’ll be fine. And don’t worry, I’m driving you. Let’s go. Melanie can handle things tonight. Ty can meet us at the hospital after the game.” Paige frantically typed away at her cell, probably making arrangements for Melanie to handle the locker room media after the game.

  Trina didn’t argue with Paige. In her present state, there was no way she’d be able to safely drive, so it was best. All she did was nod.

>   As they drove, she didn’t notice the traffic or the road ahead of them. Her mind was on her husband.

  He’s my everything. Willow needs him. We need him.

  “Hello? Trina? You in there?” Paige asked, waving her hand in front of Trina’s face.

  Trina looked up and focused on her surroundings, surprised to see they were already parked in front of the hospital.

  “Trina, are you okay?”

  “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.” How could she think I’d be okay? I just want my husband. Trina’s breathing quickened, and she couldn’t catch her breath. “C’mon… let’s… go.”

  “Wait.” Paige put her hand out, grabbing Trina’s arm. “Are you sure you’re up to this? You look pale. If you’re having a panic attack, maybe we should get you checked out, too.”

  Taking a few deep breaths, Trina forced herself to calm down. “What? Me? No. I’m… I’ll be fine after I see Sam. I just need to see Sam.” Pulling away from her friend, she swung the door open. Paige caught up with her and stepped along at her side. “Thanks for bringing me, Paige. Sorry I’m a little out of it and not really myself.”

  “Please don’t apologize. I didn’t listen to anyone when Ty got hit. I wasn’t supposed to go to the hospital to wait for word, but I did. I just had to. So, I get it.”

  “And you’re sure it’s okay that you’re here and not back at the locker room? Don’t you need to be handling reporters and managing the players?”

  “No, it’s fine. Mel is taking charge of all that tonight. You’re family. They all understand that. I won’t be surprised to see your brother show up here immediately after the game, either.”

  Trina had forgotten about the rest of the team. She’d been so focused on Sam as her husband, that she forgot he’d been hurt during the game as a teammate. The Renegades were a tight group, like family. Not like family, they were family. She knew more than just Ty would be filling the waiting room.

  Her phone buzzed, and Kat’s name lit up the screen. Surprised that it took this long for her to phone, Trina’s fingers fumbled as she silenced the call and put the phone back into her pocket. She didn’t remember talking to Kat before she left the team suite. She felt bad not picking up her friend’s call; obviously, Kat was worried. But there were plenty of people at the arena who could fill her in.

  But Trina’s gut told her she should call her friend back.

  “Kat… I should call… because… she’ll want to know details. And I should call… to check on Willow.” Trina knew her words weren’t really making sense. She wasn’t so sure she was even saying them aloud.

  “I’ll text her, don’t worry. And I sent Ty a message just to let him know we’re here.” Paige hugged her before sitting her down in a chair and then attending to the situation. Paige notified the nurse’s station who they were and why they were there.

  It seemed like forever before anyone came out to talk to them. Trina had been numb, but now anxiety set in. Her skin crawled and her legs buzzed, not wanting to sit still. Her breathing quickened as she snapped out of her shocked stupor and leapt into pure panic. Trina paced the room, and tears stung her eyes.

  It took everything in her to not lose her composure. On the inside, her nerves shook her to the core. Even in this state of terror, she was still aware of how lucky she was that she had good friends who’d be by her side through this.

  “Tri, is there anyone else that I can call for you?” Paige asked.

  Whether or not it was warranted, Trina was quickly becoming annoyed. Why is she sitting here asking me silly questions, when she should be trying to find out information on Sam? “No, Paige. I don’t need—”

  “Yes, you do. Soon this place will fill with well-meaning teammates and friends. Everyone who loves you and Sam. But when you go home, those people won’t be there, and you’ll need someone. You don’t know what you’re looking at here. Willow will need you, and you can’t give her what she needs and take care of yourself and Sam. I know you’re worried. We all are. I know that you’ve been through this before with Tyler, but this time is different. This is your whole world.”

  Trina just listened to Paige, and had to admit she wasn’t wrong. She didn’t want help; she didn’t want to appear weak. If it was just her, sure she could hide it and get by. But with Willow, things were different. Her little girl needed all her attention, and she wasn’t sure she would be able to give her that if things weren’t okay with Sam.

  Finally, she spoke up, naming the only person who came to mind. “My sister.” Trina scribbled Talia’s name and number on a piece of paper and handed it to Paige. “If Tyler hasn’t already called her.”

  “I think he’s afraid of you, and you know, not wanting to step on your toes here.”

  Lucid for a moment, Trina quipped, “As well he should be.” She squared off her shoulders and perked up to the best of her ability. “He may be the famous hockey star, but I’m still his big sister.”

  Paige made a little noise, and Trina looked up to see Ty standing in the doorway. With his serious face, his tie loose, and his hair still damp, he looked as shaken as she felt. With no words or thoughts, she ran to him and fell into his arms. Hot tears flowed down her cheeks. “Please tell me he’s going to be okay.”

  “Tri, I—”

  “Just tell me the hit wasn’t as bad as it looked and that he’s going to be okay.” Her voice was a whisper. She didn’t know enough information to warrant her being so upset, but fear was all she felt.

  “Mrs. Morris?” A doctor beckoned from the nurse’s station.

  Trina looked up, and Tyler waved to catch the doctor’s attention.

  The tall male in a white jacket moved closer to them. “Mrs. Morris. Hello, I’m Dr. Rhodes.”

  “How is he?” Trina blurted out, barely letting the doctor finish talking first.

  “Well, your husband is alert and stable. I’m concerned about a concussion. We’re still running some tests, so it might be a little while. But, if everything looks okay, I would say he should be able to go home tonight.”

  “But he’s okay?” She had heard what he’d said to her, but nothing was making any sense. She just needed a yes or no.

  The doctor tilted his head, looked from her to Tyler and then back again. “We put him through cognitive testing, and he seems clear on everything around him. He knows who he is, that he was at a hockey game, what day of the week it is, and that he’s at the hospital. He knows he got hit. However…”

  “However, what?” Seems pretty clear to me, what else would he need to know?

  “He doesn’t have any recollection of what happened between being hit and being examined here in the hospital. In other words, he doesn’t have recollection of how he got here. That’s not unusual, so I’m not trying to frighten you. I’m confident in saying that he blacked out after the hit. It’s possible he will remember, over time. We just don’t know how long that will take, or if he will. That’s why we’re concerned about a concussion. We just want to make sure we cover all our bases before we release him.”

  “Oh.” The word came out as a whisper. She’d been witness to enough of the game to know that concussions were hard to diagnose, and even hit or miss to treat. But this time, she just needed answers. This time, her whole world depended on the outcome.

  It wasn’t long before more of the guys joined them. Wives and girlfriends surrounded her, reassuring her that Sam would be fine. Trina’s head spun. As nice as it was to have all these people here, the only person she wanted was her husband.

  “Tri.” Tyler demanded her attention, even when she tried to shake him off.

  The doctor could come back at any second. I don’t want to miss him. She sat staring. It was a silly concern, because he would just find her if he needed her. But still the worry stayed, as she stared at the double doors.

  “Tri, Paige got hold of Talia. She’ll wait to hear from us. If you need her, she’ll be on the next plane here. Just say the word.”

  Dr. Rhodes returned to
the waiting room. “Mrs. Morris.” He waited for Trina to join him in the corner of the room, away from the crowd, but she didn’t move. She knew she was supposed to, but her legs just weren’t listening to her brain. Eventually, the doctor came to her. “I’m confident in saying that your husband has suffered a concussion. Probably isn’t anything he hasn’t had before. We were just a little more cautious this time, since he blacked out.”

  She didn’t know how many concussions he’d had in his career, but she’d never seen him fall to the ice the way he had tonight. She couldn’t grasp a memory of any specific injury from recent years, either. Her brain was still too foggy. “I… I don’t know.”

  “Well, I’m going to have him see a neurologist. I see no reason to keep him, so he can go home tonight. I just need you to make sure nothing about his condition changes. If he has any additional issues, or more memory episodes, call me immediately and we’ll get him back in here. But I don’t foresee any of that happening.”

  Trina nodded.

  “I’ve told him this, but seeing the circumstances, I wanted to tell you, too.” The ER doctor looked from her to Tyler. “Or someone who will keep this in mind.”

  Tyler nodded. “I’ll make sure she’s got it.”

  “I want him to rest. I’ll contact the team doctor and relay this information to him also. So, what’s important is a few good days of rest. Keep an eye on light and sound sensitivity; he may or may not be affected by it. I’ll send him home with migraine medication. After a few days, if he feels okay, he can start slow activity. The team doctor will coordinate his physical therapy with the trainer.”

  “But he can go home. He’s okay?”

  “Yes, he’ll be fine, and he can indeed go home.”

  Those words were all she wanted to hear.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Sam

  Walking into his house, Sam felt his body start to relax. Finally, home. Spending his night in the hospital was not something he wanted to do. Easily passing every cognitive test, he simply waited for the doctor’s orders. And for him to say he could go home.