Attacking Zone (Utah Fury Hockey Book 4)

by Brittney Mulliner

  A nurse stopped in front of me with a clipboard. “Do you know her medical history? Any drug use?”

  I shook my head. “No. No drugs. All of her medical records are with Dr. Thompson.”

  The nurse nodded and walked away. I’d never felt so useless in my life.

  Machines were beeping and buzzing and driving me crazy. How could she stay asleep through all of this? She had to wake up.

  They changed her into a hospital gown and I turned to face the wall. I wished more than anything that someone would tell me what was going on. Anything. Was she going to be okay?

  I looked around the room hoping a nurse or doctor would meet my eyes. They seemed to be moving around me. Seeing me without acknowledging me. I wasn’t used to being invisible and now was the not time I wanted to start.

  “Excuse me?”

  A female nurse stopped and turned to me. “Yes?”

  “Can you tell me what’s happening?”

  She sighed. “Are you family?”

  Do I lie? I was the closest thing to it she had on this side of the United States. “Brother.”

  She eyed me but didn’t argue. “We’re worried about her kidney function. She seems to have a flu but her GRF levels are at twenty-nine, so it seems to have hit her harder. She’s extremely dehydrated.”

  I nodded. So, she was sick on top of being sick.

  “We’re going to run more tests and get her charts from Dr. Thompson.”

  “Thank you.”

  She moved closer to Kendall and I slipped out the door and into the hallway. I pulled out Kendall’s phone and called Uncle David again.

  “Hello?” he answered.

  “Hi Uncle David. We’re at the hospital. They told me she’s got the flu and her numbers are at twenty-nine.”

  “That’s low.”

  He sounded even more stressed than before.

  “Is that bad?”

  I wish I knew something about kidneys or the disease she’s facing. All I knew was that a person normally has two.

  “It’s much lower than when she left.”

  He sighed and I didn’t know what to say. I wish she’d just told me about this. I wish I knew what was going on. How I could help? If I’d known, I would have taken her to the hospital days ago.

  I shook off those thoughts and focused. “What can I do?”

  “I can’t leave. At least not until Friday. Can you stay with her?”

  “Of course, sir.”

  “Thank you. I’ll contact her doctor and see what else he can tell me. I’ll be in touch.”

  “Oh, Uncle David?”

  “Yes?”

  “I told them I was her brother.”

  I expected him to berate me for lying but he just chuckled once. “Smart kid.”

  He hung up and I leaned against the wall. I felt like a kid. I had no idea what to do. I wish there was someone to tell me what to do.

  I was the person people relied on. I was the one they called when they needed something. Who do I call?

  Coach?

  No, he had enough to deal with right now. This wasn’t a team issue.

  Erik? Reese? Noah? Olli? Brassard?

  All of them. I really just needed any of them.

  I pulled out my phone and sent them a group text asking who was available.

  Their responses came in faster than I expected. I was past the point of caring if they would make fun of me or if they were to come in wearing Harbor jerseys. I just needed my family.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Kendall

  My eyes were heavy.

  Not just heavy. I couldn’t open them.

  I clenched my hand and tried to bring it to my face.

  “Kendall. Don’t move.”

  I didn’t recognize the voice. Why couldn’t I move?

  “Your IV is on that hand.”

  Wait.

  IV?

  Where was I?

  “Kendall, you’re going to be okay.”

  Wyatt? What was he doing here?

  I tried opening my eyes again, but I was just so tired…

  Chapter Nineteen

  Wyatt

  All of them came.

  My entire line was surrounding me in the waiting room of the hospital.

  Chloe and Madi were there trying to cheer everyone up. Colby was on her phone researching kidney disease and Emma was off getting food for everyone.

  It was the distraction I needed. The guys sat around me, silent, but there. That was all I wanted. To not be alone in this.

  There were no jokes said. No snide comments about who she rooted for.

  I asked them for help and they showed up.

  Because we were a family.

  I was scared and confused and overwhelmed and they came in and made it better. By just being here.

  I’d never felt that way with my parents. I was always waiting for the next ball to drop. For them to abandon me yet again for something or someone that was more important than their youngest son.

  “It says here that by stage four she should have started homeodialysis.”

  I met Colby’s eyes. “She never mentioned dialysis.”

  She pursed her lips. “She never mentioned kidney disease.”

  I nodded wondering for the hundredth time why Kendall didn’t tell me.

  Was this why she was pulling away?

  She was sick and wanted to go through it alone?

  I was there for her. I wanted to be there for her. Didn’t she know that?

  “Mr. Hartman?”

  I looked up to see a doctor standing at the doors leading to the patient rooms. I stood and met him. “Yes? Is she awake?”

  He nodded. “She’s awake and asking for you. She was severely dehydrated and as we mentioned before her GFR levels are low. Dr. Thompson would like to see her in the morning.”

  I nodded and followed him down the hall.

  She was propped up and smiling at the nurse talking to her. I stopped in the doorway, so unbelievably happy she was awake.

  “Kendall.”

  She turned to me and her smile dropped, just a little. “Wyatt.”

  I walked to her bedside and the nurse looked up at me. “We’re waiting for her to finish this bag then she can go home.”

  I nodded before she turned to leave. “Thank you.”

  I picked up Kendall’s hand and squeezed.

  “The doctor told me if I had waited even a few more hours to come in, my kidneys would have completely shut down. You saved my life, Wyatt.”

  Her voice was soft, and her eyes revealed her fatigue. It physically hurt to see her like this.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner. I thought you were mad at me or wanted space. When Joey told me, she hadn’t heard from you in three days I came to check on you.”

  She cringed. “I’m probably fired.”

  “You’re not. I called and told her what happened. She’s glad you’re okay and wants you to rest before even thinking of going back.”

  She relaxed. “Thanks.”

  “I’ve kept Uncle David up to date too.”

  Her eyes widened. “You talked to him?”

  I nodded. “He called just after I found you. He told me about your kidney disease. He wanted you to get to the hospital as soon as possible.”

  She looked away.

  “Why didn’t you tell me, Kendall?”

  She sighed. “Because of the way you’re looking at me now.”

  I shook my head and waited for her to look at me. After nearly a minute, she did.

  “I’ve known about my kidneys for years,” she said. “I have the genetic kind of disease. We’ve been monitoring it and things we were finding. It wasn’t progressing. Through college I started to get a little sick. Just tired at first. I thought I was just overworked. My back and right leg started hurting and I knew.”

  I squeezed her hand again. She seemed to struggle talking about this.

  “I went in and I was already at stage three. I followe
d a strict diet and felt better, for a while. When I got accepted here, Uncle David didn’t want me to go. He was scared I would get sicker and no one would be there for me.”

  She smiled sadly. His worst nightmare had come true.

  “Your level’s at stage four.”

  She nodded. “I know.”

  “You’re getting worse?”

  She nodded again.

  I was out of my area of expertise, for sure. I didn’t know anything about this. “What do we do?”

  “Dialysis. My doctor has talked to me about the option of taking home a machine, so I can do more frequent treatments. It’s supposed to lessen the symptoms.”

  “That’s going to work?”

  She shrugged. “I hope so.”

  My heart dropped to my stomach. “What if it doesn’t?”

  “Then it’s time for a transplant.”

  I blew out a breath. This was serious.

  “Wyatt, it’s fine. It probably won’t get to that. People live for years, decades even, in one stage.”

  I shook my head. “You haven’t.”

  She closed her eyes. “I’m not sure I like you talking to Uncle David.”

  I didn’t care at this point. He was the only one telling me what was going on.

  I closed my eyes. “You’re going to need a transplant soon, aren’t you?”

  She nodded once.

  She looked defeated. I hated it. I didn’t want her giving up. “Uncle David said he isn’t a match.”

  “No, he’s not.”

  “Then what do you do?”

  She met my eyes and held them. “I hope I move up on the transplant list in time.”

  No. That wasn’t okay. I couldn’t let her live like that. A constant waiting game?

  I looked at her IV bag and saw it had emptied. “Are you ready to go home?”

  She nodded, so I paged the nursed and we started the discharge process. I thought everyone would have gone home, but the whole gang was waiting for us.

  “Oh no.” Kendall’s shoulders tensed in front of me.

  I released the wheelchair and placed my hands on her upper arms. “It’s okay. They’re here because they care.”

  When the group saw us they instantly hurried forward.

  Emma got to Kendall first and crouched down despite her pregnant belly and grabbed Kendall’s hands. “Are you feeling okay?”

  I moved to the side, ready to step in. Kendall surprised me by smiling.

  “I’m okay. Thank you for being here.”

  “Good. Now come on, we’ve got dinner and we’re eating at Hartman’s.”

  Emma shot me a look, but I didn’t challenge her. I knew better.

  “Okay,” I said, “but I don’t have a car. I left it at Kendall’s.”

  Emma waved us off. “We know.”

  They had organized it all and when we pulled into the parking garage in the back of Noah’s car, my car was parked next to his.

  “How?”

  I’d locked it and the keys were in my pocket.

  Noah turned around and smiled. “Colby had the spare.”

  I frowned. “I didn’t give her one.”

  She smiled and shrugged. “You’re welcome.”

  “For what? Stealing?”

  She laughed. “For thinking ahead. I have a copy of your apartment key too. For situations like this.”

  There was no use arguing with Colby. That girl was a machine. She was more organized than any government agency and more efficient. I shouldn’t have been surprised she’d managed all of that without me knowing.

  Kendall watched us with a small smile.

  “I’ll come open your door.” I tried to sound stern, so she wouldn’t argue.

  She narrowed her eyes. “I’m not an invalid.”

  I ignored her and hurried around the car just as she opened the door. I took her hand and helped her out and put my arm around her. For once she didn’t resist me.

  When we got up to my apartment, everyone else was waiting. Food was spread out on the table and Chloe was waiting with an armful of clothing. She stepped forward when we walked in.

  “Come on, Kendall. I got you fresh pajamas.”

  I expected Kendall to turn down the offer, but she surprised me again.

  “Thanks. That sounds wonderful.”

  They disappeared down the hall together. I wanted to follow to make sure Chole played nice, but I decided to trust her.

  I turned and faced the rest of my friends. “Thank you guys for doing all of this.”

  There were mutters but everyone was smiling. We started dishing out food and soon everyone was settled in, finally eating dinner.

  Chloe walked back into the kitchen, alone.

  “Where’s Kendall?” I stood and almost walked past her.

  “She’s taking a shower. I assumed you wouldn’t mind.”

  “Of course not, but is she okay? I don’t want her to pass out again.”

  Chloe gave me a knowing smile. “She’s fine.”

  I sat back down and finished my food.

  “I’m sorry, Wyatt.”

  I looked up and met Chloe’s eyes. “For what?”

  She looked guilty. “I haven’t been super nice to her. I didn’t like that she threw the Harbor in our faces. I thought she was disrespecting you.”

  I closed my eyes and reminded myself to stay calm. “You need to apologize to her.”

  She smiled. “Down boy. We had a heart to heart. We’re good now.”

  “Thank you.”

  “We’ll all do better.” Madi leaned forward even though I knew she wasn’t a problem. She didn’t come to practices. She couldn’t make her schedule at the physical therapy office work out. Not that anyone blamed her. She had a career. Chloe’s career was the team, and Colby’s job was Noah. Madeline was one of the few women in the Pride that had a full-time career and the rest of the women were respectful of that. Especially since she was the one that got Erik back in shape so fast. We owed her.

  “Yeah, we will.” Emma said while everyone else nodded and agreed.

  I nodded to Colby. “Thanks guys.”

  Kendall walked out a few minutes later wearing one of my t-shirts and black leggings. She smiled shyly before taking a seat next to me.

  “Thanks for letting me borrow these, Colby.”

  I turned to look at Colby who shrugged it off. “No problem. If you ever need anything while you’re over here, we’re just a few floors away.”

  Kendall smiled, but it wasn’t her normal smile. It didn’t reach her eyes.

  “Are you feeling okay?”

  She nodded. “I’m fine, Wyatt. I’m sorry you had to see me like that.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “That’s the least of my worries. I just want to make sure you’re okay and healthy.”

  “I’m not healthy. I don’t know if I’ll ever be.”

  I hadn’t meant to say that. I meant normal. Whatever her normal was. I wanted her to be comfortable and happy. The kidney situation was something I was going to need time to digest. I was a fixer. Whenever I was faced with a problem, I fixated on it until the perfect solution was available. I didn’t know what to do for her.

  “I’m sorry.” I hated being in a powerless position.

  She looked into my eyes and sighed. “Please don’t be. Don’t be different around me. I’m fine.”

  She wasn’t, but I let it go for now. “Are you hungry?”

  “Not really.” She leaned back in the chair and looked out at the spread of Chinese food. It was probably too much for her stomach right now.

  “How about some toast?”

  She didn’t answer right away, but finally nodded once. “That sounds good.”

  I jumped up before she could say another word and headed to the kitchen.

  The rest of them continued their conversations and I watched Kendall while the toaster was going. She seemed off. More off than just being sick. There was something else going on in that brain of hers. I wanted to be al
one with her, get her to open up, but I couldn’t ask everyone to leave. Not after all they had done for me tonight.

  When the toast popped up, I spread a bit of butter on it and brought it out for her.

  She picked up a slice, nibbling on a corner.

  “Here’s your phone, too. I charged it for you. Uncle David asked that you let him know when you’re home.”

  She took it from me and nodded.

  “Cincinnati has been losing steam. I think this round will be over by game four.”

  I nodded my agreement with Erik. I was grateful to have people around. It felt less awkward having a normal conversation going.

  “I think I’ll have a shut out with the next game.” Emma swatted Olli and shot him a look.

  “Don’t be mean.”

  He shrugged.

  “It’s not his fault they suck. I have no idea how they hung onto the second spot in their division.” Reese was shaking his head.

  Chloe held up a hand. “Don’t get too cocky now, guys. After game three we’ll see where they stand. I want us to close this out in game four, so you guys have a long rest period.”

  Kendall was watching the conversation as it bounced from person to person and I wished she would join in. She knew hockey just as well as the rest of us, but she sat in silence.

  After we cleared the food, everyone started leaving. I saw them out then turned to Kendall. “Do you want me to drive you home or do you want to stay here tonight?”

  She didn’t answer immediately. I wanted to ask her to stay, but after the day she’d had I didn’t want to put pressure on her or do anything to make things difficult.

  “I’d like to go home.” Her face gave no hint of what she was thinking. It was like she shut down.

  I waited for a beat before responding, hoping she would immediately regret her decision and change her mind.

  “You’re more than welcome to stay here, but I understand wanting to be in your own bed.”

  She nodded and hugged herself.

  I grabbed my keys and led her down to the parking garage.

  She didn’t say anything on the way back, just stared out the window at the dark streets.

  When I got to her complex I parked in front of her building and turned to her. “Will you let me walk you up?”