Chapter 22

GABRIEL

The first game of the season is today, and our coach knows Kendrick and I aren’t in our best form. Our minds are on Whit. The doctors did an EEG on Whit today to see how her brain waves were functioning. The doctor says he’s concerned with some spikes on the results.

This could mean she’s had some seizure activity due to the trauma. It could also mean there could be some permanent damage. We won’t know anything definite until she wakes up. I really wish she would wake up.

“All right! First game of the season! I want everyone to go out there and show them what they’re up against this year! Kendrick, Gabriel… I know your minds are at the hospital. Everyone here feels your pain. Everyone here is behind you 100 percent, but right now, I need your minds out there. Take all that anger, all that hurt, and shove it down their throats! Got it?”

Everyone yells at once.

“Yes, sir!”

“Let’s go! To the tunnel!”

***

By halftime, we’re up by twelve. As soon as we hit the locker room, Kendrick and I both check our phones. I look at him, and he shakes his head. I shake mine.

We know the game is playing on the TV in her room, in some weird hope that it helps bring her out of whatever it is she’s in. I just sit there with my elbows on my knees as the coach goes through what we need to work on in the second half. I’m not even listening to a word he’s saying.

Second half, I’m like a zombie. I know the plays and I run the field, but I feel nothing. There’s no excitement, no hope that this game is a step toward the Super Bowl.

I watch as Kendrick runs out the clock. He takes a knee, and it’s over. I try to get off the field before reporters flock in. No such luck.

“Gabriel, how does it feel to win your first game here in California?” someone says.

“It feels bittersweet, actually, though I love this team, and I love California. It’s such a great group of guys here that stick together through thick and thin,” I say.

“Are you referring to the accident with your girlfriend, Whitley Barrington? How is she?”

“Sorry, you’re barking up the wrong tree. When it comes to her, I don’t answer questions.” I leave, jogging off the field. I don’t stop for anyone else.

Once in the locker room, I head straight to the showers. As I step in, I realize I forgot to check my phone. I guess a few more minutes won’t hurt.

“Gabriel!” Kendrick shouts.

“Yeah?”

“Hurry the fuck up! Mom said she’s starting to wake up!”

***

As we walk into Whit’s hospital room, we see Mr. and Mrs. Barrington are standing by her bed. Aubrey is sitting in a chair, and Dr. Hendrix is at the end of the bed, running something up the bottom of Whit’s foot. I look at her and thank god that she’s awake.

“Kendrick! Gabriel! You won your game!” she says, her voice a little scratchy.

“Before we start speaking a whole lot, allow me to do some tests. Have a seat if you will,” Dr. Hendrix says, looking at us.

Everyone finds a seat except for me. I stay standing. I stare at the beautiful woman in front of me with those gorgeous, green eyes.

“Whitley, as I said, I’m Dr. Hendrix. You were in an accident. Do you recognize everyone in this room?”

“No,” she says.

“Who is it you don’t know?”

“Her,” she says, pointing at Aubrey.

My heart sinks. If she doesn’t remember Aubrey, she won’t remember us. Aubrey gets up and walks over. She holds out her hand for Whit to shake.

“Hi, I’m Aubrey. It’s nice to meet you again. I’m Kendrick’s girlfriend.”

Whitley’s eyes fly to her brother.

“When did you get such a beautiful girlfriend?”

“I’m sorry, Whit. I wanted to make sure she was the right one before I introduced her to family,” Kendrick says.

“Whitley,” Dr. Hendrix says. “Can you tell me what the last thing you remember is?”

“Seriously?”

“Yes. Just humor me.”

“I just finished my finals. I’m fixing to graduate with my master’s degree,” she says.

I have to sit down. My worst fear has come to life. The woman I spent the summer making love to and knowing I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, doesn’t remember us.

My grandfather was a harsh man. Not one to beat me, but one that always said a crying man was a weak man. Well, I guess I’m weak, because I feel tears in the back of my eyes. Those treacherous things fill my eyes and threaten to spill over.

“Excuse me,” I say, getting up and leaving the room.

I head to the end of the hall where there’s a larger waiting room and let them fall freely. I end up sliding down the wall with my arms over my knees, sobbing like a three-year-old child. I’ve lost her. I’ve lost her, and I don’t know what to do. I hear everyone come in and huddle around me.

Dr. Hendrix and his team had everyone leave to do more extensive testing on Whit, including tests for muscle weakness. They needed more room to move around and would come out when everything was completed.

“Sweet boy, I know you’re hurting, but give my girl some time. I have faith that she’ll remember,” Mrs. Barrington says.

“I’ve lost her, Mrs. Barrington.”

“You did no such thing. She’s still there. It’s just her memory is locked up tighter than a fireman’s sphincter on the Fourth of July.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

Mr. Barrington walks up and puts a hand down to help me up. I take it, and he pulls me into his arms.

“Just don’t give up on her. Don’t quit loving her. That’s the worst you can do,” he says.

“I won’t, sir.”

I stand there with my hands in my pockets, staring out the window and watching the traffic go by. My heart literally hurts in my chest. It hurts so bad, it’s hard to breathe.

“Okay, so we have some good news and some not so good news,” Dr. Hendrix says as he enters the waiting room.

He asks for everyone to have a seat.

“I’m going to need everyone on the same page. She knows she’s missing a chunk of time, and that has gotten her a bit upset. The thing is, the harder she tries to remember, the worse it could be. This needs to come back naturally. It may never come at all. We just don’t know. So, if she doesn’t need to know, keep it to yourself.”

“Now, when it comes to her motor skills, nothing seems affected. Her vision, fine motor skills, and mobility seem to be intact. That’s the good news. I’ll do a repeat EEG tomorrow, now that she’s awake, and see what it shows. If it comes back normal, after several days of observation, she should be good to go home.”

~Home.~

Looks like I need to be getting my house ready. There’s no way I can stay with Kendrick and Whitley when she doesn’t even remember who we are to each other.