Page 16 of Love's Home Run

“The master suite is on the first floor. Help me inside, and I’ll get my stuff together.”

“I’ll help you, too,” said Melissa. “One on each side of you.”

Ross looked at her. “Okay. Thanks.”

Melissa pulled into Ross’s driveway and stood by while Emmett got Ross out of the car onto the driveway’s pavement. Then she came close, and Ross wrapped one arm around her shoulder and the other around Emmett’s, and they slowly made their way inside his house and into his master bedroom.

Sweating from the effort, Ross collapsed into an overstuffed chair and told her what he wanted and where it was.

While Melissa worked to get his toiletries together, she observed the double spa tub, the extra-large shower, and the cute shelf holding some plants and candles next to the spa. White towels offset the pale-gray tile flooring and lighter gray walls with a few sunset orange accents that matched the bedroom's gray, white, and burnt-orange theme.

She remembered Whitney had helped him decorate his house and silently applauded her.

“Ready?” Emmett said to her.

Melissa put the last of Ross’s toiletries in his leather Dopp kit and returned to the bedroom.

“I think I’ve got everything you wanted. If not, I’ll see that you have them,” she said.

“Thanks,” said Ross. “Let’s get on the road.”

“I’ll drop you off on the way,” Melissa told Emmett.

“Thanks. I promised Crystal we’d go to the dinner event tonight. I’m going to ask for donations in Ross’s name. That ought to bring in some extra money.”

“It’s not necessary to use my name,” said Ross.

Emmett clapped him on the back. “You’re a hero to people in town. If that helps with fundraising, I say let’s go for it.”

Ross frowned but didn’t protest.

###

After dropping Emmett off at his house, Melissa programmed the destination into the car’s GPS unit and took off for Mass General.

She kept an eye on Ross in the backseat and saw that, after a few minutes on the road, he’d fallen asleep. She put on some soft classical music and settled down for the two-hour drive. She knew enough about Boston to feel comfortable. She’d travel south on I-93, get onto Route 3 in Boston, then onto Charles Street, and turn left onto Fruit Street. She just hoped traffic would be okay.

Listening to the music, knowing Ross was safely tucked away in her car, Melissa drew a deep breath, recalling the incident. Everything had happened so fast. She was running, and the next thing she knew, she was lying on top of Ross and feeling as if she couldn’t catch her breath. It didn’t help that Ross gave her a look of … something. Then, in a flash, it was gone, and pain spread across his face, erasing any softness it had held.

###

She’d just reached the outskirts of Boston when she heard Ross stir and whisper, “Son of a bitch, that hurts.”

Concentrating on the traffic around her, she kept quiet as tension inside the car grew. They were almost there.

She found the Emergency Room entrance and parked outside the door.

“Stay here. I’ll get someone to help us,” she said to Ross. She got out of the car and hurried inside.

Moments later, she returned with a staff member who got Ross into a wheelchair.

“I’ll park somewhere and return,” she told Ross.

He acknowledged her with a wave and was wheeled inside.

###

When she entered the Emergency Room, she checked in at the desk and told the woman she was there with Ross.

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