Page 17 of Love's Home Run

“Yes, Dr. Rusko is with him now,” she said. “You can wait here. Someone will let Mr. Roberts know you’re here.”

Melissa sat in the waiting area, nervously flexing her fingers. A short while later, a stocky bald man of average height wearing horn-rimmed glasses approached her. “Melissa Hendrickson? Are you with Ross Roberts?”

She stood and clasped her hands. “Yes. Is he okay?”

“Hello. I’m Dr. Rusko. Ross told me it was okay to give you his medical information. He’s in a lot of pain, and his knee is in bad shape. We’re going to keep him here so we can run several tests. And because the joint is so badly damaged, we’ll operate as soon as possible. My colleague, his sports medicine doctor, has requested we not wait. It’s a matter of the sooner, the better.”

“May I see him?” Melissa asked, feeling sick to think of her part in his injury.

“We’ve given him some pain medication, so he may be a bit groggy,” he said. “Follow me.”

Dr. Rusko led her to an examination cubicle and stepped away. “I’ll give you two some privacy.”

Ross looked up at her. “Guess I’m going to become even more bionic. Thanks for bringing me here. Dr. Rusko seems excellent.” His eyelids fluttered.

“I’m so sorry this happened,” said Melissa. “I’ll stay in Boston until after your surgery.”

He gazed at her and closed his eyes. “It’s not your fault, Melissa.”

“Oh, but …” She stopped when he realized he’d fallen asleep.

###

Before she left the hospital, she called Annette “Nettie” Mancini, her friend from culinary school. Nettie worked and lived in the North End of Boston. Melissa had promised to visit her one day soon, but not under these circumstances.

Since it was a Saturday night, Melissa knew not to expect Nettie to be home and left a message telling her about her predicament. Satisfied she’d done her best to reach out, Melissa went outside to her car. On the way, she was pleasantly surprised when Nettie called.

“Hi, Melissa. I got your message. I’m working as usual, but I’d love to see you. We’ve got room for you to stay for as long as you need. It’s about time we caught up. It’s been too long.”

“Thanks. It’ll be nice to see you. When will you be at your condo?”

“Not until eleven or so. Jason will be home even later. But I keep a key inside a planter outside my door. The planter is specially made with a spot for a key inside, not under it. You’ll see for yourself. And the code to get into the building is 4624.”

“No animals to know about?” Melissa asked. “I know you wanted a dog.”

“No, not yet. When we move to the ’burbs, I’ll try for one. The city is too inconvenient for pets.”

Melissa smiled at the way Nettie, as usual, seemed to have things planned out. They’d always gotten along well. It was a shame that, with their busy schedules, they hadn’t seen more of one another. Annette was engaged now to Jason Rockwell, who was part-owner of the restaurant where they both worked. They were a good match. Nettie was busy making wedding plans for the following June. Melissa had already agreed to be a bridesmaid.

###

The North End was conveniently close to Mass General Hospital, and the condo Nettie and Jason shared was on Cooper Street with parking nearby. It couldn’t be better. Melissa liked Jason and was used to Nettie’s half-hearted housekeeping. They’d shared a room at culinary school.

Melissa parked the car. Shaking her head at the cost of the overnight fee, she realized how simple life was in Lilac Lake. She walked down the street to the brick apartment building, passedthe entry point, and took the elevator to the fourth floor. She found the key in the planter in the hallway and opened the door. She’d always liked the condo. Barely over 1,000 square feet, the space was well laid out with two bedrooms and two small baths. The kitchen had undergone an upgrade before Nettie and Jason bought it. Since then, they repainted and decorated each room with inexpensive but creative art done by local artists.

She put her overnight bag in the den/office/guest room and decided to take a walk. The North End was European in flavor. Contemporary buildings sat side by side with historic brick buildings. Cobblestones and bricks covered some of the ground surfaces and walkways. And always, the shops and restaurants beckoned. Now, in the early evening, people strolled the streets lured no doubt by the wonderful aromas floating from places like Mama Maria’s. In one small area, a person could choose any Italian cuisine they wanted. Hanover Street, Salem Street, and North Street were just three of the streets loaded with Italian restaurants and bakeries, enough to satisfy anyone.

Melissa realized how hungry she was and stopped at a casual restaurant serving homemade pasta and seafood. She placed a to-go order, and when it was ready, she headed back to the condo, stopping at a bakery on the way for a chocolate cannoli for dessert. She’d worry about calories later.

Feeling content with her walk, Melissa entered the condo and plated her dinner.

Aware her parents were working at the restaurant, Melissa called her mother to update her on Ross. Her mother was the heart and soul of the restaurant, greeting people and making them feel welcome.

Her mother, predictably, said she’d call a few people at the fundraising event so they could share the news.

“Thanks, Mom. I’m still trying to get over the fact that all this has happened. After I eat dinner, I’ll return to the hospital to see what I can do to help Ross. He was pretty out of it when I last saw him. Hopefully, he’ll be a little more awake.”

“You’re alright staying with Nettie?” her mother asked.

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