Page 18 of Skating to Him

CHAPTER FIVE

TYLER

“Hi, Mom, what’s up?” Something must have happened. She never called on game day, before the game. “Everyone okay?” My heart pounded.

“I’m so sorry to call right now, and I didn’t want to tell you this on a game day, but it’s important. Honey, I’m in the hospital.” She breathed into the phone. “I just got off a call with your brother?—”

“The hospital?” As my chest pinched, I glanced at Rowan, twisting around at the side of his bed with his suit slung over his arm. Fucking hell. How would I deal with thisandbeing in the same room with him?

Rowan laid the suit on his bed, stepped over, and sat beside me, his gaze locked on me.

“What’s going on, Mom?” I gripped the phone tighter. “Was there an accident?” And if so, was Dad okay?

“No, not an accident.” She huffed. “You know those spells I’ve been having? Well, it got worse, and I could barely walk this week. Your father thought I was having some kind of stroke, so he took me to the ER.”

“Okay.” I worried my lower lip as Rowan placed his warmhand on my back. I glanced at him and the wrinkles on his forehead. Jesus, he was so close. And hecared.

“The doctors ran some tests—an MRI and a spinal fluid thing that was really unpleasant.” She inhaled deeply. “Tyler, it turns out I have multiple sclerosis. I’ve probably had it for years, but my doctor never checked.” She scoffed. “I’m getting a new primary care doc. I told you he wasn’t listening to me.”

“Cheri, let me talk to him.” Dad’s voice filtered through the phone.

“No, Frank. I want to tell him myself,” she said.

With my vision blurring, I slumped against Rowan’s side. As my voice cracked, I said, “Fuck.” Did people die from this? How long did she have to live? How would my dad cope? He didn’t know how to run a household or even cook for himself.

Rowan wrapped an arm around my shoulders. In a whisper, he said, “I’ve got you.”

I gazed into his deep-blue eyes, focused on me. God, it felt good to be with him right now. “Mom, tell it to me straight. Do you need me to come home? Can they treat it?” I didn’t know much about the disease, but if it had been left untreated all this time?—

“Yes, I’m on some IV drugs, steroids and other things. The doctor said they have to determine what type of MS I have, and when this flare-up—that’s what they call it—settles down, they’ll send me home with medication and a treatment plan.”

I huffed a sigh. “Good, so you’re not going to die.”

Rowan tightened his hold on me.

“Die? No, honey. I’m sorry. It’s not that bad.” She tsked. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Straightening, I raked my fingers through my hair. Thank God, it was treatable. It still didn’t sound good though. “Okay, do you need me to come home? Is Nathan coming home?”

“No, you don’t need to come home. Don’t let this bother you too much. I’ll be fine,” Mom said. “I just wanted you both to know what was happening. I’m not sure how I’ll be when youtwo come home for the holidays. That’s all. I didn’t want it to be a big downer for everyone.”

“Oh, okay.” I stared at Rowan’s open bag on his bed, my mind swirling. I had so many questions but didn’t know what to ask first. I’d ask Doctor Google instead so she could rest. “H-how is everything else?”

“It’s fine, honey. We’re going to get through this, okay? Your father has great health insurance, and if I need it, I can get in-home care. But I don’t think I’ll need it.”

Nodding, I swallowed a lump sliding up my throat.In-home care…why, because she’d be bedridden or something? “Yeah, okay then.”

“Aren’t you in North Dakota tonight?” Her voice became lighter.

“Yeah, we play the Hawks tonight and tomorrow night.” She was trying to change the subject. I straightened, leaving Rowan’s side.

He dropped his arm from my shoulders but kept his gaze on me and bit his thumbnail.

“Well, have a good game and though I know you’re going to worry about this, know I’m going to be okay. We’ll get through this as a family,” she said.

“Okay.” I didn’t know what else to say. “Mom, I love you.” An ache ghosted across my heart.

“Love you too, honey. Go out and win this weekend. I’ll be watching.”

---