Page 69 of Balance

Why am I in trouble tonight, of all nights? Fuck.

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I was sent straight to the clinic for more scans so that the coaches and Daniel had a better eye on how long I'll be out for as soon as we touched down.

Turns out I have a shoulder separation and my clavicle is fractured. And because I’ve hurt this shoulder more than a few times, they’re suggesting surgery.

I might actually be out for the rest of the season.

I shut off my phone as I step out into the chilled air and hop back into Nolan’s car. At least he waited for me since my gimp ass can’t drive right now. He winces when he sees mythunderous look and turns down the music. I tell him what the doctors suggested and he groans.

“Fuck, what are you going to do?”

I shrug and stare out the window as he drives towards my house. Lillian barely talked to me this morning and I haven’t heard from my parents. I have no idea if they left or not, or if they’re still there and I’m showing up to a fucking crime scene.

“I need to have a meeting with Williams and Daniel. Not looking forward to that.”

He turns the music back up and I collapse back in the seat. I need a fucking vacation. Now I have to go home to whatever drama has unfolded since my phone call with mymother dearestlast night. It would make my life easier if they did leave.

And people wonder why I accepted the offer without even having to think about it when the Mavericks were interested in me all those years ago.

Nolan pulls up to my driveway and I hesitate before maneuvering my left arm to open the damn door.

“Do you need help?”

I shoot him a look and he snickers at me before he jumps out and grabs my bags from the trunk anyway. We head up to the front door and I bite down on my inner cheek. Fuck. I don’t think I’m ready to step into my own home.

Nolan winks at me as he opens up the front door and drops my bags onto the tile floor. I wince with the sound as it echoes through the foyer.

It’s silent.

I frown as I head inside and check in the pristine kitchen, the play room, the bedrooms… finally my brain reconnects to the rest of my body and I check the garage. The SUV is gone and so is Mackenzie’s car. Where would Lillian have taken the girls?

I pull out my phone and ignore Nolan’s murmurs as I dial Lillian’s number over and over until she answers.

I hear laughing and squealing in the background and bite down on my tongue, trying to calm myself down. “Where are you?”

“I took the girls to the park. They needed to run out some of their energy.”

I nod to myself and turn back towards the hall that’s lined with the bedrooms, opening up the door to the guest room to find it stripped of bedding and nothing is in the bathroom or closet.

My parents actually left.

“My parents?”

She chuckles nervously, “They woke up this morning, sent me death glares, and stormed out of the house with their luggage behind them… Well, they had to come back in and grab the rest over the next ten minutes, but it was still fun to watch as I sat at the island sipping my coffee… Either they went back home or are staying at one of the hotels.”

I snort and head straight into my room, tilting my head at Nolan so that he follows me. “And… Are you okay? I called my mom last night and had a chat with her. Instead of talking to me about it all, she told me that she didn’t want to stay where she wasunwelcomedand said she would be on the next flight out.”

Lillian is silent on the other line, I pull the phone away from my ear to ensure she hasn’t hung up.

“Well… anyway… I’m home. I went to the clinic and had some more scans done. I would like to talk to you about everything.”

She hums quietly and yells out to the girls that they have five more minutes. “We’ll be home soon,” she hangs up and I drop my phone onto my lap as I slowly lean back so that I can lay on my bed. My shoulder is throbbing and this stupid sling they wrapped me up in is driving me bat shit crazy already.

Nolan chuckles from the corner of the room and slingshots a pair of lacy panties at my face. “Is Mackenzie around?”

I ignore him as I get comfortable and close my eyes. “You’ve been in the house with me. Her car wasn’t in the garage… she must be at work or something or out with the girls.”

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