Page 142 of Redemption
“Dr. Matthew Harrison.”
“It’s good to meet you, sir.”
He offers her a stiff smile. “Likewise.”
“Lily,” I say, bringing her attention to me, “Tanner’s parents will be here soon. I need to know you’re on my side for helping this kid–that you’ll have my back with whatever Dr. Harrison discloses. I know all the parents signed the permission slips, but you’ve seen Eric and Josephine. They have a mind of their own.”
Lily’s face doesn’t reveal anything, a testament to how far our friendship has fallen.
“I’ll do what I can, but, as the principal, there are some lines I can’t cross.”
Irritation burns in my chest. “And I think some lines are worth crossing for the betterment of a kid.”
She purses her lips but doesn’t comment.
A knock at my door has me standing and walking over to open it. Josephine, Eric, and Theo all stand on the other side of the door, throwing glares at each other.
At least they aren’t directed at me.
“Come in and have a seat. There are enough chairs for everyone.”
When everyone is settled in, I start the meeting. “I think everyone should be well acquainted here, but I’ll make the rounds anyway. This is Dr. Matthew Harrison, the head of the hospital. Dr. Harrison, these are Tanner’s parents. Josephine, his mom. Eric, his stepdad. And Theo, his dad. And you all know Ms. Carson, well Theo, you might not. This is Tanner’s principal.”
Theo’s eyes dart to where I’m pointing at Lily. There’s appreciation in his gaze as he takes her in.
“Nice to meet you, Ma’am.”
She dips her head, and I continue the meeting. “As you know, Dr. Harrison conducted physicals for all our players today.”
“And Tanner was fine, right?” Eric interrupts. “Just like I’ve been saying.”
Theo’s glare is murderous as he looks at Eric. There’s obviously no love loss there.
“Actually, I’m going to let Dr. Harrison speak on that. He would be able to answer that question best.”
All eyes turn to the man, who has sat stiffly in his chair since he’s been in my office. He clears his throat. “Prior to coming today, I reviewed Tanner’s medical records that were provided with the permission slip, and after careful examination today, I think that Tanner has what’s called post-concussive headache syndrome.”
“What is that exactly?” Lily asks.
“Well, it is often dependent upon the injury, but in essence, it’s when a concussion takes longer to heal than expected.Sometimes, it can be hard to detect because symptoms can include emotional and behavioral changes, which in teenage years can be blamed on a lot of things.”
“But can he still play football?” Eric interrupts, and I won’t be surprised if I have to break up a fight before we leave here.
Eric is pushing Theo’s buttons, stepping all over his place as a dad, and I wouldn’t blame the guy if he punched him.
“That will be up to parent discretion. Tanner’s brain itself has healed. I viewed the imaging from a prior appointment. The headaches are just lingering. I suspect they will go away, but the problem with this type of thing is that the next time will almost certainly be worse. And in a sport like football, you can guarantee there will be a next time.”
Josephine speaks up, “We’ll get him the best helmet. Safety, after all, is our number one priority.”
Theo’s face turns red. “If that were true, Jo, you wouldn’t want him playing in the first place. He’s not playing. It’s not worth it.”
Josephine ignores him and turns back to Dr. Harrison. “What are the consequences for him receiving another injury of this sort?”
“Besides the fact that it’s a brain injury?” Dr. Harrison asks, sarcasm thick in his voice. “Next time, the effects could be permanent and debilitating.”
“But you can’t guarantee that?”
He sighs, “No, ma’am, I can’t guarantee that.”
