Page 55 of Barn Burner
I dry off and get dressed in team-branded sweatpants and an athletic shirt. I don’t get dressed up in my suit after the game, not when we’re about to spend five hours on a plane. I find Coach Keller outside the locker room, typing away frantically on his phone. He glances up when he sees me approach.
“Nielson, I wanted to check in on how you’re doing. Henrik mentioned your partner has had an accident and is currently in the hospital?”
“Yes, Coach.” I nod, feeling my face heat again. “I’m waiting to hear more news from his family. Last I heard was just before we went out that he was going in for scans.”
“If you don’t hear by the time we get to the plane, let me know. I’ll see what I can find out,” Keller tells me. “I’m going to let your little performance tonight slide because I know it’s not like you, and you had something else in your mind distracting you. But if you pull that shit again, I’m going to bench your ass. You got it?”
I manage a small smile and nod. “It won’t happen again.”
He claps my shoulder. “Good. Now, go get your shit together so we can get home.”
23
Brayden
The moment the plane wheels touch the ground in Calgary, I’m pulling on my jacket and shoving everything into my pockets.
“Let Brayden off first, guys!” Henrik announces, and I’m grateful for it. It’s been the longest five hours of my life, and I don’t want to wait any longer. I can’t have anything holding me up. I need to get to him.
Rhett texted me when we got on the bus to take us to the airport, letting me know that Jesse had a compound fracture to his collarbone and had broken his arm in two places, and that he needed surgery to correct the positioning of his bones. In a way, I was relieved because it could have been so much worse. If it had been his head or spine, it could have been life-changing. Broken collarbones and arms can be repaired, but for the entire flight, I still felt like I was going to throw up, knowing he was currently in surgery and I was somewhere over the United States, completely helpless. The small ounce of relief came from the fact that the team plane has Wi-Fi, so Rhett and Cooper continued to send me texts throughout the night with progress.
Rhett
The surgeon just came out. Surgery all went to plan. He’s currently in the recovery room but hopefully we’ll be able to see him soon.
Great news, he’s out of recovery and in his own room. We’ve told the nurses on reception you’ll be coming and to let you up. Third floor, room 314.
Cooper
You know he’s going to kick your ass for getting into that fight, right?
Well, maybe not literally because he’s in a cast and is high on pain relief, but he’s going to get all growly and grumpy with you because of it
Great game, though!
The plane finally comes to a stop, and when the seat belt light is switched off, I jump out of my seat. Grabbing my bag from the overhead compartment, I apologize to William when I accidentally hit him in the head with it, then rush down the aisle toward the door.
My teammates give me their best wishes and slap my ass and my back as I pass them. Tears burn the back of my eyes at how fucking lucky I am to work with such great guys.
“Let us know how he’s doing!” Petrov calls out.
“I will,” I reply over my shoulder, then thank the flight attendants, who have the door already open. I’m going to need to buy them a gift next time we fly because I’ve been a mess the entire time. I couldn’t eat anything, and I kept pacing up and down the aisles, getting in their way.
Rushing down the steps, I tense as the frigid wind bites at my face, making the bruise on my jaw ache more. The snow has settled and is piling up thick and fast as it continues to fall in fat snowflakes.
The good thing about Canada is that, compared to England, they know how to handle snow. The roads are always cleared and gritted, so there aren’t usually any problems driving in it. Whereas we British folk bring the country to a halt at the first sign of it.
When my feet reach the tarmac, I run as fast as I can across to the parking lot without slipping over. Tossing my bag into the back seat, I crank up the heat and program the address for the hospital into the built-in satnav.
“Bloody hell!” I curse when it comes up on the screen that it’s going to take me thirty minutes to get there. Pulling out of the parking lot, I give the security guard a quick wave as I leave, then try not to break any speeding laws as I make my way to the hospital.
Luck seems to be on my side, though, as I find a parking space in front of the ER doors. I rush through the entrance and find the reception. Their eyes widen as I approach, skidding to a stop in front of them.
“I’m here to see Jesse Huxley. I’m Brayden Nielson,” I say in a rush.
“Ah, yes, they mentioned you were on your way.” The nurse smiles up at me and types something on her computer. “He’s in room 314 on the third floor. The elevators are just through there.” She points to the bank of lifts.
I thank her, and as I spin to head toward the lifts, she stops me.
