Page 53 of When We Were Young
Noah looked at her for a long beat. “Not completely.” He swallowed a few times, never looking away even for a second. “Emily, I’ve been contacted by the Colts and the Bears. And a few others.” He paused. “It looks like I’ll be drafted after all. That’s what the coaches are telling me.”
That Friday, Noah had a battery of tests, routine exams for someone who might qualify for the NFL. For their money, any pro team would want to know they were getting a healthy quarterback and not damaged goods. They wanted to be sure that a blow to his head wouldn’t send him to the sidelines.
Or worse.
Noah passed his physical exams with high marks and great ease. He was in the best shape of his life, no question. The whole time Emily didn’t know what to think. Was he really going to play in the NFL? And how could any doctor know exactly what his risk of a head injury would be?
But then came the cognitive assessments. Dr. Dan Roberts from the NFL met with Noah in a medical conference room and handed him a stack of quizzes. Noah told Emily later that the exam was half the size of an old phone book. When Noah asked if the doctor was serious, the man didn’t crack a smile.
Noah said the doctor went on to tell him the exams were important. After two serious concussions, some football players began to show cognitive decline as early as a year or two later.
The fact made Emily sick. A year or two later? That was ridiculous. Noah was perfectly fine. But since the tests were mandatory Noah had no choice but to work through them. He told Emily how Dr. Roberts had left him in the room by himself. He had two hours to complete the questions. There were sections on memorization, analytical application and deductive reasoning.
When the time was up Noah had a headache. But when Dr. Roberts walked back into the room, he had completed every page. Then the doctor said something that seemed to worry even Noah. At least that’s what Noah told her later. The doctor said that the testing wasn’t a joke. He wanted to make sure Noah understood.
“Of course,” Noah told the man. “I did my best. My head’s fine.”
Before he left that day, the doctor had given Noah the results of the exam. Noah said the doctor held the document and sat in the chair next to him. He folded his hands on the heavy test packet and looked hard at Noah. Yes, Noah had passed it. But barely. Which worried his doctor. Noah told Emily the man’s eyes had looked heavy with concern. “I have to permit you, Noah. You fall in the range of normal, and that’s all the NFL wants to know. It clears you with the league.” Dr. Roberts had hesitated. “But you have the right to a second opinion, Noah. Your life could depend on it. If I were you I’d get two clearances. For peace of mind. So the people you love don’t have to bury you early.”
Emily gasped out loud when Noah told her that part. What a terrible thing to say. The people he loved wouldn’t have to bury him early. God, Himself, had given Noah the green light to play. Besides, it had been eighteen months since Noah’s last hit and he’d had the best season of his life. It was the reason everyone thought he’d be drafted in the first round.
His head injuries were behind him.
Before Noah left the office, the doctor had given him the number of an expert neurosurgeon in the area, Dr. Larry Porter. A man who specialized in head injuries.
Noah told Emily how he wanted to be angry at Dr. Roberts. In Noah’s mind, if he passed the tests, he passed. End of story. God had great things ahead, right? But Noah also had the sense the man was truly trying to help him. So he took the details and left the office.
Later Noah told her he had wrestled with the information. He was weeks from realizing his dreams. So on the way to the car he threw the specialist’s number in the trash. What would it matter if another doctor recommended against him playing in the NFL? Wouldn’t most doctors steer patients away from the game? Even perfectly healthy people? Football was brutal. Everyone knew that.
He had been approved by a doctor for the NFL.
What more proof did he need?
Emily told herself the facts over and over again. Anything not to be consumed with worry for Noah and his health. Anything to shut out the doctor’s terrible warning. Emily did, though, agree with the doctor about one thing.
“You really should get a second opinion, Noah,” she told him that night after his test. “He’s right about that.”
The next Monday, while Clara was at occupational school, Emily and Noah walked around the track at the university stadium.
“It’s everything I ever dreamed.” He took Emily’s hand and pressed his fingers between hers. “It looks like I’ll be playing in the pros! Can you believe it?”
And Emily could feel her heart slip to her knees. She didn’t want him to see her fear, but she couldn’t help it. Even just hearing him talk about the doctor’s warning had made her terrified.
Still, the last thing Emily was going to do was make Noah feel bad here, in the light of his good news. She walked a little closer to him and found her smile. “That’s wonderful, Noah. I... I’m so excited for you.”
“Who would’ve thought?” He laughed, but it was more the sound of disbelief. “A few agents have been calling. My coach recommended one of them. Joel Walker.” Noah raised his eyebrows. “So I actually talked to him earlier today.”
Emily’s head began to spin. She had never been more relieved than when Noah had walked off the Indiana University football field for the last time. Sure, she and Clara would miss seeing him play. But they’d get over it.
Noah was safe and whole and all theirs again.
But everything had changed now. They kept walking, their arms brushing against each other. She lifted her eyes to his. “So... like you could go first round? Or first drawer? Something like that.” She tried to laugh, but the sound fell short.
“Top drawer?” He had never looked happier. “You crack me up, Emily Andrews. First round. You had it right.”
“Thank you.” This felt comfortable, teasing him, playing with him. “So first round. That’s amazing.”
“It could mean millions of dollars. The chance to be starting quarterback for a pro team next fall. It’s everything God told me. The good plans He had for me. They’re still playing out.” Noah acted like he was ready to burst. He was that excited. “You’re the first person I’ve told.”
