Page 104 of Break the Ice
Today is a clusterfuck of emotions I wasn’t prepared to deal with. I don’t think either of us were. Without Finley, I would’ve been a disaster. Having her here, being able to focus on her, has given me a reason to hold it together.
I can’t do anything for Eli, but I can for her.
I can comfort her and hold her hand. I can be what she needs me to be instead of the deer in headlights floundering in my head.
Eli stirs, his groan churning in my stomach while the doctor gives the nurse instructions. When she leaves, he adds, “Every patient is different,so I can’t predict how Elijah will wake up. What I can say is that he has a lot going for him in terms of physical health and lifestyle.”
“Okay,” Finley sighs, relaxing back into my side.
I don’t miss the way he studies our closeness. If he makes a judgement on it, it doesn’t show on the way he continues talking to Finley.
“The severity of this episode is concerning.” He glances at Lex before he settles on me. “My recommendation is a complete rest period.”
“Complete rest?”
He gives Lex a regretful grimace that has me sucking in a breath. Elijah lives and breathes the game. Hockey is the only true aspect of his life.
“Yes. No strenuous exercise, limited screen time, strict sleep and hydration routines, stress management.”
“For how long?” I ask.
“My recommendation is at least ten to fourteen days. Right now, I’ll be prescribing triptans to take at onset of future attacks to manage the episode. If that doesn’t work, we’d move on to daily long-term preventative medication like beta-blockers. It would be our last resort as they would interfere with athletic performance.”
His pager goes off, cutting the conversation short as he rushes out of the room.
I don’t know what to say while Finley and I stare at each other. We know Eli well enough to be certain this is going to be more than he can process without putting any pressure on him mentally. Physically, I don’t know how he’s going to cope without his religious training routine and time on the ice.
Hockey isn’t our career. It’s our life.
CHAPTER 33
ELIJAH
Groggy. That’s the first feeling I register when I open my eyes. It takes a while for the spots to fade before the relief that my head isn’t pounding anymore sets in. That constant throb at the base of my skull is gone, the heavy pulse at my temple is silent.
I can think again.
Dragging in a deep breath, I glance at the monitor to the side, beeping in time with my heartbeat. The sound is distant; even so it sends a wave of relief through me.
Right before my surroundings sink in and a new panic chokes me.
The words take a second to form in my head—it’s a lot more effort than I’m used to—feeding all the fears swarming me.
The longer I look around and allow my eyes to communicate what they see to my brain, the wilder the feeling grows.
Then I find them. My heart freezes at the sight for a beat. Slowly it thaws into a calmer rhythm.
Jayden and Finley are sitting together to the side, asleep. Her head is resting on his shoulder while his head is resting on hers.
The sight warms through me. Setting me at ease.
Even though I’ve just woken up, I find myself drifting off to sleep again with my eyes set on them. I wish they were closer. I wish my ears weren’t so fuzzy. I want to hear their sleepy breaths.
I miss them.
Even though they’re right in front of me. So close.
I miss them.
