Page 28 of Open Net

She threw her arms around me and squeezed me tight. “I knew I could count on you.”

We moved back to the group and someone actually turned off the TV for once.

“Hey, Letangs,” Coach announced. “We’re all going to give you guys some space and make sure that Olli really relaxes.”

I nodded and thanked each person as they left.

Madi and Erik hung back. “Is there anything that we can help you with?” Madi asked.

I shook my head and smiled. “No, I think we’re fine.”

“Thank you!” Olli called from the couch.

I laughed. “Thank you, guys.”

I shut the door after them. The quiet was nice but I already missed having people around, having a distraction. Jackson had been fed so I took him up to his room and changed him before putting him down for bed. I went downstairs when the realization hit me that Olli couldn’t get back upstairs to go to bed.

I dropped on the couch next to him. “What are the plans?”

He smiled and nodded his head in the direction of the guest bedroom. “Guess I’m going to be bunking down here for a while.”

I sighed. “That makes the most sense.”

“Do you want to sleep down here too?” His voice was hopeful.

I did. I really, really did. Being away from him sounded awful but that would mean Jackson would be upstairs alone. It would make it even harder in the middle of the night.

“No, there’s not enough room for his crib in the guest room and I should stay close to the baby.”

He frowned. “I want to be able to help you with the feedings though.”

I stood up and rubbed his shoulders. Was I comforting him or myself? “I’ll be okay.”

He stared up at me. “It could be a few weeks.”

I tried not to feel defensive. Of course, I could handle it. Any other mom could. Right, I wouldn’t feel incredibly overwhelmed right now. “We’ll be fine.”

Everyone had told me so. Somehow, we’d be okay.

I kissed Olli on the forehead and went to the guestroom to get his bed ready. Once everything was set, I walked out and helped him in. He crawled into bed with a sleepy smile. “I’m sorry this happened, Emma. This is the last thing I wanted.”

I kissed him and smiled. “I know this is a risk of the sport. I just wish it wasn’t such poor timing.”

I walked back upstairs. It wasn’t until I got in bed that the realization of the situation hit me. I was going be doing this alone. I couldn’t ask any of the girls to spend the night. That would be too much. I couldn’t ask for my mom to come as she had my sisters to take care of. I was going have to do this on my own somehow. I didn’t have any other choice but to figure it out.

8

Olli

It had been two weeks since my surgery. Five weeks since the accident. I thought I’d be further along. I needed to be. The team needed me. We’d lost five games so far with Jonson in the net. At this rate we could kiss our chances of the championship goodbye. Even though it wasn’t my fault I got taken down by an almost three-hundred-pound torpedo, the guilt was almost too much to bear each time a shot got in. A shot I would have blocked.

I shook my head and got onto the four-inch step again. Physical therapy wasn’t where I wanted to be, not when I should be out practicing with the team.

“Good job, Olli,” Madi said in an overly encouraging tone.

I wanted to roll my eyes, but I knew Erik wouldn’t refrain from roughing me up if I gave Madi attitude. Not that he was the perfect patient with her either.

“We’ve got to take it slow,” she said. “I know you’re frustrated.”