Page 98 of Starting Back
“Yes, you’re going to need a few stitches. Can you bend your knee?” Sonya asked and pressed the towel back on her knee.
Chloe winced as she bent her knee and slowly extended it back.
“I know that hurts, hun. It’s a bad scrape, but we’ll fix you up.”
“How many stitches will I need? Can you wait for my mom to get here?”
“After I couldn’t contact your parents, I worked my way down the list. I spoke to your uncle, but he’s working two towns over and wouldn’t be able to get here for another hour at least,” her coach said, eyeing Chloe with resigned sympathy. “Your aunt would have been the easiest since she works at school, but she took off for a doctor’s appointment according to Principal Swift, and her phone goes right to voice mail.”
“It would be better to stop the bleeding now,” Sonya said. “It’s in a tricky place for healing, but you’ll only need a few stitches.”
She straightened and grinned at Chloe as she tightened the rubber band around her ponytail of braids. “I don’t like to brag, but my stitchesrock,” she told her in a loud whisper. “You’ll be all fixed up by the time one of your parents comes to get you. Leo will help me get you nice and numb, so you won’t feel a thing, I promise.”
Chloe nodded after Sonya left, turning her glossy gaze to mine.
“Are you going to stay here?” she asked me, her voice shaky and timid.
“Of course. I’ll help the doctor and stay with you until one of your parents gets here.” I picked up her hand to give it a squeeze. “I’ve had stitches on both knees, one knee from basketball, as a matter of fact. My contact with the concrete was brutal.”
“She made the shot, though,” her coach said, smiling as he rose from his seat. “You must be the fireman-nurse. I’m Dale,” he said, standing to offer his hand. “I guess you’ve already met Chloe.”
“He’s my mom’s boyfriend,” Chloe said, without making eye contact with either of us.
“Yes to all of that,” I joked, taking his hand. “Let me help the doctor gather all the supplies we need, and I’ll be right back.” I craned my neck and glanced at Chloe, holding her gaze until she gave me a tiny nod.
“I’ll give her the lidocaine injection before the stitches,” Sonya told me on the way back to Chloe, shooting me a quick smile over her shoulder. “Not that I don’t trust you of course, but it’s hard to do that to one of your own.”
I didn’t know how to answer that as I took the tray of supplies and followed her, her comment making more sense than I expected it to.
“Okay, take a deep breath,” Sonya whispered. “This is just a needle to numb you up.”
Chloe shut her eyes, fisting the sheet next to her with one hand and grabbing my wrist with the other. I turned my hand around and slid my palm against hers and squeezed.
Her eyes fluttered open and met mine.
“It’s going to be quick, I promise. She really does rock at stitches.” My chest swelled when I spotted a tiny smile drift across her mouth after I winked.
Sonya really was—thankfully—quick as she closed the wound. Chloe relaxed halfway through but kept hold of my hand the entire time.
“Until this heals, I’m afraid you’re going to have to ride the bench for a while. Stitches on knees take longer to heal, and I wouldn’t want you to tear them if you hit the court too soon, okay?” Sonya said as she peeled off her gloves.
“Noted,” Dale said. “We want her healed for the big games in a couple of weeks.”
“Great,” Chloe mumbled, sitting up and dropping my hand. I took any and all wins where Chloe was concerned, and the one moment when she not only acknowledged me but let me be there for her was significant enough to feel like a victory.
“If you’re going to stay with her, let me go see if I can get one of her parents on the phone.”
“I’ll stay with her. I already told her mother I wouldn’t leave until she got here.”
Dale nodded. “I’ll just be outside for a few minutes.”
“You did great. I’ll tell the desk to get your discharge papers ready, and Leo will take care of all that by the time one of your parents comes to pick you up.” Sonya smiled and patted Chloe’s foot, sneaking a smile at me before she left.
I pulled the visitor’s chair up to the bed and took a seat.
“How’s it feel now?”
“Weird,” she said, scrunching her nose at me. “Sore but tingly.”
