golden girl (b.t.c.)

chapter sixty-five

eliana kipped up to a handstand, and peter held her up from the side of the bars. "okay, you ready? you got this." he nudged her down, and she put her feet onto the bar, then launched herself up and over. halfway through the air, she froze, and her legs hit the bar. peter reached to catch her, but missed, and she fell hard onto the mats. pain shot through her elbow, and tears came to her eyes.
"shit!" she yelled. peter jumped down to her as she sat up.
"what is it?"
"my elbow."
he gently grabbed her wrist and tried to straighten out her arm, but she yelled in pain.
"oh my god, el, are you okay?" lola rushed over and kneeled next to her.
"looks like it's dislocated." peter said. "i'm gonna have to take her to the hospital."
eliana groaned and wiped the tears off of her cheeks with her good hand. "i'm sorry, i freaked out."
"not your fault." he shook his head, then helped her up. "let's get you to the car, come on."

"hi, eliana?" a doctor wearing a white coat smiled when she walked into the exam room.
"hi." eliana wiped her nose with the back of her hand and hopped onto the table.
"i'm doctor calloway, i'm just gonna check your arm out, okay?"
"okay."
"x-rays were alright?"
"yeah, i guess."
doctor calloway came over and straightened eliana's arm out. "you came straight from the gym, can you tell me what happened?"
"um, i was doing a new skill on bars, and i bailed too late. peter couldn't catch me, so i fell."
"you're the world champion on bars, aren't you?"
"yeah."
"my daughter's a big fan of yours. she's always watching gymnastics when it comes on."
eliana managed a small smile as she played with the silver pendant around her neck. "so, um, am i okay?"
the doctor sighed. "i'm really sorry, eliana, but you're gonna have to take a couple weeks off."
"no, i can't, there has to be-"
"i'm sorry."
"please." she whispered. doctor calloway opened the door and looked out, motioning to someone. she left it cracked, and turned back to eliana. "we're going to put you in a sling. no gymnastics for three weeks."
"nationals are in april, i can't-"
"if you want it to heal, you have to."
eliana dissolved into tears as a physician's assistant came in with a sling for her arm. the doctor brought peter back into the room, and he smiled at her. "you're gonna be okay. yeah? it's just a little break."
"i'm not-i can't-i won't make it." she sobbed. doctor calloway gave peter a quizzical look.
"el, this isn't the end of the world" he laughed. "márta knows you. you've been on that olympic team since the minute you stepped into her gym. a little dislocated elbow isn't going to change that."
doctor calloway looked back and forth between them before placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "you'll make a full recovery if you take it easy for a little bit."
eliana put the sling on and slid off of the table. "i'm gonna go call ben."

ben grabbed his backpack. "where do you guys wanna go?"
"i could really go for some wings right now." neil said.
"oh my gosh, same here." jessica said.
"i'll go pick some up and bring it back here." he said.
ben opened his box of wings as he sat down on the couch, and his phone started to ring. "hey, sweetheart!" he smiled as the conversation around him kept going.
"um, hi." she sniffled. "are you busy?"
at that moment, neil laughed loudly, and she shook her head. "you sound busy, i'll-" her voice broke. "-i'll call later, i-"
"ellie, are you okay?" he lightly shoved neil out of the way. "neil, move." he made it out onto the hallway. "what's going on?"
"um, i fell today at practice."
"okay?"
"i'm at the hospital. i completely bailed on a new skill, and i missed the fluffy mat."
"sweetheart, are you okay?"
"i-i guess." she said. "i dislocated my elbow."
ben winced. "that's pretty bad, ellie. it's gonna take a little bit for it to heal."
a few more tears escaped her eyes and she held back a sob. "i'm really scared, ben."
"scared of what?"
"i won't make it." she said quietly. he paused. "the olympic team? of course you're going to make it. you're eliana dempsey."
"that doesn't matter if i'm injured."
"ellie, my love, it's a dislocated elbow, not a broken neck."
"but-"
"what did the doctor tell you?" he asked.
"she said that i couldn't train for three weeks."
"listen to her." ben said.
"nationals are in april, ben, i can't-"
"you can't afford to hurt yourself more."
she took a shaky breath and nodded. "i-yeah, you're right."
"go home, okay? watch a movie, have lola get you some ice cream on her way home." he checked his watch. "i have to go, but i'll call you when i'm done with rehearsal, okay?"
"okay."
"i love you so much, ellie. you know that?"
"yeah." she giggled. "i love you too."
"you get some rest. i'll see you later."