Cole fell backwards after Doug Brown told him he wanted to see Cole at the Munn in 2 weeks. He literally passed out. Cole hit his head on the edge of the bench and lays on the floor, unconscious. I sit on the floor next to him, and Coach rushes to his side as well. We pour water over his face, and yell in his ear. I almost start crying. I just want him to wake up, now.
He wakes up a moment later, and I breathe a sigh of extreme relief. His eyelids flutter for a moment before focusing on me. "Shit", he mutters under his breath. He sits up with my help, I put my hand on his back, giving him support.
"What happened Cole?" I ask. He just shakes his head for a minute.
"I don't know. Concussion maybe", he says quietly.
We get Cole off the floor. He passed out for no reason. Excitement maybe? Maybe it is a concussion, he did hit the boards pretty hard during the last period, it was probably that. We get Cole onto one of the benches, handing him a bottle of water and an ice pack.
"Let's get you to the hospital", Coach says to Cole. "I'll drive you over. Mere, lets get him to the car".
Cole seems dizzy. He has trouble balancing himself.
We arrive at the hospital. I immediately jumps out of the car and I help Cole out. The door into the ER slides open and we walk to the front desk. "His name is Cole Anderson, we think he has a bad concussion", Coach says to the receptionist.
"Okay sir. Please take a seat, a doctor will be with you in a moment", the lady says while typing something onto the computer.
About 5 minutes later, a male nurse with a completely shaved head comes in with a clip board. "Anderson". I stand and help Cole up. The nurse leads us to the back room with a ER bed and a fluorescent light on the ceiling. We sit Cole on the bed and sit in the chairs by the door. "A doctor will be with you in a second". The nurse leaves.
Another minute, and a man in a doctors jacket walk in. "Hello Mr. Anderson. I'm Doctor Willis. What seems to be the problem?"
"I passed out after my game tonight. I think I might have a concussion", Cole says quietly. Making very little eye contact with the doctor.
"Well let's check it out", the doctor take out his flashlight and shine them in Cole's eye. He blinks then follows the light with his eyes.
"I think we need to get you a Cat-scan". The doctor rolls a wheelchair to the side of the bed, Cole slumps into it. The doctor pushes Cole out of the door and down the hallway. Coach and I sit in silence. I stare at my hands in my lap.
I hear a group of boys shouting from the direction of the waiting room. I get up slowly and walk out of the room. The entire team sits in the waiting room play fighting with each other. Noah has Sampson in a head lock, and Derek and Jake are fighting about who knows more about who knows what. They all see me and return themselves to a chair here in the waiting room.
"Is he dead?", Corey asks sarcastically. I shake my head out of embarrassment. Did he really just say that?
"Corey", I look at him straight in the eyes with a blank face. He looks worried. "No". I smirk. I think Corey almost had a heart attack.
I look around at everybody. "What are you guys all doing here? Shouldn't you guys go home. We have school tomorrow". They look at me like I'm crazy.
"Um, Mere. Not only is he one of the best players on the team, but he is our captain. We have to be there for him no matter what. So, if it means losing sleep or even not sleeping tonight, we are going to do it". Noah says. That, along with everything that is going on right now, brings me to tears.
Noah hold his arms out for me and I run into them. He wraps his arms around my waist. I cry into his chest. My tears flow heavily.
"Are you Meredith?" I hear a women's voice speak from behind me. I turn around to find a middle aged woman with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. I nod slowly. Wiping the tears from my face. "Do you know where my son is?" It's Cole's mother.
"The doctor took him to X-ray or Cat-scan or something. They left maybe five minutes ago. Coach is sitting in the room where Cole was examined by the doctor. I can go get him if you want me to", I say, wiping the tears from my face.
I start walking back when she grabs me wrist. "No, Sweetie, that's okay. But I do want to talk to you. Would you come outside with me just for a moment?" I follow her quickly. I look back to Noah. He just shrugs his shoulders.
We walk outside into the cold, a breeze comes up, sending shivers down my spine. "It's very nice to meet you Meredith. I'm Veronica, Cole's mom. I want to say two things. First, I want to say I am really, very sorry for what happened last week. When Devon was expelled from your school, we thought he had straightened up, we had put him in therapy and his therapist said he was fine. He was expelled for beating up a boy. We were surprised when the coach for the Foxes let him on the team. We really wouldn't think he would beat someone else up after what he had to go through, let alone his brother's best friend", I think tears start streaming down my face again. "And second, I want to say that Cole really likes you. I know I'm not supposed to tell you this, and Cole would kill both of us if he found out I told you, but he really likes you. He talks about you nonstop. I think that's how Devon found out about you. We says how wonderful and funny and caring you are to all the guys on the team. And for that, I say thank you. Cole has always said how he doesn't want a girl, he wants to wait until after he becomes an NHL player. I have always wanted this day to come, and it has". Was she really right? I mean Noah said the exact same thing to me last week.
We head back into the ER. Cole sits in the entrance of the ER to the waiting room. The team crowds around him. I hear them ask him things like 'Do you think you are going to live?' and 'does it hurt?' Mrs. Anderson and I laugh at them. They noticed our noise and turn.
Cole's eyes meet mine. I like you Cole, I think I always have.
Edited: 3/4/22
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Just Another Goal (Counting on Hockey #1)
Romance*Book one of the Counting on Hockey series* To Meredith, watching hockey was torture. But her sister was a hockey player. She wanted nothing to do with hockey, even thinking about it made her angry. But she had her reasons. Starting 10th grade at a...
