Just Another Goal (Counting on Hockey #1)

Chapter 26: Reindeer Games

Cole snuck back into his house this morning just before his parents woke up. We both barely made it through our parents, neither of us having our parents find out. I am very glad.

We play the Cold Ones again tonight, once again a home game. Noah picks me up before the game because he lives closer to me than Cole does, and Cole had to go out to New Hampshire with his parents to drop Devon at his new school. He's going to show up just a few minutes before the game starts.

Coach has recently decided to keep me on the bench as his second assistant. So I get to stand in the corner, which seems weird, but I can pretty much see everything, so I'm good.

Cole shows up about 15 minutes before the game starts. He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, and heads off to the locker room to change. Coach feels that since I am now dating Cole, I can't just stand in the locker room while any of the guys change. That has lasted longer than I thought it would. Way longer. So, I take the water bottles cautiously down the hallway to fill them, then head out to the bench.

Second period, we're winning 1-0. Cole takes his spot on center ice after our first goal. His opponent is just about the same size, but the 2 defensemen are huge. At least 6'5 each without skates on. I don't have a good feeling about it. Noah stands beside me, and I know he knows this isn't good. I can see it on his face.

The ref drops the puck quickly. Cole wins possession. He rushes down, pushing the other center out of his way. But that's when things don't go too well. The defensemen go straight for him. It's only him and the two defenders.

Cole tries to get around them, but the defensemen gang up and push themselves into Cole. He's on the ice, face down immediately. I'm yanking at Noah's arm, and his face falls when Cole doesn't get back up. Coach yanks open the door and runs out onto the ice, even before the ref can finish blowing the whistle. I can hear the defensemen on the other team laughing and giving each other high fives. I focus on the ice below my feet, trying not to slip.

"Medic, get out here", Coach yells back to the bench. Mr. Hoffman comes out with his first aid kit. I don't know what that is going to help.

Cole lays on the ice, coach turns him to his back. I rip the helmet off his head, throwing it behind me. He is unconscious. He looks dead. The only thing that keeps me from thinking he is dead is that his chest is still rising and falling. I feel tears build up in my eyes as everything around me goes silent. The crowd is silent.

"Call nine-one-one, right now!" Mr. Hoffman yells as he tries to get Cole to wake up. "Meredith, find something to put under his head. The ice is too cold to keep his head there". The first thing I can think of is my sweatshirt. I tear the item of clothing from my body, fold it quickly, and lift Cole's head up so carefully, placing the sweatshirt under it.

"Meredith, go with him in the ambulance. I will meet you there after the game. Just make sure he is okay for now", Coach says to me as they lay Cole on the stretcher and carry it off the ice. "Stay with him. Stay strong". He can tell I'm about to break down. He pats my shoulder a little before motioning me off to follow the EMTs.

We arrive at the hospital maybe 15-20 minutes later. The doctors tell me I can't go further than the waiting room. I can still watch through the glass door. They pull his hockey equipment off of him, revealing his chest and legs. They hook heart monitors to him. I watch the beats on the small, hard to see, screen. It's steady for a moment or two. As soon as Noah stands by my side, which scares the hell out of me, the monitor flat lines. I break down, falling to my knees on the cold linoleum floor. Noah tries to pull me away from the door, but I don't let him, I fight back. The doctors yell to each other, then rush him off to who knows where, probably surgery. I can't think about that right now.

Noah finally finds the strength to pick me up. I just sit on the floor and cry. He's not going to die, he's not going to die. He's going to be okay. That thought runs through my head over and over. Noah picks me up, bringing me to his chair and he sits down. I ball myself up in his lap, trying to fall asleep because I know that's the only thing that will make time go faster, but it doesn't work. My mind is racing too fast. I watch Cole's parents come in and take a seat at the other side of the waiting room. All of the guys sit in groups. I lay on Noah's lap, Zac and Matt are on either side of us.

What seems like days later, but has probably been only three hours, and most of the team has gone home, I hear someone walk into the waiting room. "Parents of Cole Anderson", a woman's voice says from a few feet away. She stands with scrubs and a scrub cap on. She holds a clip board.

I get up quickly, heading to the doctor. "I think his parents went to the cafeteria or something for coffee. I'm his girlfriend, Noah's his best friend".

The doctor nods for a second. "Well, I guess since you two know him well...... Cole came in presenting with a severe brain bleed. We rushed him into surgery and fixed the bleed right away. We stopped the bleed and he is in recovery now. If his parents give you permission, I can take you two back. He is still under anesthesia, so he might be asleep for a little while".

"Doctor, is my son okay?" Mrs. Anderson rushes up behind me with a coffee cup in her hand.

"Mrs. Anderson, I'm doctor Johnson. Your son came in with a brain bleed. We fixed it quickly. He is in recovery now. You can see him, and if you give permission, these two can see him too". Mrs. Anderson nods quickly. The doctor leads us back to Cole's room. He lays, his chest falls slowly. He can breathe on his own, and I'm surprised, but glad.

My eyes follow wires hooked to machines, hooked to him.

Edited: 3/7/22