Page 104 of Dr. Brandt

“Me too. I want to play football,” the other boy said, his head wrapped in bandages.

“Not with the way Dr. Brandt throws with his left hand, kid,” Collin said, still recovering from the nut-shot Cameron sent his way.

“My name’s Tommy,” the boy said, correcting Collin with annoyance. “I’ll be just fine.”

“That’s what I like to hear,” Cam said, walking over to where the three kids stood around Jacks. “However, having just operated on you, I’m not clearing you for the regular football yet.”

“It wouldn’t be fair, Dr. Brandt,” Tommy said. “Jacks can’t play, so we can’t play.”

“Don’t start that. We’re all here to help each other work harder.” Cam smiled at Jacks and knelt. “Jacks would be pretty upset with me if I didn’t let you play so you can get better faster. I’m sure of that,” Cam said, looking at Jacks and reaching to rub his knee. “Right, kid?”

I could see the movement in Jacks, and it appeared he agreed with his dad.

“Listen,” Collin said, stepping up to the group, “how about we all use the holographic balls to show Jacks that we can throw a football with our left arms just like he’s going to. In fact, we better learn how to now because I have a feeling Jacks is going to beat us all when he gets there.”

“Holographic balls? Really, Dr. Brooks?” Cameron said, standing up and laughing.

“I should like to have more kids, and your left arm is about to end all hope for Elena and me if we use a ball that can do damage,” he answered.

“All right,” I heard another voice, and it was Jake. “I’m off shift and ready to do this!”

“Awesome,” Collin said with a devilish grin, throwing the football into Cam’s chest. “Cam throws a mean ball with his left hand, Dr. Mitchell. You’ll be impressed.”

“Do it! Do it! Do it!” the kids said in unison.

Happiness covered me like a warm blanket on a chilly autumn afternoon. It was comforting to watch Cam and his friends give Jacks hope and encouragement for his recovery in this manner. It was heartwarming, and I needed to see it more than I knew.

Cameron wasn’t giving up on Jacks in any way. He’d shown that to me in other ways, but seeing him prove that Jacks could train his brain to throw with the left arm instead of using his right arm was monumental for Jacks and me.

Even if he wouldn’t regain use of his right arm, he still had his left arm to throw with. How strange that something so minor could impact my emotions in such a huge way. This was all so much more inspiring than I’d expected.

They said that I should expect miracles to happen this month, and after not speaking to Cam much since everything happened, I wondered if it would take a miracle for us to ever work again.

Chapter Forty-Three

Cameron

This month flew by faster than the hell that caused the fallout of my and Jessa’s short-lived relationship. Sadly, we grew farther apart, with Warren constantly lingering around and my focus more on Jacks than anything.

I had to take partial responsibility for it dissolving to nothing, as my only priority was Jackson and my everyday busy life as a top surgeon at this hospital. I felt myself sinking into that dark void more than once but throwing myself into working and being with Jacks made those sensations go away as quickly as they came.

“Look at your pimp self,” I said to Jacks, walking into the room where he was dressed and ready to leave rehab.

“I’m good, man,” he said. His words were still a bit slow, but the speech therapist said he’d made excellent progress, and by next week, Jacks could be talking like he’d been before the surgery.

“I’m so damn proud of you, kid,” I said, hugging my son with whom I’d formed the most wonderful bond throughout his recovery. Then, I stepped back and looked into his cheerful eyes. “Seriously, you’re doing better than I expected a sixteen-year-old to do in recovering from this surgery. Insanely better, and it’s just a matter of time before we get the brace,” I pointed at the brace on his right arm, “off your throwing arm and get you back in the game.”

Jacks smiled and unexpectedly hugged me back, “Thank you. You helped me so much.”

I felt tears burn in my eyes and knew I could quickly lose my shit if I weren’t careful. “You helped me too, kid.”

“Oh?” Jessa chirped with excitement, walking into the room. “How’s that, Doc?”

I didn’t know if it was the excitement of Jackson’s big day of going home, the anticipation of where it all went from here, or the realization that Jacks had got me through a month that I probably wouldn’t have survived without him, but I stared into Jessa’s radiant eyes, and I couldn’t tolerate being back in this position with her.

I needed her back.

“The car’s here. The Uber is a killer ride, Sport,” Warren said, his voice slicing through the air and making me angry the moment I’d heard him.

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