Page 49 of The Rookie's Sister

Before we leave, I remember a snippet of conversation I’d overheard at the hospital. “Jeff, one more thing. There’s a specialist, Dr. Alden. He’s renowned for treating Dad’s condition.”

A flicker of hope crosses his face. “But?”

I sigh. “He’s booked for months, and Dad can’t wait that long.”

Jeff grimaces. “So, bureaucracy and timing could cost us a better option?”

“Seems like it,” I say, frustration lacing my voice.

“Life’s not fair, huh?”

“No, it’s not. But we adapt. We always do,” I assure him, touching his arm for emphasis.

Jeff looks determined. “Okay, let’s go. Miracles happen, right?”

I nod, faintly smiling. “Yes, they do.”

As we step out, my mind toggles between the immediate challenges—a risky surgery, a game, a life in the balance—and the long-shot possibility of Dr. Alden. The odds might be stacked against us, but in this moment, held up by the strength of family, anything seems possible.

TWENTY-TWO

XAVIER

The shrill blast of the whistle rips through the air as I push through dribbling exercises with the rest of the team on the practice field. Beside me, Jeff’s breaths come in shallow gasps, his cleats kicking up turf as he struggles to keep up.

“Get your head in the game, Xavier!” Coach yells, and a football narrowly misses my ear. Damn. My mind has been wandering too much lately, most notably to Emma and the growing tension between us.

Since her dad took a turn for the worse and went back to the hospital, she’s been withdrawn. Not that I can blame her. It’s her family. Her foundation could collapse. It’s understandable, yet I can’t shake the feeling that this might also be the end of us.

“Johnson, eyes forward!” Coach bellows, snapping me back to reality.

I grit my teeth and shake off the distraction, nailing the next drill with pinpoint accuracy. I can’t afford to mess up, not now. After what feels like an eternity, Coach calls time, and I gulp down water as if I’ve crossed a desert.

Jeff hobbles over, looking like he’s run a marathon.

“Man,” he gasps, wiping his face, “Coach isn’t holding back today.”

I chuckle, clapping him on the back. “Pre-season pressures. We’ve all been there.”

Jeff straightens, grimacing as he stretches. “Got to step up. Can’t be the rookie forever.”

“And you will,” I reassure him. “Just remember, progress over perfection.”

He nods, but a shadow passes over his eyes. “With everything going on with Dad, Emma’s barely holding it together.”

Concern flares up. “Is he going to be okay? Charles, I mean?”

Jeff runs a hand through his hair. “Could be better. They’re saying he needs a specialist, a Dr. Alden. But there’s a waitlist a mile long.”

A seed of an idea sprouts. “That’s rough. But, you know, sometimes miracles happen.”

Jeff looks at me, eyes filled with a mix of hope and skepticism. “We can only wish, right?”

Returning to the field, my mind races. I know people in high places, and perhaps I can make something happen. For Emma. For us.

As soon as practice ends, I grab my phone and start working connections. I call in favors, and next, I dial a number I had to pull a lot of strings to get. My heart pounds as it rings. Finally, a voice picks up.

“Dr. Alden speaking.”

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