Page 103 of What If I Knew You

He lifts his chin, gesturing to a woman pushing her son in a wheelchair outside the hospital doors.

“Oh my gosh, yes! Connor!” I smile at the kid who immediately sees right past me to the man standing beside me. “How’s your shoulder, Bud? Did you get it all popped back into place?”

“Uh huh,” he says, staring open mouthed at Bodhi.

“That’s great! Make sure you take extra special care of it and don’t push yourself too hard, alright?”

“Uh huh.”

“Oh, and look who I just happened to find standing out here waiting for you to come outside?” I pass a wink to Bodhi who smiles in response. “Do you know Bodhi Roche?”

“Umm, yes! I know all about you! You were killer when you played in Boston and now you’re on our team!”

“That’s right.” Bodhi nods. “I heard you had a bit of a rough go today, huh?”

“Yeah.” Connor shrugs like it’s no big deal. “Simon Kinney checked me into the glass and then knocked me over and I dislocated my shoulder. But the doctor popped it back into place and it doesn’t hurt so much anymore.”

“That’s good to hear. But make sure you take care of it at home, alright? Do all the things your doctor told you to do so you can get back on the ice in no time.”

“I will. And one day I want to be an Anaheim Star.”

“I have no doubt you will be Connor. How old are you?”

“I’m nine.”

“Well, you know the Stars hold a hockey camp every season that many of us help out with.” He glances up at Connor’s mom.“If you look on our website, you can register him around this time next year. The camp starts in January.”

Connor gasps. “Can I Mom? Please?”

His mother smiles and pats his good shoulder. “Well, let’s see how well you do with this shoulder recovery and then pray you don’t suffer any more major injuries and then I think we could definitely look into it.”

“Yes!” Connor pumps his fist. “I can’t wait!”

“Good!” Bodhi offers Connor a fist bump. “Then until next year, Connor. I hope to see you around so we can play a little hockey together. How does that sound?”

“That would be amazing!”

“One last thing.” Bodhi reaches behind his head and pulls at the fabric of his jersey until it comes up and over his head. He pulls a black marker from his pocket and signs his name across the number on the back and hands it to a shocked and elated Connor. “Here ya go. Consider it something to inspire you to keep up the great work and get better so we can get you back on that ice.”

“Wow!” Connor exclaims. “Thank you so much.”

“My pleasure.”

“Wow! High five, Connor!” I lift my hand for Connor to give me a high five and then lean down to murmur, “I don’t even have a Bodhi Roche jersey. I’m kind of jealous.”

Connor shrugs innocently and whispers back, “Maybe if you ask him for one, he’ll give you one too.”

I chuckle. “You’re probably right. I’ll have to consider that.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

BODHI

“This calls for a celebration.”

I hand a glass of iced tea to Corrigan as we stand in the middle of her living room and then raise my own glass. “To finally getting rid of all your boxes.”

“It only took about three months.” She laughs and then glances around the room. “But everything looks great. I finally have a place to call my own and it fits me perfectly.”

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