Page 55 of Levi

I agree that Nana seems to be struggling, but I’m not entirely sure what to do about it. I need advice. But first, I want to get my nana to one more game…while she can remember it. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for her, so I’d love to get her out there to see it just one more time.

Some of the ladies have come out to a game before, but that was when they were traveling more. When I was in college, it was more difficult to get them to a game, but this…this is fifteen minutes away and should be no problem. I’m not an idiot, though. I know they change policies, or at least they have preferences for their patients when they struggle with their memory because going someplace new, some place they don’t remember, can be scary as fuck for them.

But just this once, I want to be selfish. Just this once, I want to do this for the both of us. Because without her, I wouldn’t be me. I’ll buy out the suite this weekend for the game against New York. Then Stella and everyone else and their damn mother can be there, and Nana can be comfortable and safe.

“Sorry about that, Levi. How was your visit?” she asks, her face back to the warm, kind one I’ve grown fond of—the one that sits with me on hard days and talks me through big decisions. She’s proof that the term “just a nurse” is utter bullshit. Nurses are saints on earth, dealing with the bullshit yet always getting the job done.

“It was okay…a little rough,” I say, honestly.

“Sorry about that, sweetheart. I’m sure there will be good days and bad days, so don’t let this get you down too badly.”

“I won’t, but I appreciate that. I actually need a favor. Or I have a question; I’m not actually sure what to call it.”

“Alright,” she says cautiously. “Well then why don’t you just tell me, and we’ll figure it out together.”

“Delilah and Nana, as well as a couple others, have talked about wanting to come to a game. If I can arrange transportation and a suite, would it be okay?” I ask, her face getting serious, but she doesn’t look upset. Just like she’s thinking.

After what feels like an eternity, she finally nods. “I don’t see why that would be a problem. I mean, yeah, we usually try to prevent a lot of travel and confusion later down the road, but your grandmother is really just starting to show these signs, at least from what I’ve seen. I know how much you both love when she gets to go to a game, so I think we can make it happen. Can you just email me the information and I’ll get transportation figured out as well as who’s going.”

“Seriously? I thought I would have to beg or bribe you.”

“Nah, but you bet your ass I’ll be at the game with them!” She winks and then she’s off.

Well, I guess now that that’s done, it’s time to go to practice where I'm sure Coach will continue his warpath on me, still pissed off about dinner—but I stand by everything that went down that night. I have no regrets unless you count me wanting to throw Ally under the bus for cheating on me, but I decided that wasn't the time to let Coach in on the information.

I figured out that's why he's been so cold to me when I overheard Ally and him talking in his office the other day as I was heading to meet him. He was complaining that it was hard having someone who's been unfaithful on his team solely because he feels like it shows a lack of commitment. A lack of ownership. And a lack of loyalty towards something you claim to care about.

I thought he was talking about Ally and how she cheated on me, only for her to say she felt sorry for me because I lost out on her due to my infidelity.

I kept my mouth shut knowing I'd already been pissing Coach off, and I didn't need to give him a reason to bench me. Or worse put me up for trade before the season’s up. We still have a few months until the trade deadline, with the first month of the season approaching its end, and I know it's in the back of his mind to get rid of me.

Here's to hoping he cares about Quinn more than he shows and keeps me around to make her happy.

Fingers crossed, but I wouldn’t bet my life on it.

CHAPTER22

QUINN

“So how are the guys looking,”my uncle asks as he collapses into the chair across the table from me in his office.

He looks exhausted. He has for a few days, and he’s been short with me since dinner, but thankfully he’s kept more to himself because I’m not sure I could handle hearing him defend Ally again and still remain professional.

“Not too shabby,” I tell him, looking down at my notes. “Three out of four of the guys have been cleared to return. I think having them rest for a few extra days really made a difference. Jax said his ankle felt the best it’s felt since he originally got injured last year. Anderson still hasn’t been cleared back after his shoulder injury the other day, though, and if I’m being honest, I’m not expecting him to be cleared before the game this weekend.”

I just spent the last hour going over each of the players we have on our schedules and determining if we thought anything needed to be changed. After a couple of players were cleared to return, we wanted to reevaluate their programs to make sure we were accounting for the extra toll their bodies would be taking by practicing at full power, as well as the frequency of the games we play. It’s just a lot and we wanted to make sure they were prioritizing strength training and flexibility so they didn’t end up reinjured.

I was meeting with the other athletic trainers going over schedules and progress, so I’ve already gotten the rundown on all the players, making me prepared for this conversation, although Uncle Ronnie is usually at our weekly briefing meetings, so I’m surprised he missed the one today.

“What’s the timeline for Anderson? I’m not sure I want to call Edwards up, but if Anderson is out much longer, Jax and Nash might have my fucking head,” he grumbles.

He ain’t wrong. Their line has had to really pick up some slack since Anderson has been out, and I think they're ready for their line to be back together on the ice.

Jax and Nash might score a lot, and they’re good at defending Cooper, but Anderson and Jensen have the highest rate of power play kills in the entire league. Given that we’ve lost the last two games after the other team scored on a power play, we’re all a little bit over it.

“Probably another week or two out. He’s meeting with the doctor next Monday, so hopefully they come back with good news. I think right now the play should be to call up Edwards and hope for the best tomorrow when we face New York. Either way, Cooper should be able to handle it,” I tell him with a smile, doing my best to ease some of his worry, but it doesn’t seem to help. I’m almost positive I can see his pulse from the vein in his neck, but if I try to get him to take it easy or to sit down and spread the work out more, it would go over about as well as telling a girl to relax or calm down.

But I get why he’s stressed. It’s a big game, one that Nashville looks forward to every year as we hope to beat the New York Cyclones. Personally, I think he’s hoping to one day steal Cade away. I mean, I feel like we would be pretty unstoppable if we had both Cooper and Cade, but the likelihood of that ever happening is pretty damn slim.

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