Page 86 of Learn the Play
“Anemia can be very serious, but I’m certain that with a few days’ rest and an iron supplement, you’ll be back on your feet. Iron can often be hard to absorb. I’m going to order an iron infusion while you’re here. Then you can start oral medication once released. We’ll recheck your numbers in two weeks to see if the supplement is working or if we need to discontinue and proceed with regular infusions. Just as a precaution, I’d like to admit you for tonight. Let the iron infusion run its course, and we’ll recheck your numbers tomorrow. If everything looks as I expect it to, we’ll discharge you.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” I say.
“Hang tight. We’ll get you moved up to a room.” He leaves, and all three of us heave a sigh of relief.
I press my lips to my girl's forehead as I feel the worry ease from my shoulders. “I love you,” I whisper. I’ll never go another day without telling this incredible woman what she means to me.
She peers up at me, those big brown eyes twinkling, even in the dim light of the room. “I love you, too.”
“I’ll let you have some time,” Coach says, standing.
“Dad?”
He freezes and gives Bellamy his full attention.
“There’s something that you can do for me.”
“Anything,” he replies with conviction.
Her lip quivers. “Can I have a hug?” she asks, her voice sounding small.
“Oh, Bella,” he says, stepping back toward the bed and bending to pull her into a hug. “I’m so sorry for so many things,” he tells her.
Emotion fills his voice, and I smile. This moment tells me that they’re both going to be okay. They’re going to find their way back to one another.
“I’m sorry, too,” she says as he pulls back. “I need to take some of the blame, as well.”
“You were a child.”
“I was. But even as an adult, I refused to listen, not until I met Reid.”
Coach glances at me. “I never thought I’d see the day my little girl would be involved with one of my players.”
“Well, get used to it,” I tell him. “Pretty soon, she’s going to have my last name.” I wink at Bellamy, and she rewards me with a beaming smile.
That’s not my proposal, but it’s coming. The woman is my heart. It’s only fitting I get to call her my wife.
Epilogue Bellamy
Bellamy
The League Championship Game
The stadium is electric as fans cheer on their favorite team. I can understand how they’re feeling. It was a fight for Reid to finally concede to letting me travel. Dr. Armstrong said it was fine, as long as I was feeling okay. The iron has helped so much, and while I’m still tired, it’s only as much as someone who’s thirty-four weeks pregnant should be.
It’s not that I needed his permission. I was coming to the game regardless, and he wanted me here. He was just worried about me and the baby. I get it. The last game I attended, I collapsed, and he was fined twenty thousand dollars for leaving. There was no way I wasn’t going to be here to support him.
Making it to the league championships three years in a row is a damn big deal. Not to mention, if they win, that would be three in a row. That’s huge, and I’m so proud of my man and his team—our family—for all they’ve accomplished and how hard they’ve worked to get here.
I’m currently in a suite with Corie, Amanda, Sloane, my mom, Cliff, Reid’s parents, Knox’s parents, baby Camden, as well as Baker’s and Foster’s parents. It’s a family affair as we cheer on our boys to bring Nashville home another win.
“You doing okay?” Amanda asks me.
I smile at my best friend. “I’m doing great,” I assure her.
“There you go!” Ridge, Knox’s dad, yells.
I look back at the field in time to see the ball soar what seems like at least half the length of the field and land in Landry’s hands. He spins and takes off running toward the endzone. We’re all on our feet, me a little slower than the rest, but we’re all cheering on Landry to sprout wheels on his cleats and slide into the endzone. He’s tackled at the ten-yard line. I glance at the clock. There’s just under a minute of playing time. We can do this. We’re down by six. If we can make this touchdown and the field goal, we win. Worst case, we might go into overtime.
