Page 29 of Unraveling Rain
“Okay, hijo. I promise.” He moves to hang up, but the voice isn’tdone talking.
“Papi, wait! Are you there with a patient? Who is it?”
A blush creeps up the doc’s neck as he shoots me an apologetic look. I wave him off.
“Xander González,” he says.
The moment he says my name, the kid lets out a screech. “What? No way? Can I see him, please?”
Before Dr. Gutierrez can say anything, I stand and walk over, leaning down so I’m in the frame. I give a small wave, and the kid starts jumping up and down.
“No way! I’m talking to Xander González!” he yells.
I simply smile, letting him enjoy the moment.
“I’m sorry, Xander. My son is a big sports fan. He’s especially into Latino and Hispanic athletes,” Dr. Gutierrez says.
I nod, then turn back to the screen. “Hey, man. Nice to meet you. What’s your favorite sport?”
The boy taps his chin, thinking hard. “I can’t choose only one, but my top ones are soccer, baseball, and hockey.”
I grin. “Nice.”
“Okay, Tommy, I’ll chat with you later, okay? Love you,” Dr. Gutierrez says.
“Bye!” Tommy waves with both hands before the screen goes dark.
Dr. Gutierrez puts his phone away. “I’m sorry about that. I usually don’t pick up the phone before I see a patient, but it’s my son.”
“No need to apologize. Family comes first.”
He nods, then starts typing somethingon the computer.
“So, Xander, your medical team in Raleigh sent me the X-rays of your collarbone after the surgery. It broke in one place. That makes the recovery process much easier.”
I already knew that, but hearing Dr. Gutierrez confirm it makes my breathing a little easier.
“I also have on file that you haven’t done much therapy so far.”
I close my eyes as embarrassment washes over me. I feel my cheeks growing warm as his words sink in. I’ve been playing professionally for over a decade. I should’ve known better. I let my doubts stop me from doing what I needed to heal.
“Yeah, the injury knocked me down, not only physically,” I admit. “But now that I’m here, I’m ready to hit the ground running.”
Dr. Gutierrez smiles and raps his knuckles on the desk. “That’s what I like to hear. Tell me, Xander, besides hockey, what exercises do you enjoy the most?”
That’s a good question. I’ve always followed the team’s regimen to stay in top shape. But I’ve never thought about enjoying it.
“I need to be honest, Doc, if it’s not hockey-related, I’m not into it. I exercise because I know that’s how I keep in shape to play the sport I love.”
I chuckle, realizing how my life revolves around a sport I’ve been playing since I was ten.
“That’s understandable,” he says, standing and motioning for me to do the same. “I’ve never met an athlete who doesn’t love the sport they play. Let’s examine that clavicle.”
He quickly sanitizes his hands while I remove my T-shirt. He touches my bone through the skin, and although it doesn’t hurt, I can feel a little bit of discomfort.
He hums as he continues the exam, then he says, “Have you noticed this small bump here?”
“Yeah, but I didn’t think anything of it since it really doesn’t hurt.”
