Page 69 of Embrace
“Sounds like trouble in paradise to me,” a feathery female’s voice said.
I stiffened. It had to be Julia Valentine.
“Greg, you there?” a man with a thick Southern accent asked.
“I’m here, Coach,” Greg called as he rushed over and dropped into the seat directly across from Asher.
“Why didn’t you tell us about your memory issues, kid?”
I sniffed.Kid?
Asher gave me the side-eye as Greg’s eyes widened in panic as he looked at me.
I cleared my throat. “Um, we didn’t want to alarm anyone,” I said, refusing to see how Asher was reacting to my covering for Greg. The guy might have been treating me as if he were a heartbroken teenaged boy, but he was still my patient.
“I understand, but—” Jerry said.
“We know each other through mutual friends. He just came in this morning because I was at the hospital. He wasn’t feeling well. So we assembled a team and ran some tests,” I said, keeping my attention on the sound modulator on the console.
“I see…” Jerry said. I was certain he hadn’t bought my bullshit excuse. There were a lot of gaps in my cover.
“Anyway, whatever, it happened, and it turned out great for the hospital and your organization, Mr. Cartwright,” Julia said.
“Well, as I said, we take brain injuries seriously,” Cartwright said.
His last statement was an indication of what he was worried about. All the league wanted was more reports on brain injuries. We’d discussed CTE in one of our seminars the previous year. One thing we’d agreed upon was there would be no public ramifications for the rampant condition discovered in players. People didn’t give a damn. They were like the spectators in the Roman Colosseum, watching the gladiators tear each other apart. Who cared if they killed each other and themselves? Just entertain us, please.
“I’m sure you do.” Julia sounded desperate to remind everyone that she was an integral part of the conversation.
“Right,” Jerry said rather dismissively. “We dodged a bullet. And I shoved a big foot in our health advisors’ asses about giving that shit to our players. Lots of them have been out of sorts for a while. If it weren’t for you, Greg, we could’ve lost more than half our team before training camp starts. And that’s why Merle is here with me.”
Greg’s eyes grew super wide. Merle must’ve been a big deal. Asher, on the other hand, nodded continuously.
“We’re happy you can join us, Mr. Barnes,” Chief Brown said just as Julia started to say something.
“Call me Merle.”
“Merle, we’re very excited about our future partnership in our sports medicine wing.”
“I heard the Expansive Brain Health Institute will also have a division at the hospital.”
“Yes, indeed,” the chief said.
“We were thinking maybe we might have a media event,” Julia said.
“Well, not yet. We have to let this supplement debacle blow over first.”
Asher scooted to the edge of his seat. “Merle, Asher Christmas here. There’s no need for you to worry about any negative impact. We have it all under control.”
“Mr. Christmas,” Merle said excitedly. “It’s an honor to be talking to you, and anything you need from us, we’re ready and able to assist you.”
“I appreciate that, Merle.”
“And the brilliant doctor who saved our asses, is she with you?”
Asher looked at me and nodded.
“Yes, sir, I’m here.”
