Page 20 of A Play for Love

“Hey, baby girl.” He picked her up. “Are you here to meet Giuseppe?” He looked at me.

“Mom is hurt real bad,” Ella spoke. “It’s her knee again.”

Thanks, Ella.

“Sofia?” Conner shot me a look as he put Ella down. “I told you before—”

“You listen to me, Conner,” I spoke through gritted teeth. “I haven’t had time for the damn surgery. I’m getting married in two months, and I have a shitload of shit to do! Just give me the damn injection so I can get on with my day!” I shouted.

“Sofia?” Nathan walked over.

“Daddy!” Ella ran to him, and he picked her up.

“Hi, princess. What’s going on?”

“Mom hurt her knee really bad. She can barely walk, and Uncle Conner won’t help her.”

“I did not say that!” He pointed at Ella.

Nathan put Ella down, picked me up, and carried me to one of the exam rooms.

“Come on, bro.” He gestured to Conner.

He laid me on the exam table, and Conner looked at my knee.

“Tell me what happened,” Conner said.

“I was doing pirouettes, my knee buckled, and I fell.”

“Were you doing them too fast?” His eye narrowed.

“Maybe. I have a lot on my mind.”

Conner looked at Nathan.

“She yelled at my principal,” Ella said.

“What? Why?” Nathan stared at me.

“Because she took it upon herself to schedule an appointment for the three of us to go to Oak Crest tomorrow at noon.”

“She told her that she just can’t take it upon herself to schedule people’s lives. Then my principal asked Mom to have you call her, which made her madder.”

“I’m in a lot of pain, okay?” I loudly voiced. “And that woman was irritating me.”

“I’ll give you the injection this last time,” Conner said. “And I’m putting you in a brace for two weeks.”

“Conner—”

He put his finger up. “Sofia, don’t. You need it so that your knee can calm down. And after the wedding, you’re having surgery.”

“But—”

“No buts, babe.” Nathan squeezed my hand. “You have to listen to your doctor.”

I narrowed my eye at Conner.

“Don’t give me that look. You know I love you. Knowing that I can fix you and you won’t let me is killing me inside.” He smirked. “I’ll be right back. I’ll go get Lindsey and have her grab the brace.”

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