A Perfect Storm

Chapter Twenty-Six

Jaxon's next soccer game was on the 13th, El had to go grocery shopping that morning and decided to take Neal with her so I wouldn't need to watch him the entire game. I didn't really want to watch it since I don't really care about soccer, but Jaxon was better than the other kids, I was proud of him. He was clearly having fun and doing a great job, until about halfway through the game, he was trying to get the ball from a player on the opposite team, but he tripped over the ball and landed on his left leg with a small shriek. I had ran over to him, they had to pause the game to check on him, he was sitting up, knees bent up to his chest and holding onto his ankle with both hands, "hurts" he said as soon as I got there.

"Your ankle?" He nodded in confirmation, "can I see it?" He didn't respond but he hesitantly took his hands off his ankle after a very long moment. That was when I had to rethink seeing how bad it was, I'd have to take off his cleat to remove his sock and he was in pain, I didn't want to risk hurting him more. "Actually, bud, do you think you can stand?" He shook his head. "Alright, well we're gonna go home" I explained, he reached towards me and I picked him up. Once we got to the car I sat him down in the back seat and got in the drivers seat, "how much does it hurt?" I turned to him.

"A lot"

"Alright, but on a scale from.....falling off something at the park to-your appendix, if you can remember that"

"I can remember that. But it doesn't feel like any of that. It feels like I twisted my ankle but like a gazillion times"

"That bad, huh?" He nodded, "okay, you can take your cleats off, if you want to put your ankle up sit in the middle and put it here" I told him, pointing to the spot between my seat and the passenger seat. He clearly didn't want his leg to be down, he had it pulled close to him. He slowly did what I suggested and after he buckled and I did the same I turned the car on and headed home. Once we got home I carried him inside and set him down on the couch, "alright, foot on the table, let's see if you're okay"

"We aren't supposed to put our feet on the coffee table" he whined.

"When do you care about the rules?" I joked, "Elizabeth isn't home, I need to see if you're okay", he nodded and scooched forwards on the couch so his foot could rest on the table. "Can you take off your shin guard?" He had taken off his sock, but because his shin guard also wrapped around his ankle and bottom of his foot I couldn't see if his leg was broken or anything.

"No" he shook his head, "I-I tried but it hurts and my ankle's stuck"

"What?"

"It won't move. I think it's broken"

"I don't think you landed hard enough for that but we'll see" I wiggled the guard slightly, it did move but it clearly hurt him, "sorry bud. I think I can get this off you, but it's gonna hurt"

He looked worried, "okay"

"Hey, Satchmo, come here" I called him over from where he'd laid down, I signaled him to get on the couch, "There, he can help you, yeah?" I smiled a bit as Satch laid his head on Jaxon's lap. Jaxon nodded, I was able to get his leg out of his shin guard, his ankle was red, a little swollen and bruised but definitely not broken, "I think it's just a sprain"

"But it hurts soooo bad"

"It's not just a minor one, it's gonna hurt, but you're going to be fine. You shouldn't walk on that, but you'll be fine"

"How am I supposed to not walk?"

"I think we have some crutches downstairs...no those'll be to tall for you. Well I have to get you a brace for your ankle so while I'm at the store I'll get some crutches for you too. You gonna be okay on your own?"