Hockey Mom

Chapter 8

Wayne and his teammates skate onto the ice. Wayne looks relaxed and confident, much like Mike used to look. The puck is dropped and they are off. Wayne skates quickly down the ice, his defender trails him intent on slamming him into the boards. Wayne manages to skate just out of the way, when he receives the puck and scores! Everyone is in the stands cheering except for me and Mike. The period continues. With every board slam, stick hit, puck sound, Mike and I jump hoping that it wasn't Wayne. After the period ends Wayne's team is up by 3. We hope that with the that his coach will take him out. We can see Wayne's coach talking to him, but Wayne is shaking his head no. His coach looks back at us looking defeated. He nods and allows Wayne back on. The 2nd period begins. Wayne skates off again except this time his defender catches up with him. My eyes get wider, Mike's hand squeezes mine. Wayne then gets plowed right into the boards. He falls lifeless. I scream. People stare, just as they did 15 years ago. Mike and I rush towards the aisle. We manage to hop over the side. I run onto the ice first, I look at my boy lifeless. Tears streaming down my face I look over at Mike he's making his way into the ice.

"Mike no!" I yell.
He looks up, but keeps going. I didn't know what to do, I yell at one of Wayne's teammates to skate over to Mike and help him, but it's too late Mike slips and falls. Right then I saw the blood and the fear pushing through my body made me numb. I can' breathe, think, talk. My body feels like it's shutting down, and slowly the world turns black.

I wake up in a sweat looking around my hospital room. Dorothy is here reading a magazine. She she's me and smiles.
"Dorothy!"
"Hey mom," she walks over to me and takes my hand.
"Where's Wayne where's your father."
My hand shakes in her hand, but Dorothy simply looks at me with tears in her eyes.
"Mom, Wayne's uhh well he's"
Dead I think.
"What?" I ask.
"Well the doctor' say he's fine, but well he hasn't woken up yet."
"No!" I scream.
Dorothy's face switches from comforting to frightened. I begin to quiver with sadness, when I think of Mike. By then Doctor Richards has come in and escorts Dorothy out of the room.
"Shirley,"
"Where's Mike where's my Mike?"
Doctor Richards looks down and says,
"He's in a coma, but,"
"But what?"
"It's worse this time, I told you that if he fell like that again he could die and well."
"Is he?" My heart in my throat.
"No, but he may not have that much time left."
"Are you saying that my husband is going to die?" Tears blurring my vision, dry heaves leaving me breathless.
"I can't say for sure, but as of right now yes."
I don't really remember what happened next all I remember is that the color drained form the world, sound left, my voice was no longer, and I felt nothing.