Chapter 3
Practice days were practice days, game days were game days, exams and midterms were test days. The one thing they all in had in common was the fact that they were dedicated to one thing and one thing only. On the summer days when training camp has just begun and two a day practices are literally expected and looked down above you don't participate, the entire day was dedicated to Tristan and making sure he made it through safely. Game days were always sacred but now even more they were basically the center piece that Tristan and Arianna's life revolved around. Everything was planned around game days, the practices and every press date and mandatory charity event in between. They didn't even make plans pass July before the new seasons schedule came out.
In the same regard as Arianna was dedicated to making sure Tristan excelled in football. He made sure she excelled in school. With her bachelors in biology already under her belt thanks many late nights and taking 18 credit semesters, Arianna was now in year two of medical school. The pressure was on but Tristan never let her slip.
He was like her own motivator and drill Sargent in one. Before each exam no matter what even if Tristan had practice the next morning bright and early, if Arianna felt an all nighter was necessary to pass then he was up with her until she got that material down.
Too many times were being the woman of the arm of a ball player made women feel like their dreams were irrelevant and forgotten compared to her partner's. That wasn't going to be Arianna because Tristan wouldn't let it. She was going to get that Dr. in front of her name just like she was going to carry his last one.
"Baby you know this." He coached as he watched her stress and turn her face up in frustration. It was late around 2 am and they had been at this since around 6. She was tired, he could see it over her face. But there wasn't no quitters in their household.
She'd never let him hear the end of it, if she saw him give up at the end of a play because he refused to kick it up to another gear. And Tristan wasn't going to let her get an average ass grade because she was playing. Sleep was for the wealthy and established.
They were well off but shit.. who was gonna check them when Arianna was Dr. Arianna Hill and Tristan was the highest paid receiver in the league? Nobody and it was well on its way of happening. They both just needed to push harder.
"Tristan, I'm tired. Let's just go to sleep baby." Arianna whined and rubbed his temples. Her frustration was getting the best of her.
"I mean we could" Tristan shrugged and Arianna smiled. "But I ain't in a relationship with no quitter. The woman I love and plan to spend the rest of my life with give her all until she has nothing."
Arianna smiled dropped instantly. She rolled her eyes with emphasis and laid down on her back as if she was dead.
"I don't know it Tristan!! God, that's what you want me to say?? That I'm fucking clueless and probably gonna fail tomorrow." She kicked her feet dramatically.
"That's not gonna work and you know it. Get up and quit being dramatic." Tristan reached beneath her and popped her bra strap.
Arianna jumped her swinging and hit Tristan in the chest. Tristan laughed at her as if her hit actually hurt him.
"I'm not dramatic." She snapped.
"Says the munchkin with her lip pouted out." Tristan smiled and flicked her bottom lip. "You stalling so what's the answer?"
"You know baby we could be working on our baby right now.." Arianna started and reached over and fill up his chest.
Tristan slapped her hand away although even the thought of her having his babies made his groin stir and heart fill with pride. Arianna really was tired when she started trying to play him with the thought of having her knocked up. She wasn't ready yet and they both knew it.
He laughed at her then pulled her close by the back of her head to kiss her deeply. When he released her, he looked into her eyes and spoke. "I recall my baby telling me a million times over, she'll have my baby when she's a Dr and a Mrs in no particular order."
"But Tristan..."
"Nah, you not my wife yet or a doctor. I'm trying to get you pass one so we can have it all. Let's go." Tristan shook her loosely as Arianna slumped her shoulders. She moved and held on tighter in his arms and close her eyes. She hummed lowly rhythmically and Tristan drew her closer, peppering sweet kisses all over her face.
She could have this moment then it was back to work.
"Okay I'm ready. Repeat." She opened her eyes and looked up to him.
"Jeff is a 34 year old white male. After spending the better part of the day playing outdoors with his daughter and son, he came inside Sunday night to watch the game. With the snacks flowing for the game made by his wife who made his favorites: chocolate fudge, peanut butter spinach dip and potato skins. Jeff was enjoying his self until half time when he tried to get up to use the restroom and dropped to the floor. He said it couldn't feel his legs and his wife had to help him to bed. The feeling came back in twenty or so minutes and everything was fine until yesterday morning when this occurred again. What is Jeff's diagnosis?" Tristan read out the clinical to her.
"Hmm temporary paralysis, lots of potassium.. I'm thinking" Arianna though out loud. "Does Jeff have a family history of any health related problems?"
"yeah, Jeff's father is wheelchair bound which happened after a fall off a ladder."
"Okay" she hummed and closed her eyes again. "You said it was playing outside with his kids basically all day before the game?"
"Right."
"I would have to diagnosis Jeff with hyperkalemic periodic paralysis. A genetic disorder that alters his body's ability to break down potassium."
"Wrong." Tristan deadpanned.
"No! It can't be anything else. His father more than likely passed the disorder down to his son but a genetic test was never done before because his father being wheelchair bound seemed to only be related to his accident but it's not. I would do a ECG and draw blood and.."
"My baby smart, she loyal and I love her." Tristan stated and tickled her sides as Arianan was caught off guard still trying to explain herself.
"I was right!!" Arianna exclaimed in between giggles.
"I know but you wanted to give up before. We don't do that." Tristan stopped tickling her and brushed her hair down, looking into her eyes. He was serious now and Arianna could see it.
Arianna swallowed and nodded. "I know. You'll never let me give up and I'll let you give up. Quitting is not us."
"Never have been, never will be."
"That was your last question of the night, we don't have no more clinical flash cards."
"It's like 200 of them."
"I know and you aced all of them. You ready for tomorrow and then some." Tristan got up and pulled Arianna up off the floor with him. Neither of them worried about the mess on the living room floor because they were grown ass hell and tomorrow they would worry about that.
"Tristan?" Arianna called as they both had settled in bed.
"Huh?"
"Thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for loving me even when I'm close to quitting."
"Thank you for loving me and all my flaws baby. Thank you for not running away from me because of the world my talent makes us live in."
"I love you Tristan."
"I love you too Arianna, future Dr and Mrs Hill."
/repoyſU�Dž
