Inked In Love

Thirty One

I was an hour late to work, thanks to taking my dad to a hospital appointment. His back pain had been getting worse, and it had taken relentless coaxing to get him to see a doctor. Why are men so stubborn about asking for help?

As I walked through campus, my head was buried in my phone, juggling emails from parents and staff that flooded my inbox. The sheer volume was overwhelming.

Pushing open the door to my office, I froze at the unexpected scene in front of me. Bryony sat at the table, her head down, tears streaming into a mound of tissues. Hallie hovered nearby, her tablet in hand, while Theo stood behind Bryony, gently rubbing her back.

This can't be good.

"Can you give us a minute?" I asked, stepping inside. I needed to speak to Bryony alone, especially since I'd been the one to suggest she get a few tests done.

Hallie gave me a brief nod, clutching her tablet as she left the room. Theo touched my arm before following her, but not before shooting me a concerned glance.

I approached Bryony and crouched down beside her. "Hey, honey. Look at me," I said softly, reaching for her trembling hands. She was clutching the tissues so tightly they were starting to shred.

Her normally polished appearance was absent. Her hair hung loose in waves, and she wore an oversized hoodie that draped over her tanned legs. This wasn't the Bryony I knew.

She kept her eyes fixed on the floor.

"Bryony," I urged, "you're crying, and you don't even know the result yet. Come on, talk to me."

She shook her head, her voice cracking. "It doesn't matter, Coach. I was stupid enough to let this happen. Why would he do this to me? He knows how important swimming is to me." Fresh tears spilled down her face as she buried it in her hands.

I sighed, unsure of how to comfort her.

The door opened slightly, and Theo poked his head inside. "Girls, I can only keep this boy calm for so long before I get charged with assault," he said, his tone light but serious.

Bryony let out a weak laugh despite herself.

"That boy out there," I said gently, "is fighting a professional football player because he cares about you. You both knew what you were getting into, and it's not fair to place all the blame on him."

Normally, I'd be furious that one of my students had risked so much. But anger wouldn't help here. This required a different approach.

"I'm so sorry, Coach," she whimpered, her hands trembling.

I placed my hands over hers. "Bryony, you're not pregnant."

She shook her head, tears still spilling. "You don't know that."

"All three tests you took came back negative," I said, holding up Hallie's tablet with the results displayed. "And Hallie just confirmed it."

Bryony hesitated, her tear-filled eyes finally glancing at the screen. "But... I've been sick. And it just seemed..."

I leaned back against the table, giving her a moment. "I know it seemed like it, but the results don't lie. Will you talk to him now? Before I do?" I added with a teasing tone. She knew I wouldn't hesitate to embarrass them both if she didn't.

She gave me a weak nod.

At my signal, Theo released Josh, who had been waiting outside, and the boy quickly entered the room.

I followed Theo and Hallie out, giving the two of them space to talk. Once outside, I exhaled, the tension in the air finally easing.

"Is she okay?" Melissa's voice startled me. She stood nearby, her worry evident.