Page 129 of Running
“THAT’S NOT HIS GIRLFRIEND. THAT’S MY SISTER.”
“Shit, Landon, you need to calm down. I’m sorry that you need to hear this way, but they’re dating. He’d want her there.”
…
…
“I’m here, Johnson. With your mom.”
“Grace. Goldie.”
“It’s me. We’re going to the hospital now.”
Beep. Beep. Beep.
I hear the sounds before any of my other senses come back.
And then I wish mightily they hadn’t come back becausefuckdoes my head hurt.
So does my neck, for that matter. Shit, it’s agony to turn my neck.
“Johnson,” Mom’s voice comes before I can actually see her. “Don’t try to move. You’re going to be alright, but you have a nasty concussion and strained muscles.”
I try to speak, but my throat is so dry, my tongue sticky.
“Let me get you some water.”
She brings me a small paper cup, and I take a couple of sips as she tips the cup into my mouth.
“Slow, Johnny.”
We’re quiet for a while, with her periodically having me sip some more water.
Eventually, I work up the energy to form more words.
“Game?”
Mom nods her head, knowing what I’m asking. “Yes, sweetie, you guys won.”
I shut my eyes and stay still. Thank god I didn’t let down the guys.
“Plenty of time to worry about football again. The doctors say they expect you to make a full recovery. It’ll be slow going right now.”
My heart lurches. That means I’ll miss games…
“For how long?”
Mom uses her most soothing voice on me. The one that she’d bring out when she had to break bad news to me as a child.
“We don’t know yet, Johnny, I’m sorry. Let’s focus on getting you better.”
The pain from that news is almost as bad as my pounding head.
I realize then that I have no clue how much time has passed. “What day is it?”
“It’s Monday. You’ve been in and out of it for a day.”
I lost a day.
