The One (Coming Home To The Grove 3)

“It’s good to see you like this, Liv. You seem happy.”

She seems surprised, either by my words or the fact that she’s just now realizing that she is in fact happy. “I am happy. I mean, all I do is work. I know I need to take a night off—and soon. But yeah, I’m glad I moved back to Forest Grove.”

We get to the game and are sitting in the VIP section just as Brody takes the mound. I don’t know how, but it’s like he senses I’m here and his eyes land on me. The smile that forms on his face has my heart beating triple time in my chest. We’re going to be okay, I think to myself.

He throws the first three pitches and strikes the batter out. The next two batters are out with a caught foul ball and a ground ball to the first baseman. He ended up pitching a 5 pitch inning, which is about unheard of. He’s pitching the game of his life, a shut-out against the number one team in the league. And each inning he takes the mound, he’s covering his heart with his hat – his signal to me.

Olivia and I both are so excited, we can’t even sit down. It’s the last inning, and there's two outs and a three-two count. The whole stadium is on their feet. This game is not going like it was expected to go. It was projected that the Mavericks would lose. If they win, the whole seeding for the playoffs will be upturned.

Brody pitches the ball, and I’m hoping for a strike or an easily caught ball. Just like all the other Maverick fans, but instead it’s a line drive back at him, and it hits him right in the head.

I stand at the fence freaking out. Olivia is doing her best to calm me down, but until I see Brody open his eyes I’m not going to calm down. He's carried off the field, and I don’t even ask. I jump into the back of the ambulance. The paramedics try to remove me until the coach tells them I’m his wife. I hold Brody’s hand the whole way to the hospital. He’s out of it, there’s blood pouring from his head, and I’ve never been so scared in all my life.

The ride is calm compared to when we get to the hospital. While they are running tests, Kyle and Olivia show up and wait with me.

“Rose, you have to stay calm. You have the baby to think about now. You’re going to make yourself sick.”

Knowing she’s right, I take deep breaths in and out, trying to get myself under control.

But I can’t stop thinking about these last few weeks and about how I’d held Brody at arm’s length when he was trying to apologize and make things right.

There’s so much regret. I should have talked to him and told him how I was feeling instead of running away.

I should have believed him when he said he didn’t cheat on me.

There’s so many things I screwed up, and all I can do is sit here and pray that I get a chance to make things right.

Hours go by, and they still won’t let me back to see him. They’re running numerous tests, and the waiting room is now packed with almost all of his teammates and coaches.

Kyle walks over to me. “Can I get you a coffee? Oh wait, coffee isn’t good for the baby, is it? I don’t need Brody kicking my ass for giving you something I shouldn’t. How about milk? Or some juice? Heck, I don’t know.”

I reach up and grab on to his hand. I know he’s torn up about Brody too. “Decaf would be great, Kyle. Thank you.”

“I need to stretch my legs. I think I’ll go with you,” Olivia says before turning to me. “That is, if you’ll be okay.”

I assure her I’m fine and watch Olivia and Kyle walk away. If it was another time, I would try matchmaking. It looks like they could possibly hit it off with each other. But my thoughts are interrupted when the doors swing open.

“Rose Hall,” the doctor announces.

“Yes! Yes, that’s me,” I say, rushing toward her.

Brody’s tests came out okay.

He has a bad concussion.

But he’s going to be okay!

“He’s actually a very lucky man. This could have been so much worse.”

His teammates are all cheering behind me, and the emotion I’ve been trying so hard to contain wells over.

The waterworks start, and I’m sobbing. “Thank you, thank you. Can I see him?”

I hug the coach and tell them to please make sure Kyle and Olivia know what’s going on. I follow the doctor down the hallway, and she leads me to his bedside.

“He’s been in and out. We’re trying to keep him up, so the more you talk or get him talking, the better.”