Chapter 164
Today is the day for the charity game Silas told me about. It’s been a while since I last attended a game for him. Although I have been to numerous games by now, I still get incredibly anxious whenever I see him on the field. My mind always thinks of the multiple injuries he may suffer from and the mere idea of seeing him in pain puts me in so much agony.
I wish he had one of those office jobs that would not put him at risk, but I know how much he loves American football, so all I can do is be happy for him while praying with everything in me that he stays safe.
“Hi Rosie.” I turn around when I hear a familiar voice. Perla, Mateo’s girlfriend, takes a seat beside me. Mateo and Silas have grown close to each other, especially after Knox moved away. We’ve been to their place before and they’ve been to ours too. While Silas and Mateo are very close to each other now, Perla and I are not. We are friendly and usually hang out together when there’s a game, but our friendship isn’t more than that.
When Sabrina told me that they were going to move to Colorado, I cried for two hours, because I had grown very close to her over the years. She cried too when she saw me cry and both of us were unconsolable for a while. Fortunately, we’ve gotten used to being away from each other, but we talk regularly
“How have
you
been?” I ask her.
“I’m all good. What about you?” she replies with a smile.
“I’m fine. Very busy with work though,” I tell her, taking a sip from the drink I have in my hand.
“Same here. Paris fashion week is approaching and I’m already fully booked for the whole week,” she fills me in. Perla is an amazing make–up artist and she has a long waiting list.
“So, if I want you to be on my team during my fashion show, which is in five months, what can I do?” I wonder, smiling at
her.
“Just give me a specific day three months in advance and I will be there,” she replies, opening a can of diet soda.
We spend the next thirty minutes chatting about various topics and I learn that she has just gotten engaged last month. The happy look she has on her face while delivering the news reminds me of how happy I was when Silas proposed to me. I felt like I owned the world and didn’t want anything else in life. I felt that all that we had been through did not go in vain. In fact, it made us stronger and more appreciative of one another.
Soon, the game starts and as always, my heartbeats quicken the moment the collision begins. Every time, I keep telling myself that I won’t be nervous and Silas always makes it home safe and sound, but seeing him on the field makes me forget all the soothing words I always tell myself before each game. How am I supposed to stay calm when I see my husband get tackled by a two–hundred–pound player? How am I supposed to convince myself that the helmet is enough to protect his head and face?
The first half ends peacefully, and by peacefully I mean without anybody getting injured.
I chat with the other wives and girlfriends while we all wait for the other half to start. Our team is three points behind, but we all know that three points are basically nothing since we still have half of the game left. A lot can happen in just one quarter.
‘m concerned there’s no drama going around. Whenever I’m not close to any girl here, but we’re all friendly and as far as the club holds a dinner or lunch gathering, most of us show up with our partners.
I’m supposed to be meeting my cousin, Gabbie, after the game to hang out with each other. She hasn’t been doing well lately because she has been going through a rough time with her boyfriend.
From the very beginning of their relationship, Gabbie has been open about what she wants in life. She wants to make a family and get married. Apparently, her boyfriend’s views have recently changed. He doesn’t want either thing and I know my cousin well, this isn’t something she’s willing to give up.
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Tue,
Chapter 164
She wants to make a big family like the one she has been raised in. She wants to wear a wedding dress and have her father walk her down the aisle. At some point, her boyfriend wanted the same things too, but it seems like some things suddenly change.
The second half soon starts, and anybody can tell that our team is doing its best to make up for the lost points. It doesn’t take them long to score a touchdown, but there’s something about the attitude of the opposing team I don’t like. They are getting more aggressive, and I have a bad feeling that things won’t end well.
I have seen a lot of football games and when a team acts this way, somebody always gets hurt. I’m not entirely sure what has fueled them to act like that at a charity game. At the end of the day, there’s no cup to take home. This is all about raising money for sick children.
“Is it just me or they’re getting slightly aggressive?” Perla asks.
“I
“They’re getting very aggressive,” I mutter, looking at her. Her eyes are glued to the field, and I think she is as worried as I
- am.
My heart hammers in my chest as I silently wish for the game to end as soon as possible. I cannot see the number of each player clearly from my place, so I don’t know where Silas is exactly.
“Do you want to take a look?” a footballer’s wife asks me as she hands me the binoculars she’s holding. I’m usually opposed to using binoculars because when I brought mine with me once, I kept looking for Silas the whole time and my anxiety intensified. However, I want to know how things are going, so I thank her and take them from her.
It doesn’t take me time to spot Silas. He is doing well and running at full speed. Just when I’m about to give her the binoculars back, my eyes catch a player speeding towards my husband, making my heart skip a beat in fear.
In the blink of an eye, Silas gets tackled, but the clash is rather strong. I jump up from my place when another player lands over my husband.
“Leave the damn ball, Silas,” I mutter. My heart is about to stop. When the referee approaches and tells them to move away, I wait for my husband to stand up on his feet, but the moment never comes.
BW–Why is he not getting up?” I mumble, looking at everybody around me. I’m not sure why I’m asking them, but I want anybody to assure me that he will be okay.
I feel somebody’s hand on my shoulder and with trembling hands, I bring the binoculars to my eyes again. He is still on the ground. I gasp upon seeing paramedics making their way towards him.
“I need to go to him! I can’t just stay here!” I say, and turn around to run out of the premium seating area, but end up stumbling.
“Rosie, wait.” Perla holds me back before I fall. “I need a bottle of water.” I hear her say. A player’s dad helps me sit down and another person gives me a water bottle to drink.
“Is he up on his feet? Please tell me he’s okay,” my voice cracks, already thinking of the worst.
“The paramedics have taken him,” somebody informs me and my eyes widen. I jolt from my seat and rush out of the whole place. I find a security guard and quickly tell him who I am.
“He’s my husband. I need to see him,” I sa
tears rushing down my cheeks.
tackled “Okay. Come with me.” The security guard guides me to where they take the players when they get injured. There are a lot of terrible scenarios in my head and no matter how hard I try, they don’t go away. I saw it all. I saw the way he got and how more than two players landed on top of him to snatch the ball from his
grasp.
Maybe it’s not as bad as I think. Maybe it is just a minor concussion, and we will both go home together tonight. I shouldn’t be pessimistic, right?
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Chapter 164
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I don’t know how long it takes me to reach the clinic, but when I do, my heart threatens to jump out of my chest. I’m afraid to ask about him. I’m petrified of the possibility of him being gravely injured.
“Is Silas okay? Can I see him? I’m his wife,” I dump my questions on the first person I see who happens to be a paramedic.
“Silas Cromwell? He has just been transferred to the hospital.” My blood runs cold upon hearing that.
I just know that my husband is far from okay.
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