Kate McMurray - Out in the Field by Kate McMurray

Author:Kate McMurray [McMurray, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

* * * *

Pain radiated out of his knee and through his whole body. That was mostly what Matt was aware of, although the nurse who couldn’t seem to put in an IV kept buzzing around him like a fly in his periphery.

“Torn ACL,” the doctor said. “Among other things. That knee is a mess. How long has it been bothering you?” Matt tried to focus on the doctor. They’d given him something for the pain, but that had only succeeded in making his head foggy. His knee still hurt like someone had shoved a knife through it. “Um. A while.” At the doctor’s raised eyebrow, he added, “Maybe a year?”

“You’ve been walking around on that knee for a year?” The doctor scribbled something on his clipboard. “Why didn’t you get it checked out sooner?”

“I did. My physical therapist in New York said he wanted to send me to a surgeon, but I refused.”

“Well, I’m not giving you a choice. I know how you sports types are, but I will tell you this. You get reconstructive surgery on that knee, or you’ll never be able to walk again, let alone play baseball. It’s a pretty standard procedure, and it will seriously reduce your pain.”

“Will I be able to play again?”

“Next season. Maybe.” There wasn’t much optimism in the doctor’s voice. “If I’d gotten surgery sooner, would that have made a difference?”

The doctor dropped his arm and slid the clipboard into its slot. “Don’t play that game with yourself. It doesn’t matter. Would it have made a difference? Maybe so, but it might have ended your career sooner as well. It sure as hell doesn’t make a difference now, though, does it?”

“Are you always this much of an asshole?” “Yep. I’m going to try to get your surgery scheduled as soon as possible, but that will probably be tomorrow morning. In the meantime, Hailey will keep you in pain meds. You have any other allergies we should know about? You’re not on other medications? Or anything else?”

“Are you asking about steroids?”

“You take any?”

“No, of course not.”

“Because I’d rather you be honest and avoid an unpleasant reaction than for you to uphold your position.” “I just take the pain meds, and only when the knee is really bad. The only thing I’ve taken in the last forty-eight hours is what the paramedics gave me.” He hadn’t taken anything in anticipation of Iggy’s visit, because he wanted to be awake and lucid for it. He wasn’t sure if it upset him more that his career was effectively over or that he wouldn’t be able to spend tonight with Iggy.

What had happened to his priorities? “You have visitors,” the doctor said. “I’ll be back in a little while. If you get tired, signal Hailey, and she’ll make everyone leave.”

Matt had to assume that Hailey was the buzzing nurse who had, thank God, finally inserted an IV in his arm. They were alone briefly, and she smiled at him. He supposed she was pretty, if you were into small, pale women with delicate faces and not burly Latino men.

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