“There’s not a side. We’re a family. Why should you sit home all day if you find something else that makes you happy, Mom?” He let out a sigh. “I’m glad you’re enjoying your job. I’m proud of you. You wanted something more, and you went out and got it.” His mom patted his hand. “I hope they’ll still let you come back after you had to come out here to hang out with me for a little while.”
“The HR person told me there’s a federal law that protects a leave of absence taken to care for a member of my family.” She twirled the bracelet around with her other hand. “I might have to do some retraining or something when I go back, but I want to go back. It doesn’t mean I don’t love your dad. I need something for myself. You understand, don’t you?”
“Yeah, Mom. I do.” His shoulder was twinging. He should get his ass back to bed for a while, but he wanted to make sure he got the next part out. “You might be going back sooner than you think. I’m going to ask the Sharks if I can rehab in California.”
“Honey, you just had surgery two days ago—”
“I’ll make sure the doctor signs off on it before I get on a plane. I need to find a rehab facility that I can find a place to stay close by. I’ll do those things, and then I’m going to go find out what happens when I can spend a little more time with Kendall. If she won’t let me in the front door of her house, I plan on groveling.”
He heard the “chirp” of an incoming text.
I miss you, too.
Chapter Eighteen
* * *
DREW SPENT THE next several days learning to do the smallest things for himself, such as dressing, using the men’s room (thankfully, he figured that one out rather quickly), and eating anything that required the use of a fork and a knife. Showering was still a challenge. Someone else needed to secure his hair in the low ponytail he typically wore it in each morning. He couldn’t drive. He got picked up in the morning for conditioning and physical therapy, and he was still on painkillers for the aftereffects of a few hours of adventures with the Sharks’ training staff.
Luckily, nobody seemed to care that his wardrobe consisted of anything clean he could pull on at the moment, otherwise known as warm-ups and oversized T-shirts. He’d repacked his suitcase for this reality. After a week of dealing with the aftereffects of shoulder surgery, though, he could see the light at the end of the tunnel. It was dim, but it was there. He was going to spend months rehabbing his shoulder, but he would recover.
Drew walked out of his house, locked the door, and stood looking at it for a minute or two. Chuck was behind the wheel of the SUV idling in his driveway. It wasn’t nice to make Chuck wait, but it was a ritual of sorts: He’d shut the door on the life he thought he would have. It was time to see what else might be in store.
Two hours later, Drew strolled into the Sharks’ head trainer’s office after his latest workout.
“Hey, Stan. Do you have a minute?” he said.
Stan had been with the team for fifteen years. He was known around the league for the excellence of his training and conditioning programs. The Sharks had benefited from his expertise. It would be smarter for his career to stay in Seattle for the next several months, but Kendall wasn’t in Seattle.
“Sure, Drew.” Stan nodded toward the chair beside his desk. “Have a seat. What’s on your mind?”
“I’ve talked with my agent and the coaching staff this morning already. I’d like to rehab in California at least four days a week for the next few months, if that will work for you.”
“Are you unhappy with what’s going on here?”
“No. Not at all.” Drew leaned forward a little and braced one arm on the desk. “There’s someone special in California—”
“Say no more,” Stan said. “Do you need a recommendation or suggestions on who to work with? I know some guys.”
“They know you too,” Drew assured him. “They would like to be able to coordinate with you and the staff here, if that will work.”
“It’ll work.” Stan stuck out his hand, and Drew shook it. “Someone special, huh? Maybe you could bring her by sometime and introduce me.”
“I’d like that. I’ll also keep you up to date with the workouts and what’s happening.”
“You do that,” Stan said. He grinned at Drew. “Guys are dropping like flies, aren’t they?” Drew knew his comment had nothing to do with injuries, and everything to do with the fact more than a few Seattle Sharks were now sporting a wedding ring. “I’ll see you in June for OTAs.”