I was really fucking thankful for my friend in that moment. I didn’t know what to say, could hardly look them in the eyes, afraid that if I did, they would see how much Darren meant to me; that no matter what he’d said, they wouldn’t be okay with it and they’d send me away.
“Jeremy, this is Deon, Lee, and Jada,” West continued.
Deon reached out first and shook my hand. “Hi, nice to meet you.”
Lee was next. “Hey, man. What’s up?”
When I got to Jada, I felt her intense stare. It wasn’t bad, just…curious. Working through her thoughts on who I was and probably what it would mean for her son. “Hello,” she finally said. “Darren speaks highly of you.”
“Thank you. All of you as well. Is he… Do you know anything?”
“Mia’s in there with him now. They’re doing x-rays,” Lee answered.
I nodded, and we all fell silent after that. If they were like me, they didn’t know what to say. We waited what felt like an eternity. Jada went back to pacing. Deon and Lee spoke to each other, and West and I stood off to the side.
When the doors opened, Darren’s family rushed to him, surrounding him, Mia already beside him. My pulse raced, my hands wringing together. He was splinted, in a sling and had changed out of his uniform.
“What’d they say?” Jada asked, but from the looks on his and Mia’s faces, I could tell it wasn’t good.
Darren sighed, looked up, and his eyes locked on me. Christ, I would have done anything to go to him, to wrap my arms around him and tell him that no matter what, it would be okay. His gaze softened, and I knew, somehow I fucking knew, he was wishing we could do that very thing. But how could we? Not counting his family, we were at the Lightning Stadium, with security around us and fans not far away.
“Hey…” he said gently. “I’m glad you got down here.”
West nudged me when I didn’t move or reply. Clearly I’d lost my mind and couldn’t figure out what to do or say.
We walked over and joined his family.
Mia said, “We’re looking at a season-ending injury. He has a broken ulna and radius, because of fucking course my brother couldn’t just break one bone. His ulna is basically shattered.”
Darren closed his eyes. I felt his pain, his disappointment. My hands twitched with the need to reach for him.
She continued, “They gave him pain meds, and the surgery’s tomorrow morning.” She dropped her head back. “Fuck. It had to happen this year.”
“Mia…” Lee said.
“Sorry.”
“She’s right.” Darren shrugged. “I can’t…” He shook his head. “I need to get out of here.” I was pretty sure he was about to tremble out of his skin.
“Come home with us. I’ll take care of you and get you to the hospital tomorrow,” Jada said, making my chest tighten.
Darren’s gaze darted to mine again and then away. “I just want to be home tonight.”
“You don’t need to be alone,” Jada said.
“Momma, I’m pretty sure he’s not gonna be,” Mia answered softly.
Every pair of eyes zeroed in on me. Well…that was…uncomfortable. I looked around to make sure security wasn’t paying attention, keeping my voice low as I said, “He was nice enough to let me stay with him, so the least I can do is take care of him.” I almost added that I could get a hotel room if they thought it was better for Darren to go home with Jada, but the way he looked at me, gentle and needy tangled up in sadness, I knew it wasn’t what he wanted. Darren wanted to go home with me, and even though making a good impression with his family was important, he was even more so. “I’ll make sure he has what he needs.”
Mia smiled. I couldn’t read Deon, Lee, or Jada’s expressions.
“Thanks, man,” Darren said to me. Man. It had never bothered me before, but in that moment, it was like a stab to the heart. He looked at his mom. “I’m in good hands, Momma.”
She nodded, and then Mia handed me his medication. I didn’t even realize they kept shit like that around here. She told me how often he could have it and said she’d text the surgery appointment information to Darren.
“I’ll call you later,” West said to me. “I hope you feel better soon, Darren.”
“Thanks.”
West stepped back, which brought Darren and me closer, and Darren said, “You gotta get me milkshakes when I’m sick or hurt. Lots and lots of milkshakes.” He was trying to play it off like he wasn’t upset, but I could feel the disappointment behind his words.
“I’ll get you a whole goddamned ice cream store if it’ll help.”
The way his lips split into a wide grin made my chest swell. “I know,” he answered, and we just stood there, staring at each other.