Always on My Mind (Stanmore FC Soulmates #2)

29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Match day, on the pitch, was where Jamie could thrive again. She couldn’t control Tessa or her father or the press. But she could control the game. And she had excellent command in their match against Sunderland. Fortunately, so did her teammates, as they had played Sunderland last season, before they were both promoted to the WSL. The Stanmore women were controlling possession and timing their passes perfectly. Monika had already gotten two shots off—one hit the crossbar and the other was blocked by the keeper.

As the Sunderland keeper made her way up to the end of the box, Jamie and the rest of the Stanmore side retreated back to their end of the pitch. Jamie paused once she reached her position in the formation, and waited to see what the keeper would do.

She rolled it out to one of her defenders. Jamie waited where she was, since the ball wasn’t on her side of the pitch. The Sunderland defender got past Monika with a nutmeg, then passed it to another player on the back line. She received it and passed again. The last defender at the back looked away for one moment, and Jamie saw an opportunity. She raced forward and picked the pocket of the defender before taking off down the pitch.

“Shit!” she heard the defender cry, but Jamie was already putting yards between them.

She glanced up. Acres of space stretched before her toward the goal. She knew she could make a run and attempt to score by herself. But the goalkeeper was waiting.

None of her Stanmore teammates had made a run yet. Monika sprinted up the middle, so Jamie slowed down a hair to give her striker time. Before she could pass, a Sunderland defender was upon her again, and she had to tuck her shoulder and get around her. Jamie glanced up again, but Monika was offside. She couldn’t pass yet. Zahra huffed it up the pitch for support, but she had two women marking her and Jamie didn’t want to lose possession if they could create an opportunity instead. She paid them back with a nutmeg of her own and continued down the pitch toward the penalty box.

Once she was close enough, Monika was in a perfect position for a header. Jamie had the goalkeeper’s attention. One good cross, and they would have the opening goal. She planted her foot and swung the other back to cross it.

Her back foot never reached the ball. A Sunderland defender came in with a sliding tackle, studs up, and aimed right for Jamie’s ankle. A blinding pain shot up Jamie’s leg. She crumpled with a scream onto the pitch.

When she hit the ground, she screamed again, clutching at her leg. The pain was excruciating. Not the normal sting and throb from a tackle. This was the kind of pain that knocked the breath out of her. Cold sweat beaded at her hairline. Her vision darkened in the corners of her eyes. She squeezed her eyes shut and sobbed.

She barely heard the frantic cries for a medic from her teammates over the sound of her blood pounding in her ears. She wanted to chop her ankle off. Surely that would be less painful than the hammering ache.

Slowly, she forced her eyes open and looked at her foot. The angle it was in made her stomach turn. Bile rose up in her throat. She knew she was going to vomit seconds before it happened. She turned on her side and let her dinner come back up and drop to the grass.

Her throat burned, but it was nothing compared to her ankle. She had never been in so much pain in all her life. She could hear shouting all around her. Where was the stretcher? The medical staff?

As if summoned by her thoughts of them, they were suddenly around her. A pair of gloved hands picked up her leg, sending a fresh stab of fire through her.

“Fuck!” she screamed. “Fuck, that hurts!”

“We’ve got to get it in a splint, Jamie,” Ruby said gently. “Grit your teeth or something, this won’t feel nice.”

She also offered her hand, which Jamie took. Eyes stinging, she braced herself. She swallowed another scream as they handled her leg, but she couldn’t watch it. She laid back and covered her eyes with her arm.

“Jamie!” Zahra’s panicked voice called.

Jamie peeked at her from behind her elbow. Zahra took her free hand. “Do you want anyone to come with you to hospital?” She glanced at Ruby. “That is where she’s going, right?”

“Abso-fucking-lutely,” Ruby said.

“You all have to finish the match,” Jamie said. “I can’t ask you to—”

“Do you want someone with you?” Zahra repeated, firmer this time.

The only person Jamie wanted at her side when she was that frightened was Tessa. She let her gaze slide to the touchline. Tessa’s hand covered her mouth. Jamie didn’t try to catch her eye. She knew what the answer would be.

Zahra, however, caught the look.

“I’ll ask her,” she said, and was off before Jamie could protest.

To Jamie’s shock, Tessa followed Zahra out onto the pitch. Jamie was in too much pain to feel awkward. She only reached for Tessa’s hand, and to her relief, Tessa took it.

“Is it broken?” Tessa asked, glancing between the physios.

“We won’t know for sure until there’s an x-ray, but, in my professional opinion, yes, it’s broken,” Ruby said. “All an x-ray will tell you is where the break is.”

Tessa scowled. “That bitch deserved that red card. And if there were any justice, she’d get worse.”

Tessa’s quick defense of her made Jamie’s chest warm. Which was in contrast to the rest of her body which had gone cold and clammy.

Broken.

The word hit Jamie like a second tackle. A broken bone meant the end of her season. If it was bad enough, it could mean the end of her career. Even if she did play again, she might never be the same. Her father was going to lose his mind.

She couldn’t think about him right now. All she wanted was to get to the hospital and get some fucking pain medication because if she didn’t get something soon, she would gnaw off her own leg. She squeezed Tessa’s hand while they got her onto the bright orange stretcher. She continued to hold Tessa’s hand as they walked her off the pitch. She waved to the fans with her free hand, and they clapped for her. She would have been touched if she could have processed anything beyond the ache.

Once they were in the back of the ambulance van and headed to A&E, Tessa pulled out her phone.

“Texting Nelle?” Jamie asked.

She hoped some conversation might be a good distraction.

“No, I’m texting my ma,” Tessa said. “I’m telling her where to meet us.”

“Your mother is here?”

“Aye, she came back with me to visit. Thought I could use the support since I was only drinking heavily and sleeping after. . . you know.”

“Yeah. I know.”

Jamie went quiet for a moment. Once they had given her some painkillers, her mind cleared enough to think about her breakup again. It was oddly nice to know that Tessa had been suffering too. Not that Jamie didn’t think it hurt for them both, but usually being dumped was more painful than doing the dumping. It was less wounding to the ego to be the one who made the decision. But drinking and sleeping? It sounded as if Tessa was as upset about it as Jamie was.

“One wee positive came from your injury,” Tessa said with a smirk. “You finally held my hand in a stadium full of people.”

A chuckle fell from Jamie’s lips. “Sweet, suffering Jesus.”

Tessa feigned offense. “Hey, now, that’s my line!”

They shared a laugh. Tessa interlocked her fingers with Jamie’s.

“You’re gonna be alright, Jamie,” Tessa said. “I promise.”

Jamie hoped it was true. Upon arrival at the hospital, they rushed her into a back room for an x-ray. Then, they took her to a private room to wait for her results. Where they also gave her an IV to help with the pain.

Mrs. Gallagher arrived, appearing exactly as Jamie remembered her—in a kitten themed jumper and mum jeans, sensible trainers, and glasses. Her face had little color as she glanced between Jamie and her daughter. She locked eyes with Jamie.

“Are you alright, love?” she asked, a little breathless. “Is it broken? Tessa said it’s probably broken.”

“I’m okay right now, thank you,” Jamie said. The concern was nice. “We’re waiting to see the x-ray.”

“Ach, well, you just rest then,” Mary Ann said, patting Jamie’s arm. “I’m sure it’ll all be fine.”

She reached into her tote bag and pulled out a knit blanket, which she draped over Jamie’s legs.

“Can’t have you getting cold, now,” she muttered.

“A blanket, Ma?” Tessa questioned.

“We can’t have her getting sick on top of having a broken leg, Tessa!” Mary Ann shot back. “Christ, are you trying to kill her?”

Tessa only rolled her eyes. Jamie held back a giggle.

Her smile disappeared when the doctor arrived, and her father was hot on his heels.

The doctor, a middle-aged, balding white man with big, round glasses and absurd bow tie, breezed into the room. He immediately put some distance between himself and Dexter, who had not even looked at Jamie yet.

“Doctor, I—”

“Mr. Hupp, I have heard your concerns, but your daughter is my patient, not you,” he said, cutting across Dexter. He met Jamie’s gaze. The gray eyes behind the glasses were kind. “Hello, Jamie. I’m Dr. Watson.”

“Like from Sherlock Holmes?” Mary Ann blurted out.

He smirked at her. “I get that all the time.”

“I’m sure you do, being English and all,” she said.

He turned his attention back to Jamie. “Jamie, I’m sorry to tell you this, but your ankle is broken. Badly broken.”

Jamie opened her mouth to ask what that meant, but her father jumped in instead.

“How badly?” he demanded. “When is she going to be match fit again?”

Dr. Watson shot an annoyed glare at Dexter, but answered anyway. “This sort of break will require surgery, followed by rest and recovery, and then physical therapy. It’s difficult to estimate now, but it could be a year before she is playing at the level she was before.”

The blood drained from Dexter’s face as he shook his head. “No. No, this can’t be. She’s got to get better sooner than that. Do you know how quickly athletes lose their relevance? A year? Are you sure?”

The doctor answered, but Jamie didn’t hear. Panic rose in her chest, clawing at her ribcage. Her father had not even looked at her. Had not asked if she was okay. Had made no effort to comfort her. Her mother’s words echoed in her mind.

He’s taken you too, hasn’t he?

The blurred image of Theo’s face flashed in her mind. The clear memory of his body under a sheet, one hand dangling out swam into her view. He would let her hurt—he would let her die—for football. Icy fear slid into her gut.

“Oh my God,” she whispered. “Oh my God.”

“Jamie?” Tessa questioned, her eyes searching Jamie’s face.

Jamie struggled to inhale. “Tessa—he’s—I can’t—he’s going to kill me.”

“Jamie, it’s alright,” Tessa said. She sandwiched Jamie’s hand between hers. “You’re having a panic attack, but it’s alright. You’re in good care now.”

Dexter finally looked at Jamie, a scowl pulling down on his mouth. “What are you on about?”

Jamie didn’t address him. “He’s going to kill me, Tessa. I can’t do this, I can’t let him!”

“Jamie, what are you—”

Tessa didn’t get to finish her question. Dexter interrupted.

“You’re being ridiculous, Jamie! What am I paying that therapist for if you’re still acting like this, eh? Jesus fucking Christ, pull yourself together!”

“Hold on, that’s your wain!” Mary Ann protested. “Your own flesh and blood! You can’t be talking to her that way when she’s this low.”

“She’s my daughter, I can talk to her however I see fit.”

He reached for Jamie, but Mary Ann stood between them and pushed him back.

“Oh, no you don’t!” she warned. “That girl is my wain now! And you best not be putting your hands on one of mine, you old English prick!”

“How dare you!” Dexter cried.

He raised himself up to his full height, no doubt to say more, but Jamie would not be letting him. Now was the time.

“I won’t let you do to me what you did to my brother!” Jamie shouted.

Tears streamed down her face. Her whole body trembled. She was terrified. But she was going to do this, anyway. For herself, and everyone who loved her.

Dexter paled. “How dare you bring up my son!”

“How dare you call yourself his father!” Jamie retorted. “You were never a father to either of us! Theo died because of you! And the hatred in your heart!”

“What do you—”

“I know that Theo was gay. And I know you made him feel bad enough about it to take his own life. Well, I won’t let you take mine!”

She pulled a stunned Tessa closer to her.

“This woman, here?” she said. “This is Tessa Gallagher. She is the love of my life. My soulmate. And after today, the whole world will know it.”

His lips quivered with rage. He opened his mouth, but Jamie had heard enough from him. Enough for a lifetime.

“Get out of this room and get out of my life,” she ordered. “Permanently. Do not call, do not text, do not come to my home. Ever again.”

And with that, Dexter Hupp, Jamie’s father, walked away from her. He didn’t yell. He didn’t threaten her. He said nothing at all. At her command, he was gone, leaving an astounded silence in his wake.

Until Dr. Watson cleared his throat.

“Well,” he said. “I suppose you all have some things to discuss. I need to speak with some surgeons and your club physician. I’ll be back in a little while to check on you and let you know what we’ve come up with as far as a treatment plan.”

“Thank you,” Jamie said. “Sorry you had to see all that.”

“Quite alright,” he assured her.

Then he too was gone. Mrs. Gallagher followed after him, whispering something about giving them a moment, but Jamie wasn’t listening. The room had condensed down to her and Tessa.

Once they were alone, Tessa rounded on Jamie. “Is that true? You had a brother who—who died that way?”

Jamie swallowed. “Yes. I’m sorry I never told you, Tessa. I’m sorry for everything. I’m sorry I let myself live in fear of him for so long that it cost me our relationship. Twice. I meant what I said. I love you and I’m ready now to tell the world.”

Tessa’s watery eyes were filled with joy. “Oh, Jamie. . . ”

She claimed Jamie’s lips in a tender kiss. Jamie’s heart soared. She had finally broken the chains her father had placed on her, and she was free. Free to recover from her injury. Free to love Tessa. Free to be her most authentic self.

Most importantly, she was grateful. She knew that she could never have faced her father alone. Her true family was at her side all along.