Page 57 of Balancing Act
Jamie felt her chest tighten, but not how it usually did in hospitals. It wasn’t fear of the past or the memories of her hospital stays creeping in. It was something else. Being here with them, at this moment, felt right. A strange sense of calm washed over her that she hadn’t expected. It was almost like this was where she was supposed to be, where she wanted to be. She glanced at Beth, her heart giving a traitorous tug at the sight of her.
Beth caught her looking, and it was like a spark passed between them, unspoken but undeniable. Jamie quickly avertedher eyes, focusing instead on the pattern of tiles on the hospital floor. She couldn’t go there—not now.
“Thanks for staying, Jamie. It makes me feel better when you’re here.”
Lily’s words were soft and sweet, landing hard on Jamie as the realization hit her. She cared about Lily. Not just peripherally. No, she really cared about Lily. Cared that she was taken care of. There was nowhere else she’d rather be than making sure she was safe.
Her body betrayed her with the rush of warmth that followed. She reminded herself, again, that this was her job, but the lie felt weaker every time she said it. Lily wasn’t just another gymnast, and Beth—Beth meant much more to Jamie than she could admit.
The door opened, and the doctor entered with a clipboard in hand and a reassuring smile.
“Great news,” the doctor said. “Just a sprain. The X-rays show no fractures or breaks. Rest it, and use intermittent ice and elevation for the first twenty-four hours, and you should be back to normal in a few days.”
Lily let out a breath of relief and sagged back against the pillows.
“That’s the best news we could have asked for, right, Lily?” Beth squeezed her hand, smiling.
“We’ll give you a brace for stability and some crutches for the next few days to take the weight off,” the doctor continued. “You’ll bounce back quickly. Make sure to rest.”
Lily nodded, expression a mix of relief and frustration. Jamie knew it all too well—the fear of being sidelined, the anxiety of missing training time. But she wasn’t worried. Lily was resilient—she’d come back from this, like she always did.
“I just need one of your moms to sign a few things for me, and we can get you out of here.” The doctor glanced betweenBeth and Jamie, and her cheeks flushed at the implication that he believed Jamie to be Lily’s mom.
“We’re not—” Jamie started, her hands clamming up.
“I’m her mom,” Beth cut in calmly, unbothered by the assumption. “I can sign.” She reached across the bed for the clipboard from the doctor.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” He smiled politely as Beth waved a hand as if to say, “No problem.” After he gave a few more instructions, he left, leaving the three of them in the quiet hospital room again. Jamie exhaled slowly, the fear that had gripped her body for the past hour finally loosening its hold. Lily was okay. She was going to be okay.
“Can you believe he thought you guys were married?” Lily’s smile was wide, stretching almost ear to ear.
She briefly caught Beth’s eye as she quickly attempted to change the subject, but not before noticing the blush on her cheeks. “See, Lily? Nothing to worry about. Just a sprain. You’ll be back flipping in no time. But you need to rest. And you know I’ll be checking in to make sure you’re really giving your body the recovery time it needs.” She gave Lily a look that saidI mean it.
Lily’s eyes darted back and forth between Jamie and Beth before grinning back. “Thanks, Jamie. For, you know, everything.”
Beth turned to Jamie, her gratitude evident in the way she looked at her. “Thank you. I don’t know what we would’ve done without you.”
Jamie shrugged, trying to play it off. “I should get going. Gotta get back to the gym and update Amanda, and get your evaluation pushed back.”
Lily frowned, her face falling slightly. “Don’t leave,” Lily protested.
“I think your mom can handle things from here,” Jamie said. “I’ll check in with you tomorrow, okay?”
Before Lily could protest further, the door swung open again, and Sarah hurried in, her hair damp and wild from the rain, her face flushed with worry. “Oh my God, Lily! Are you okay?” She rushed over to the bed, crouching beside her daughter and inspecting her leg.
Lily groaned. “I’m fine, Mom. It’s just a sprain.”
Sarah exhaled sharply, her shoulders sagging with relief. She glanced up at Jamie, her expression softening. “Thank you for being here, Jamie. I really appreciate it.”
She watched as Sarah slipped her arm around Beth, and her stomach lurched uncomfortably. She told herself this was precisely what she wanted—Beth with Sarah. But seeing them together now, a tightness settled in Jamie’s chest, which felt dangerously close to jealousy. She should have felt relief. She should have felt something else. Instead, she could only think about the space she had put between herself and Beth.
“And for taking such good care ofourdaughter.” Sarah smiled, but her voice carried that same, slightly caustic tone she’d noticed Sarah use with Sean. Did she know about her and Beth? The thought unsettled her.
Jamie shifted uncomfortably, unable to keep still. “Yeah, well, it’s no problem. Wanted to make sure she was alright.”
Sarah nodded, glancing between Jamie and Beth, and there it was again—a flicker of something passing over her face. She couldn’t be that oblivious. The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. “Well, we’re lucky to have you.”
Jamie gave a tight smile, her discomfort growing. “I’m glad she’s okay,” she said quietly, stepping back toward the door. “I’ll get out of your way now.”