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Chapter forty-six

Silas

Definitely a cursed birthday.

We’re halfway through third period, and I find myself constantly looking up in the crowd where Morgan, Emma, and Aubrey sit. There’s an empty seat beside them, a seat for my wife, who was supposed to be here ten minutes ago but still hasn’t shown.

I have this strange feeling in my stomach. One that makes me want to rush off the ice... I can’t explain it, but my gut is telling me something’s not right.

I’m not focused on the game, I’m missing passes and pucks. I keep tripping over my own skates like an amateur. Jesus, get a grip. She’s probably just sleeping longer than planned and will arrive once we finish up.

Despite my poor playing, we’re still three goals ahead of our opponents. Which is a good thing. If we win, I won’t feel as guilty for being a shit player tonight.

I skate over to the bench, followed by Clay. Once I’m seated, I look back to the girls and find Emma on the phone. Her face turns pale, and she looks panicked. Her eyes flash to mine quickly, and I don’t like what I see in them.

Fear.

She says something to the girls, then they all stand quickly, gathering their things. And within the next second, they’re making their way out of the front row and exiting the arena.

My knee starts bouncing. I turn to Clay, who noticed them leaving too and looks worried. Next, our general manager reaches into his pocket and retrieves his phone, speaking for a few seconds.

His hand comes to his hair and he mutters, “FUCK!” He hangs up and leans over, whispering something into Coach Jefferson’s ear but side-eyes me for a split second.

Shane’s jaw locks tight. I watch his throat bob as he brings his hand over his mouth. He looks at the time, then leans back toward the GM and says something. Our GM rushes off and Shane turns to Clay, bending down to talk into his ear.

I can’t hear what they’re saying, but from the way Burkley’s eyes get a haunted look, I know it’s not good. I stand from the bench, but Clay grabs my shoulder and forces me back down.

“Two minutes, Hayes. Just two minutes,” he says.

“What happened? Clay, tell me what happened!?” I rip my helmet off and pull at my hair, imagining the worst.

“She’s going to be okay. Just breathe, Silas.” He tries to calm me down, but I’m losing it.

“How the fuck can you say that!? Something happened to my wife, and you won’t tell me!” I’m making a scene, and it’s gathering people’s attention.

I need to calm down, I need to breathe. My hands are shaking while I start hyperventilating. Fuck, I feel like I’m going to be sick.

“I can’t go back out there. I can’t,” I tell Clay as I try to take in a lungful of air.

“You’re not, Coach isn’t putting us back on the ice. But we can’t leave before the buzzer. Just one more minute. The second it rings, we’re out of here.” He places his hand on my back as I lean forward, elbows on my knees and head in my hands. My entire body shakes as I try to breathe.

Coach comes behind us and leans over. “Security is holding back the press, and there are others at every entrance and exit to clear your path. Just drop your gear and get out of here, no need to do anything else. We’ll take care of it.

I’ll hold off the team as well to leave you two some time to move.

” He squeezes my shoulder and gives me a sympathetic look. “She’s going to be okay, Silas.”

Just then the buzzer sounds. “GO! GO! GO!” he shouts at Clay and me as we jump to our skates and bolt out of there.

I don’t think I’ve ever skated so fast in my life. As promised, security is everywhere, making sure our path is cleared. We get to the dressing room, rip off our skates and gear at lightning speed, leaving it all in a lump of mess on the ground, and rush out.

We sprint down halls, head down in the elevator, and run to the parking garage. I hop into Clay’s SUV and he starts the car, tires screeching as he speeds out of the parking lot.

“FUCK! I didn’t take my phone!” Actually, now that I think of it, I didn’t take anything. I just put on my clothes and left, too distracted by thoughts of my wife needing me.

“It’s fine, one of the guys will grab our things. I have mine,” Clay says calmly, entirely focused on the road as he navigates around cars rapidly.

“What happened? Tell me! Where is she!?” A million questions pass through my mind at once. I need to know where she is so I can get to her .

“I don’t know. Coach only told me that she was in an accident and that your mom was with her at the hospital. I’m calling up Morgan right now, that’s probably where they are.” He taps on the screen on the dashboard and the Bluetooth speaker turns on.

The line rings once before Morgan’s voice filters through the car. “Oh, baby! Are you on your way? Silas?”

She’s in tears, and my heart squeezes painfully in my chest. I feel like I’m suffocating. My hands are in fists, knee bouncing, and I just want to punch through the window or puke my guts out all over the seat.

“We’re on our way, babe. About ten minutes out. Silas is with me. Tell me what you know. Give us what you can, baby,” Clay tells her in a soothing voice, holding it together for all of us.

“I haven’t seen her. There was a car accident, some truck crashed into her.

It’s all we really know. Mira is with her, but they won’t tell us anything else or let us see her.

We’re all in the waiting room. Your dad and brother are here too, Silas,” Morgan says through her sniffles. She’s struggling, just like me.

“It’s okay, babe. Just breathe with me, okay? Deep breaths. You’ve got this. We’re almost there,” Clay says, taking deep breaths along with her through the phone.

“Okay... I love you,” she tells him with a shaky voice.

“I love you, too.” He hangs up and glances at me, but my mind is elsewhere.

She has to be okay, her and our son. They have to be okay. Today can’t have been the last time I told her I loved her, the last time I saw her face, heard her voice...

Tears spring to my eyes as I bang my head against the headrest, then rub my face with my hands. I’m agitated, I need to move. I need to do something. I can’t just sit here in this car and wait.

Clay places a hand on my shoulder, squeezing a few times. “C’s strong, she’s a fighter. She’ll get through this. They both will.” Fuck, I hope he’s right.

Five minutes later, we arrive at the hospital. Clay drops me off at the ER doors and leaves to park the car. I rush inside and spot Emma right away. She jumps from her seat the moment she sees me and rushes into my arms.

“Oh God, Silas! Why is this happening?” she sobs loudly. I rub her back and repeat the words Clay said just moments ago.

“She’s strong, she’ll get through this,” I say like I mean it. But the truth is, I don’t feel them... I wish I did.

Spencer comes up behind, taking Emma by the arms. “Come on, let him get to his girl.” He nods his head toward the reception counter, indicating where I need to go .

I take two steps in that direction when the double doors to the ICU open and my mother walks out. “Mom...” It’s all I manage to say.

She’s pale and her face is tear stained.

“Oh, my boy...” She reaches for me and wraps her arms around my neck as the first tear slips from my eye.

“It’s okay, baby. I know this is scary, but she has the best help with her.

They’re doing everything they can to make sure they’re both okay,” Mom whispers into my ear while I sob loudly into her arms.

“I need to see her, where is she? Please, I need to see them.”

“They took her down for surgery. The doctor said something about a uterine rupture. It’s too dangerous for the baby, so they need to get him out,” she says quickly, probably thinking it will calm me down knowing she’s being treated right away. But all it does is worsen my fears.

“No! No... he’s... he’s too small, he’s not ready to come out... it’s too early,” I say between my cries, my head growing dizzy and my legs weakening.

I feel my body give out just as someone grabs me from behind, lifting me back up onto my feet and placing me in a nearby chair.

I look up to see Clay at my side. Always the hero.

My mother kneels in front of me, grabbing my hands in hers.

“He’s going to be okay. They said his survival rate is extremely high at thirty-two weeks, and he’s really healthy and already bigger than he should be.

They’re going to stay by his side the whole time.

You need to have faith, Silas. Both of his parents are the strongest people I know, which means he’s just as strong. He’s not going anywhere.”

I repeat the words in my head. He’s strong. He’ll survive. He’s not going anywhere. I feel my shoulders lose tension a bit, but not fully. I still don’t have news on Cecilia. I look up into my mother’s eyes, wishing they were Minnie’s.

“I can’t lose her, Mom...” I croak out as the flood of tears takes over once more.

My mother throws her arms around me, hugging me tight to her body. “You won’t, baby. Cecilia’s fighting in there for both of you. She loves you too much to let go so easily. But right now, she needs you to be strong and fight for them, too.”

She’s right, I need to be strong. For my wife. For my son.

An hour later, we’re still in the seating area with no news. I’m losing my mind, pacing the floor back and forth. I keep going up to the nurses, hoping they can tell me something. But all they say is that the doctor will come when they have something. I hate waiting and not knowing.

Why is it taking so long?

The doors to the emergency room open and a large group walks through, interrupting my train of thought. The first person I notice is Greyson with my bag slung over his shoulder, then I spot Shane walking beside him, and behind them are the rest of the guys, all of them.

My team.

Shane steps up to me first while everyone passes by, tapping me on the back, squeezing my arms and shoulders before they settle in around the room. I look back at my coach in wonder. “What are you guys doing here?”

“Cecilia’s part of the family, and family sticks together,” he says it matter-of-factly, like I shouldn’t even be asking the question.

“Fuck...” I’m going to cry again.

He brings me into a man hug, one arm over my shoulder, the other around my back as I rest my forehead on him and let the water run freely. “Thank you,” I manage to say weakly.

“No need for that. We’re here for you, just like you would be for any of them.”

I nod before heading back to my seat. The ER room is past capacity with the whole team here.

I’m happy they’re here showing their support for my wife and child, but now we’re gathering attention.

It’s hard not to notice over twenty big guys in one room.

I’m surprised the media hasn’t shown up yet, but it will be any minute.

I see Shane making the same assumption as he looks around at the mass. “I’ll see if they can put us in a room so we don’t draw more attention than necessary,” he says before walking over to the nurse’s station.

Fifteen minutes later, we’re placed in what looks like a big conference room with a bathroom to the side. The nurse assured us that the doctors knew we were in here and would come to us.

Greyson approaches me and passes me my bag.

“You have spare clothes in there, and I added a bar of soap and a towel from the shower room. Out there it wasn’t so bad, but in here you’re stinking up the place.

Go into the bathroom and wash off with a cloth or something.

Cecilia won’t want to see your stinky ass if you smell like that. ”

I frown even knowing he’s joking. “She loves my stinky ass.”

“Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Hayes.” He taps me on the back and goes to sit down in one of the empty chairs.

I pick up my bag and do as he says, washing off in the sink. It’s not perfect, and I probably still smell a bit, but it’s a lot better than before. When I exit the bathroom, Clay heads in after me to do the same.

It’s been two hours since I arrived at the hospital. Two hours of waiting with no news on my wife or my son. No one is coming, no one is giving us updates. Why the fuck is it taking so long!? Should it be taking this long?

Everyone keeps telling me it’s normal, that surgeries take time, and that they are probably just making sure everything is okay before coming to us with information. I try to remind myself that the doctors know what they’re doing, but it’s hard.

I just need to know they’re okay. Please, let them be okay.

Gabe, a few chairs down from me, lets out a loud sigh as he spins in his chair like a child, then stops to face me. “Bro, I don’t mean to be a dick, but... your birthday’s cursed.”

“ELLIS!” A few of my teammate’s shout, including Coach.

“WHAT? We were all thinking it! I’m just the only one who had the guts to say it,” Gabe says, defending himself.

A laugh bursts out in the room. Everyone turns to me with round eyes, and I realize I’m the one laughing. This situation is so fucked up. I feel completely shattered and have no right to be laughing in this moment.

But I can’t help it, because he’s right. I had completely forgotten what today was, well yesterday since it’s now midnight. Two years in a row, life has dealt me a shitty hand on my birthday.

Suddenly, the entire room breaks out in laughter. I think we’re just all exhausted and emotional over everything that’s happened. But it feels good to laugh. I look around at my friends, my teammates, and my family—all here for me. I’m filled with a sense of warmth and appreciation.

The door to the conference room opens while we’re still laughing, and a small brunette nurse slips in. “Family of Cecilia Hayes?”

I stand abruptly as all sounds around me die. It’s so quiet you could hear a pin drop to the ground. I nod and take a step forward.

She looks around the room at all the bodies waiting patiently before a tender smile forms on her face. “It’s lovely to see all the support she has.”

“Is she...?” It’s the only words I can form, the only thing I need to know.

“Mommy’s in recovery. She’s stable but needs her rest to recuperate. You’ll be able to see her shortly.”

“Oh, thank God!” I hear one of the girls exclaim behind me, but I don’t focus on the voice.

My girl’s okay, she’s safe. She’s okay.

I bend in half, placing my hands on my knees and dropping my head as a huge weight is lifted off my shoulders. Feeling like I can finally breathe again as a gentle hand falls softly on my back, the nurse’s.

“Dad?” I look up into her eyes that shine with joy. She offers me a sweet smile when she says, “Ready to meet your son?”