Page 20 of Kicked in the Heart
“Just worry about her. I’ll be fine,” Butch growled. “Just take care of her.”
“Jim’s got it under control. Let me at least get you an ice pack.” He pulled a pack out of his kit and activated it.
Butch winced when the EMT took his hand and placed the ice pack on the back of it. “Hold that there. I suggest you get an x-ray.”
“Fuck,” he ground out. He didn’t need to be sidelined by a broken hand. Not when they start the playoffs this Saturday.
“What about Rocky? Is she okay?”
The ambulance drove up and stopped.
“She needs to go get checked out and maybe get an x-ray of that cheekbone.” He closed his kit as the other EMT conferred with the ambulance crew.
He walked up and stood by as they loaded Rocky onto a gurney. Rocky protested, “I’m fine, I’m sure I don’t need…”
“Go get checked out, we need our kicker for Saturday’s game.”
“I hate this,” she grumbled. “I’m okay.”
He brushed the hair off her forehead, frowning at the bandage. “Coach won’t let you play until your cleared by a doctor.”
“But…”
“You might have a concussion; that’s nothing to fool with.”
“Okay. I’ll go if you promise you’ll get an x-ray of that hand.” Her eyes searched his.
He sighed. If it meant Rocky would let them take her to the hospital he’d do it. “Okay. We’ll follow the ambulance. Do you want us to call anyone for you?”
She frowned. “I’ll take care of that later.”
Fifteen minutes later, Butch rushed into the Emergency Department. He walked up to the desk and the receptionist handed him a clipboard. “Fill this out and bring it back. What is your name and why are you here?”
“I need an x-ray on my hand. But more importantly, where is Rocky, er, Rochelle Masterson? She was just brought in by ambulance.”
No emotion on her face, the receptionist tapped some keys as she stared at her monitor. She eyed his hand as she reached for the phone.
“Oh, it wasn’t me, I did this on that creep’s face.”
That got him a small smile. “Okay then. What’s your name? I’ll have someone check that the patient wants you with her.”
It wasn’t long before someone walked up to him. “You’re Butch Sutton?”
He went to give the clipboard back to the receptionist. “You can fill that out while your back there since you need an x-ray. I’ll let the doctor know.”
“Thank you,” he said with a smile. Following the nurse through the chaos of the Emergency Department he heard a lot of moans and crying.
The nurse motioned him to a room and he stepped in, relieved to find Rocky sitting up in the bed talking with a doctor as he examined her.
“Butch,” Rocky said when she saw him standing just inside the door. “Doc, this is Butch, my hero.”
“Butch, good to meet you. Wait, you’re Butch Sutton.” He held out his hand and stopped when he saw the bruising on Butch’s hand. “Looks like you should be a patient also.”
“You did promise,” Rocky said.
“I did, and I will.” He motioned to the clipboard. “I got the paperwork and everything.”
Butch set the clipboard on the chair and then shook the doctor’s hand. “How’s our girl doing? We need her for this Sunday’s game.”