Delayed Offsides Read online

  “Can’t you go any faster?” I hit the headrest lightly behind Mase’s head.

  Mase looked back at me over his shoulder. “And what, get arrested?”

  “Oh, shut up.” I groaned sitting back in the seat.

  When we got to the United Center, all three of us bailed out, pulling our hoods over our heads to avoid the steady stream of rain.

  “I’ll send a signal to her phone. It’ll sound like a beeping or a siren.”

  Ami’s eyes scanned our surroundings, her nerves peeking as she grabbed on to Mase, her arm curling around his.

  The siren led us to her phone near a chain link fence behind the arena by a street lamp with her wallet. I picked it up looking through the dirt soaked Coach wallet, her ID and credit cards all missing.

  I lifted my stare from the wallet in my hand, up the alley. “You go search that way. I’m going this way.” I gave a nod down the dark alley.

  Mase nodded in acknowledgment, reaching for Ami’s hand.

  My steps were quick, yelling out her name as I tried to see through the darkness holding up my cell phone like a flashlight. I found nothing.

  I heard a yell, Mase, in the distance so I ran as fast as I could back the other way around the front of the arena and then to the back side that faced a row of abandoned buildings.

  When I saw Mase, his panicked expression gave me chills. Callie was hurt.

  “We found her but we need to get her to a hospital.” He rushed out, grabbing my arm and dragging me with him. “Right now.” I stood there, staring at him. I saw Ami standing over her a phone pressed to her ear frantically yelling out orders to what I assumed was the police.

  But then my stare fell, to the ground, where my life was, on the wet pavement bleeding, curled into herself.

  “Don’t say that. Don’t.” I begged in fear that my chest was ready to crack wide-open as I took another step forward, my feet dragging. “Please.”

  Moved by memories, Mase squeezed his eyes shut. “I… we… Ami’s on the phone with 911. They’re on their way.”

  Callie tried to move, her hands cradling her stomach, a blood curdling scream tried to escape but went silent, a gurgling replacing the sound. Reality crashed around me, she wasn’t okay.

  Our baby wasn’t okay.

  “Oh God,” Ami whirled, her eyes wide and a shaking hand pressed to her chest and handing the phone to Mase. “Leo!”

  I shouldered past the both of them, towards Callie, teetering in and out of consciousness now.

  When I reached her, I tried to say something, anything, but failed—the anger, the resentment, all rolling through me and shaking my bones. Why? Why was this happening to her?

  I fell to my knees beside her, one hand supporting her head, the other touching her hard stomach. Her skin was pale, her lips a bluish purple.

  “It’s okay, baby. I’m here.” Her head twisted at the sound of my voice as I spoke softly to her, trying to provide any amount of reassurance I could to her, even if I wasn’t sure my words would be true.

  She kept her eyes on mine as I spoke to her, never blinking. Tears immediately burned my eyes at the look that registered on her face. Fear. Confusion, as hopeless brown eyes drifted closed.

  “Fuck!” Mase groaned staring at the ground beneath Callie. “Where the fuck are they?”

  Pain shot through every inch of me. Gut wrenching panic moved over me settling into my veins, pumping my heart full of fear. His words rattled me, brought me back to the moment I saw her and all that blood. “I’m sorry,” I whispered in a low voice that I knew would calm her down. “Just breathe. I’m here for you.”

  She wasn’t going to be okay.

  I felt it, like a looming threat lurking around the corner.

  I felt like an animal on the prowl as I paced the waiting room, caged, reliving that helpless look she gave me.

  I couldn’t process what I was seeing as she laid there. But I also couldn’t process what I was now feeling while she was behind closed doors and I couldn’t be there with her. Instead, I was left to my thoughts, the words I left her with, and that fucking look of complete helplessness and despair, that fear of the unknown mirrored on both our faces.

  Mase looked at me, the same fear in his eyes as he tried to get me to sit next to him.

  “What if she… or he…” I couldn’t even finish the thought, let alone say it, still pacing.

  I’ve done stupid shit in my life. Some I’ve forgiven myself for, others, it was a harder pill to swallow. What I said to Callie when I found out she was pregnant was one of them.

  And now, in my moment of weakness, in vulnerability, I wasn’t sure I could forgive myself for what I said to her tonight, what I know caused her to go out at night in that area. Especially if she didn’t make it, or he didn’t.

  Time went by unbearably slow and what seemed like hours, was really only minutes when a doctor came out the doors, searching for me.

  I looked at the ER doctor, suddenly in his face demanding answers with Mase beside me. “Why can’t I be back there?”

  “A doctor will be with you shortly.”

  “You’re a doctor, aren’t you?”

  He shook his head. “No, I’m just a nurse. She’s with the doctor now. They’re getting ready to take her into surgery to deliver the baby immediately. Someone will be back in a minute to get you.”

  Mase coughed, gently, excusing himself from the conversation to go find Ami, their hands interlocking. This wasn’t easy on him either. Not considering it was nearing the two-year mark when he and Ami had been in a situation similar.

  The doctor disappeared behind the closed doors and left me standing there.

  Ten minutes later, I was back to pacing the floor.

  “I don’t understand what’s taking so long. Why won’t they let me back there?” I was searching for an answer but coming up with nothing. All I saw was the blood between her legs and her panicked face before she collapsed in my arms again.

  Ami returned with her cell phone in hand. I had been so caught up in my own thoughts I hadn’t even remembered her leaving. “I called Ed.”

  “Why?” Mase and I asked, at the same time again.

  She gave us that shut the fuck up look. “He needed to know. She’s his only daughter.”

  “Like he gives a fuck.” I groaned throwing myself into a chair.

  “What was that?” The look on his face was straight. It could go either way, wanting to either smash his fist into the wall, or burst out in a fit of profane language and kill me.

  I couldn’t imagine that, Ed Pratt, a negative man, would be excited to know that I was here. I wanted to laugh at the thought of his reaction.

  Fifteen minutes later, Ed walked up to Ami. “What’s wrong with her? Is the baby okay?”

  Ami swallowed before answering. “She was attacked by the United Center. Mugged we think… and went into labor. They’re delivering the baby in a few minutes. Leo is going back there now.”

  Ed looked at Mase, and then Ami, his expression accusing. “Why was she alone by the United Center? You’re her friends… why was she alone?”

  Mase went into defensive mode at the accusing tone Ed was using with Ami. “You’re not going to accuse me of that bullshit, general manager or not. She left.” Mase got right in his face, inches from it, hovering over him in height and anger. “Callie ran away and didn’t tell any of us where she was going. Don’t blame us for that. She’s a fuckin’ adult, Ed.”

  Another doctor approached. “Mr. Orting?”

  I stood, watching him. “That’s me.”

  “You can come back now. We’re ready.”

  My heart raced when Ed saw me. He didn’t know I had any part of this by the look on his face. Figures she wouldn’t have told him. “What are you doing here?”

  “Getting ready to meet my son.”

  He turned abruptly towards me, his face twisted in anger. I knew Callie wouldn’t have told him who the father was. He never asked either. I wondered if he
even cared. Probably didn’t.

  “The fuck you are…I’m going back there. I’m her father.”

  He was purposely antagonizing me.

  I could play that game too. In fact, I was fairly good at it these days. “This really isn’t your concern, Ed. It’s not like you know anything about her life.” I said, my voice edged with steel.

  The doctor watched us with rapt attention, wondering what was going on. “Who’s the father of the baby?”

  “I am.” I spoke with pride for once. I was going to be a father and, in that moment, I believed I would be a better one than him. I saw my dad when I looked at him, a man who never really knew his own flesh and blood.

  He smiled, unpleasantly, as though having to hear that I was the father of his soon-to-be grandchild had never once occurred to him.

  “We’re not finished, Leo.” He said.

  I pulled myself upright, Ami and Mase looked uncertainty at one another, expecting an argument. “Oh, I think we are.”

  “Mr. Orting…” The doctor urged me forward, his tone impatient. “We really don’t have time for this right now.”

  Ed stared, for a moment, regarding me with obvious disgust. “Tell her I said I love her.” He said abruptly, though the words pained him to say, stepping back. He knew as well as I did there was no changing this situation. He either accepted it, or he wasn’t part of their lives, our lives. “I’ll be back later.”

  I followed the doctor down the hall, his steps quick. “I’m Dr. Sadie.” He reached out to shake my hand, I did, offering him my sweaty palm. “I know this wasn’t planned but we’re delivering him now.”

  He led me down a long hallway and outside the operating doors. I heaved in a deep sigh. “Is the baby okay?”

  “He’s in distress and we have to deliver him right away. Callie was losing too much blood and we need to get in there and do surgery.” He pointed to his left but then stood there, watching me. “You can wait here and we will be out shortly.”

  I nodded not completely understanding what he meant by any of that. I felt my heart start to race when my lips finally formed words. “Isn’t he too early? She’s not due for another month.”

  “She’s at thirty-four weeks on Friday…he should be okay but we don’t know how much damage was done when she was kicked. She’s got two broken ribs and a collapsed lung and a lacerated spleen.”

  I saw red immediately, a blinding sensation that made me want to vomit. Nothing could have prepared me for how much I wanted to find that guy and kill him. When we found her, we had no idea what happened but she had managed to get out that they stole her purse. We knew that since I found her wallet. And given the condition we found her in, he’d taken some revenge on her since Callie would have never been the type of girl to just hand it over.

  I had no idea how to react as I sat there waiting.

  About ten minutes later, a nurse appeared holding a baby close to her chest. She told me that Callie lost too much blood and they needed to give her a transfusion.

  “Is he… okay?” The nurse pulled back and smiled down at the baby in her arms. “He’s perfect.”

  “Ready to meet your son?”

  I had no audible answer for her, just nodded.

  Gently, the nurse placed him in my arms. Wrapped tightly in a white blanket that basically trapped him, I held my son for the first time. I was almost afraid to look at him, my eyes on the nurse wondering what she was doing putting him in my arms. A feeling moved over me, deep in my chest pulling at me in ways I couldn’t explain.

  I wanted no part of being a dad, but yet, I did. I wanted this with Callie. I wanted a family with her. That much was now painfully evident.

  The tears started to flow, loose and quiet, uncontrolled. Standing, an uncontrollable shaking deep down in my bones, I walked over to him with weak legs.

  This was my son. It was no longer I’ll be a dad soon. I was one to this little dude right now.

  A part of me.

  A part of Callie.

  Together.

  A family.

  Something I’d never had.

  When I did, my eyes dropping to him, I immediately saw Callie in his eyes and chin. But then I saw me, same scrunched brow probably wondering why this dumb ass was holding him and where was his mom. He had my nose and lips and what appeared to be my wavy hair but dark like Callie’s. He blinked a few times, staring up at me. He didn’t cry, didn’t fuss. Just watched me.

  A few hours ago I wasn’t sure he wasn’t going to make it and now here he was, my son, perfectly healthy and in my arms. What made it worse was that he was perfect, absolutely perfect and the woman who made that possible was not.

  Holding him closer, I leaned down to press my lips to his forehead and then the top of his head. “You gave us a scare, bud.” I whispered, drawing back to watch his reaction to my voice. There was no indication that he recognized it, or even understood me but his rapt attention to my words made me think otherwise. “Don’t worry.” I stood, pacing the floor beside the window where beads of water from the rain last night slowly made their way downward. As the sun rose over the city, the light caught the water and bathed the room in tiny slivers of light. “Your mama will pull through this. She’s tough.” I told him, carrying him around the room like I knew what I was doing.

  He made a noise, a whimper. I don’t know why but for some reason I thought of my dad right then. No way could I ever walk away from this kid’s life. I knew, right then, I was nothing like that man who walked out on me, despite my fears.

  I was in there with him for an hour when Ami and Mase came in, both looking like they were interrupting something and not sure if they should come in or not.

  I smiled, trying to reassure them that he baby was fine. I set the bottle of formula down that he’d taken a few drinks from and watched Ami and Mase take seats on the other side of me, Ami sitting on his lap. She looked like she was going to burst with excitement. “Can I hold him?”

  I looked at her straight-faced. “It’s a girl.”

  Ami took a sharp intake of breath, her hand covering her face. “What?”

  Mase laughed. “He’s fucking with you, honey.”

  I glared. “Don’t ruin my fun. I was going to play this card with everyone today, even Callie.”

  “She’d kill you if you did that.” Mase said, laughing.

  He was right. She would but she was going to want to kill me for a lot of things when she woke up.

  Ami peeked at the baby, her eagerness to hold him making her hands twitch. “How’s Callie?”

  “They took her away for a blood transfusion. They said they’d tell me when I could see her.”

  Mase looked nervous after hearing what I had to say. “Have you seen her since the baby was born?”

  “No. They took her away immediately. Just brought him to me.”

  It was quiet so I looked down at the baby, his eyes were closed, his little pink lips pushed out into a pout as he slept peacefully in my arms. It felt like a moment I should have been sharing with Callie. She was missing his first moments. My heart raced as the thoughts of her in that street surfaced. I wanted to kill the guy who did that to her but, unfortunately, I knew the chance of ever catching that guy were slim. I knew very well the crime level in this city and the ability to identify someone in a mugging was impossible. With Ami’s rape, at least they had DNA samples and eventually Dave slipped up and said the wrong thing to Mase. Had he not, he probably would have gotten away with it.

  Then I started to wonder what this meant to Callie. How would she deal with this? Would this bring more nightmares?

  Ami couldn’t help herself any longer and stood.

  “Okay, don’t piss your pants over there.” I stood too, carefully, and turned to her. She held out her hands. With one last look at him, I gave the baby over to her. Instantly my body felt the missing heat. It was amazing how much heat those little things put out.

  “Oh my God,” Ami breathed out. “Look at him. He’s
so cute!”

  “Of course he is, look who his parents are.” I sat down in the chair again running my sweaty palms over my jeans and then casually leaned back in the chair trying not to let my mind wander to Callie.

  She had to make it. She just had to because this, she needed to experience this feeling I had right now staring at that little miracle.

  Callie Pratt

  Odd Man Rush - When the number of offensive players heading into the attacking zone is greater than the number of defenders (such as a 3 on 2 or 2 on 1.)

  I felt pain. Everywhere. All over my body. Pain my mind couldn’t comprehend. Pain that made my bones ache and my insides feel like they’d been ripped apart by claws leaving jagged skin in its wake. What I felt most of all was a void¸ something was missing and the pain my body was in right now was the biggest indicator that something was definitely wrong.

  My baby. Where was he?

  My hand moved to my stomach, an empty heat.

  Oh God, had I lost him?

  No. Please don’t tell me that.

  To my right, I noticed someone was standing there, watching me. “Hello, Callie, I’m Marla, your nurse.”

  “Where’s my baby?”

  The nurse smiled, soft and sweet as she took a syringe, scanned it, and then inserted it into the IV. “Oh, he’s with his daddy. He’s been hogging the little guy and all the nurses have been dying to hold him. You have one cute guy there.”

  “The boy or the man?” I tried to laugh, my humor amusing to myself despite the pain radiating through me.

  “Well, both.” She giggled. “Not too often we get a Chicago Blackhawk in here. Unless we’re stitching them up.”

  I didn’t smile, unable to process anything that was happening. I tried to remember what happened, how I got here. The memories came crashing back, Leo and I fighting, me walking, alone, those cold blue eyes… the pain…the fear.

  “Would you like to see your baby?”