Page 70 of Tough Score
"I'll be seeing you around then?" I ask over my shoulder.
"If you can find me in this place," she beams, her arms outstretched above her head.
She's dialing back her excitement because she doesn't want to overshadow my day, but in this case, her victory is mine too. Because in some small way, I still get to keep her close.
"I was the "hide and seek" reigning champ of the Juneau Boys Wilderness Camp three years in a row—don't tempt me with a good time, Doc," I say over my shoulder.
Keely's giggle echoes through the hallway and a smile tugs at the corner of my mouth.
With a deep breath, I continue down the hallway towards the doctor's office, the weight of possibility heavy on my shoulders. It's time to face the music and find out if all our hard work has paid off.
I see Coach Bex waiting by the door of Dr. Omar's office. He's waiting for me.
"You ready?" he asks.
"To get back on the ice? Yes."
Dr. Omar greets us with a warm smile, gesturing for us to take a seat. "Reeve, Coach. Good to see you both. Let's get right to it, shall we?"
I nod, my heart pounding in my chest, grateful that the doctor isn't going to meet around the bush, "Yes, please."
Dr. Omar pulls up my latest scans on his computer screen, the black and white images filling the monitor. He points to various areas, explaining in medical jargon that I barely understand. But then he turns to us, his expression serious yet optimistic.
"I'm happy to report that your knee is healing remarkably well, Reeve. The scans show significant improvement since the scans that were taken in the hospital post-surgery."
I lean forward, hardly daring to hope. "So what does that mean, Doc? Can I get back on the ice?"
Dr. Omar glances at Coach Bex and Sam before answering. "After hearing Dr. Woods' report on your recovery, and the healing that I'm seeing on your scans, I'm clearing you for light practice, effective immediately."
The words hit me like a bolt of lightning. I can feel the grin spreading across my face, my body humming with excitement.
Coach Bex speaks up, his voice gruff but pleased. "That's bloody fantastic news, Doc. But what exactly do you mean by 'light practice'?"
Dr. Omar outlines the restrictions - no contact drills, limited time on the ice, specific exercises to focus on. But I'm barely listening, already imagining the feel of my skates on the ice, the familiar weight of my gear.
As we wrap up the appointment, Coach Bex claps me on the shoulder. "Well done, mate. Now the real work begins."
I nod, determination flooding through me. "I'm ready, Coach. Let's do this."
As we leave the office, I think of who I want to tell first.
Keely.
There's no one even close. And she deserves to know first since she's the reason I'm going to be back on the ice sooner than everyone thought.
The guarantee of whether I can still play like I used to isn't assured, but that's for another day. Today, I just want to tell the one person to whom this will mean as much as it does to me.
I race through the hallways of The Commons, my heart pounding in my chest. When Dr. Omar told me I'm cleared for practice, I barely heard anything else he said. All I could think about was finding Keely, telling her the news, seeing the pride and joy on her face.
I spot her walking down the hallway, her auburn hair swaying with each step.
"Keely! Wait up!" I call out.
She stops and turns, a surprised smile spreading across her face when she sees me.
"Are you out of the meeting with the doctor already? Are you cleared?" she says, her voice questioning and excited.
I don't waste any time. I stride up to her, cupping her face in my hands. "I'm cleared," I say, my voice breathless with excitement. "Doctor said I'm good to go. I can play again."