I don't own Divergent.
Hey loyal readers! So sorry for not updating in so long, it's been really hectic. I wrote this chapter a while ago and never got to putting it up until now. I think this is one of the last chapters in MMLM, but I'm working on a few new things I think you'll like. Super sorry about the lack of updates. Also, there is translation for the Spanish at the bottom of every chapter that uses it. Enjoy!
He freezes for a second, and then replies, "Evelyn." He chews on his lip. "She made it for me right before she left."
I stroke his cheek. "Sorry."
"It's fine." He plops down on the bed and sits against the headboard. "Are you done with your reading?"
I hesitate. "I -"
"Finish it, Tris." He hands me my bag. "Go on."
I smile and kiss his hand. "Okay."
Tobias squats behind the batter and flashes a two to Zeke, signaling a fastball. Zeke nods and winds up. The batter also gets ready and Zeke throws the pitch. The batter swings and misses. A second ball, and it's another strike.
"And a swing and a miss," the commentator says.
The third pitch is also a strike, and Zeke and Tobias share a confident look.
Zeke quickly strikes the next two batters out and the infielders jog in, some patting Zeke on the head or back.
Tobias strips off his gear and throws on his batting helmet, taking his batting gloves and bat from the boy standing with them. "Wish me luck," he grunts to me, giving me a lopsided grin.
I chuckle and push him towards the field. "You don't need it. Warm up your swing."
He nods and goes into the circle with his bat, turning up to the crowd and giving AJ a thumbs-up.
Tobias slams a double into center field and manages to make it a triple with quick thinking. He glances at me with a smug grin and I chuckle, grinning and shaking my head.
Tobias makes it home with an RBI and plops down on the bench behind me. "Come sit," he begs.
"I have to watch the game, Four," I say, but I turn around and give him a slight grin. "Good hit." Then I go back to watching the game.
He sighs and comes to stand next to me. "Playing hard to get, are we?" he murmurs, biting my ear just slightly.
I shove him. "Tobes," I hiss. "Not here." Then I raise an eyebrow. "You get so much more cocky at games."
He shrugs. "Can't help myself."
I shake my head and look back at the game.
Tobias squats behind the batter once more. Tobias flashes Zeke a two and Zeke throws the pitch. The batter swings and misses, but, because Tobias moved forward to get the pitch, like he normally does, the backswing from the batter hits him in the head. He falls to the ground, pushing his helmet off before falling still.
I grab my kit before running onto the field. Tobias is starting to move again.
"Did he lose consciousness?" I ask the ump.
"I think so," he replies. "While you were running out."
I nod and pull his helmet off the rest of the way. "Four?"
His eyes snap up to mine before wandering away.
I sigh. "Four, is your head okay?"
"Hurts," he mumbles.
I feel the side of his head.
"Ow," he moans.
I take out my flashlight and test his eyes. "Okay," I say. "Let's get him up." I nod to the other trainer and we boost him up, half-carrying him off the field. The trainer helps me get him onto the table in my examination room.
"Do you need any help?" he asks.
I shake my head. "I'm fine, thank you."
"Tris," Tobias moans. "My head hurts."
"I know," I reply. "I'm going to do my best to make you comfortable, babe, and then I'm going to get you home so you can get some rest. I'm going to monitor you tonight, okay?"
He tries to focus on me. "Huh?"
I sigh. "You're concussed, Tobias."
He shrugs. "Nah," he slurs.
I sigh. "Get off the bench."
He stares at me for a second and then obeys, wobbling before falling into me. I support him and walk him to the dugout, where I put a helmet on him and sit him down on a bench. He leans over and pukes a little bit.
"Uri, hold him up," I order. Then I walk up to Max. "Four's concussed," I tell him. "Badly concussed."
"Does he need to be taken away in an ambulance?" he asks.
"No," I reply, "but I need to get him home. Philip can take over."
Max scowls. "Send him to your house with Philip. You leave with him too often."
I take a deep breath. "Okay. You can order Philip to drive him home."
Max turns on his heel and stalks inside. Soon, he and Philip reappear, Philip frowning and nodding.
"Give Philip the keys to your car," Max says.
"I have to get home somehow," I reply. "And I have to get my son home."
Max scowls. "Use your car then, Philip."
Philip glares at me. I shrug.
"Hey, Four?" I call, carrying AJ into the house. "Philip?"
"He's upstairs," Philip says. He holds out his hand and I just look at him. "Aren't you going to pay me for gas?" he asks, pushing back wisps of white hair.
"That's Max's job," I reply, "not mine. And anyway, you're being pretty rude." I start to carry AJ up to his room, where I pull his shoes off and tuck him in. I walk back down the stairs. "Would you like a cup of coffee?" I ask, rubbing my temples.
"Sure." He sits. "Four mumbled some interesting things on the way back from the stadium," he comments.
"What did he say?" I ask immediately.
"You're pregnant?" Philip asks.
I nod slowly. "Anything else?"
"Other than that, it was just mumbo-jumbo," Philip replies, taking his coffee from my outstretched hand.
I nod. "He's definitely concussed."
Philip laughs dryly. "Definitely." He looks around a bit. "He also mentioned med school."
I clear my throat. "I, um, yeah. I'm taking classes at NYU. First year."
Philip raises his eyebrow. "You're taking care of a kid, a husband, and a kid on the way, working, and going to school?" He whistles. "Must be tiring."
I nod. "Speaking of which, I have some work. Sorry to kick you out."
Philip puts his cup in the sink and leaves. I notice he put the key on the counter. "Bye, Philip!" I call. "Thanks."
"No problem," he yells back, closing the door. I walk towards it, locking it behind him and then cleaning up a little before bringing a glass of water upstairs.
I shut the shades in our room and gently wake Tobias.
"Tris?" he says, trying to focus on me. "Tris, is that you?"
I kiss his head and hold the water to his lips. "Yes, Tobias. Drink."
He takes a few sips and then looks up at me. "My head hurts."
"I know. We're going to let you rest for all of tomorrow and until you can walk straight," I reply. "Go back to sleep for now."
He nods and his lips clumsily brush my cheek. "What's today?" he asks.
"That's not important. Go to sleep, Tobias." I kiss his head and walk back down the stairs, turning on a few lights in the family room and curling up on the couch to do some of my reading.
My phone starts buzzing when I'm about halfway done. "Hello?" I say sleepily.
"Hey, Tris," Uri says, and I can hear Rob breathing in the background.
"Hey," I reply, yawning. "What's up?"
"How's Four?"
"Concussed," I reply. "Why?"
"Rob and I are outside your door. Let us in," he explains.
I stand and go look outside the door, where Rob and Uri do indeed stand.
Rob immediately hugs me, and Uri soon does too. "What can we do?" Uri asks.
I yawn. "Nothing, now. I'm just reading. But tomorrow, I could use some help monitoring Four."
Uri nods. "Right now, though?"
"Nothing, Uri. Do you guys want to sleep over?" I crack my neck.
"Gross, and sure." Rob steps around me and plops onto the couch. Uri sits on him, ignoring Rob's muffled squeaks of protest.
I grin slightly to myself. "You two are too cute. I'll put you on the last bedroom on our floor if you promise not to be too loud tonight."
Rob shakes his head. "You should probably put us in the attic, Tris, darling," he says, grinning widely.
I shake my head and lead them up the stairs. "Come on, nerds. Bring your bag or whatever upstairs." I lead the way up the stairs to the attic room, which I open. "I don't get why you always ask to stay up here, Rob," I say, stepping in and looking around the slightly dusty room with exposed boards and beams.
Rob sets a bag on the ground and looks around the room, smiling faintly. "It reminds me of the compound. You don't see it, Bea?"
I take another look. "Maybe some parts," I grumble.
Rob hugs me. "How is that going, anyway?"
I shake my head. "Not important. Insurgents?"
He scowls. "They're sending me to Ohio on a mission in a week."
I pat his back. "I'm sure Tori and George have their reasons, Rob."
"Sometimes I'm not sure," Rob admits. "I know that the reason these groups exist is to make the world better, but sometimes I'm not sure if Tori goes about it the right way. She's really, really obsessed with killing Jeanine."
"Who's Jeanine?" I ask.
"Someone trying to uncover the Insurgents," Rob replies, rubbing his temples. "I'm sure Tori and George just want to handle it without involving your father, but I don't think she should be killed."
I nod. "I'll call Dad tomorrow," I promise. I hug him. "See you tomorrow, Rob. G'night, Uri." I shut the door behind me, bring my stuff up to Tobias' and my room, and collapse onto the bed next to a heavily sleeping Tobias.
When my alarm goes off next morning, I wake up and turn over, moaning. "Fuck," I mutter, sitting up and rubbing my eyes.
I glance over at Tobias, who's still out like a light. I dress quickly in jean shorts and a Yankees shirt.
I take his pulse and temperature, all without him waking up, and record them. Then I grab my blood pressure meter and take that as well. I tape the piece of paper to the door as I leave, and then I wake Rob and Uri up. "I have to get AJ ready for school and then go to work and school. I'll pop back in here a couple times today, but I need you to do these things for Tobias." I hand Rob a sheet of paper, which he sleepily looks over, nodding.
"Will do," he promises. Then he stands and, running a hand through golden curls, takes a step and then cracks his back loudly. "Ahh," he sighs. "Much better."
I nod and hug Uri, who hugs me back and then pulls a shirt over his head, stretching his arm. He smiles and says, "My car is here, so I'm just going to drive today."
I pull at the muscle he's aiming to stretch. "Sure, whatever works. I'm leaving to drive AJ to school and then go to practice in about a half hour."
Uri picks his green duffel up and ruffles through it. "Okay. What do you guys have in terms of food?"
I chuckle. "I'll make breakfast." I give Rob a hug, too, pressing at a point in his back that makes him squeal. "See you later, Rob. Don't forget about Four."
"AJ!" I call. "C'mon, bud, we're going to be late!"
"¡Estoy viniendo, Mamá!" he yells back, running down the stairs.
"¡Ven más rápido, por favor!" I open the door. "Tengo tu almuerzo. ¿Estás listo?"
"Yeah," he replies. He runs out, pulling a red hoodie on and slinging his backpack over his shoulder. He glances at the railing down the steps and slides down to the sidewalk. "Mom," he complains. "Now you have to hurry."
I chuckle and get into the car with him. "Are you excited for school?"
"I guess," he says. He hesitates. "Mom…I, uh, I'm sorry."
"About what, bud?" I glance behind me as I pull out.
"Um, the baby," he mutters. "I was talking to Uncle Uri, and I…uh…I don't know." He looks down. "Maybe a little brother wouldn't be so bad."
I smile. "I'm glad, AJ." I reach back and ruffle his hair. "Love you, bud."
He smiles at the ground. "Mom," he complains.
I chuckle and turn back around. "When you get home today, I'm gonna need you to be pretty careful and quiet around your dad, okay?"
"Why?"
"He got hit in the head," I reply.
"So?"
I pause and take a turn. "It's kind of like his head got a really bad bruise, but on his brain. We have to be really careful around him and not be too loud. Can you be a super good boy and do that?"
AJ nods. "Sure, Mom."
As I pull up to Collegiate, AJ unbuckles and pulls his backpack on. He leans forward and hugs me from behind. "Bye, Mom," he says, already opening the door. "See you later?"
"I'll be home by the time you get to bed," I answer, blowing him a kiss.
Max pulls me aside in the beginning of practice. "How long will he be out?"
I hesitate. "It's hard to say this early on, sir. When the effects start clearing up a little more, I'll be able to give you a better timeline."
"What's your preliminary guess?"
I stuff my hands into my pockets. "Two months?"
"Jesus fucking Christ," Max mutters. "He just got hit in the head."
"Sir, if he isn't at one hundred percent when he goes back to playing, one little tap could give him a double concussion or, worse, send him into a coma or kill him." I stare at him solemnly. "Two months is an estimate, but it could easily be more or less."
Max sighs. "When can he be back at the stadium and not playing?"
"That depends, too, sir, but as soon as all of the symptoms except the headaches completely disappear, he should be able to come, as long as he wears a helmet and leaves once he gets a headache," I reply. "Concussions aren't fun. As loopy as he is right now, you probably don't want him here. I'll have him taking the Impact test as soon as I can."
Max nods and rubs his temple. "Take care of him, Prior. I need him here."
I stare at him for a second. With a nod of his head, he turns on his heel, leaving me in the hallway.
I fall onto the couch when I get back, eyes half-lidded and brown messenger bag on the floor beside my head.
Rob plops down on the couch next to me, smiling faintly at me and placing a hand on my knee. "How was your day?"
"Sooooo tiring," I complain, letting my head droop back. "Max tried to argue with me about when Tobias could come back. Then I had a bunch of unhappy players to deal with, especially once they found out Four was going to be out for a while. I guess it's good that it's so early in the season, though."
Rob lets his breath out slowly. "Well, that's good, I guess." He stands and offers me a hand. "Uri and I made dinner, and AJ's in bed. C'mon."
I smile and hug him. "Thanks, Rob." I sigh. I hope it gets easier from here on out.
Spanish translation:
¡Estoy viniendo, Mamá! - I'm coming, Mom!
¡Ven más rápido, por favor! - Come faster, please!
Tengo tu almuerzo. ¿Estás listo? - I have your lunch. Are you ready?
