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A/N: OCOH challenge – must include a sporting event, an injury, and the word apple. Set in the far future, roughly 10 or 11 years.
June/July
"Great… just great. On the hottest day in over 10 years in Chicago, our air conditioning just has to break. This is just perfect," Abby muttered to herself as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. The ER was jam-packed and it seemed every person in town had something wrong with them. "Oh well, at least I will be out of here in an hour…" she reasoned.
And as Abby didn't expect, an hour later she still had 12 charts she still had to discharge. Luka was out sick, Kerry was no where to be found, Pratt was off gallivanting with some hot nurse up in surgery and Neela and Michael were just as packed down as she was. There was, though, one man left who could help her with the job, but she wasn't going to sink that low.
"Hey Abby… need a little help?" John called from behind her. She wheeled around to face him, and tried to hide her charts.
"No thanks, I think I have it all under control."
"Are you sure? If I help we can get those done faster, and be out of here in time for Erika's soccer game. I'm going too, you know…" She rolled her eyes. He did have a point.
"Fine. But only because you are her father just as much as I am her mother, and she would be devastated if we didn't show up." I threw some charts in his outspread arms, and continued on my way to Exam 2, with my ex-husband right at my heels, muttering something to himself about a heat stroke.
A half hour after that, the two were finally done and able to leave.
"Shit John, we're going to be late…" Abby murmured while wringing her hands together impatiently.
"I'm driving as fast as I can, Abigail. Sit back and enjoy the scenery while I worry about my 9 year old daughter killing us for not making it to her soccer game tournament thing."
"Oh, its not Erika I'm worried about… It's Maggie! At her age she shouldn't be out in such humidity. And with us not there? What if something happens?"
"You? Worried about your mom? Naw… and you should care about what Erika will do to us. She might… pout or something… You know I can't take that pout…"
"We're almost there, right?" she asked, still wringing her hands.
"Yes, you 4 year old, we're here." Once he parked the car, the two quickly stepped out of the car and searched the stands looking for Maggie. They spotted her, and struggled to find a spot on the bleachers to sit.
"Where the hell have you two been? The game started a half hour ago! You're lucky it's not Erika's turn to play yet!" Maggie ranted and ranted for a couple more minutes, before finally settling down and telling John and Abby what "Grandma Maggie" and Erika did last night when she babysat. "Oh, it was the sweetest thing! I painted her nails and we ate junk food and watched movies all night! It was wonderful spending time with my only grandbaby. Too bad I don't have another one… Hmm…?" John and Abby rolled their eyes and continued to watch the game.
"No wonder they're losing. They kept their star player out of the game. Why didn't they put her in earlier?" Abby asked, annoyed.
"Well, it was because Erika didn't want to play until her parents got here. The coach made her play anyway and she didn't move at all so he got frustrated and took her out. That girl has some guts!" John chuckled at Maggie's last remark. Yeah, that's my girl…he thought.
It was soon past halftime, and the competition was getting fierce. The score was 2-2, and each and every kid had some kind of stain on them. Erika had the ball, and she was dribbling down the field, dodging player after player. At the end of the field, she went for the tie-breaking score when out of nowhere, a tall, aggressive player from the opposing team kicked it from under her feet, and tripped her in the process. She landed hard on her ankle, and lost her balance causing her head to make a thud against the hard ground. Maggie and Abby screamed and raced down the field with John only a step behind them. Erika was out cold.
"Erika? Honey, are you alright?" Abby gently shook her daughter to consciousness.
"Mommy?" Erika groaned and rubbed the back of her head. People were swarming around her, every single person alarmed.
"Yeah, baby, it's me. How many fingers am I holding up?" she held up 2 in Erika's face.
"Two?" she answered. Abby nodded, and cradled the girl in her arms. She slowly sat up with her mom's help, and hopped to a nearby bench. "I had that shot! I swear I had it!" she groaned and winced as her dad checked her ankle over for swelling and breaks.
"Nothing. I think you're gonna be fine, kiddo. It's just a sprain. Do you want some ice?" John said. Erika nodded greedily, and sent Abby and Maggie to get some while he began to wrap it with some bandages from the coach's first aid kit.
"Hey dad?" Erika asked hesitantly.
"Yeah, kiddo?"
"Um… why were you and mommy late? Were you… together?"
"Well, we were, but we were working. Sorry for that, sweetie."
"It's okay Dad… I was just hoping you and mommy had gotten back together, that's all." He finished, and looked up at her questioningly.
"Why would you think that mommy and I were together again?"
"Well, mommy told me not to tell you, but I read this letter she was writing on her computer to you when she went to the bathroom. She was crying when she wrote it so I was wondering what it said… it had a lot of stuff I didn't understand though. Like, what is 'making love'?" John coughed, and his eyes got wide from surprise.
"Well, honey, I don't think you are ready to know what that means yet, but maybe when you are older. Now, what exactly did it say that you did understand?"
"Well, for one thing…"
"Hey, did you miss me?" Abby asked Erika. Erika smiled, but mouthed 'sorry' to John. Abby handed her daughter the ice, and glanced at John. He was grinning. "What are you so happy about?" Maggie sat next to Erika, and put her arm around her. She handed the apple that she had gotten for her into Erika's hands, and the little girl bit into it thankfully.
"Nothing…" he said as he watched Erika chomp on her snack. "Everything is great. Just great."