Homecoming Queen (6 page)

“No.” DJ held a hand up to stop her. “That’s okay.”

“Want me to call him for you?” Casey pulled out her cell phone and opened it.

DJ shook her head. “To be honest, I don’t think I really care whether he knows or not. It’s not like he can do anything.” Or like he would do anything . . . besides having his wife send flowers or a card.”

“Okay, if you’re sure.” She closed the phone.

DJ didn’t like to think about her dad. And she certainly didn’t want to talk to him. What if he did something out of character and decided to fly out here? How weird would that be? Seriously, the last thing she needed right now was for him to show up and act like “the loving father.”

DJ was glad Casey was staying the night. Somehow she didn’t like the idea of being at the hospital alone. DJ had never been in a hospital overnight. “Where are you sleeping tonight?”

Casey pointed to the vacant bed on the other side of the room. “The nurse said I can sleep there if I want to.”

“Roommates again.” DJ forced a smile.

“That’s right.” Casey smiled. “Oh, and the nurse said you’re not supposed to eat anything tonight. For your surgery in the morning, you know. And no fluids after midnight. Just the IV. Hope that’s okay.”

“I’m not hungry.” DJ closed her eyes. As much as she wanted to be brave, and as much as she wanted to be thankful that she wasn’t severely injured or even dead, she mostly felt sorry for herself. Why had this happened to her? Why hadn’t God been watching out for her better? And how long would she be laid up with a broken leg and cracked ribs? Obviously, she would miss the rest of volleyball season. Maybe even spring soccer too. Why was life so unfair?

DJ barely opened her eyes when the nurse woke her up the next morning. It took about an hour to get her prepped for surgery, and by the time they wheeled her into the operating room, everything was getting fuzzy again. Then a guy came over and talked to her about breathing and asked her to count backward from ten. She barely reached six when everything slipped away. The next thing she knew she was in what she was informed was a recovery room.

“What about the surgery?” she asked groggily.

The nurse smiled. “It’s all done, dear. It went well.”

After a couple more naps, a vaguely familiar white-haired surgeon came to talk to her. “You’re fortunate that it was a clean break,” he said. “And with the rod now in place, you should be up and moving around in no time.”

“Really?” DJ blinked. “Will I be able to play volleyball this season?”

“Well, not this season, but next year.”

“Oh.”

“You’ll be on crutches for a few weeks, along with a walking boot. You’ll also need some physical therapy, which we’ll start up first thing next week.”

“Crutches might be cool.” DJ could imagine herself zinging through the hallways at school.

“And the scarring should be minimal,” the doctor said.

“Scarring?”

“From the surgery. Your grandmother was concerned about the appearance of your legs, Desiree.” He winked at her in a grandfatherly sort of way.

DJ gave him a smirk. “My grandmother is
all
about appearances.”

“Naturally, there is a lot of bruising simply from being hit by the car, and also some swelling from the surgery. But the scar from the incision shouldn’t be too noticeable after a month or so. Especially since I glued it closed.”

DJ blinked. “You
glued
it?”

He chuckled. “Yes. It’s a new technique. No stitches or staples. It’s a kind of superglue that completely closes the wound. It’s a great way to ward off infection, plus you can shower without covering it.”

“So you put me back together with a rod and superglue?”

“Something like that.”

“How long will I be in the hospital?”

“If all goes well, we might get you released later this afternoon.” He made some final notes on her file then nodded. “As long as you promise to take it easy when you get home. That means no foot races or shenanigans.”

She assured him that would not be a problem and then, as she was being wheeled back to her room, she noticed a party or something down the hall. But as she got closer she noticed that the crowd consisted of her friends from Carter House, as well as Conner and Harry and a couple of other guys. There were balloons and flowers and get-well signs, but perhaps most surprising was what appeared to be a camera crew milling about the hallway near her door — along with local celebrity Bonnie Hudson, anchor woman of the six o’clock news.

“Make way, everyone,” ordered Eliza. She waved her arms as if directing traffic or perhaps she was simply trying to hog the cameras. “Let’s give DJ some space,” she commanded as DJ was wheeled into her room. Then Eliza actually shoed everyone out of the room. “Give us a few minutes,
please!”

“What’s going on?” DJ asked Eliza. The nurse and orderly were helping DJ settle into her bed, removing the IV tube, and getting her leg situated on some pillows.

“You mean besides a circus?” said the nurse as she finished up what she was doing. That’s when Eliza came over and set her Gucci bag on the bedside table as if she were part of the medical staff too.

“What are you doing?” DJ asked Eliza. “Are you running the hospital now too?”

“No, I’m here to help you.”

DJ shrugged then made a feeble wave to Casey, who was now seated in a chair by the window and wearing a slightly unhappy expression, as if she personally resented Eliza’s little takeover. But at least she waved back.

“Bonnie Hudson is here to see you, DJ,” Eliza informed her.

“So?” DJ stared at Eliza. “What’s that got to do with you?”

“Well, we don’t want you being filmed until we’ve fixed you up a little.” Eliza removed a sleek-looking cosmetic bag from her purse then peered down at DJ with a concerned frown.

“It’s okay.” DJ felt silly over Eliza’s focus on her appearance. “Really, I don’t care how I look.”

“No, dear, it’s not okay.” Now Eliza held up a hand mirror. “You should care how you look because, trust me, it’s not even close to okay.”

DJ was shocked to see her reflection. She did look pretty bad. Besides the flattened bed-head hair in need of a good shampoo, she had a brownish yellow bruise on the left side of her forehead and an ugly red abrasion across her cheek. Her lips were cracked and dry and there were even some white tracks of what must’ve been drool alongside both sides of her mouth. Not a pretty picture.

“See what I mean?” said Eliza.

“Uh-huh.” And before DJ could say anything else, Eliza was carefully washing her face with a warm washcloth and then gently wiping on something that smelled like roses.

“You just sit still, dahling,” Eliza said softly. “I’ll have you as good as new in no time. Or almost.”

After Eliza finished with her face, she fussed a bit with DJ’s hair and finally handed the mirror back to DJ. “Better?”

DJ nodded. “Yeah. Thanks.”

“Ready for your adoring fans?”

“I, uh, I guess.”

“Okay. I’ll tell them to take it easy on you.” Then Eliza went and opened the door and, acting like DJ’s personal publicity agent, she allowed the camera crew and reporter as well as Coach Jones and a slightly familiar looking little boy inside the room.

“I’m Bonnie Hudson,” said the petite brunette that DJ already recognized from TV. “And I’ve been dying to talk to you, Desiree.”

“DJ, please.”

Bonnie smiled. “Sure, DJ. Well, DJ,
you
are the talk of the town today.” She nodded to her crew, and DJ could tell that their cameras were already rolling. “Your grandmother, Mrs. Carter, gave us permission to speak to you, but I want to be sure you’re okay with it too.”

DJ shrugged. “I’m fine.”

“Super.” Bonnie waved over Coach Jones and a small boy with dark curls framing his pixie face. “Come on over here, Ms. Jones. I think it’s high time for introductions.”

Coach Jones looked slightly uncomfortable, but she forced a nervous smile. “Greetings, DJ. This is my little boy Jackson. He’ll be four in January. And he has recently become your biggest fan.”

“Hi, DJ,” said the brown-faced little boy in a shy voice.

“Hey, Jackson,” said DJ. “It’s nice to meet you.” She patted her bed. “Do you want to sit up here so I can see you better?”

“Okay.” He waited for his mom to help him up then sat quietly looking at her with a somber expression.

“You’re doing all right then?” asked DJ.

“Uh-huh.” He nodded.

“You didn’t get hurt?”

“Just here.” He pointed to his elbow where a Big Bird bandage with was securely adhered.

“Ouch,” DJ said.

“You saved my life.” He looked at her with serious eyes.

“Oh, I don’t know about that — ”

“You did too,” he said, a bit louder. “My mama says you’re an angel.”

DJ couldn’t help but grin at Coach Jones now. “She did, did she?”

“That’s what I heard, DJ,” said Coach in a matter-of-fact tone. “Casey told me that you ran like the dickens and then did a dive that looked like you were flying.”

DJ tried to shrug, but remembered how much it hurt to do that. “I only did what you taught me to do in volleyball.”

Coach Jones turned to Bonnie now. “DJ is the star player of my varsity women’s volleyball team. She will be sorely missed this season.”

“I’ll bet you’re thankful just the same,” said Bonnie.

Coach nodded with tears actually glistening in her eyes as she looked at DJ. “Oh, yes. I’m so very thankful. I just feel so badly that DJ has suffered as a result.”

“Guess that proves I’m not a real angel,” said DJ, smiling a little.

“Oh, yes you are,” said Jackson stubbornly.

Bonnie asked just a few more questions, and finally the cameras were shut down. Bonnie shook DJ’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet a real hero, DJ. I hope you make a speedy recovery.” Then the media exited, and DJ was left with Coach Jones and Jackson.

“I had no idea he was your son,” said DJ. “Not that it made any difference. But I’m sure glad I saw him when I did. It all happened so quickly. I didn’t have time to think or anything.”

“Thank you again, DJ,” said Coach. “I’m so glad you were there. My boyfriend had picked Jackson up from daycare for me. He was still in the parking lot, getting something out of his trunk, when Jackson took off across the street. I guess he figured I was over there in the gym.”

DJ shook her finger at Jackson. “You really should know better than to run across the street like that.”

“I’m sorry, DJ.”

She softened now. “And you won’t do it again, now will you?”

He solemnly shook his head. “No.”

“I’ve told him before that he’s never to cross the street without a grown-up,” Coach said. “And he never had before.”

“Well, I’m just glad you’re okay,” said DJ, running her fingers through his soft curly hair.

“Most people at school didn’t even know I had a son,” the coach said quietly. “But now they will.”

“And they should,” said DJ. “Jackson is a delightful guy. You should bring him to our games. Well, I guess
your
games, not
mine
anymore.”

Coach Jones frowned. “That’s such a shame, DJ. We really did need you this season. I hope you’ll still come out and support the team anyway.”

“Sure,” said DJ. But she wasn’t so sure. It would be hard being stuck on the sidelines.

“Well, I know your friends are eager to see you. There’s quite a mob gathered out there.”

“It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Jackson,” said DJ.

Then, to her surprise, he leaned over and gently kissed her on the cheek.

“Why, thank you,” she told him.

“Thank you!” Coach said as she hefted up her son, smiling down on DJ. “We can never thank you enough, can we, Jackson?”

“Thank you, DJ,” he called out sweetly as he waved his stubby fingers over his mom’s shoulder.

“And don’t let your adoring fans wear you out,” warned Coach as she opened the door to allow the group inside.

6

“
WE NEED TO LIMIT THE VISITORS
to three at a time,” the nurse informed them as a group of about ten crowded around DJ’s bed. DJ feigned disappointment, but she was actually relieved. All this attention was pretty overwhelming.

“I’ll leave,” offered Casey. “Since I got to spend the night with her.”

“I’ll go with Casey,” said Garrison. Naturally this got some attention since it was still news that these two were becoming a couple. Finally the visitors dwindled down to just Conner and Eliza and Harry.

“We can pretend that this is a double date,” joked Eliza as she pulled up a chair.

“Maybe I should order out some lunch for us,” said Harry.

“I do feel hungry,” admitted DJ. “What time is it anyway?”

“It’s past eleven,” said Eliza. “And I think I saw a food cart out there. Want me to go check?”

“Hospital food?” Conner made a face.