Crumpled Notes and Bloody Handkerchiefs
It was not a good day for Tess; in fact, the whole week sucked! It all began last Sunday when she was running late for ice skating in the park with her best friend Carol. As she left the house, Tess had let the door slam behind her. The screws had worked themselves loose and the unhinged screen door fell with a crash to the front porch.
Disgusted with herself for letting the door slam so hard, Tess simply pulled the main door shut and locked it, leaving the screen door on the porch. She would fix it once she got home. She was going to be late – it was almost 2 o’clock.
Once at the iced over pond, Tess gave Carol a hug and they took off their boots and laced their ice skates. Still talking, they headed out to the edge of the pond. They had not seen each other in a while so, chatting like magpies, they were not really watching where they were going. As they rounded the far end of the pond, a hockey puck flew right across their path, causing both women to fall on their knees.
Hitting her knee hard on a rough patch of ice, Carol cut her knee, turning the white ice bright red. Trying to help her injured friend, Tess reached into her jacket pocket for her handkerchief but only found a crumpled note she had shoved in her pocket the day before. Quickly shoving the note back into her jacket pocket, Tess reached into her jeans pocket and removed a clean handkerchief.
Inching their way to the side of the frozen pond, the two women sat down on a nearby bench. Pressing the handkerchief against her friends’ knee, Tess was able to calm Carol and control the bleeding.
As Tess and Carol checked for other injuries, one of the boys from the hockey game skated quickly towards them. “We are so sorry.” the 12-year old boy said, “we did not see you skating on that side of the pond. Are you okay? We really are sorry.”
Before Tess could reply, a tall, athletic young man wearing hockey skates approached them, shoving the boy to the side.
“I have a first aid kit,” he said, “let me help you.” As the young man knelt down in front of Carol, he continued talking. He said his name was Brian Nichols. He lived nearby and coached hockey in his spare time when he wasn’t working as an architect. He explained he was the coach of this hockey team and though they usually practice on the indoor rink in town, he felt the boys needed some fresh air and he had driven them to the pond for their practice session.
Removing the now bloody, dirty handkerchief from her knee, Brian opened the first aid kit and pulled out a clean bandage. He reached for a plastic bottle filled with water and rinsed the blood from Carol’s knee. He talked while he worked.
“Do you live around here? Do you live nearby?” Brian asked. “I am afraid you may have a stiff knee for a while. I can take you home if you need a ride.”
Carol glanced at Tess. “It’s okay, Tess can take me home. I live nearby.” Carol winched a little bit as he touched a particularly sensitive spot. Her knee was no longer bleeding and watching Brian touch her knee sent shivers thru her, which even her warm winter coat could not suppress.
Tess and the coach looked at each other. With a sly smile and a jingle to her voice, Tess said to Carol, “You know Carol, you don’t live very far away and I do have to head over to the grocery store. Maybe it would be okay if Brian took you home instead of me? I am sure he is harmless.”
Brian smiled at Tess and then turned toward Carol. “I promise. No funny business. I just want to make sure you get home safe. It was my fault the boys were shooting at that side of the pond and I feel guilty you got hurt. I would feel so much better if I knew you got home okay.”
“It’s settled then,” said Tess, “I will run my errands and call to check on you when I get done.” Carol looked at Tess, and from the expression on her friends’ face, Carol quickly realized Tess was happily playing match maker. From experience, she knew there was no way to talk her best friend out of it. She shook her head and laughed.
“Okay Tess, have it your way...as long as there is no funny business or anything.” Carol looked at her throbbing knee and picked up her boots and mittens. “And Tess, you call me as soon as you get home, deal?” Tess happily shook her head yes.
“Excellent!” said Brian. He winked at Tess. “Let me gather the team together and we will all take you home. The boys will be happy to know you are okay.” Brain helped Carol remove her ice skates and put on her boots.
As Tess watched Brian and the whole hockey team help Carol walk to the van, Tess could not help but smile to herself. Pulling the crumpled note from her jacket pocket, she read what she had written, “Brian Nichols, 2PM, Millers Pond.”
Tess smiled to herself – though it did not happen exactly as she had planned, things were working out okay. Tess had a good feeling about those two.
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