Mom and Dad are in shock.

“How sick is she?”

“Pretty sick, Mom. She’s starting treatment tomorrow to make her blood count come up.”

“Will it work?” Mom asks.

“We hope so. If not, there is another option.”

“Like what?” Dad asks.

“Bone marrow transplant, but the donor has to be at least a fifty percent match.”

“We’ll get tested,” they both chime in.

“Thank you. I’m going to ask Fletcher too.”

“You know he’ll say yes,” Mom says.

“I still have to ask.”

“Chase, can you come back to the States for this?”

“Mom, right now, the treatment is only an injection.” I explain what it does. “It makes sense to stay here since her doctors have all the tests and everything right here.”

“Do you want me to come? Dad and I are retired so it’s not a problem for us to travel.”

Mom always was hands-on. “Let’s see how this goes. If Andi needs anything, I’ll send for both you and her mom.”

“Okay. But don’t hesitate. I know Jane would want to come too.”

“I won’t.”

“Son, if you need anything at all, just call.”

“I will, Dad. And thanks.”

After I hang up with them, I call Fletcher and Cassidy. My call with them is equally as shocking. Cassidy cries and says they’ll all be tested, even the baby. “You never know. Any of us could be a match.”

“Thanks, Cass. It only has to be fifty percent.”

They also wonder about us coming back to the States. “The care here is good, and unless something happens, we’ll stay here. My season ends in a month so we’ll see.”

After we end the call, Andi and I exchange stories.

“Between both of our families, hopefully we’ll find a match,” I say.

Then Andi surprises me with the news about her birth parents. She breaks down and cries, which tears me up. “Andi, it’s going to be fine.”

“But that could’ve been another chance for Violet.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll have enough, and then if we get pregnant, that will be our other option.”

“Oh, Chase. I’m so scared.” My arms wind around her as her body trembles.

Tipping her chin up with my finger, I say, “Andi, everything is going to be fine. Remember, we’re Team Wilde. We’ve got this.”

Her eyes bore into mine and I wish I felt as positive as I sound.

“Right. Team Wilde.”

We hug each other, and I’m not quite sure which one of us is stronger. “Let’s go to bed. I have an early morning tomorrow. I need to be on the field an hour before everyone else since I missed the last two days.”

Andi gives me the nod and we head up to bed. The next morning, she’s still asleep when I get up. I don’t want to disturb my sleeping beauty, so I ease out from under the covers and tiptoe my way to the bathroom. I’m dressed and almost to the door when her voice catches me off guard.

“Trying to leave without a goodbye kiss?”

“No, I wanted to let you sleep.” I go to the bed and let her outstretched arms wrap around me. “I wish I didn’t have to go. You make it too hard on a guy.”

“Those are my intentions. That way you’ll miss me more.”

“I always miss you. Now I really do have to go or I’ll be late.”

“Go get ’em, Wilde.”

I give her nipple a quick pinch and she lets out a squeak. “See you tonight. Call me if you need me.”

“I will.”

Practice is long and difficult. Since I was gone, I go at it especially hard. Even one of the coaches takes note.

“Are you trying to kill yourself?” he asks.

I only want to work the demons out, but I don’t tell him that. “No, just making up for lost time.”

“Just make sure you don’t injure yourself. That’s the last thing we need.” His sour expression tells me he’s not exactly happy.

“Noted,” I yell back to him.

When practice is over, the coach calls me into his office.

“Chase, fill me in on what’s happening with your daughter.”

It’s only fair he knows, so I take the time to give him a rundown of what’s happening.

“She started treatment today. If everything goes as planned, then she should be good. If it doesn’t, then she’ll need a bone marrow transplant.”

“I see. And what does that entail?”

I glance at the ceiling. I don’t want to open this can of worms yet. “We don’t really know yet because we are being optimistic on this first round of treatment.”

“I see. Then keep me posted on her progress. And if there’s anything you need from us, please let us know.”

“Thanks.”

I head to the showers, and afterward I’m on the way home to find out how Violet’s first day went. As I’m pulling into the driveway, the front door opens and Andi is on the porch holding the little tyke in her arms. I hope this is a good sign.

“Dada, here.” Her tiny arms reach out for me. Dropping my bag on the porch, I take her from Andi.

“How’s my girl today?”

She lays her head on my chest and holds out her arm. There’s an elastic wrap on it where I imagine they gave her the injection.

“What’s this?”

“Boo-boo.”

Glancing at Andi, she shakes her head.

“A boo-boo?”

“Yah. Kiss.”

I kiss her arm and ask, “Is it better?”

She bobs her head, which is still pressed against my chest. “Yah.”

Andi grabs my bag and we walk inside the house. “It smells wonderful in here,” I say.

“Lasagna.”

“Mmm.”

“Lazana,” Violet murmurs.

“That’s right. Daddy’s favorite.”

I walk into the living room where a video is playing and put Violet down on the couch, but she’s not having any of that. So I sit down and pull her on top of me. That seems to make her happier.

Andi sits next to us and says, “This is how she’s been all day. Much clingier than usual.”

“She must not feel well.”

“No fever, though, so she just must feel off.”

“What are the side effects?”

“You don’t even want to know. The list is endless.”

“Great,” I groan. I smooth Violet’s curls as she snuggles against me.

“You thirsty?” Andi asks.

“Yeah, I could use some water, please.” I don’t add how starved I am.

She brings back a huge glass of ice water and adds, “We’re going to eat in about fifteen minutes. Is that okay?”

“It’s great because I could eat a horse.”

“Dada eat horse.” Violet giggles. In turn, we all laugh. That’s a relief.

After I guzzle the water, I ask Andi about the day.

“The treatment only took about an hour. They did an infusion and Violet was pretty good. They said depending on how many she’ll need, they may switch to the injection. But to start with, they did this kind. If she responds well, we may do another one next week, and then set up some kind of a schedule. They talked about putting in a port.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s a surgical procedure where they put in a permanent line so they don’t have to stick an IV into her every week. I would be in favor of this.”

“Where would it be?” I ask.

“On her chest.”

This horrifies me, and Andi can tell because she pats my arm and says, “It’s barely noticeable and is so much better for the patient, Chase. This way, she wouldn’t have to get stabbed by a needle every time she goes to the doctor. It was awful holding her today. I hated it.”

“I hadn’t thought of that. I hate you had to do that.” My eyes drop to her tiny arm and that bandage that’s wrapped around it. No wonder she wanted me to kiss it.

“And she’ll have to get this every week?”

“Maybe even more.” Andi’s face tells it all.

“Then there’s no question about it. We’ll do it.”

“Tell me about practice.”

After I fill her in, she checks on the lasagna and pulls it out of the oven to sit for a few. “It’ll be ready to cut right away.”

“I’ve been thinking. If Violet’s treatment doesn’t work out, I think we should go back to the States for the bone marrow transplant,” I say.

“What about your career?”

“My season is over in a month. If she’s getting better, we’ll know by then, right?”

“I should think so.”

“And if not, we’ll know that too.”

Andi nods.

“Then if it’s what we don’t want to hear, we can go back to where our families are. We can ask the doctors here which is the best place.”

“Yeah, about that. I’ve already been researching just in case.”

“And?”

“Everything points to the Children’s Hospital in Nashville.”

“Okay, then we could live there, and that isn’t very far for either of our parents. Maybe what? Four hours?”

“Yeah, I think so. But that still doesn’t answer what you’ll do. You can’t work from over there.”

“I’ll figure that out. I can take a year off, or I may not even need it if the timing is right. And if it’s not, then I’ll do what needs to be done. But never forget that she’s my first priority.”

“And I can always go back to work if need be.”

“Andi, money won’t ever be an issue. I’ve been very wise with what I’ve made, making some very good investments. We’ll never have to worry about that, even if I don’t ever work another day in my life. So put your mind at ease.”

“How much … never mind. It’s not my business.”

“Everything about me is your business. I’ll show you later if you want. But don’t worry about the money.”

The three of us eat dinner and afterward we watch more TV with Violet until she drifts to sleep in my arms. I stare at my beautiful daughter and know it won’t be possible for her not to beat this terrible affliction. She is a Wilde, and Wildes are strong and tough. We are made of hearty stock. I know without a doubt that Violet is going to win, hands down.

But for once in my life, I’m wrong—dead wrong. And this time, the stakes are much higher than a game or even a championship. This time it is winner takes all, and loser … loser doesn’t even have any air left to breathe.