Closed Throwing In The Towel

[Nikko Blackwood]

Nikko's leg was screaming and he had to bite down on the inside of his cheek to keep himself from yelling in frustration as he entered the locker room. His fall was months ago and he still dreamt about it all the time. He'd wake up with a hard flinch and pray he didn't wake Aubrey. She needed her sleep, they both did. It was only a matter of months before they'd have a baby keeping them up all night. He took a shaky breath as he thought about the baby and finally sat down heavily on the bench in front of his locker. He was sweating and it wasn't just from practice. The break in his leg had been bad, and the hearlers had done everything they could but they were out of options. They had been optimistic at first but as each week past and his range of motion didn't return and the pain lingered they turned more serious. They told him to rest and he had, or as much as he was able to with a pregnat wife to care for. When he was released to play again he was hopeful that this was all just a bump in the road. But getting in the air was easier said that done. Nikko almost had a panic attack when he was in front of the hoops again and the groud dizzingly far below him. It was just another hurdel, but as soon as his confidence grew his pain was back. He had tapped out of practice early, letting their alternate off the bench even if they had been playing more than he had lately. He held his head in his hands feeling defeated.