THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME

Zachary understood that any illness that comprised the word malignant in its characterization was related to cancer. That meant that it was very life-threatening to a patient. So, if his grandma's tumor was premalignant, her situation was obviously serious.

"Zachary!" Emily's edgy voice once again resounded from the phone speakers. "Are you there?"

"Yes," Zachary replied, taking a long breath to calm himself. "I'm listening. So, what are the doctors in Zurich suggesting? What plans do they recommend for her treatment?"

"I've just had a long talk with Dr. Brian Sanders, the neurosurgeon who traveled with me to Lubumbashi," Emily said. "He explained that since the tumor is premalignant, it has a very high risk of turning cancerous if not treated as soon as possible. Moreover, in the case of your grandma, the tumor is pressing against both the cerebellum and temporal lobe. It can't allow her to have a moment of peace due to severe symptoms, like impaired muscle coordination and constant drowsiness, among others. So, the recommendation is to undergo surgery as soon as possible. The longer we wait, the more severe her condition becomes."

"Then, let the doctors give us an appointment so that she can undergo surgery right away," Zachary suggested. "If it can be tomorrow, then the better."

"That's not possible," Emily replied. "I already consulted the specialists here at the University Hospital Zurich. They say they need to carry out more tests before planning her exact course of treatment. So, the earliest she can undergo surgery is six days later. That'll be on Friday, the 7th of March."

"That might be too late." Zachary frowned. "Can't we push for an earlier date?"

"Zachary!" Emily replied. "You have to note that the neurosurgery centers here in Zurich are among the best. There are always long lines of patients from all over the world waiting for treatment. That means that it's almost impossible to push for an immediate surgery appointment unless the patient is in a very critical condition."

"But my grandma is also in a critical condition."

"Not according to the doctors," Emily said. "She collapsed in Lubumbashi probably due to overworking while suffering from the tumor. However, after receiving preliminary treatment here in Zurich, she's now quite stable. So, you don't have to worry."

"Okay," Zachary said. "Then, go ahead and schedule the surgery for next Friday. If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to contact me at any time."

"Okay, Zach," Emily said, her tone relaxing. "Arranging matters, whether big or small, is my specialty. So, don't worry. I'll ensure that your grandma has the best care possible while here in Zurich."

"Thanks, Emily," Zachary responded. "I'll also come to Zurich on Thursday, before the surgery. For now, I leave everything in your hands. How's my aunt, by the way? Is she causing you any trouble?"

"Not at all," Emily replied hurriedly. "She's very attentive to your grandma's treatment and doing her best to support her. She hasn't given me any trouble."

"Then, that's a relief," Zachary said. "Take care, and don't forget to contact me when you need anything."

"Okay," Emily said. "Have a good day, and continue training hard. Everything will be okay in time."

"Thanks, Emily."

-----

Since Zachary had finally gotten to know the day when his grandma would undergo surgery, all arrangements became easy. He first requested permission to travel the following Thursday from the club management that very day.

Since there weren't any official matches scheduled during the upcoming week, the club administration granted him the authorization the following day. They allowed him a four-day travel window, from Thursday to Sunday. However, he had to return to Lerkendal on Monday, 10th of March, 2014, to partake in the last three days of Rosenborg's training for the Europa League match against Juventus.

Everything was in order, and all he had to do was wait. He was also no longer very anxious since he often received regular updates on his grandma's condition from Emily. So, with a calm heart, he returned his focus to training.

As the team delved deep into the preparations for the Europa League game, he noticed that Coach Johansen had become more hyper and overly strict with his requirements. He didn't allow any players to rest on their laurels for the next four days and even supervised their fitness conditioning himself.

Additionally, the coach insisted that all players practice their penalty-taking skills on top of refining the match tactics on a daily basis. As a result, the team training sessions became more intense and often lasted longer due to the added routines.

However, none of the players, including Zachary, raised any complaints as they all wished to win their upcoming fixture. Most individuals even started putting in extra hours to hone the other aspects of their game since they desired to impress the coach and make his line-up.

In that manner, the days flashed by quickly, and soon it was Thursday. It was finally the day when Zachary would separate from his teammates and travel to Zurich to be with his grandma when she underwent surgery.

That day, he woke up early in the morning after spending his night with Camilla. He packed his luggage and said his goodbyes before boarding a taxi cab to the airport.

Thirty minutes later, he boarded a Scandinavian Airlines flight and was soon well on his way to Zurich.

On the plane, his expression would flicker from time to time as he watched the fluffy clouds flashing by the window. Since he couldn't predict the outcome of the surgery, his heart was already racing and his mind in a chaotic mess.

Would his grandma win against the tumor? Would she recover completely?

Many doubts whirled through his mind until he dozed off and became oblivious to everything around him.

****    ****

Meanwhile, in Turin, Italy.

The day had dawned crisp and clear. The morning sun shone brightly in the sky, bathing the Juventus Training Center in its warm light.

In one of the rooms of this famous training facility, the Juventus players had already gathered to attend their routine tactical meeting before the actual team practice session. The likes of Paul Pogba, Gianluigi Buffon, Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal, and Carlos Tévez, among other famous players, were all focused on the big screen in front of the room.

They were in the process of reviewing Rosenborg's Europa League round of thirty-two first leg match against Fiorentina. They watched without any change of expressions when Fiorentina scored the two goals as that was nothing surprising. Most didn't even raise an eyebrow when Zachary scored Rosenborg's first goal. However, they couldn't help but gasp in shock when he netted the second one in the 94th minute.

"Did he want to kill the keeper?" Pogba mumbled, a grin outlining his face. "What a funny guy."

The rest of the players chuckled before continuing to follow the game. Very soon, the match ended, and the players turned to their coach for the actual analysis of the game.

"Okay, guys, let's focus," Antonio Conte, the head coach of Juventus, said with a smile. "You just watched Rosenborg's game against Fiorentina. What do you all think? What do we need to look out for to win against them?" He glanced around, sweeping his gaze across his players.

Arturo Vidal, one of Juventus' central midfielders, raised his hand.

"Yes, Arturo!" The coach pointed at him.

"We freeze their midfield," he replied. "As long as we compact the midfield and ensure that their key player doesn't receive the ball, we'll win. One of us can also man-mark the Zachary fellow throughout the match for better efficiency. His dribbling is not that potent, so we can contain him if we use our brains and stop his runs through the midfield. I'm volunteering to be his marker if the rest don't mind." He added jokingly.

The rest of the players laughed at that before turning toward their coach. Their mood was light and merry, without any earnestness. It was as if the match against Rosenborg wasn't crucial for them.

"Guys, listen," Antonio Conte said, his tone solemn. "I know most of you might think that Rosenborg is a team that lucked out and barely defeated Fiorentina. You might also believe that you guys will be able to squash them with your might since you have more depth and experience among yourselves. However, let me warn you that that attitude is very problematic, especially before a game."

"I have watched some of Rosenborg's previous Europa League matches for this season," he continued. "And my conclusion is that they aren't a team to take lightly. We need to approach that game as if we're facing another giant in Europe. Otherwise, we might bow out of the Europa League after the next stage. Are we together, guys?"

"Yes, coach," the players replied, more or less in unison.

"Arturo!" Coach Antonio Conte turned towards the midfielder again. "You volunteered to be Zachary's marker in the Europa League game against Rosenborg. So, you'll rest this weekend for the Serie A game against Fiorentina. What do you think?"

"Coach," the midfielder replied, frowning. "I don't need to rest to handle the Zachary fellow. Even if I play the game on Sunday, I'll still be able to contain him easily."

Coach Conte shook his head. "Don't take him lightly. He is a dangerous player. From the game we just watched, you should've noticed that he never stops when on the field. He's ever running around and falling into various positions by relying on his incredible speed and stamina. So, keeping up with him to mark him tightly will be almost impossible if you're fatigued. And that's why I need you to rest this weekend. Okay?"

"Yes, coach," the midfielder replied reluctantly.

The coach nodded with a smile. He then went over the analysis of Rosenborg's tactics against Fiorentina before talking about their weaknesses in detail. He only ended the tactical meeting forty minutes later when he'd expounded on all the issues related to Rosenborg.

He understood that his players weren't yet ready to take on the Norwegian giants. However, he believed they would be if he held more such tactical meetings over the next few days. He just had to do his job as a coach to fix their attitudes, and they would be able to squash the opponents like bugs.

****    ****