A Second Opinion

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER NINE

      The knock on his door woke him up. He’d fallen asleep on the couch. He looked outside. It was dark. He stood up. Several beer cans rolled off him. Apparently he had more than a six pack in his fridge. He rubbed his eyes. The knocking became insistent. “Yeah, yeah, I am coming.”

      He had no idea whether it was the beginning or the middle of the night. Who would come by this late? 

      He picked up his cell phone, lying on the floor and turned on the display. It was late in the evening. The sun had just gone down. Sidnee’s surgery was twelve hours ago.  He looked to make sure he was wearing clothes. His head felt groggy. His eyes were heavy. 

      He opened the door, ready to shoo away whoever it was. 

      “Kate!”

      His pulse quickened. 

      Her eyes were wide, a rosy tint colored her cheeks. “I’ve done something, and I need to tell someone.” He stepped aside and let her in. What was she doing here? He tried to clear the cobwebs in his brain. He was glad to see her. Even as his brain told him he needed to stop whatever it was they had together, his heart wanted her here, near him. He wanted to touch her, to be close to her, to feel the comfort and peace that came with Kate.

      She looked at him excitedly, like a kid who had just gotten exactly what they wanted for Christmas. 

      “Okay. I’ll help you move it.”

      She furrowed her brows. “What?”

      “I’ll help you move the body. Isn’t that why you’re here? To tell me you’ve killed someone and need my help moving the body? I can’t see any other scenario in which you’d be talking to me.”

      She laughed. His heart warmed. It was a sound he liked to hear. She had a tinkling laugh, her eyes scrunched a little, and her whole face lit up. He could spend his whole life trying to make her laugh. Wait what? Back up Nick!   

      She shook her head. “That’s not why I am here. Wait, you’d help me move the body if I killed someone?”

      He nodded. “There isn’t much I wouldn’t do for you Kate.” His voice was husky, surprising both him and Kate. What happened to staying away from her?

      “Except leave my patient alone.”

      And there it was.

      “I meant personally Kate. Just like I don’t expect you to cut me any slack professionally, I won’t do the same. Patient care can’t be dictated by personal relationships.”

      He saw her throat move as she swallowed. 

      “I actually agree with you on that principle.”

      She slumped into the couch. “I came because I did something today that I am rather proud of, and I wanted to share it with someone. And I realized that I didn’t just want to share it with anyone. I wanted to share it with you. Despite still being mad at you.”

      He sat beside her. He reached out and took her hand. It felt good to touch her. 

      “I am so sorry Kate. I am sorry about Sidnee. Maybe you’re right. I may have been projecting what happened with Lucy on all my patients. I’ve just felt desperate to do something ever since she died. Like somehow saving someone else will bring her back.”

      She took his hand. “I wish I’d been there for you, I wish I’d been there for her.”

      He rested his head on her shoulder. She stroked his hair.