Page 3 of Doctor Neighbor

A chorus of "Yes" and "They're on their way" answers me.

I continue CPR, my arms burning with the effort. The man's blood soaks into my swim trunks, but I barely notice. My mind races, trying to piece together what happened. Did he jump? Fall? Was there a mechanical failure?

Park paramedics are on site in moments. I silently urge them to hurry, even though I know it's too late for this poor soul. As I work, I can't help but think of Lucy, praying she's still blissfully unaware of the gruesome scene just feet away from her.

I stand up, my legs shaky, and my swim trunks soaked with blood. The first responders take over. Their practiced movements somehow dial down the tension of the situation—at least for me.

"Is anyone else hurt?" I call out, scanning the crowd. "Did he hit anyone on the way down?"

Silence. People shake their heads, still stunned by what they've witnessed. My eyes drift over the faces, and suddenly, I freeze. There, standing at the edge of the crowd is a familiar face I haven't seen in years.

Cole.

The owner of that quaint cafe near the hospital. The woman I spent one unforgettable night with before... well, before I ghosted her like a coward. She looks just as beautiful as I remember, but something's wrong. Her shirt is splattered with blood and... oh God, is that brain matter?

"Cole?" I call out, my voice cracking. "Are you okay?"

She turns, her eyes meeting mine. Recognition flashes across her face, followed quickly by something else. Anger? Disgust? I can't tell.

I step towards her, my heart pounding. "Do you need anything? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," she snaps, her voice cold as ice. Without another word, she turns on her heel and marches away, leaving me standing there with my mouth hanging open.

I want to follow her, to make sure she is okay. Having that happen, having his goo all over her has to be disturbing. But her body language screams, ‘Stay away,' and I know I have no right to push it. Besides, I need to talk to the medics before I can leave.

As I watch her disappear into the crowd, a young girl's hand in hers, I'm hit with a wave of regret. I royally screwed things up with her, and now, seeing her again like this... It's like a giant fuck you, you complete asshole, from the feminist spirits that be.

I turn back to the scene, trying to focus on the task at hand. But my mind keeps drifting back to Cole, wondering if she's alright, knowing I'm probably the last person she wants comfort from right now.

3:33 pm

I trudge back to Lucy, my mind a whirlwind of bloody images and regrets. She's still perched on the bench, swinging her legs and scraping up the last of her Dippin' Dots.

"Ready to go, Lulu?" I force a smile, praying she doesn't notice the blood on my trunks. I pull a towel from my bag, wrap it around my waist, and change shirts. The dried blood on my hands isn’t as jarring to me because I always have blood all over me, but I don’t want to scar Lucy.

I find a few napkins in my bag, use a little old-fashioned spit to wet them, and scrub off as much as possible.

"Aw, do we have to?" She pouts but hops off the bench.

"'Fraid so, kiddo. It's getting late. Your momma and daddy are probably missing you right about now.”

As we walk towards the exit, I can't shake the image of that poor guy, his skull split open on the pavement. I've seen plenty of trauma in the ER, but this... this was something else. I know most of those people will never see a brain like they did today and may never get the image out of their minds.

And then there's Cole. God, Cole. I'd almost forgotten about her, left her memory buried under the mountain of life since that night and the drama with Lara. But seeing her today, those clear blue eyes... There is no forgetting that woman.

What the fuck was I thinking, walking away from that one? Especially into the arms of the psycho Lara. Based on her reaction to seeing me, it looks like I’ve burned that bridge, so I need to put it out of my head. Regrets don’t do anything for anyone.

We reach the car, and I help Lucy buckle in. As I slide into the driver's seat, I catch a glimpse of myself in the rearview mirror. I look haunted.

"You okay, Uncle Buster?" Lucy asks, her little face scrunched with concern.

"Yeah, sweetheart. Just tired." I start the engine, trying to focus on the road ahead.

But my mind keeps drifting back to Cole. Her natural beauty, the way she looked at me with such disdain. I curse myself for being such an idiot. I had a chance with her, and I blew it. For what? To end up with Lara, the queen of manipulation?

As we hit the highway, Lucy chatters about her favorite slides. If not for the horror story of an ending, today was perfect. “This might go up there to one of our best Buster-Lu’s, huh?”

“Yes! It was my favoritest date ever. Can we come back tomorrow?”

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