Page 3 of Room One Hundred and Nineteen: Watching Her

“Come on, who do you think you’re talking to?” Rick asked, a little firmer than he usually spoke to her. I felt her turn her attention toward him. “You don’t ever run away. I saw you the day of that multiple car crash. Or the day that fire in that warehouse brought in all those workers. You don’t ever run off. But today? Today was hard. Next time something like that comes in, even though I sure as fuck hope no one ever has to go through that kind of shit again, you won’t need to,” he said gently and kept talking. “But we all know that crap is too hard to shoulder and push down. We need to deal with it in the moment so we can keep moving forward. And the best way for you to do that today is to go home, be with your babies and soak in that it wasn’t you. Thank fuck it wasn’t. You’re still here, and they’re here. Everything, and I swear to you on my mama’s grave, everything will be okay.”

“You can’t promise that, Rick.”

“I can,” he argued, and I nodded.

“He can. I can. Fuck, if Miles were here, he would, too,” I chimed in.

She turned slowly, giving me those deep soulful eyes. From close up, she looked so much younger than her thirty-two years. Softer than she carried herself. A lot of the other doctors and nurses thought she was mean.A hard-ass.But the three of us knew that wasn’t the case.Not at all.If they knew our woman was nothing but sweet honey all the way through, they would be fucking shocked. But she was. She just didn’t let anyone see it. Not usually, at least. Life had taught her to keep that part of her to herself. And it would be a damn hard job to help her learn she didn’t need to do that.

One Miles, Rick, and I were more than prepared to take on.

“Take the rest of the day,” I gently repeated Rick’s words. “Go home. Hang with Mike and Betsy. Maybe go to the park,” I suggested. She opened and shut her mouth, but there was something in her eyes. Something that made me hope I somehow said the right thing.

“You’re right. Okay,” she quietly agreed. “If I can talk Tabitha into letting me go early, I will.”

“No need to talk her into anything,” Miles’ velvety voice sounded, and we turned around.

“What did you do?” Elena asked, and just like that, the small, sweet bubble we had found ourselves in popped. She pulled her hands out of our hold and stood up. Even with us sitting down, I was still a little taller than her. I watched her put her hands to her hips and scowl at Miles.

“I talked to Tabs for you. You’re welcome.” I winced. Miles had the tact of a fucking feral cat. She opened her mouth, probably to tell him he shouldn’t have done that, but he put his hand up. His bright blue eyes were set on her.

“We all know that was a lot. It was a lot for everyone, but being the only one who worked that call who actually has kids, I figured you would need some time. Your shift is almost over anyways. She was fine with it. She was even going to come find you to tell you, you should take off early.” Rick and I glanced at one another before returning our attention to Elena, not sure if he was bullshitting that last part.

Her shoulders dropped in defeat like the air had been deflated from her, and she wrapped her arms around herself. “Thank you,” she mumbled. “I’m gonna go get the kids. See you guys around.” She gave us a small wave then, without looking at us again, she disappeared out of the cafeteria. Probably going directly to the locker room to get her shit before heading down to the hospital’s daycare center to pick up her twins.

Rick and I stood and glanced at Miles. “What?!” he exclaimed.

“You’re an idiot,” Rick mumbled.

“Yeah, maybe. But I get shit done.” Both Rick and I rolled our eyes at him. Rick sighed heavily. I turned toward him. He ran his hand through his closely cut dark hair before pinching the bridge of his nose.

“This crap is getting old,” Rick huffed. “We can’t keep doing this. We need to make a move, and fast.”

“Rick.” I sighed. I got where he was coming from. It sucked watching her struggle when we could make things easier. “She needs time.”

“She needs help,” he clipped. My jaw clenched.

“You don’t think I know that? You don’t think it burns me from the inside out to see her struggle? Huh? I know we can make it all better. Make her life so much easier,” I gritted through my teeth.

“Then what the fuck are we waiting for?” he asked.

“You know what we’re waiting for,” Miles cut in, and the two of us glanced at him.

“Fine.” Rick’s shoulders slumped. “I’m gonna get a coffee. You guys want anything?”

“No.” “No thanks,” we answered, and Rick made his way to the cafeteria.

“You going to go make sure her car starts this time?” I asked Miles. He nodded, patting me on the shoulder before he walked away, moving his happy ass down to the parking lot.

I turned and looked out the window she had been staring through. Trying to make out what she was looking at. Nothing in particular probably. That’s when my brows bunched. I looked at the glass, and my head tipped to the side before I looked behind me, then back out the glass.

Surprised to know that with the sun shining the way it was, you had a clear reflection of where Rick and I had been standing and watching her.

1

ELENA FLORES

The heavy picnic blanket beneath me was dusted with the sand that surrounded me, but that was bound to happen. The sun shined and warmed my shoulders, and I pulled my legs into me, resting my chin on my knees. I looked out at the bright blue ocean water. Water so blue that it reminded me of a particular doctor’s eyes. Then, just like that, while the waves slowly came in and then drew back the same way, three doctors filled my head.

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