Page 24 of Come Back to Me

I don’t know what to say so I just sit with her, holding space for her loss, as she grieves.

Her mother arrives and when Elyse can’t bring herself to talk, I explain the loss to her. She takes my place, holding Elyse, but I can see the pain in her moist eyes as well—not just for losing her grandchild, but also for the pain her daughter is going through.

I step out of the room, assuring Elyse before I leave that I’ll be back to check on her. I find my charge nurse and tell her I need a few minutes.

The look on my face must show her I’m barely holding it together because she tells me to take as long as I need.

JACK

I’m finishing up our second run to the ER and wondering why I haven’t seen Annie on either trip so far. Something just doesn’t feel right to me.

I see Janie coming out of a room and approach her, running my hand through my hair.

“Hey, Janie, any idea where Annie is hiding out?”

“Sorry, Jack, she’s on a break. She’s had a real tough afternoon.” She frowns, before heading into another room.

I quietly tell Fitz I’m going to go check on Annie and that I’ll meet him in the ambulance when he’s done with the runsheet from the patient we just brought in. I have a feeling I know exactly where to find Annie.

When I come around the corner outside the ER, I find Annie in her spot. Only this time, she’s not cussing up a storm, she’s sitting on the ground with her back against the wall and her head resting on her knees. By the way her back and shoulders are moving and the quiet sounds she’s making, it’s obvious she’s crying.

“Hey, Annie,” I whisper. I crouch down in front of her.

She lifts her eyes to meet mine with a devastated look on her face that makes me think I’d burn down the world if that’s what it’d take to make whatever this is better for her.

She’s wiping her eyes furiously, looking embarrassed that I’m seeing her crying. I sit next to her and pull her into my side to comfort her the only way I can think of.

“Did somebody upset or hurt you? Tell me a name,” I say, straining to hide the anger in my voice at whoever made her cry.

“No, nothing like that,” she quickly says, shaking her head.

She tells me about her patient who just miscarried and I’m in awe that this amazing woman can care for someone at the worst time of their life and not shut herself off to the pain she sees daily in her work. Instead, she bears the weight of it and keeps that beautiful heart of hers full of compassion for people she doesn’t even know.

As she stops crying and wipes her face, I realize that even if she never wants to be more than my friend, I’m damn lucky to have her in my life.

But, shit, I hope she wants to be more, because I’m realizing my heart might be in real trouble with this one—something I’m not at all used to feeling.

“So,Ted, how’s married life treating you?” I ask.

“It’s okay. Lots of ‘honey-do’ type of stuff but Emily is great.” Teddy breaks eye contact with me when he’s talking, and I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something seems off.

I hesitate but decide I need to say something. “Remember, we talked about this a lot before the wedding,” I remind my best friend. “It’s easy to get caught up in the wedding’s excitement and the honeymoon but you have to really watch and make sure you don’t let yourself get down during the everyday stuff, right?”

“Yeah, I know, I know. I’m being careful, Jacky. I’ll tell you if things get bad again. You don’t have to worry about me so much. Everything is okay, I promise.”

“Okay. Just remember I’m here,” I say to him. But he’s no longer looking at me. His eyes are fixed on the dance floor area.

I feel a little better but I’m still not sure everything is okay with him. I make a mental note to check in with Em and see how she’s feeling about things.

I turn to see what’s caught his attention. A group of nurses from First City ER have arrived and planted themselves at a few tables alongside the dance floor. Lucky me, Annie is walking over to the bar and I have an unencumbered view of how scorching hot she looks in ripped skinny jeans, a tight black tank top, denim jacket, and heeled boots.Fuck, she’s gorgeous.

“Hey, Benny,” she says. She leans over the bar and flashes that beautiful smile at our sixty-something bartender, making him blush. “Can we get five of whatever beer you have on tap and a round of Fireball shots for our table?”

“Sure thing, sugar. Anything for my First City gals.” Benny winks.

“Hey, fellas,” she says, turning that smile on us. “What are you guys doing here tonight?”

She says it to both of us but she’s looking straight at me and the intensity in her eyes tells me something is going on with her.

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