Page 91 of It's Always Been You
“Take my badge.” I spin around, and a nurse stands behind me, unlooping the lanyard from her neck and handing it to me. “It’s against hospital policy, but we are so far beyond that right now. I remember you from their engagement party. You’re part of their group of friends. You all are like family. He should hear this news from family. Besides, aren’t you Gabriel Sullivan’s fiancée? I saw your picture in the paper. I doubt the hospital is going to mess with Gabriel Sullivan’s fiancée. Eighth floor, hon. Make a left through the double doors by the elevator, and the doctor’s lounge is the third door on the right. Just drop the badge off at any nurse’s station. It’ll find its way back to me.”
“Thank you,” I say, taking the lanyard from her and sticking it in my bag. Mission accomplished, I turn to go find the elevators. As I walk, my brain works down my list. Everyone else needs to know. Hallie and Ben. Julie and Asher. Emma and Jeremy. Rachel and Steven. It’s too many phone calls to make.It’ll take too much time. So many people to devastate tonight. So many lives that will never be the same.
Your fault.
Your fault.
Your fault.
I’m hitting Gabe’s contact before I even realize I’ve pulled my phone out of my bag. He answers almost immediately.
“Hey, Rory baby, miss me already?” Gabe asks by way of greeting.
“Gabe,” I say, my voice flat. “I have some really sad news, except we don’t have time to be sad right now. There’s too much to do.”
“Are you okay?” he asks. His tone is level, but I can hear the edge of panic underneath. The deep, comforting timbre of his voice has my breath backing up in my lungs and a sob rising, but I shove it down.One foot in front of the other. Do what comes next.
“I’m okay, but I need you to listen to me. Allie was shot and killed outside the ER just now while she was waiting for me to pick her up. It happened right before I got here. It was the father of a patient who died during surgery while Allie was operating. He’s in custody. The bullet hit her in the chest, and she bled out almost immediately. No one could save her.”
Your fault.
Your fault.
Your fault.
I shake my head to clear it.Focus Molly. The walk down the hallway to the elevator feels endless.
“I’m on my way to tell Jordan right now. He’s here at the hospital, but he doesn’t know yet. I don’t want him to hear it from anyone but me.”
“Wait for me,” Gabe says immediately, and I hear rustling at the other end of the line like he’s standing up. “Let me be therewith you, then I’ll drive you home. Or to your friends. Anywhere you need to be, I’ll be there with you. I love you, Rory. You don’t have to do this alone.”
“No, Gabe. Listen. Stay home. Please. I need to tell him now. I can’t wait and risk him hearing it from anyone who isn’t me, and I know news travels fast in these places. I need your help. Please.”
“Anything,” Gabe says. “Literally anything. Tell me what you need me to do.”
I breathe a sigh of relief for this man, who knows me well enough to know not to argue with me right now.
“I need you to call Ben. Right now, Gabe. No one else knows, and I don’t have time for that many phone calls. Call Ben and tell him, and he can tell everyone else. Let him know Jordan is at the hospital, and I’m telling him now. Ben will know what to do. I’ll come home after I talk to Jordan.”
“Where are you parked?” Gabe asks.
I finally make it to the elevator and stab the up button. “In front of the ER, why?”
“It’s dark, and I just want to make sure you don’t have to walk far to get to your car when you’re ready to leave.”
“I’ll be fine. The elevator just got here. I have to go, Gabe. Call Ben.”
“Right now, Rory. I swear. I’ll take care of it.”
“Thank you,” I say, checking off that box on my to-do list and stepping into the elevator.
“I love you, Rory. So, so much. And I’m here for you. I’m so sorry you lost your friend.”
Your fault.
Your fault.
Your fault.
