Chapter 5 Love

Larissa melted against Gabe, lost in his kiss. It wasnt until there was a loud bang from someone slamming a car door nearby that she finally regained her senses.

She pulled away, struggling to catch her breath. Why had he kissed her?

Why had she kissed him back?

Larissa, he began, and she immediately knew he was about to apologize.

Its okay, she said quickly, cutting him off. I really need to get going. Thanks again for everything, she said, desperately wishing she could just walk away.

But of course, she couldnt walk anywhere, not without the crutches. Can you get the crutches out for me? she asked when he didnt say anything.

Sure. He stepped back, opened the door, and pulled them out. Ill walk you inside, he said.

No! The word came out much harsher than shed intended. Couldnt he see she was hanging on by a thread? Goodnight, Gabe.

She tucked the crutches beneath her already-sore armpits and made her way up the sidewalk. Of course, Gabe didnt just let her go inside by herself; in fact, he rushed ahead to open the door for her.

Keeping her gaze averted, she made her way toward the elevator. Thanks, but Ive got it from here, she said with a bright smile. Have a great day at work tomorrow, she added as the elevator doors opened. She swung inside and jabbed the button to close the doors.

It wasnt until the doors closed and the elevator starting moving that she sagged against the wall in relief. The trembling in her legs had nothing to do with the exertion of crutches and everything to do with Gabes kiss.

What had just happened? A better question might be why had that happened?

Shed heard about Gabes aloof reputation on her very first day. All the nurses talked about the fact that the good-looking ER doctor didnt date nurses. Not even ones who worked elsewhere in the hospital.

But that wasnt the only reason shed been fighting her attraction to him. She didnt want or need the complication of a man in her life. She was here getting over a bad relationship, not to jump into a new one.

Still, she couldnt help lightly touching her tingling lips. Gabes kiss hadnt just barreled against the walls shed built around her heart, it had broken straight through.

She closed her eyes and prayed for strength.

Larissas ankle felt much better the next morning, so much so that she decided against going to an urgent care, her only option on the Memorial Day holiday. The swelling had come down to the point she probably didnt really need the crutches, but she used them anyway just to rest the ankle a bit more, especially since she was scheduled for another twelve-hour shift the next day. At least she was scheduled for the night shift, so shed have the entire day to rest it.

Summer clouds darkened the sky, making it a great day to stay inside doing chores. Getting her laundry done was tricky, but she managed to scoot the basket into the elevator to get down into the basement.

As the day wore on, she couldnt seem to stop thinking about Gabe. Which was ridiculous, because shed already decided that she needed to keep her distance from him. Yet she must have checked her phone a dozen times, wondering if shed missed his call.

Or a call from Annie.

She thought about the poor woman as she placed the frozen bag of peas over her ankle. Shed called Annies number several times, but the calls went straight to voice mail. Either Annies phone was turned off or Kurt had destroyed it.

She shivered, hoping that Annie had managed to keep the phone hidden. If not, the poor woman had no way of calling for help. Not that shed called the police so far.

Larissa had sensed Gabes frustration yesterday when Annie had refused to press charges. She understood all too well what was going on in Annies mind.

How many times had she begged her mother to leave George? Too many to count. Her mother always had an excuse either she was afraid she wouldnt be able to find a job, or she was afraid George would come after her, or she was afraid George would actually leave her alone. Shed tried to tell her mother they were better off without him, but it wasnt until hed attacked Larissa that her mother had sneaked away in the dead of the night, going straight to a womens shelter, one of the many Larissa had tried to convince her to go to in the past.

The years after George had been rough on both of them. Her mother had been depressed, and the only job shed been able to get was that of a waitress, which hadnt brought in much money. Larissa had gotten a job as soon as shed turned sixteen to help with the household expenses. When she was seventeen, she took the nursing assistant program through her high school and had gotten a decent paying job at a local nursing home. She enjoyed working with patients and had decided to go into nursing.

Ironically, once shed headed off to college, her mother had found a new man, one that didnt hit her or abuse her in any way. He was significantly older, but as long as her mother was happy, she didnt care. In talking to Annie in the ER, shed tried to explain to Annie that she could do the same.

But after the incident last evening, she could only assume her words had fallen on deaf ears. Well, maybe not completely deaf, as Annie had tried to call her.

Shaking off her depressing thoughts, she finished her laundry and then settled in for a movie marathon. She had a secret weakness for the old Star Wars movies and watched one after another, staying up as late as possible so she could sleep in before her next night shift.

The next afternoon, her ankle felt even better. She stayed off of it until she needed to get dressed for work. Even then, she wrapped it snuggly for extra support.

Dark storm clouds obscured the sun, streaks of lightening flashing across the sky as she headed to the hospital. She hurried, trying to beat the rain, making it inside the hospital with mere seconds to spare before the sky opened up and rain pelted the earth.

She grinned at her friend Julie. I thought for sure youd be off today. Didnt you work the past two days?

Tonight is my last of three shifts in a row, and then Im off for four glorious days, Julie responded. Cant wait!

Julie was lucky to have purchased a townhouse on the lake. Shed gotten a decent price because one side had suffered a kitchen fire. If Larissa had managed to save more money, she might have put in a bid for the place herself. Although she was glad her friend had gotten it. Next year, she silently promised. Next year shed have enough money for a down payment.

Are you in the trauma room tonight? Larissa asked as they made their way over to the desk. Debra was the charge nurse, and she looked harassed as they approached.

I dont know, Julie said with a wry smile. Guess well find out.

Im glad youre both here, Debra said. Were short staffed tonight, so Ill need both of you to take a team and help cover the trauma room, she instructed. Larissa, youre team one, and Julie, youre team two. I have Jessica covering team three, and Ill pitch in as needed.

Larissa exchanged a wince with Julie before nodding. Okay.

This is going to be a long night, Julie muttered as they walked away to their respective teams. I bet this storm is going to bring a bunch of trauma cases in. Well be running for sure.

Youre probably right, Larissa agreed. Too late now to wish shed gotten a doctors excuse. Although to be fair, she was glad she hadnt called in, otherwise she would have left Debra, Julie, and Jessica to handle the ER alone.

For the next three hours, Larissa dealt with a steady stream of patients, and thankfully, only two trauma patients had come in. Shed taken the first one, and Julie had taken the second.

Tag, youre it, Julie had joked as they passed in the hallway like ships in the night.

I know, I know, Larissa muttered. They were to take turns with the traumas unless there were two at the same time, and then Debra would come and assist.

Gabe walked into the ER at quarter to eleven, and she realized he was also assigned the night shift. The doctors worked eight-hour shifts instead of twelve, and she hadnt really thought about Gabe at all until now.

Memories of their heated kiss made her blush, and she kept her gaze focused on the computer screen as he went over to the main census board.

Okay, Mr. Harris, youre all set for discharge, she said, walking into her patients room. Remember you have to follow up with your doctor first thing tomorrow morning, okay?

Ill remember, the elderly patient said as he stood. Mr. Clarence Harris had congestive heart failure and often forgot to take his medications, which then caused him to become short of breath. In reading his chart, it sounded like his son wanted him to go to a nursing home, but the older man kept refusing.

All right, take care, then. She helped him out to a wheelchair. Rick, one of their techs, came over to escort the patient outside.

Hi, Larissa, Im surprised to see you here. Gabes voice broke into her thoughts. Hows your ankle?

She took a deep breath before turning to face him. Its a lot better, thanks. I have the crutches in my car if you want them back.

No rush, he said with a shrug. The way he stood there with his hands stuffed into the pockets of his lab coat, she sensed there was more he wanted to say, but just then, their trauma pagers went off.

Car versus pedestrian just off Highway Z, Gabe said out loud as he read his pager. Victim is a fifty-year-old woman, and her vitals are bad. It doesnt sound good.

Her stomach clenched with dread as she read the same message. Annie was fifty years old and lived near Highway Z. Granted, that didnt mean she was the victim. Still, she sent up a quick prayer for Annies safekeeping.

We should call a chopper, in case she needs to get to Madison, she suggested as she followed Gabe into the trauma bay. They were only a level-two trauma center, and if this patient was really bad, theyd need to stabilize her and get her transferred as soon as possible.

Good idea.

Shed barely made the call when the ambulance bay burst open revealing a bevy of paramedics surrounding a gurney. The moment she saw the victim, she knew it was Annie despite the massive amount of blood.

Fifty-year-old woman with serious head injury, unconscious at the scene. Vitals reflect hypovolemic shock. We have fluids running wide open.

Is there another victim? Gabe asked.

No, apparently this was a hit and run.

Larissa concentrated on taking care of Annie, but deep down, she felt certain Kurt was the one behind the wheel of the car that had hit his wife.

And she suspected hed intended to kill Annie.

Larissa and Gabe worked on Annie for a solid hour before they deemed her stable enough to transfer. Larissa watched the flight team wheel Annie away and silently prayed.

Dear Lord, please keep Annie safe in Your care.

Larissa? Gabes low voice broke into her prayer. Are you all right? Suddenly, she wasnt. She had to get away, just for a few minutes. Excuse me, she murmured, slipping away.

She stepped outside, staying beneath the overhang so that she didnt get drenched by the rain. What had happened to Annie? Had she tried to escape Kurt on foot? Had she been on the road, helpless as he drove directly at her?

Squeezing her eyes shut didnt help erase the image she could see so clearly in her mind. Maybe it wasnt Kurt, she tried to tell herself. Maybe Annie had been running from her husband and dashed onto the road, directly in the path of an on-coming car.

She took several deep breaths, trying to calm her ragged nerves. There wasnt anything she could do to help Annie right now. She and Gabe had done their best, placing a breathing tube and a central venous catheter before pumping several units of blood into her system.

The rest was up to the trauma team in Madison and God.

Feeling calmer, she turned to go back inside, shivering when a blast of cold rain hit her back, soaking through the thin fabric of her scrubs. The trauma bay was empty now and had already been cleaned up, which made her feel guilty. It was almost four in the morning, the most difficult part of the night shift, and she realized she must have stayed outside longer than she intended.

Time to stop worrying about Annie and to focus her attention on the handful of patients who still needed care on her team.

She was about to head through the trauma bay when suddenly the ambulance bay doors opened behind her, letting in a blast of cool air. She jumped around in surprise and nearly tripped over her feet when she saw a disheveled man standing there holding a gun.

This is all your fault, he said in a harsh tone, waving the gun in her general direction. Annies gone, and its all your fault!

Kurt Hinkle. Was he intoxicated? He certainly acted like it; his eyes were bloodshot and his gait unsteady. She swallowed hard and tried to edge behind one of the metal bedside tables, not much protection against a bullet. When Kurt came farther in the room, she fought a rising panic.

Where was everyone? Couldnt they hear Kurt?

Dont move! he threatened. He took a step toward her, and she couldnt help shrinking backward, dragging the metal bedside table with her.

And this time when he raised the gun and pointed it directly at her, his hand was far too steady.