Chapter 35
Elina
Clutching the phone between my shoulder and ear, I open the wardrobe. It's been over two weeks since Maya went on vacation, and we haven't had a chance to chat.
"Have you heard anything from Herzogen Clinic?" my best friend asks on the other end of the line after sharing detailed stories about the idyllic beaches of Sicily.
I haven't. And I'm actually glad about it. As long as they don't hire me, I don't have to question whether Noah loves me enough to leave his hometown for me. Nor do I have to wonder if even the perfect job would ever earn me the recognition and love from my parents that I crave so much.
"No. But I did receive a rejection from the Graz Regional Hospital," I say, pulling out a stack of pleated trousers from the wardrobe and making my way toward the bed.
Maya sighs in disappointment. "My father always said that nothing happens without a reason. But I say it's just crap."
"Totally," I confirm, trying to sound just as frustrated as she is. I don't know why I'm lying to her. Perhaps because I don't even know what I really want anymore. Ever since my night with Noah at theobservatory, I can't stop wondering what would happen if I told my mother that I probably can't save Aaron. And how would she react if I asked her to love me anyway?
"And what about Noah?" Maya asks, as I absentmindedly pack my trousers into a travel bag. I might as well throw them away since I haven't worn them in weeks.
I should tell her now that I'm about to pack my things and move in with him in Tyrol, at least until the end of my training. And this is despite the fact that I still don't know if I can trust him. But my gut feeling tells me it's better not to tell Maya anything. "I'm still trying to find out the cause of his persistent exhaustion," I say, so she doesn't get suspicious.
"Mm-hmm." A crunching sound of chewing comes through the phone. "How far have you gotten?"
"You know I can't discuss that," I say, shaking my head, and turn back to the wardrobe. My gaze falls on the stylish pantsuits hanging dusty on their hangers.
"Doctor-patient confidentiality, I get it," she says, sounding disappointed. "Do you at least have any updates on his son that you mentioned last time?"
"Julian wasn't his son." I switch the phone to my other ear to relieve my stiff neck. "He was his best friend."
In the background, I hear fabric rubbing against each other. Maya must be getting comfortable on the sofa. "Tell me more."
Maybe I should indeed do that. Julian isn't my patient, so I can share what I've discovered with Maya. And maybe it will even help me finally decipher his puzzle.
"None of what I know about him so far adds up," I admit in frustration. Then I collapse onto the bed, still holding the pantsuit.
"What do you mean?" Maya asks impatiently. "What about him?"
Looking out the window of the cabin at the pine trees, I gather my thoughts. "I now know that he died while hiking. But the circumstances of the accident are mysterious. Supposedly, he barely bled, had only minor injuries, and slid only a few yards. Yet he was immediately unconscious," I say absentmindedly. "All of that would typically indicate internal bleeding, but..."
"Not if he only had a minor fall, right?" Maya finishes my sentence.
"That's rather unlikely," I say, falling back onto the bed and staring intently at the wooden-paneled ceiling. "I also found out that he had problems with his back and stomach."
"What was the cause?" My best friend sounds just as confused as I am.
"That's the strange part. I still haven't figured it out. He was definitely under treatment with Helene, yet there's no medical record for him." I'm sure I would have found all the missing information there. I've searched the entire practice, but his file was nowhere to be found.
Maya lets out a surprised squeak. I can almost envision her raising her dark eyebrows.
"The answer is hidden among everything I already know. I'm certain of it," I say, tensely. Not being able to see her is driving me crazy.
"I don't know either..." She interrupts herself with astrained breath. "Could the medications have had side effects?"
"No," I reply absentmindedly. "Painkillers can potentially cause stomach bleeding in extreme cases, but I also found tablets that protect the stomach lining."
Maya lets out a discouraged snort.
But I barely hear it because a thought creeps up in me, one that wasn't there before. "What if Julian had internal bleeding that wasn't caused by the accident or the painkillers?" I ask myself more than my friend.
"What would that mean?" she asks excitedly.
