Page 8 of Medical Malpractice

My muscles seized before I bolted through the door to encounter plain carnage. Shattered glass, splattered food and stained furniture. Nothing came away unscathed; the open-plan kitchen and lounge had been destroyed.

But what made my soul scream was finding my two best friends in an altercation.

Nico raised his arms in a poor attempt at protection as Gabriella carelessly laid into him.

I brought my fingers to my mouth and let a loud whistle loose.

Their attention immediately pivoted my way, and by Nico’s contorted face, he was fucking pissed.

“Ah, if it isn’t the man of the hour! Option number one!”

I had no idea what he was talking about, though recognition sparked in Gabriella’s eyes.

“All this time,” she said, her voice torn. “You never moved past it, did you?”

“And neither did you!”

They were speaking in code, a language filled with sorrow and regret.

Then Nico turned back to me. “Well, here she is, friend. She’s all yours.” He grabbed Gabriella’s shoulder and shoved her towards me.

I caught her arm in mine, guiding her upright. “I don’t know what’s happened, but don’t put your fucking hands on her, Nico.”

He cackled, a deranged laugh falling out of his bruised face. “Fucking take her. You’ve always wanted her anyway!”

He was unhinged. I spared a glance at Gabriella, who was staring at her husband with such disdain that she didn’t even notice the bloody footprints her cut feet left behind. Hell, they were both unhinged.

“Are you okay?” I asked Gabriella.

Her eyes softened when they met mine, but I could also see the tornado of emotions churning beneath. She was hurting badly.

“Do you two need a minute?” Nico sneered. “Or do you need help packing for your new life together?”

Alright. I had had about enough of his arrogant, condescending attitude. Where the hell is my best friend?

“What the fuck is going on, Nico?”

“You tell me, Leo. Why are you even here? I didn’t invite you.”

“I came as a surprise. Ella invited me.”

“Of course she did,” he said. But there was something extra in his tone—an underlining accusation.

“What are you insinuating?”

Gabriella cut in. “Don’t, Nico. Haven’t you done enough?”

At her question, his expression twisted into a cruel mask. “What, Gabs? I thought you’d be happy to finally have confirmation that Leo’s been fawning over you since we got together.”

“Are you high?” I asked. “Ella is my friend, as are you.”

“Really? Do friends fuck their best friend’s wives?”

I scoffed. “Stop talking shit. We have never been inappropriate.”

“That’s not what I heard from—oh, let me think—Monica, Erica, Rita and Sandra.” He said each name with a tick of a finger for extra emphasis.

Disbelief and humiliation swept through me as he relayed all my sins out in the open.