Page 4 of See Through

Aubrey: It’s going to storm tonight, so we can’t.

Maven: Then it’s girls night. What were you thinking?

Aubrey: Margaritas and nachos at my place?

Maven: Music to my ears. I’ll be over at seven.

Aubrey: See you then, babe.

It’s been a little bit since Maven and I have hung out. Normally, she’s too busy working two jobs and basically living in a state of burn out, so I’m glad I get to have her all to myself for a night.

Maven and I met in a grief support group I found after Adrian. We bonded over the fact that we were the same age and had lost someone close to us. For me, it was my brother. For her, it was one of her closest friends. We’ve been inseparable ever since, and I like to think Adrian himself sent her to me.

I believe in a lot of things—ghosts, life after death—but the one thing I’m absolutely sure of is that you can’t do anything alone. The people I have around me are all I need.

CHAPTER THREE

“Are you doing okay in there, Steve?” I ask through the speaker.

“All good,” he replies as I see his feet fluttering.

“Just remember to hold still for me. I’ll get this done as soon as possible.” I set up the next scan I’m about to run, knowing he wants this done as quickly as possible. “I’m going to run a couple here back-to-back for about five minutes.”

I start running the first scan when I hear my coworker and friend laughing under his breath at me. “Something funny?”

“You’re so good with your patients.” He slides over to the computer while he waits for his next patient to show up.

“Thanks?” I say as I let my machine run, checking that my images are sending as I switch between tabs, Aubrey’s channel on one of the other ones. I’ve been checking it all day, refreshing it like a psycho to see if she’s hit a million yet. She’s a few hundred away now, and I’m headed across the street to the store to pick up a cake I ordered for her when I leave tonight.

“You’ve got a pop-up,” Cooper says from behind me, and I hate that I jump a little bit.

“How the hell did you get over here so fast?”

“I can be quiet when I want to be.” He winks at me before I press enter on the scanner keyboard. “What are you looking at?”

“Nothing, and it sounds like your next patient is here.” I motion to where Patrick sits by the printer. “Why don’t you set your table up?”

“I got it,” Patrick says as he heads for the scanner.

“Why can’t you let me be nosy?” He rolls his eyes, crossing his arms in front of him. I always hate how close he seems to like being to me. Personal space is something he really doesn’t understand. His blond hair is all over the place, since he slept too late and couldn’t put any gel in it, and his blue eyes probably roll at me a few hundred times a day. “You know it’s my favorite pastime.”

“One second.” I hold my finger up at him and hear him scoff. “How are you doing?”

“How much longer?”

“About five more minutes. I’ll go as quick as I can.” I start the next scan before I turn to Cooper. “There’s no need for you to be as in my business as you are.”

“It’s called friendship, Dean. Ever heard of it?”

“I have,” I sigh.

“Our friendship is exactly the opposite of what you and Aubrey are, though.” He smirks. “How are things going with her, by the way? Does she know you wear the scrub cap she got you every fucking day you work?”

I adjust the scrub cap with ghosts on it on my head. It feels itchy suddenly. “Things are fine, and no, she doesn’t. She rarely sees me in my scrubs.”

“Because she would fall head over heels for you if she did?”

I pin him with a look I always seem to make when I’m at work. “Why did I agree to work weekends here with you again?”