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“It should.” He looks back into the ER. “Because if it wasn’t me, it was someone you trust more than me. Maybe even one of your friends.”
Just then, the ambulance comes in. No way would anyone do that. I have no problems with anyone. Backing into the spot, the doors of the ambulance open, and we take the stretcher out. The paramedic is in the back, straddling the patient and doing compressions.
Shit.
We wheel the gurney into the hospital, and I was concentrating so much on the information the paramedic was passing on that I didn’t notice who the patient was.
Mr. Euing.
Chapter 24
Cooper
As I’m finishing my workout, my phone dings in my pocket on the way to my car. It’s Ellery. I glance at the time on my phone, she still has hours left in her shift, and that’s if she gets off on time.
“Hey, you miss me?”
I hear the stutter of her breath.
“Elle?” I ask, my adrenaline already pumping in my veins. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s just…” She can barely talk, she’s crying so hard. “I just needed to hear your voice.”
“What happened?” The last time she called me in hysterics like this, she’d felt responsible for losing a patient who died.
“Mr.… Euing.”
The homeless guy that she’s grown a relationship with since she was a resident at Mercy. One time she made me drive around looking for him because he hadn’t made an excuse to come in for over a month.
“What happened?”
“He’s dead. There was…” She heaves for a breath. “Nothing we could do to save him.”
“Oh, Elle. I’m sorry. I can head right over there.”
“No!” She cries for a few seconds. “I have to finish my shift. Dr. Murphy just told me to take my break.”
“I’ll be there to pick you up when you’re done.
“Thanks.” She clears her throat and blows her nose. “Okay, I can do this. I’ll see you later today.”
“Okay.”
She’s gotten herself able to go back out there to finish her shift, and I’m not gonna keep harping on whether she’s okay. I’ll pick her up and take care of her when she’s done working. Hopefully, she’ll feel a little better by morning.
I bide my time and stop at the grocery store, heading back to my apartment, where I prepare the chocolate chip cookies that I make for her anytime she’s feeling down. It started with the very first patient she lost.
I finish just in time to head over to the hospital. There’s no way I can be late for her today, so I hope traffic is cooperative.
I decide not to go inside since she said Dr. Murphy’s been giving her shit lately. Bringing her lunch is one thing, but picking her up, I can wait outside.
I park my car and wait, not caring that it’s a drop-off zone. I’ll move if I need to.
She walks out on time, and I get out of the car when I see her coming. When her gaze finds mine, tears fill her eyes, and she walks right into my arms.
I hold her close and kiss the top of her head. “I know. I know how much he meant to you.” My hands run up and down her back as sobs rack her body.
Elle appears tough on the outside, like nothing affects her, but it’s all a front. She cares for all her patients, but I know Mr. Euing was special to her.
