Chapter 5
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I started going out of my way to avoid Douglas and Sarah.
I requested a transfer and moved to the inpatient surgical department. The work was more demanding, more exhaust- ing-but at least it kept my mind off all that messy chaos.
My mom and dad grew anxious when I stopped mentioning the wedding with Douglas.
I couldn’t keep it from them any longer. I told them we’d broken up. My mom was so angry she nearly fainted.
“Why? Did that punk bully you?”
I didn’t mention Sarah. I just said we weren’t compatible, that I was tired.
My dad was silent for a long time before he patted my shoulder.
“If it’s over, then it’s over. My daughter’s such a catch-she’ll have no trouble finding someone better.”
Douglas’s parents came to see me, too. Both of them had red-rimmed eyes.
“Maddie, it’s Douglas who’s let you down. We’re here to apologize on his behalf.”
“Howard, Catherine, this isn’t your fault. It’s between me and him.”
“That Sarah…” Douglas’s mother hesitated.
“We know Douglas brought her home. We tried to talk sense into him, yelled at him, but that stubborn boy acted like he was possessed. He said we didn’t understand, that we were heartless.”
“Catherine, let it go. Just let him be.”
Everyone has to live with the consequences of their choices.
Douglas chose his so-called responsibility. Now he has to face all the consequences that come with it.
One night, I was on the night shift.
At three in the morning, the ER called-there’d been a serious car accident, and they needed a surgical consult. I rushed over.
Outside the operating room, I saw someone I never expected.
Jonathan-Douglas’s childhood friend.
He was covered in blood, sitting on a bench with his head in his hands. When he saw me, he shot to his feet.
“Ms. Rexfo-”
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Chapter 5
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“Call me Madeline.”
“Madeline, Douglas, he…”
My heart skipped a beat. “Is he hurt?”
“He and Sarah-both of them are hurt.”
The operating room lights burned all night. At dawn, Bradley emerged, looking utterly drained.
“The patients are out of immediate danger.”
Only then did I realize he’d been the lead surgeon. Since transferring to our hospital, he’d also been handling some trauma surgeries.
Jonathan rushed over. “Doctor, how are they?”
“The man, Douglas Northam-he suffered a comminuted fracture in his right leg and multiple soft tissue contusions. He probably won’t fly again.”
Jonathan’s knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the floor. I had to brace myself against the wall to keep from falling.
Flying had been Douglas’s whole life.
“And the woman?” My voice trembled.
Bradley glanced at me, his eyes deep and unreadable.
“The woman, Sarah Boyer, had an intracranial hemorrhage. She’s still under observation. Also, she was pregnant for six weeks. The baby… didn’t make it.”
My mind exploded in a roar.
Pregnant.
Six weeks.
Counting back, that was the night Douglas ran out of our engagement party.
Turns out, the Sarah he went to take care of that night wasn’t just someone who needed a lightbulb changed.
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