by Gallie, DL
Opening the fridge, I pull out my bottle of wine and pour myself a glass, a well-deserved glass after playing Suzy Homemaker since I got home. Taking a sip, I close my eyes and savor the taste as the pinot grigio slides down my throat. Not in the mood to cook, I put together a mini platter, consisting of smoked cheese, salami, olives, and crackers. With my platter and wine in hand, I walk into the living room and my heart sinks. This room is just as messy. Not wanting to deal with it right now, I step out onto the balcony, which is surprisingly tidy.
Climbing onto the lounger, I place the platter next to me and lie back. Finally I’m able to relax. For the rest of the evening, I enjoy my wine and food. Bay doesn’t come home and she doesn’t call either, her behavior is concerning at the moment. However, as Cress keeps telling me, Bay is old enough to look after herself, but I worry about my twin. There’s a niggling feeling deep inside my stomach, telling me she’s in trouble, and I don’t like feeling like this. I really hope I’m just being a worrywart right now.
3
Flynn
“Time of death: five fifty-two,” I declare, shaking my head in defeat. Someone pats my back in sympathy, and I let out a deep sigh. It's tough losing a patient. It doesn’t matter if they are ninety or nine, a life is a life. Now the sucky part, I have to face the family and let them know that we, I, was unable to save their dad/brother/husband/son. This is the part that hurts the most. Sure, losing a patient stinks, but seeing those left behind fall apart, that’s heartbreaking and it never gets easier. Thankfully, it doesn’t happen all the time, but when it does, it messes with me and I doubt everything I did as the doctor on the case. Was there something I could have done to prevent the death? Did I fuck up? Doubt is a bitch, especially in my line of work.
Running my hands though my hair, I take a deep breath to prepare myself; not that you can really prepare for this. Exiting the room, I wash my hands and make my way out to the waiting room. As soon as I step into the waiting room, a lady stands up. She looks at me and without me even uttering a word, she knows. Her face pales. She begins to shake her head from side to side and lifts her hand to cover her mouth. The first tear falls as I begin walking toward her. “Mrs. Hunter” She nods but doesn’t utter a word, “I’m Dr. Kelly. I was working on your husband, Paul. Unfortunately, due to the injuries he sustained in the crash, I was unable to save him.” To the point. Direct, without being harsh. They are the words my mentor told me the first time I lost a patient and to this day, I still repeat them to myself when I deliver news like this.
“No. No. No!” she wails. She falls forward and crashes into me. She rests her palms and forehead on my chest, shaking her head from side to side repeating “No” over and over.
It isn’t until a little voice says, “Mommy,” that I realize he was a father. Mrs. Hunter really loses it when she looks down at her daughter. She drops down to her knees and envelops the little girl in her arms and cries harder. Seeing this causes a lump to form in the back of my throat when it really hits me: I didn’t save this little girl’s dad. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Lifting my hand, I squeeze the back of my neck and look down at this woman and her daughter. My heart breaks for them both, it aches in a way I’ve never felt before. Reaching out, I rub Mrs. Hunter’s back as she continues to cry, holding her little girl tightly to her chest. She’s sobbing uncontrollably but at the same time, whispering to her daughter.
The little girl pulls away from her mom and looks up at me; her eyes red and filled with tears. “Why didn’t you save my daddy?”
Wow, this little girl just gutted it me further with her words. I didn’t think I could feel any shittier than I already do but this lil’ one just knocked me on my ass once again. Dropping to my knees, I look her in the eyes. “I’m sorry sweetheart, I did everything I could to save your daddy.”
She looks over to her mother, her bottom lip quivering and the tears in her eyes spilling down her little cheeks. “Daddy’s not coming home,” she tearfully cries.
“No, honey, he’s not,” Mrs. Hunter replies softly.
Reaching out, I take her hand and squeeze. “I know it'll be hard to never see or hug your daddy again, but he’s in heaven now. You’ve now got your very own angel. He will look over you, protect you, and love you forever and ever.”
The little girl looks to her mom. “Is that true, Mommy? Is Daddy an angel now?”
“Yes, honey, he is.” She swallows a sob, “And what do angels do?”
“Angels ALWAYS smile down on those they care about.”
“That’s right.”
“But if he loves us, why did he leave us?” Wow, can this child gut me anymore?
Her mother gasps and begins to sob. She drops to her knees and envelops her daughter in her arms, and together they cry and grieve. I give them a few moments and then reach out and squeeze her shoulder. “Sorry, Mrs. Hunter, but I need to talk to you about organ dona—”
“Yes.” Her head pops up and she looks directly into my eyes. “Yes, P-p-p-p…Paul wanted to. The least we can do is make his death worthwhile.”
This woman is amazing. She has just lost her husband, the father of her child, and she’s turning his death into something wonderful. People continue to surprise me, and for once, it’s in a great way. Nodding my head, I squeeze her shoulder tighter. “I’ll contact the team and someone will be over to see you shortly to sign some forms.” She nods at me as the tears continue to streak down her cheeks. With a sad smile, I once again say, “I’m so sorry for your loss, Mrs. Hunter.”
She continues to nod and cry as I walk away. Just as I reach the security doors, I hear a little scream echo through the room. Looking back, I see the little girl in her mother’s arms, sobbing her little heart out. Now that’s heartbreaking. Leaving the little girl and her mother to grieve, I push through the doors and make a beeline for the drug room. Slipping inside, I close the door and lean my head against the wall. Closing my eyes, I breathe deeply and sigh. Quietly I whisper, “Six words have never cut me so deeply before. That little girl’s life will forever be changed because I couldn’t save her father.”
Turning around, I slide down the wall and rest my head back. Closing my eyes again, I breathe deeply and take a few moments to compose myself. The life of a doctor is shit some days, and today it is epically shit.
Once I feel like me again, well as much as you can after an incident like this, I stand up, shake it off, and head back to work. Pushing open the door, I swallow down the lump in my throat and get back to work.
Along the way, I pass a nurse and she looks seductively at me. Licking her lips and grinning. My eyes drop to her mouth and I remember those lips wrapped about my cock a few weeks ago in the on-call room. Then I look into her eyes and I recall the days after. If it hadn’t have been for Kristin saving my ass, I would have had a stage five clinger on my hands. I think she’s the reason for not hooking up with anyone after Kristin left. Nodding at her, I put my head down and keep walking. Not today, nurse, not today…or ever again.
Once everything is finalized, and I’ve handed things over to the transplant team, I pop the paperwork in the correct tray for filing and head toward the doctors’ lounge, thankful today is finally over. Pushing the door open, I step in and see Miranda and Grant, sitting very close together; seems there’s a hot new couple at Western General. I’m happy for them, but coupledom isn’t for me. I’m made for giving pleasure, not settling. We nod our heads hello as I pass by. Sitting in front of my locker, I sigh when I hear the door open and close again.
“Dude,” Preston says, I look up and see him walking over to me. Standing up, we do the manly slap on the back, one-armed man hug, and then I sit back down. “Sorry about your patient,” he offers, as he opens his locker and begins to change; the dude has no shame whatsoever.
“Thanks, man. How he held on as long as he did is beyond me. There was literally nothing I could’ve done.”
“That’s tough.”
Nodding, I pull my scrub top ove
r my head, leaving me in a white T-shirt; I throw my top at the laundry cart and lean into my locker for my button-down. Holding the shirt in my hands, I rub my forehead, and turn to Preston. “Drinks?”
“Hell yes. It’s been a tough week.”
“It sure has. Doesn’t even feel like I had a vacation, but I’m glad to have the weekend off, especially after today.” As I say this, I think back to my holiday and the babes I hooked up with, and in particular the lass who got away, Paige Walsh. Just thinking about her has my cock twitching. Even now, a week later, I’m still thinking about the chick I didn’t fuck. She’s all I can think about. A night with a random lass is exactly what I need to get her out of my head, and I need someone who doesn’t work here. That’s a complication I don’t need right now.
Thirty minutes later, Preston and I walk into the Fat Fox Tavern. We decided to skip the bar closest to Western General. After today, I didn’t want to be around other doctors where the topic of conversation always turns to work. After what transpired with the death of Mr. Hunter, I do not want to think about being a doctor. Tonight I want to fuck and forget.
Glancing around the bar, my eyes land on the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Chocolate brown hair cascades down her back. Slim waist, from what I can tell. Legs that go on and on, I’d like to see those sexy as hell legs wrapped around my waist…or face. She’s sitting at the bar with a girlfriend, drinking beer and doing shots. She’s doesn’t look like a prissy stuck-up lass, I think to myself, as I watch her throw back a shot. She makes a face, which on anyone else would look silly, but on her, it's sexy as fuck. She downs another shot straight after garnering a laugh from her friend. This time she shakes her head at the hit of alcohol, and it causes her tits to wobble. From where I’m standing near the door, they look like gorgeous breasts. I wanna bury my face in them, maybe even slide my dick between them. At that thought, my dick twitches in my pants.
Discreetly adjusting myself, Preston and I walk farther into the Tavern. We end up at the opposite end of the bar, which luckily for me, gives me a clear view of this sexy as hell vixen. We order two Guinnesses and head to a table in the back where again, I have a clear line of sight to the gorgeous brown-haired goddess who I cannot take my eyes off.
As I drink my beer, I hope and pray that later this evening, she will be riding my cock into the wee hours of the morning.
4
Avery
My best friend Cressida (Cress) Bayliss and I have just arrived at The Fat Fox Tavern. Taking a seat at the bar, we order a round of beers and some shots. While we wait, Cress looks around the bar, no doubt scouting for tonight’s hookup since she’s child-free for the evening. Cress is a single mom to Lexi, and her daughter is a mini version of her mother. She’s an exact carbon copy, looks and personality-wise. Good luck to Cress when Lexi is a teenager.
Our drinks are placed in front of us. We pick up our beers and tap them together and chant, “Cheers” before taking a sip. The yeasty goodness instantly relaxes me and I smile. Closing my eyes, I let the anguish of Baylor and the busy week I’ve had float away and vanish.
We sink our shots and I shake my head as the alcohol both burns and warms my body from the inside out. Picking up my beer, I take another drink when the sound of Cress’s voice brings me back into the present. “Ave, there’s a hottie Mc-fuckin’-Hotterson behind you and he is currently eye fucking the hell out of you from across the bar,” Cress says, as she lifts her beer to her lips. Moving my shoulder, I go to turn and look but she grabs my arm roughly and whisper-shouts, “No! Don’t look.”
My eyes bug open. “Why? If he’s so hot, I wanna see,” I complain. I can tell from the look in her eyes that he is a twenty out of ten.
Her eyes bug wide open and then she starts to grin, leaving me antsy—a grinning Cress can be dangerous at times. Her eyes are steadfastly locked behind me. He really must be hot if she can’t stop staring. And then it hits me, he’s staring at her and not me, and she clearly wants him too. Ohh well, I think to myself as I pick up my beer and take another sip.
When her mouth drops open, I become confused. She’s stunned silent. With her eyes bulged wide open and her mouth wide open. And then I feel it, a warmth at my back.
My skin prickles.
My heart rate accelerates.
My mouth goes dry.
The air around me crackles.
I’ve never had a reaction like this before…and I haven’t even laid eyes on this guy. Closing my eyes, I inhale deeply and spin my chair, trying to look sexy as I do, but instead, I overexert and the stool flies around faster than I anticipated and I lose my balance. Reaching my hand out to brace myself on the edge of the bar I miss, and instead, my hand lands on a body, with a thump, in the most inappropriate of spots. A grunt emanates from above me and he doubles over. “Fuck me,” he groans in pain.
“Holy shitballs, I’m so so sorry. Are you okay?”
“I will be…eventually,” he groans through clenched teeth, “but would you mind removing you hand from my junk?”
I’m frozen.
I’m shocked.
I’m in awe of his voice.
His looks.
His accent.
And I’m red with embarrassment.
My eyes bore into the Adonis before me. Finally my brain kicks into gear and I realize my hand is still resting on his junk. “Oh my God. Shit. Sorry,” I stammer, as I remove my hand from his impressive package. I quickly pull it back and my eyes wander over his body. Oh My Fucking God, this man is gorgeous. Drop-fucking-dead-gorgeous. Brown cropped hair. Blue eyes I could stare at for hours and lose myself in. Chiselled chin, covered in the right amount of scruff. And a dimple, a fucking dimple. “I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, nothing an ice pack and a beer won’t fix.”
“Well, I can help you with the beer,” I offer.
He stares at me and nods. “Aye, I’d like that.” Holy shit, his accent is hot, so fucking hot.
His electric blue eyes stare intently at me. My skin heats from the intensity of his gaze. I’m sure my chest is bright red and blotching with my nervous rash, or just red with embarrassment, or a little of both. My hazel eyes stare back at him and I feel a connection with him, which is weird considering I just met him.
The moment is broken when the bartender says, “What can I get for you?”
My eyes snap toward him. “Beer,” I say, as I turn back to the man beside me. “A...”
“Guinness,” he orders, his Irish accent again sending shivers through my body.
He offers me his hand. “Flynn, Flynn Kelly.”
“Avery Evans,” I reply. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Kelly.”
“Doctor,” he huskily replies.
“My mistake.” I swallow and add, “It’s nice to meet you, Dr. Flynn Kelly.” Placing my hand in his, an electrical current zaps between us. It’s just like those romantic moments I read about in my romance books.
“Tis a pleasure to meet you too, Avery Evans.” My name sounds so sexy come from his lips, my eyes drop to his mouth, and I watch as his tongue darts out, sliding across his bottom lip.
We each hold each other’s hand longer than appropriate and once again the barman interrupts us, delivering Flynn his beer. Fucking cockblocker, I think to myself, as I hand over a ten dollar bill to cover his drink.
“Thanks for the beer, Avery Evans.” The way he says my name sets my body alight. Combine that with the intensity of his gaze and my body is a burning inferno. I love hearing his accented, deep husky voice wrap around each vowel and consonant within my name; hell, he could read the phone book to me and I’d be mesmerized. He takes a sip of beer, and my eyes watch as he swallows, it’s sexy as all fuck. Yes, him drinking a beer is sexy. He places the beer on the bar top, his gaze once again boring into me. My body temperate is nearing catastrophic heat levels.
“My pleasure,” I quietly offer in reply, brushing my hair over my shoulder as I stare at the gorgeous Irishman before me.
He pulls away, breaking the contact between us much sooner than I would have liked, but considering we’re in a bar; it’s probably for the best. He starts to lean forward and I think he’s going to kiss me again. He leans in farther, his warm breath ghosting over my ear, my body buzzing from the brief contact. “Thanks for the beer,” he whispers before placing a gentle kiss on that sweet spot just below my earlobe, my skin tingling where his lips caressed my heated skin. He pulls back, winks at me, picks up the pint glass, turns around, and walks away. Leaving me a panting, breathless, wet, turned on mess.
“Holy fucking hotness, Batman,” Cress says from beside to me, I totally forgot she was here. “I think I need a cold shower after that.”
“You and me both,” I stammer, as I watch him walk away. And I can say, his ass is just as fine as the rest of him.
