Page 4

Chapter 3

“ I ’m calling it. Time of death, 9:01 a.m.,” I say solemnly.

For the last forty-five minutes, we’ve been trying to resuscitate the driver responsible for the accident, but to no avail. An autopsy will be performed, but it seems probable that the elderly man suffered a massive cardiac arrest and ran a red light, resulting in a head-on collision with the other vehicle.

The man had no pulse on arrival, and despite chest compressions, respirations, and multiple rounds of epinephrine, we were unable to sustain a cardiac rhythm. The occupants of the other vehicle walked away with minimal injuries.

“We need to move the family into the quiet room. Please notify the on-call social worker to meet us so we can deliver the news,” I instruct Lucy. I glance around at my colleagues, noting their responses. Losing a patient is never easy, and there are times when the staff needs counseling too.

I silently hope that Allie is scheduled to work today. She’s one of four social workers at the hospital and one of my closest friends. She’s someone I can always count on, no matter what, and we’ve been friends since we met at summer camp when we were thirteen. My parents sent me there after the incident, and it was the best decision they ever made—because otherwise I might never have met Allie.

We were roommates, and we instantly bonded. Allie is the extrovert to my introvert. Where I’m serious and quiet, she’s outgoing and radiates energy, effortlessly striking up conversations with anyone. I had no choice but to be her friend.

Unlike me, Allie was born and raised in this town. We spent six summers together at camp here at Lake Lucia. When I returned home after the summer, we stayed in touch through letters and texts.

At eighteen, I moved out of my parents’ house and haven’t spoken to them since. I didn’t need their money—my paternal grandparents had set up a trust fund for me when I was born. The only condition was that I had to complete my college degree, to prove I could live independently. After graduation, the lawyer representing my late grandparents contacted me and granted me access to the fund.

With financial freedom, I moved to Lake Falls and applied for a nurse practitioner position at Lakeside Memorial Hospital. This town had been my refuge during those summers— a place where I could breathe, where I felt both safe and at peace. There was never a question in my mind that I would eventually settle and build my life here.

“Dr. Sparks, Allie’s here. The patient’s wife and daughter are waiting in the quiet room,” Lucy says, pulling me from my thoughts .

Relief washes over me. Having Allie here will make this process a little easier.

“Okay, let’s talk with the family,” I reply.

Breaking the news of a patient's death is never easy. Their loved one's eyes—desperate, hopeful—search yours, but soon, you see that hope drain, leaving only despair. Allie has a special way with words that soothes families in their darkest moments, so I leave them in her capable hands and move on to the next patient.

After an uneventful remainder of the workday, and a report to the nurse practitioner covering the next shift, I head to the doctor’s lounge to grab my things. On the way, I pass Allie’s desk and see her documenting her notes for the day. As I walk by, she lightly grabs my arm, and my body tenses involuntarily. Allie is very touchy-feely, and I’m not. I prefer to keep people out of my personal space, and being touched makes me deeply uncomfortable. I accepted this about her long ago, but every now and then, it still catches me off guard.

“Are we still on for coffee at The Donut Hole tomorrow morning?” Allie asks, her hopeful blue eyes shining with excitement.

Inwardly I groan. I had forgotten all about our plans for Saturday. It’s been weeks since we both had a Saturday off. The Donut Hole is a cute little coffee shop next to the hardware store. They serve everything from basic black coffee to fancy specialty espresso and cappuccinos .

I had hoped to relax on my back deck tomorrow and dive into the stalker romance novel gathering dust on my bookshelf, but I know the time with Allie will do me good, and I need to check in on how things are going with her douchebag boyfriend. For months, I’ve been hinting that she should break up with him, but she refuses to listen.

“Of course, girl,” I reply. “Ten tomorrow morning?”

Allie nods with a grin, and we wish each other a good night. After gathering my things from the doctor’s lounge, I climb into my car, and head home. There’s a lot to get done before meeting Allie tomorrow.