Page 91 of The Exception

Heather folded her arms over her chest and stepped back. “Oh. I thought… you mentioned being single before.”

Trav’s voice was full of conviction. “It’s new but it’s serious. At least, I hope it is.”

Sonya’s heart jolted and her pulse pounded in her ears. She had to bite her lip to stop her excitement over what Trav had just said from showing on her face. She lifted her eyes to meet his and his gaze was a soft caress that stole her breath. Before she could offer her silent answer, loud and familiar voices forced her attention away.

“I’m checking myself out of here right now!”

It was Frank, dressed in street clothes with his duffle slung over his shoulder, headed toward the elevators.

Dr. Lewis stepped up and tried to block Frank’s path. “Mr. Devers, we advise against checking yourself out. Your treatment plan just started.”

“Sitting around talking about my feelings ain’t doing shit to help me. I’m the only one that can fix me. I signed the papers when you brought me here, and now I’m signing myself out.”

Sonya was afraid of this. Things hadn’t been progressing well since he’d been back. His blood work had suffered exponentially after only one week on his own, proof that he’d spent most of that time at the bottom of a bottle, and she knew his wife had stopped bringing their daughters when she visited. Yesterday at group, he’d been unusually argumentative, and in the back of her head, she’d wondered if he was gearing up for another split.

Sonya positioned herself between Frank and the elevator. “Frank? What are you doing?”

Frank refused to meet her eye. “I ain’t stayin’ here, Nurse Pope. You’ve done all you can for me and I appreciate it, but I’m done with all of this.”

Panic took Sonya’s voice an octave higher. “You can’t quit now. We’re finally making progress and we can get you all the way there if you just give us a little more time.”

“Sorry. I don’t have any more time to give. I’m gonna keep making progress my own way.”

Frank tried to step around her but Sonya reached out and placed a hand on his arm. “Please… please take care of yourself, Frank.”

Frank gave her a stiff nod before walking away, but there was some horrible finality in the ping of the elevator doors closing. Sonya’s optimism was trying to hang on, but her heart was telling her that she’d never see him again.

“We can’t save them all, Nurse Pope.”

Sonya glared at Dr. Lewis and bit back the tirade that was on the tip of her tongue. “His wife is his emergency contact. You need to let her know he checked himself out.”

Dr. Lewis’s eyebrows pinched. “Do you think he’s a danger to her?”

More proof Frank’s doctor had no real knowledge of him beyond what was on his chart.

Sonya responded through clenched teeth. “No. The only person he’s a danger to is himself.”

Dr. Lewis skulked away and Sonya pinched the bridge of her nose as a headache crept up along the edges of her consciousness. The end of the shift couldn’t come fast enough.

“Nurse Pope?”

She opened her eyes and Trav was standing in front of her. He was doing his best to look professional but his eyes spoke the words he couldn’t say.

I know you’re upset.

I wish I could make it better.

What do you need from me?

Sonya offered him a forced smile. “It’s been a day. We should probably start getting things prepped for tomorrow.”

He ducked his head so only she could hear him. “We’ll talk tonight, okay?”

God, she wanted to pull him into her office and just bury herself in his arms until the end of the day. Instead, she nodded. “Okay.”

* * *

Trav was new at this whole date night thing, but he was pretty sure that candles, soft music, and a home-cooked meal were supposed to have more of an effect on a woman.

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