Page 98 of The Exception

“I know guys like Frank. I knew what he needed to hear in order to make the decision for himself. And how can you say it didn’t work when he’s in his room watching television and eating ice cream instead of drinking himself to death in some bar? Isn’t that the point? To help them want to get better? To show them a reason to work for it?”

Jack laughed. “Always the hero, Ben. You know we have a team of doctors here who are much more qualified than you to make that call.”

Trav squared his shoulders, stepping in front of his father. “I understand things you never will, Dad. And you should thank your lucky stars for that.”

Abi held up a hand. “The point is, the rules are there for a reason. Unless the circumstances are extenuating, or I’m missing something…”

All three of them turned their eyes to Sonya, and Trav thought he saw the slightest quiver in her chin. His heart banged around in his chest.

Come on, Sonya. Don’t let them hang me here.

She shook her head once and it was like someone cut the strings on a puppet, his shoulders drooped and he slouched back against the wall. “So what happens now?”

“I’m reassigning you. The ED has agreed to take you for the remainder of your rotation. You’ll still graduate, but given the situation, it’s best you’re not with mental health patients anymore.”

Trav huffed a laugh.Yeah. Best to leave Frank right when he needs me the most.

“They’ll take you today, so you can pack your things and head there.”

Sonya’s head popped up. “Abi—”

“That’s final, Nurse Pope.”

Jack straightened his tie and pushed off the wall. “You can thankyourlucky stars you’re not finished, Benjamin,” he sneered as he squeezed between Trav and Nurse Chen’s desk.

Trav forced his jaw loose before he cracked a tooth. He pushed off the wall, heading for the door, but before he was the second Travis to storm out of the room, he looked one more time at Sonya. Not his preceptor who was there to check boxes and turn in a form.Sonya.The woman who knew him. And knew he was right.

Her lips parted like she might finally speak, but then she dropped her eyes to the floor. He was on his own.

* * *

“Trav, wait!”

He stopped on the last landing and Sonya’s mind brought her back to the last time they’d been in that stairwell together. It was that moment that she’d realized there was something there between them. Now, it felt like the moment she would realize that maybe that something wasn’t enough.

Trav turned around and pinned her with a hard glare. “Did you report me?”

Sonya froze. The fact that their relationship had devolved enough that he would even think that hit her right in the gut and stole her ability to speak. But she had to get it together because every second that passed with her silence, was another second that it became more true in his mind.

She shook her head. “No. You know I wouldn’t do that to you.”

Trav’s frown deepened. “Do I? After what happened back there, I’m not sure.”

Sonya winced. He was throwing daggers and every one was hitting its mark.

“After you left, Abi told me that Dr. Lewis overheard my conversation with Frank. Apparently he and your dad are golf buddies.”

That revelation did nothing to soften Trav’s expression.

He chuckled bitterly. “Well, that answers one question. The only thing I still can’t figure out is why you didn’t have my back in there.”

“There was nothing I could’ve said that would’ve changed the outcome.”

“Maybe not but we’ll never know because you didn’t even try! My ass was on the line and the woman I’m in—” He paused and took a shaky breath. “—a relationship with, didn’t think I was worth sticking her neck out for.”

“I do think you’re worth it.”

“Yeah? I’m having a real hard time seeing it.”

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