Page 39 of Hearts on the Table
A flicker of surprise crossed her face at my hand on her arm. “I’m better now…Thank you.” Unease weighed on me at her reaction. I liked Rija a lot. She’d gone out of her way to be a friend to me and I had gone out of my way to avoid truly getting to know her.
“Would some tapas and wine make you feel better?” I offered. Sam’s face flashed in my mind, along with the easy relationships he had with Santiago and his family.
“Wasn’t tapas and wine invented to be an emotional cure-all?” A small smile curved her lips, though her body remained slumped over the table, bent by the weight of the loss.
“I’ve been wanting to try that place that just opened up a few streets over. Want me to bully a resident into switching on-calls with me tonight?”
Her eyes went round before she schooled her face. The suggestion, at least, had straightened her up in her chair. “Seriously? Are you sure?”
I tsk’d, spearing some more pasta. “Why would I joke about tapas?”
“Because you and Cooper have that surgery tomorrow morning. And you’ve never once hung out with anyone outside of work before.”
It wasn’t that I avoided my coworkers, necessarily, but it was just easier to keep things compartmentalized. I had work people and…well, not many other people. It was a depressing thought, especially when compared to Sam. He had good people. Checking tires people. I wanted that, darn it. Maybe it was time to put my big girl panties on and make some new friends, finally. I couldn’t live in the shadow of Katie’s betrayal forever.
I took my time chewing. Thinking. “It’s sometimes hard for me to make friends.” Rija’s look told me she thought I was full of it. “I mean, close friends. I haven’t had the best luck with relationships in the past, so I tend to push people away. But I think I need some people, you know?”
Rija’s face softened. Now her hand wrapped around mine. “Aw, hun. I’ll be your people. You’re good people!”
There was a certain vulnerability in telling someone that you were socially celibate. Heat rose to my cheeks, but her immediate acceptance felt good, bolstering. “You’re good people, too. Maybe we could be friends? Outside of work friends?”
“Fuck yeah, we’re friends! We’ll cement this new stage in our friendship together tonight over spicy octopus.”
“Who could turn down an offer like that?”
“No one’s ever turned down my spicy ‘pus, Lainey. Don’t be the first.”
“Anyone seen Reese?” A nurse popped her head in the door.
“Dr. Reese has a meeting a few floors up. HR, I think.” I pretended it was very chill and casual that I knew exactly where he was, even though today wasn’t one of his clinic days. “What’s up?”
“He’s got some family here to see him, and they can’t get a hold of him.”
“I might be able to help.” I stood, popping the top onto my container. “Is your spicy ‘pus free at six?”
“I’m there. Thanks, Lainey, seriously.” Rija’s grateful smile followed me out the door and down the hall.
I stopped short when the patient check-in desk came into view. “Jasmine?”
“Hi. They said Sam’s not here?” She rubbed a hand along her belly. Her eyes darted around the room.
“Yeah, sorry. Hey, what’s up?” The closer I got, the more out of sorts she looked, pale and fidgeting. This was not the vibrant woman I’d shared tacos with two weeks ago.
“I…Shit. I was hoping he could come down to the maternal ward with me. My doctor sent me for some tests and Conner’s stuck in traffic on the other side of town.” Her hand ran across her forehead and she forced a smile. “It’s okay. I can go by myself.”
“I can page him again.” I wasn’t a super touchy-feely person, but I rested my hand on her arm. She looked like she could use shoring up. “Some tests, huh?”
“Yeah. My blood pressure is up? I’ve been having these headaches, and I didn’t think anything of it but he said he’s worried about preeclampsia which is just terrifying but it’s okay. Right? It’ll probably be fine.” She stroked her stomach again, biting her lip. “Don’t page him. I already texted him, and I’m sure it’s nothing. Right?”
She repeated, looking around for assurance. Usually, I’d give her a pat on the back and ask Sam about her later. But something made me pause. Maybe it was the lost, scared look on her face—one I had seen on patients many, many times—or maybe I was still riding the high of my recent friendshipproposal to Rija. It could also be the little voice in the back of my head whispering, “Sam would do it in a heartbeat.”
Whatever the case, I found myself saying, “I’ll walk you down there. You want a ride?” I popped open a folded wheelchair by the elevator bay.
“Oh, no, you don’t have to. I don’t want to interrupt your day.” She rubbed at her eyes, side-stepping me to get to the call button.
“I’m only on call. Nothing scheduled for the next few hours.”
She took a breath, like she was about to tell me to take a hike, but she was one of Sam’s people, even if I didn’t know her well. It elevated her status in my head.
