Page 59 of After Everything

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"She was so kind," Carmen said. "When I told her what happened, she didn't look at me like I was stupid for staying. She just... listened."

"That's what she does."

We won the case. Carmen cried with relief. I shook her hand and watched her leave with her mother, finally safe.

Then I checked my email and saw Emma's name again. Another case, another referral accepted, another appointment scheduled.

Thank you for the referral, Mr. Harrison. I'm glad the documentation helped.

Professional. Always professional.

I typed back the same:Thank you for your help with Carmen's case.

And left it at that.

June

Dr. Reeves lookedat me over her reading glasses. "You've been doing this for how long now?"

"Nine months. Since last September."

"Fifteen cases referred to her clinic."

"Sixteen now. I just sentanother one this morning."

"And you've maintained appropriate boundaries the entire time."

"Yes."

"David." She set down her pen. "What do you want?"

I knew what she was asking. We'd been dancing around it for weeks now.

"I want to talk to her. Just once. A real conversation." I stared at the carpet. "But she's with someone. So I can't."

"Can't? Or won't?"

"Both."

She nodded slowly. "So you're waiting."

"I suppose."

"For what?"

I didn't have an answer to that.

September

"Eighteen,"Marcus said, setting down his beer. "You've referred eighteen DV cases to her clinic in nine months."

I looked up from my own drink—soda water, as always. "She has a good program. They prioritize urgent cases, do sliding scale fees. It makes sense to refer there."

"Uh-huh." Marcus leaned back in the booth. "And the fact that Emma works there has nothing to do with it."

"She's one of several NPs at the clinic."

"David."

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