Page 62 of Backdraft
The cop shook his head. "No, we've never had a call here. She was suffering from cancer and was weak. Shame to go like that."
"Any family coming to take care of him?" He looked at the husband who still hadn't moved.
"We have called some family members. They're on their way."
"Good. Because he really shouldn't be alone right now."
"Understood."
Taylor finished off what he needed to do in the house and then went out to the van. The funeral home was just arriving for the body removal.
In the truck, he sat there thinking about the old boy. Seeing his grief was a reminder of what happened when you had a life partner.
The devastation, the hollow in your heart. Was the pain worth it? Taylor found it difficult to say yes, but he was pretty sure that once the edge of grief had subsided, most would say yes, it was worth it. There was that saying about it being better to have loved and lost than not loved at all. He’d seen his brother go through the stages of grief and it nearly broke him.
Taylor hadn't loved. Yet. Sure, he'd had flings and affairs, but he’d never really gotten so close to anyone that he could call it loving. There’d been years of schooling, interning, specializing to finally become a trauma/ER doc and surgeon. With all the long hours, he’d felt a relationship would complicate things. Just as he was settling into his role, along came the patients that changed his world which led to a change in career. He knew it was out of his control. The pandemic had cause havoc worldwide. But, he’d seen the exhaustion and pain on his colleagues so he’d stepped up his shifts, wanting to relieve those with families. But, it hadn’t really helped. Something he was slowly beginning to understand.
How many times had he asked himself if his sister-in-law would’ve survive if he’d allowed another doctor to treat her? He shook his head. Now wasn’t the time to rehash it.
He shifted in his seat and thought about how sharing a home with Drea these past weeks had been like a balm to him. He saw things differently. Maybe there was room for a relationship…and if there was, he wanted it to be with her.
Just before he drove off, Taylor glanced at the house. It was neat and tidy with pretty flowers in the garden. It was obviously a well-cared for home. How many children were raised here? He could almost see grandchildren running around the house shrieking with laughter.
He thought of Drea and smiled. He could totally see a lifetime with her. Now he was eager to get home so they could talk. He didn't like leaving things as they had.
He picked up his phone to call her, and before he could dial, his phone rang. "Shit," he muttered.”
“Dr. Peel," he answered. He recognized the number and knew he wouldn't be heading home anytime soon.
"Hi Dr. Peel. You're needed at another call please. There’s been a multi-vehicle crash with at least three fatalities."
Taylor jotted down the location and entered it in his GPS. It was an hour in the opposite direction and away from Oak Creek. He called Drea, and her phone went to voicemail.
"Hey, babe. I left you a note that I'd been called out. I got another call now too, so I'm going to be quite late. I'll be going over to the morgue after. Looks like it will be a busy day. Let's talk when I get back. Okay? I'm sorry things went south earlier. Take care."
He was so close to saying love you. Taylor sat taller in the seat and drove off.
Love you?
Did he love her? Why would he be on the verge of saying it if he didn't? He cared for Drea deeply, but love? Slowly, a smile widened on his mouth… He was falling in love.
He gave the steering wheel a slap.
"Yup, I'm falling in love," he shouted inside the van. "Well, I’ll be damned."
Taylor settled in for the drive. It was after midnight, and his dad had always said nothing good happened after midnight.
A chill rippled down his spine like a premonition. He didn't believe in that sort of thing, but he was truly unsettled for the rest of the drive to the crash scene.
Lighting and a mobile command center had been set up, turning the middle of the night into daytime. He pulled up to the command center. He'd check in and get all the info about the scene. There was likely a scribe making notes of the series of events, and they would need to know he'd arrived. This was a gruesome scene, and it would likely be a while before he was finished.
All he wanted to do was get home and pull Drea into his arms. They would be fine. He was going to make sure of it.
Something woke me up. I didn't mean to fall asleep, but I had. Maybe it was the mental exhaustion with everything that was going on and then our argument.
I shivered. It was chilly in the room from the breeze blowing in the window. Even Cinder was curled up next to me with his nose tucked in. I lay there for a moment, gathering my thoughts and wondered what time it was.
It was dark, and the house was quiet. I felt around for my phone. I mustn't have brought it when I came upstairs.
