Page 35 of Black Wave

“Pity,” I say and give him a once-over before I walk toward bay four.

“Whatever,” is all I hear as he walks back to triage.

I decide to get this over with and assess the damage to the hand wound. I step through the curtains into trauma bay four and announce myself like I do whenever I come into a room. Except this time, I am astonished. It’s not the patient or their presenting trauma that makes me feel this way, but the man standing with the patient.

I instinctively grab my necklace and see when he notices what I am holding on to. The look in his eyes is cataclysmic. His nostrils flare with what I can sense as anger, although I don’t feel it directed at me. Because when he looks back at me, his eyes soften.

“Is that the necklace I gave you?” He waits for my answer, and I want to deny it.

I am so overwhelmed by the feelings that come at me with the impetus of a tidal wave, making a flood of emotions pour over me. I know my eyes are beginning to water, and I can nolonger look at him. It isn’t just the thought of him leaving me but the realization that I don’t have anyone in my corner anymore. Except for Uncle Andrés and my cousin Adrian. I am so grateful for everything they’ve done for me and how they stepped up to rescue me, putting themselves in danger. A potential danger I have seemed to cause everyone around me. Eduardo didn’t abandon me but didn’t come to find me either. I look down so he doesn’t witness the barrage of conflicting emotions.

He raises my chin to look at him. I swallow, giving him the answer he already knows. “I never took it off. I’ve worn it since you gave it to me and held on to it even when I never saw you again.”

He stares at me and I imagine he sees the sincerity displayed on my face. This time, he swallows before answering me. “I tried.” Regret radiating from each spoken word. He stops and restarts with more conviction. “I tried to return to you, but I had to honor your family’s wishes. My family’s ultimata were clearly explained when your uncle called my father to ensure I didn’tbotheryou.” He says that word as if it sickens him. “I thought it was what you wanted. Had I known, I would have come to you sooner. I would have reached out to you after your high school graduation.”

I know he can see the pain that crosses my face at the mention of my family and the sea of emotions that surge through me. He must sense that. I know he can still somehow read me like a book. I turn around so he doesn’t see me. My guilt, my sadness, the mask that momentarily feels like it fell, exposing my truths, my secrets. Can he know? About Julian? I doubt it. If he did, he would have found me sooner, right? I have no idea. I bite my lip to stifle the cry that threatens to escape my lips.

He grabs my shoulders, spinning me around to face him. “What is it, Emma? Is something wrong? I heard about your parents…” his words trail off.

I look up at him. “Yes,” I say, not wanting to have this conversation that should happen in private. Words that need to be spoken only where the chance of Julian not hearing is imperative. Am I being overly cautious? Yes, but I was wrong once and won’t repeat that mistake. I continue, “But first, let’s fix your friend here.” He seems not to like or want the redirection of this conversation but doesn’t push it along for now.

“Emma,” he all but growls my name.

I touch his chest and look at him. “Later, Eduardo. This time, we will have our later, okay?” His eyes soften, and he grabs my hand.

“Okay, baby.” He brings my hand to his lips, giving it a soft, wet kiss that makes me melt and my center throb. He releases my hand and steps away.

I now focus my attention on the actual bleeding patient. “Sorry about that, Gus.” I laugh, but Gus still holds his bleeding hand, perplexed at our exchange.

I lay the patient, Gus, as Eduardo refers to him, onto the stretcher and attach him to our monitors. I just want to ensure his vital signs are stable and he hasn’t lost too much blood. I doubt this type of man would admit to feeling faint because it would make him appear weak. Believe me, I know the type all too well. Like my whole life, to be exact.

Eduardo asks me if I can fix Gus, and I know what he is really asking. “Yes, but I can’t here. My license doesn’t allow me to do it.” He smiles, and I leave to get the ER doctor working here tonight.

I return shortly with Dr. Hernandez in tow. He looks at the wound and asks if it was a knife wound. Gus nods, and Eduardo speaks for him.

“It was a fight at my club.” He doesn't elaborate, and Dr. Hernandez waits for him to continue. When he doesn’t, he looks over at Gus.

“Is that true?”

Gus nods but doesn’t answer. I almost giggle at this exchange. Dr. Hernandez might think he is the top dog in this ER, but he doesn’t understand the hierarchy in this room.

“Okay, then. Let’s fix this. Emma, can you get some antibiotics? It says he has no allergies, so how about two grams of Ancef IM.”

“Sure, no problems. Here is the suture tray and numbing medicine. I’ll be right back.” I step away, and Dr. Hernandez grabs my arm to stop me.

“I’m buying the staff food tonight. I couldn’t find you earlier, so I ordered your usual order from the day shift. I hope that’s okay?”

I look over to Eduardo, whose gaze is fixed on where Dr. Hernandez is still holding my arm. Eduardo’s nostrils are flaring, and I see the tick in his jaw that lets me know he is very displeased at seeing another man touching me. Gus is tensed on the stretcher, anticipating a full-out loss of control on Eduardo’s part, and is waiting to see what happens.

I remove my arm from his embrace, and Dr. Hernandez looks at me when I glance over at Eduardo, shaking my head at him. This seems to confuse him, and he looks back and forth at Eduardo and me, sensing a familiarity between us. Luckily for the good doctor, he isn’t an idiot and picks up on social cues because he clears his throat and focuses back on Gus.

“That sounds perfect, Dr. Hernandez, thank you.” I leave the room but turn back to see that Eduardo still fixates on me as I walk away. I mouth the word “behave” at him. He smiles brightly at me. As I walk off, I shake my head and hear Gus snort at the exchange.

I return with the antibiotic in a syringe and assist Dr. Hernandez where needed. Pretty soon, the wound is closed, and Dr. Hernandez stands. He gives Gus instructions about keepingthe sutures clean and dry. I add some antibacterial ointment to the site and dress it.

“You’ll need to get the sutures removed in ten days," he instructs.

Eduardo looks at me and tells the doctor they have that covered. I already know what that means, and I nod after Dr. Hernandez has turned around and walked out. “I need to give you this shot, Gus. Drop your pants,” I say with a smirk, knowing how this will go. Eduardo stands, and the chair falls back, knocking over at the hastiness of his stance. Gus looks over at Eduardo.

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