Beth pushed herself up from the bottom step, her muscles protesting after the evening's exertions. The wood grain beneath her fingers felt solid, real, anchoring her to the present moment despite her whirling thoughts.
The sound of Naomi humming in the kitchen brought a small smile to her face. Her sister always knew exactly what she needed - whether it was a shoulder to cry on or scrambled eggs at dawn. The familiar domesticity of breakfast preparations settled something inside her.
Her wool peacoat suddenly felt too warm, too confining. Beth shrugged out of it, hanging it on the hook by the door where traces of forest and wild places still clung to the fabric. The scent reminded her of soaring through trees with Tyr, sharing that magical connection in their animal forms.
Her feet carried her down the hall as exhaustion crept through her limbs. A hot shower would wash away the lingering forest debris caught in her hair, and maybe help clear her tangled thoughts. Maybe after some rest, she'd be better equipped to process everything. For now though, she'd focus on the basics - shower, food, sleep. Tomorrow was soon enough to face the bigger questions.
Chapter 12
Beth hesitated outside Dr. McCandliss's office, her hand poised to knock. Late afternoon sunlight slanted through the hallway windows, casting long shadows that stretched toward his door—shadows that seemed to mirror her own reluctance to voice what troubled her. She'd been called to a staff meeting before her shift, but she'd arrived early in hopes of a private talk with Jacinth's husband. Taking a deep breath, she tapped lightly on the door frame.
"Yes?" Douglas's voice carried through the partially open door.
Beth peeked around the edge, finding him at his desk reviewing patient charts. "Do you have a few minutes?"
"Sure, what's up?" He glanced up from his paperwork.
Warmth flooded Beth's face as she fidgeted, suddenly feeling exposed under his gentle attention. "It's... um… it's personal."
Douglas set down his pen and folded his hands on his desk, giving her his full attention. He gestured to the chair across from his desk. "Come on in."
Beth perched on the edge of the chair, her fingers twisting in her lap. The afternoon sunlight streaming through the window felt too bright, too exposing. She drew in a shaky breath.
"I... I wanted to ask you something." Her voice came out barely above a whisper. "About you and Jacinth."
"Go on," he prompted with an encouraging smile.
"What's it like?" Beth blurted, then immediately felt her face flame. "I mean... being married to someone who's immortal? When you're... not?"
Douglas's aquamarine eyes softened with understanding, and a knowing smile tugged at his lips. "Is this about Tyr?"
Beth's breath caught in her throat. Her heart thundered so loud she was sure he could hear it. She managed a tiny nod, unable to meet his gaze.
"Beth." Douglas's gentle tone drew her eyes back to his face. "How long have you been wrestling with this?"
"Since..." She swallowed hard. "Since I realized I was falling for him. But he's a vampire. He'll live forever, and I..." Her voice cracked. "I won't."
A thoughtful expression crossed Douglas's face. "You know, that was never really an issue for me. Jacinth was actually the one who struggled with it. She kept trying to push me away, for the longest time, worried about outliving me and the kids."
He smiled, the warmth of memory softening his features. "But for me? It was simple. I loved her. I wanted her in my life - in our lives. The kids adored her from day one." He spread his hands. "Everything else was just... details."
"But how?" Beth's voice cracked on the words. "How did you make peace with knowing she'd go on without you?"
"Because the alternative was living without her at all." Douglas's voice carried absolute certainty. "And that wasn't really an option that I wanted to consider."
The simple truth hit Beth like a physical blow, stealing her breath. She hadn't considered it from that angle before - that pushing Tyr away to avoid future pain meant choosing immediate pain instead.
"Look at it this way," Douglas continued. "None of us are guaranteed tomorrow, mortal or immortal. But we can choose how we spend today."
Beth felt something tight in her chest finally loosen as his words settled into place. Before she could respond, Douglas glanced at his watch.
"We should head over to Troy's office. The Chief of Police is here to talk to us about our less-than-friendly visitor the other night, which is why we asked you to come in." He stood, gathering a few folders from his desk. "Are you ready?"
"Yes," Beth said, feeling strangely lighter after their conversation. The question of immortality wasn't resolved, but somehow it felt less overwhelming now.
She followed Douglas down the hallway, her mind still processing his advice as they approached Troy's office. Douglas knocked briefly before opening the door. The space felt crowded with Troy behind his desk, Suzanne occupying one visitor chair, and a tall, broad-shouldered man in a police uniform standing near the window. All heads turned their way as they entered.
"Beth, thanks for coming in early," Troy greeted her, rising slightly from his seat. "This is Police Chief Flynn."
