“SHUT UP!” Erin kicked her chair over and jumped to her feet. “I’m sorry you’re sick, but this isn’t Aiden’s fault. This is YOUR fault. A year ago, we were a team. A happy, loving team. Luna’s and Aiden’s personal lives weren’t your business. They would have worked it out on their own if it weren’t for you. YOU DESTROYED US!”
She stood next to Aiden, and Kevin joined her. Vanessa and Theo followed. Luna stood undecided. Kwon calmly went with the rest of the group.
Vanessa sniffled, “Captain, I’ve always respected you, but I think you need to leave now. Luna?”
“I—Nessa—Aiden—I—he’s my uncle. My family.” Luna sighed. “He’s not perfect, and I’ve—I’ve let you all down, especially you, Aiden. Neither of us belong here anymore.”
“What are you saying?” Vanessa said to her roommate.
“Aiden is right. He and Elias deserved better than I gave them. Baker was right not to promote me. I’ll… I’ll apply for transfer. Come on, Tio. I’ll catch an Uber with you.” She took her keys and walked out.
Soto started after her, shoulders slumped. With a small pang of pity, Erin called out. “Captain! I know you aren’t well… but is this what you wanted? For her? For Aiden? For 15?”
He turned back tiredly, every line in his face showing the weight of his illness. “I’m sorry. I never meant for this to happen.”
“Then fix it!” Erin said.
“I don’t know if I can.”
The door closed behind him. Kevin spoke first, “Okay, Erin. You were absolutely right not to bring Han Solo to this.”
The whole group dissolved into full-on hysterical laughter. Vanessa got another bottle of wine and poured everyone glasses. “Drink up. I’ve got two extra bedrooms and a couch. Everyone can crash here.”
Kwon perched on the table. “You don’t seem too worried about Rodriguez.”
Vanessa took a long pull from her glass. “Yeah, we had a version of this same fight last Christmas. She’ll spend a few days getting her head straight, I hope. She has to come back, all her stuff is here.”
“Good point,” Erin said, feeling better. Luna did jump the gun periodically and go full barrel into a dispute—like she had with Captain Williams.
“Thank you, guys,” Aiden said. “It means a lot, you being here for me.”
“Don’t mention it.” Vanessa patted his shoulder. “You’ll get through this—though you may want to process your paternal abandonment thing you’ve go with Soto.”
“Yeah, very Darth Vader-Luke Skywalker of you,” Erin tried to lighten the mood before making a stronger suggestion. “Do you think he would come to your therapy sessions?”
“My therapist said that too, but Soto doesn’t seem like he wants to have anything to do with me.” Aiden took a glass of water.
“Maybe this is his wakeup call.” Kevin said. “At least this party isn’t mid-shift at the firehouse and we have to finish the shift.”
“I vote more booze. Who’s with me?” Theo picked up the second wine bottle.
“Not me. Bad romantic decisions might be contagious.” Erin picked up her purse and bid her friends good-bye.
Her team needed this blood-letting, however painful it had been. Healing couldn’t happen without acknowledging where the injuries were. Somewhere in this she’d become the grown-up in the room.
It had to be Noah’s influence. No other way around it. She had matured these past few months because she’d stopped playing with boys. Her secret boyfriend was a man.
And it was time she enjoyed that man.
Chapter 37
Noah was on his second stop at MetroGen for the evening. Carver slept under light sedation in the ICU but avoided complications. They expected him to get transferred to the floor tomorrow and ideally discharged by Sunday. Or so the talkative charge nurse told him in exchange for a serving of stuffing. She declared his ‘wife’s’ cooking much better than the hospital cafeteria’s.
“I can see you standing out there. Come in,” Jacen called from his rehab bed. Noah entered to find Williams surrounded by various stands and supportive equipment.
“Hi, Wills.” Noah put his bag of food on the rolling meal tray.
“Wills’?” Jacen was guarded as usual. He rubbed his head and Noah could see black fuzz creeping through Jacen’s scalp. “You here to scold me because I scared away three physical therapists?”
