“This is about Caleb?” Groaning, I rub the back of my neck. “Look, I don’t know what he told you but he’s just as much to blame as I am, okay? We argue all the time and some of the things I said I didn’t entirely mean, but this feels like overkill.”
The officers exchange a look, then the second one steps forward. “You misunderstand,” he says.
“Oh. Does he need to be bailed out again? Because I don’t have the money.”
“Miss Montoya… I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but Caleb Stern is dead.”
The whole world falls away, enveloping me and the cops in a blanket of gray. “What?”
“I’m so sorry. He was pronounced DOA in a car crash last night.”
6
XANDER
News spreads quickly about the death of Caleb Stern.
I wanted to put a name to the man I saw Snow with, but doing so while learning about his death is simply cruel.
I look for her after the news reaches me, but she’s nowhere to be found.
Visiting her feels inappropriate, given how little we know each other, so I wait until I see her.
She doesn’t come to work the next day.
Or the day after.
Trauma surgeries keep me busy and news about Caleb trickles to me through information snatched from hushed conversations between nurses and doctors.
His car hit a patch of ice and crashed straight into a tree.
He died on impact and those on site spent time actually searching for Snow since it was her car and they feared she’d been flung from the wreckage.
Thankfully, she was at home when the crash happened.
I finally see her a few days after the news drops, but chances to speak to her are slim.
She throws herself into her work, and with my already full, unpredictable schedule, I’m only granted a glimpse of her in the halls as the days pass.
She looks exhausted but her smile remains when dealing with patients.
Everyone is gentle with her, even Jen, which is the most surprising.
Before I know it, a week’s passed and I haven’t had a chance to offer my condolences.
I can’t wait much longer and as I pack up my office for the night, a pager alert cuts through my plans to head straight to Snow’s place and see how she’s doing.
The ER is overwhelmed and needs assistance with a specific patient.
Odd.
I don’t have any current patients who should be in the ER and I’m not the surgeon on call.
Rather than messaging back, I grab my coat and take the longer path down to the ER while adjusting the timing of my plan.
Even if it’s late, hopefully, Snow won’t mind my appearing unannounced.
“Xander!” Fred greets me as soon as I walk into the ER. “About time.”
