She didn’t care if it had. She was tired.
Bone tired.
She wanted oblivion for a few hours before she’d wake and face it all again in the morning.
“My son was not shot,” he argued.
“Okay.” She shrugged, she was done and consequences be damned. “I need to see other patients. Again, I’m so sorry for your loss.”
She made to move past him, but his arm shot out and his fingers curled around her upper arm, squeezing so tightly she winced.
“Let. Her. Go.” Samuel faced down Alfredo. “She did her best. The problem isn’t with her.”
The two men stared at each other, but Alfredo didn’t loosen his grip, if anything he tightened it a little more. Marie blew out a breath to alleviate the pain, it didn’t work, but she wasn’t going to show Alfredo how much he was hurting her.
This was the consequence of how she’d acted and what she’d said.
“You want to end up like him?” He canted his head to Tito on the table. There was no hint of sorrowfor the loss of his son’s life. He didn’t care. His focus was on Samuel and, to some extent, her.
“Stop! Both of you!” Marie wasn’t going to let any more unnecessary deaths happen. “Alfredo, please let me go. I did my best. But it was too late.” She craned her neck so that she was looking at Samuel now. “Please, Sam, no more.”
Indecision warred across Samuel’s features, his brown eyes as hard as onyx. His hands by his side were curled into fists, but slowly he relaxed them. Samuel stepped away from Alfredo, but still close enough to spring into action should she need it.
Alfredo gave her arm another blistering squeeze before he released his hold. No way was she going to show any weakness in front of him, even though all she wanted to do was rub her arm to ease the pain. “This isn’t over,” he declared, before he scooped up Tito from the table and stormed out.
All the adrenaline from the last few minutes seeped out of Marie, and she would’ve collapsed to the ground if Samuel hadn’t moved to her side. His strong arms caught her around her waist and pulled her against his hard body. For a few seconds Marie closed her eyes and relaxed, savoring the human contact.
How he’d known she was about to collapse, she didn’t know, but she was grateful for his quick reflexes.
“Thanks,” she said as she went to pullaway from him. He wasn’t manhandling her like Alfredo had been, and he released her immediately.
“You need to sleep. I don’t think you’ll see anyone else tonight,” he said quietly.
Marie looked around and saw that things had indeed settled down. Most of the volunteers had all disappeared after Alfredo had shown up, and the brave ones that remained, were sitting together ready to leap into action should someone need help.
Ophelia was napping on the ground, along with the other couple of hospital staff who had worked tirelessly alongside her.
The events of the day closed in on Marie, and her breath caught in her throat. Even though they were out in the open, it was as though she was back in that small supply closet, the walls closing in on her. Stifling her. She had to get out of there.
She stumbled past Samuel, hearing him call her name, but unable to acknowledge it. Images pummeled her brain. The walls swaying violently. Glass shattering. Books falling. Mr. Ricco was smiling and joking with her less than twenty-four hours ago. Then finding him covered in dust, eyes open, unseeing. Tito bleeding out.
Tears streamed down her face and harsh sobs wracked her body. She fell to her knees, her hands covering her face, struggling to breathe.
Normally she was able to control her emotions, keep them under lock and key. Today was different. Today was more than she was used to bearing all at one time. Today everything had accumulated until she couldn’t stand it any longer.
“Shh, I’ve got you.” Warm, strong arms closed around her.
Samuel.
A man she’d just met, yet felt connected to in a way that she hadn’t felt in a very long time. It had to be due to the circumstances with how they’d met. The way he’d silently supported her and helped her when she’d needed it. Like now.
The tears continued to fall, and he turned her so that her cheek rested against him. His hug was firm and comforting. Everything she needed.
He didn’t say anything, just let her cry. He understood she needed this. Needed to be free to let her emotions out. Knew that words wouldn’t help.
Marie wrapped her arms around him, feeling his strength and warmth soothe her as she cried for the lives lost. The families whose loved ones weren’t coming home. The people still fighting for their lives, and her not having the necessary equipment to ensure the fight was easier for them. The people who were still trapped, wondering if they’d ever be found.
Eventually her sobs subsided, and the sounds ofthe night surrounded them. The comforting chirp of crickets calling to their friends, the night birds twittering to each other, the trees swaying in the gentle breeze.
