“It’s so nice to meet you,” said Paisley, gripping Renee’s hand for a moment longer. She frowns, her eyes on Renee’s face as if searching for something she had lost. “You look familiar, Renee,” Paisley said softly. “Have we met?”
Renee furrows her brow, checking Paisley out, and then as I watched her, she swallows, familiarity dawning on her face.
“You were there,” Renee said. “You were on my call, weren’t you?”
Paisley’s jaw drops, but she snaps it shut. “Yes, I was. The OD. You were close to gone by the time we got there, did you know?”
“I heard you saved me,” Renee said. “And seeing you that day inspired me to get into medicine. I thought you were so cool, a woman to the rescue. I wanted to be just like you. I wanted to help people like you helped me that day.”
Paisley swallows a lump in her throat and glances from Renee to me. I can tell tears are threatening to spill over, and I know I need to get Renee out of here before we have a tear fest on our hands.
“It’s about time Matty found himself a good woman he can take care of,” Paisley said finally, reaching in to give Renee a tight hug. “And you have no idea how good it feels to see your face, honey. That call stuck with me.”
“Yeah,” Renee said. “Me too. Thank you, Paisley.”
“Okay, I think we’re done here,” I teased. “Before you guys scare her away for good.”
“Truly, it was nice to meet you all,” Renee said, taking the hand I offered her. “I hope to see you around.”
I walked Renee back to the front as everyone bid their goodbyes. When we were alone again, I turned her into me and leaned in for a kiss, one she returned without a moment’s hesitation.
“The call you were talking about with Paisley,” I murmur, tangling my fingers with hers. “Was that ... was that your suicide attempt?”
For a moment, I thought Renee might completely shut down and not tell me anything, but after a long, tense moment, she sighed and nodded her head, just once, and I pulled her into me, holding her tightly against my chest.
“I’m sorry,” I told her. “I know we were at fault. And I am so, so sorry that you ever felt that way. I wish we could take everything back and compensate for what we did to you.”
“I know,” Renee said, and I think I believed her. Finally.
“Thank you for coming,” I whisper.
“Thank you for having me.” Her lips linger on mine for a moment before she steps away, teasing me. “I better go. You should be working. Talk soon?”
“Of course.”
I watch Renee leave the station and walk out to her car. She was smiling, that big, beautiful smile that puts my mind at ease and awakens the passion and devotion I have for her. I watch her as she drives away, and it’s only when I catch sight of my reflection in the glass window that I realize I, too, am smiling.
