“Mine as well,” Micah said from his place in the chair. “I’ll have my notice on your desk first thing.”
Mrs. Cole nodded in agreement.
Her resignation, I would take, but his? He was in this for life, and he knew it.
“Alexei,” Violet’s wail sounded like a foghorn through the empty corridors. “I want Alexei.”
Sighing or shaking my head. “We will discuss this later,” I told them firmly. “When I’ve dealt with Violet.”
Neither one of my staff said anything in return. Mrs. Cole just yanked the curtains closed, blocking my view of what was going on inside that little cubicle.
Violet’s private room was so much bigger and so much quieter than the hustle and bustle of the busy emergency room.
Pushing my way inside, I found Violet sitting on the bed. Blankets folded neatly across her lap. Her mascara had run down her face, but she didn’t look like she was crying anymore.
“Alexei.” She reached out her hands for me. “You came. I thought you had left me.”
I took her hands without even thinking about it and let her lead me to the bed. “Of course, not Violet. I just had to check on Amy.”
“She’s here?” Trailing off, she looked away. “You care for her more than you care about me.”
“She’s my wife, and she is in a bad way.”
I didn’t get the chance to say anything else. Violet’s whisper cut through me. “She pushed me down the stairs and killed my baby, Alexei. She took away my precious child, and you still went to her.”
Ice filled my veins. Violet had lost her baby as well.
“I am sorry, Violet.” I stroked the back of her hand with my thumb. “I am sorry, but I am sure it was an accident.”
It had to be. I refused to believe that Amy would do such a thing, especially when she had lost our baby as well. It didn’t make an ounce of sense. Amy didn’t have a mean bone in her body. It must have been an accident.
“It wasn’t.” Tears flooded Violet’s eyes. “I didn’t want to tell you and cause problems, but earlier in her bedroom when I went to help her.” A single tear slipped down her face. “She tried to strangle me. That’s what you heard. She only stopped because you came in.”
I didn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe it. Not Amy. It just didn’t make any sense.
“I really tried to be her friend, Alexei, because she’s your wife, but she scares me. I don’t think she’s mentally stable. Is that the kind of woman you want bringing up your child?”
Pain lanced through me. All that blood had come from my wife. They hadn’t told me outright, but I knew deep down that there was no baby anymore.
“She’s no longer pregnant,” I whispered and let go of her hand, rolling my shoulders to try and relieve the tension.
“Oh.” Violet sounded like she didn’t know what to say. “Maybe it’s for the best.”
My head whipped around to stare at her in shock. “What do you mean by that?”
“Just that,” she wiped at her tears, “I love you, Alexei. I’ve always loved you.” She sobbed. “And I know you love me as well. It’s always been you and me. Now,” more dry sobs, “I loved my baby with everything in my heart, but maybe he died so I could be with you. We are meant to be together, you know that, and then neither one of us is tied to anyone else. We can be together.”
I stared at her in shock. “I’m married, Violet. I am married to Amy.”
“Even if she threw herself down the stairs after me?” Defiantly, Violet lifted her chin. “I watched her do it, Alexei. She pushed me and then threw herself down. She wanted to kill your baby. Amy might be your wife, but she doesn’t care about you. She doesn’t love you the way I do.”
I didn’t want to believe it.
Roughly, I tugged at my hair. “She wouldn’t do that.”
Violet remained silent.
“If that’s what you want to believe,” she said finally. “I can’t make you believe the truth. I am sorry about your baby, though, Alexei.” Reaching out, she caught my hand in hers. “I know you have always wanted to be a father.”
