“Yes, please,” James confirmed. “And I’ll take the pancakes, please.”
“On it.” She patted his arm before strolling away.
James returned his attention to Cal, where his mentor sat and sipped his coffee.
Cal didn’t say a word until Beth had dropped off James’s orange juice. Once James had his drink, Cal set the mug down.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there last night,” Cal told him.
James was shaking his head before Cal finished his sentence. “It’s not your fault. I knew you were on day shift.”
“I should have switched,” Cal said.
This was not Cal’s fault. “Come on, man. You have seniority. You don’t have to work the worst night of the year.”
“I should have been there for you. Josh told me how bad it was.”
Dropping his eyes, James stared at a black spot on the worn, cracked table.
“You know there was nothing you could do,” Cal said. “They were gone before you even got there.”
He nodded. James wasn’t an idiot. He did know that. That didn’t make the situation any better.
“I know that doesn’t make it better,” Cal said gently.
James lifted his gaze. “They were so young. It isn’t fair. They weren’t drinking.”
“I know,” Cal said.
“It makes me angry,” James admitted.
“It should.”
“And the drunk driver walked away with a small cut on his head and a broken arm from the airbag. He killed three people and didn’t even have to spend the night in the hospital,” James explained.
“The cops picked him up this morning,” Cal told him. “He’s being charged with vehicular manslaughter.”
“That’s good,” James muttered. “Doesn’t bring back the lives that he took.”
“It doesn’t,” Cal agreed. “And I hate to be the one to tell you this, but you won’t ever forget.”
“I don’t even know their names,” James admitted.
“Will that help?” Cal questioned. “To process it?”
“Maybe?” James offered. “I feel like I should know their names.”
“I’ll get them for you then,” Cal promised.
“You will?”
“If that’s what you need,” Cal replied. “I would also set up an appointment with the department’s therapist if I were you.”
“You think I need to talk to the shrink?” James asked way too loud.
“Shh,” Cal urged as he held up his hands.
James checked their surroundings. Luckily, they were at the back and the closest booth had a couple of kids being loud.
