He wouldn’t just not show up, right? He’d tell her if something was wrong or if he was hurt. He was a doctor, for heaven’s sake. He knew better than to leave things unsaid.
Maybe she should ask Rose to check with his siblings?
No. That would be taking it too far.
Her unease continued to grow as the night stretched on. When it became clear he wasn’t going to show up, she sent him a single text.
River:Hope everything is okay. Have a good night.
Then she wentto bed with no expectation of falling asleep. She was on edge. Worried. And wondering if Emerson’s concerns weren’t some kind of prediction for her future. Was this God’s way of telling her Emerson was right?
19
MATHEW
“Doctor Klein, your patient is ready in triage room three.”
Mathew lifted his focus from his tablet. “Thanks, Sue. I’ll be right there.” He swiped out of the chart for a patient that was ready to be discharged, then tucked his tablet under his arm before heading down the hall for the next room.
“Have you been here all day?” Aiden fell into step beside him. “I can’t remember the last time I saw you work a double.”
“I’m not working a double.” Mathew frowned, scanning his mental list of obligations—charts, callbacks, rounds tomorrow. Something else hovered just out of reach, like a name on the tip of his tongue.
“Man, it’s been busy today. Time’s flying.”
“You’re right about that,” Mathew said. “It’s been back-to-back nonstop. I haven’t had a chance to take a reasonable break.”
Aiden laughed and clapped him on the back. “What else is new? I remember how hard it was to get you to take lunch a few months ago. Things have changed.”
Mathew forced a smile, but unease tugged at him anyway. He’d silenced his phone earlier, just until the rush calmed down, and then one emergency blurred into the next. He told himself he’d check it the moment he could breathe.
He never did.
Not until?—
A light knock on his office door drew his attention. Mathew glanced up and found Dr. Hastings standing there. “I appreciate your willingness to stay late,” she said, “but it’s settled down enough for you to head home.”
Mathew’s stomach dropped. He looked at the clock.
Almost midnight.
He snatched up his phone, and the screen lit with a missed call.
River. River!
Mathew shot up out of his seat so fast his office chair spun around. With frantic movements, he gathered his keys and his satchel with the files he’d need to go over before he came back tomorrow.
Today had been an off day. He’d taken an earlier shift so he could spend the evening with River. They were going to take in a late dinner together. For whatever reason, he’d forgotten all about their plans. He wanted to blame it on his busy schedule and getting into the zone, but deep down he knew better.
He’d allowed himself to prioritize his work again and push off everything else.
River had called him once. And she’d sent one text message. He read it over and over as he hurried through the quiet hallway toward the parking lot. She’d been worried about him, but that wasn’t what added to his anxiety the most.
It was what she hadn’t said.
Where are you?
They’d had plans. He’d told her he’d pick her up.
