“So if they sneak over a border?” Sommer asked.
“If they’re found, they go straight to jail to serve their time.”
“If this weren’t agreed to and accepted by the judge,” Sommer’s face looked stormy, “then they would have gone to trial.”
“And been convicted,” Gabriel said.
“But I would have been a witness, and I would have made a victim statement.”
“You would,” Gabriel said.
“But under this agreement, they’re out of our society and can’t come back.”
“They’re convicted felons. They can’t go to most places now. Canada, for example, wouldn’t let them in.”
“So everyone’s safe.” She squeezed his hands.
Gabriel put her hands together and rubbed them. “You’re shaking.”
“I didn’t want to go to court. And I guess those feelings were taught to me at work.”
“Work?”
“Nurses experience violence all the time. I always say that I’m going to file charges, but I never do.”
“You should,” Gabriel said, lifting his hand to paint his thumb gently over the bruise that was just now beginning to fade from last week’s full moon ER disaster.
“Maybe. But we get a lot of pressure not to. There’s always the insinuation that had we handled the situation better, things wouldn’t have turned violent.”
“That’s insane,” Gabriel said. “Nurses have the right to work without violence.”
“Preaching to the choir, Mr. Special Agent man. But it is what it is. I don’t know what would change our circumstances other than all of us walking out en masse. And we have mortgages and grocery bills.” She pulled her hands free from his and put them on her forehead as she took in a deep breath. “It’s over. That’s good.” She paused. “Yes, very good. Thank you for the news.”
Gabriel didn’t know how to answer that. He was just glad it all went down as fast as it did.
After a moment, Sommer exclaimed, “Oh! I have news for you, too. I got an electronic transfer from my time as a content creator. I guess when I took down my videos and deleted my accounts, they cleared the books. But the amount that came in is enough for me to go to the Bahamas.”
Gabriel smiled. “Where you can risk skin cancer as you lay on the beach sipping an umbrella drink.”
“Not only that.” She leaned forward and put her hands on his knees. “There’s enough money for two. And I was wondering if you might like to accompany me.” She smiled.
“Going on a vacation to paradise sounds like a big step to take with someone you just met.”
Disappointment painted Sommer’s face. And she leaned back, crossing her arms protectively over her chest. “I … Well, we … Look,” Sommer glanced down at Whiskey lying between them, then brought a steady gaze up to meet Gabriel’s. “You and I bothhave jobs with high drama, and that’s exhausting. I don’t want to come home to anything that feels like an obligation. I want to tend to the things that bring me joy, puttering around my little cottage, going out on hikes, hanging out with comfortable friends who have been through the wash with me a thousand times and feel that much more comfortable to me each time we go through the wringer together. When you showed up, it felt natural and seamless. You stepped right into the kind of energy that I’m trying to develop in my life. And I thought … I thought something.” She gave a little shrug.
“I think you misunderstood what I said, Sommer. I happily accept your invitation.And, going on a vacation to paradise sounds like a big step to take with someone you just met. I’m honored.” Gabriel tugged her hand to pull Sommer into his lap. “I like the sense of peace that comes over me when I have you in my arms.” He kissed her hair. “That sense of ease.” He smiled. “I appreciate that not everything has to be a struggle.”
She held her fingers an inch apart. “Though maybe a little agenda.”
“Yeah?”
“I just think that maybe Daniel has something to do with us,” Sommer whispered. “Can we talk about that for a minute?”
“Sure.”
“You told me on the trail that Reaper said that dogs can’t memorize songs and sing them like whales can.”
“That’s right.”
