24. Addie
ADDIE
A ddie’s morning started in a rush. She’d barely finished breakfast with Sophie when her phone buzzed on the counter, the screen flashing an emergency alert from the hospital.
She swallowed her last sip of coffee and dialed Alex’s number, arranging for Sophie’s school drop-off with barely a pause.
At the hospital, the pace only picked up. She scrubbed in quickly, her mind locked into the steady rhythm of work. The emergency was messy, a multi-trauma case from a bad highway collision, and the OR was filled with controlled chaos .
The only pause in her entire day came when she first laid eyes on Giselle. Even with the white coat obscuring her body, Giselle’s figure was undeniable.
Addie stood still in the hallway, staring at Giselle with her lips pressed together.
“Good morning,” she said, betraying the warmth that coursed through her body.
“Addie, I—” Giselle began.
Addie raised her hand, cutting her off. She didn’t want to hear it. Not before a delicate procedure
“Please, Giselle,” Addie said. “We’ve got a job to do.”
Giselle nodded, her eyes not leaving Addie for a second. She looked sorry. Addie could see that in the slight droop of her shoulders when she exhaled. She could see the hurt—or was it pain?—shining in Giselle’s eyes.
“Right. Work.” Giselle nodded and took a step back.
Addie never thought she’d see Giselle frown at the mention of work. She didn’t think she’d feel this burning desire to sink into Giselle’s arms and listen to everything she had to say. She didn’t think she’d stare at her and hope there was some explanation that made all of this make sense.
Giselle turned and headed for the OR. A couple of breaths later, Addie joined in. She worked alongside the team, but avoided eye contact with Giselle. With each glance she stole, she quickly shifted away, her focus only on the task in front of her.
There was no room for warmth or anything that might distract her. Not here. Not now. And maybe…not anymore.
As soon as the patient was stabilized and she stepped out of the OR, Addie’s breathing was shallow and her fingers were still tense from the procedure. She pressed a hand against the wall, closing her eyes and allowing herself a second to breathe.
“You good?”
Addie’s eyelids flew open. Madeline was staring at her with concern etched all over her face. Addie was too lazy to force a smile.
“I’m fine, Maddie,” she said.
Madeline raised her eyebrows. “ Maddie ? Now I’m sure something is wrong.”
Addie found her smile now, weak as it was. She allowed her gaze to drift to Madeline’s fingers. Sure enough, a gold band sat on the ring finger of her left hand.
“I never got to congratulate you,” Addie said, pointing to Maddie’s finger.
Maddie grinned as she raised her finger and caressed the ring. “I still haven’t gotten used to this, you know.”
“I know, right?” Addie said. “Alex didn’t seem used to it, either. She blushed as much as you are right now.”
Madeline pressed her hands against her cheeks.
“You don’t seem surprised that I know about Alex,” Addie said.
Madeline shrugged. “I mean, I always knew it was only a matter of time before you found out. Besides, it wasn’t exactly a secret. You just didn’t ask.”
“Right,” Addie said. “Congratulations all the same.”
“Thank you,” Madeline said. “What’s going on between you and?—”
Addie’s phone rang, interrupting Madeline’s question.
The caller ID was one she had saved. It was Sophie’s school. She glanced at the clock on the wall. Sophie should’ve just been dropped off at school.
“I’m sorry,” Addie said. “I’ve got to take this.”
Addie picked up the call, her pulse racing. “Hello?”
“Dr. Wolfe?” a female voice said.
“This is Adrienne Wolfe speaking,” she said.
“There’s been an accident involving Sophie…” The rest of the words were a blur. “A truck…hit the car from the rear…the driver was mostly unharmed…Sophie was in the backseat…”
The phone dropped from Addie’s hands. She didn’t wait to hear more. She bolted down the hallway, ignoring the nurses’ startled glances. Her heart pounded faster with each step, her thoughts a frantic blur.
She didn’t even hear Madeline pick up her phone and run behind her. When she reached the ambulance bay, she spotted the familiar vehicle pulling up. The doors opened and Sophie lay on the stretcher, still and small, her face pale, with a gash above her eyebrow.
“Oh God,” Addie whispered, reaching out instinctively, but one of the paramedics gently pulled her back. “Sophie…my baby.”
“Dr. Wolfe, we need to get her inside right away,” one of the doctors said.
“I’ll help you get her?—”
“Step out of the way, Dr. Wolfe,” a medic said.
“I can help. I just…I just need to get in there and take a good look at her.”
Addie was out of breath. She forced herself to step back, her hands trembling as she followed them.
Sophie’s injuries looked severe—too severe. Her chest tightened as they hurried her daughter into the ER, her mind racing with every possible complication.
Josephine was there. She looked over Sophie the second she was placed on the bed. She took one glance at Addie and nodded slowly.
Addie wasn’t content with that. She walked over, ignoring everyone’s stares as she reached Josephine.
“Josephine, I’ll handle the procedure,” Addie said. “She’s my daughter. No one can treat her like I would. ”
“Which is exactly why you’re going to sit this one out,” Josephine said.
“That’s my baby lying there,” Addie said. Teardrops slipped down her cheeks. “Please, Josephine. You know how much this means to me.”
“Which is just another reason you should listen to me, Addie.” Josephine shook her head firmly. “You know the rules. You can’t operate on her. Your hands aren’t even steady right now.”
“She’s my daughter. Please, just this once?—”
“No exceptions.” Josephine’s tone softened slightly. “I’m assigning Giselle to this case. She’s the best surgeon we have, and you know she’s capable.”
Addie’s hands dropped to her sides, her heart sinking. She caught sight of Giselle approaching.
“No,” Addie said, almost to herself, but it was useless. Josephine was already moving away, directing other staff members to their stations.
The same person who’d broken her heart a day ago would now operate on her daughter. She knew how impersonal Giselle could be. Would this be just another job for her?
Addie stood there, tears dripping from her eyes. Her heart was breaking all over again.
“Addie.” Giselle was already standing before her. “I’m going to take care of her.”
Addie’s jaw tightened, her pulse racing. She wanted to protest, to demand another option, anyone else, but there was no choice. Sophie needed help, and Giselle was her best chance.
“Fine,” Addie said, her voice clipped. “Please give it your all.”
Giselle nodded. “I’ll do everything I can, Addie.”
She reached over to touch Addie’s shoulder, but Addie flinched.
“Don’t,” Addie whispered. “Just save my daughter. Please.”
Giselle nodded and turned toward the operating room doors, disappearing inside.
Addie’s hands shook as she stared after her, her mind filled with Sophie’s pale face. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain steady.
Then she spotted Alex, bruised but standing by the wall. Madeline’s arms were wrapped around her and she was talking to her quietly, her face pale and drawn. Madeline’s voice was calm, her hand brushing over Alex’s shoulder, soothing and steady.
Addie stepped toward them. “Are you alright, Alex?”
Alex looked at her. “Yes. Just a few cuts, but…Sophie…”
“You should have your cuts looked at,” Addie said.
“My cuts can wait,” Alex said.
“She insisted she wouldn’t let me touch them until she was certain that Sophie was going to be okay.”
“I was driving. If anything?—”
“Sophie is going to be okay,” Addie said, unable to say anything else. Tears filled her eyes again.
“We’re here if you need us,” Madeline said.
Addie swallowed, the words catching in her throat. She gave them a quick nod, then turned away, not trusting herself to speak.
“You should check out your cuts,” Addie said. “You need to make sure they don’t get infected, and have someone check if you’re bleeding internally.”
Addie walked away. She watched from across the prep room as Giselle slipped on her gloves. Giselle’s face was set. Addie clenched her hands, her breathing shallow. She wanted to say something, but the words stuck in her throat, useless.
She was about to head for the viewing gallery when she spotted Josephine walking toward her.
“Josephine…” she said.
“Give it a rest, Addie.” Josephine hugged her.
Addie held on tight. She desperately needed it.
“Breathe, Addie,” Josephine said, squeezing her tightly. “You’ve got to be strong.”
Addie sniffled. “You’re leaving Sophie’s surgery to Giselle? She can’t?—”
Josephine leaned back, her eyes steady and unyielding. “Addie, if you want the best chance for your daughter, you’ll let Giselle do her job.”
Addie’s mouth opened, ready to argue, but Josephine’s expression stopped her cold. The authority in Josephine’s eyes was different, colder than usual. Addie had never seen her like this.
“If you interfere now, anything that happens will be on you. Is that what you want?”
Addie stared at her, stunned, her heart pounding harder. “She’s my daughter, Josephine. I need to trust?—”
“Then trust me,” Josephine interrupted. “You know Giselle is the best. And for the record, Addie, she cares about Sophie. Don’t let this…personal thing cloud what you know to be true.”
Addie swallowed, her frustration clashing with the truth Josephine had thrown at her. She managed a quick nod, and Josephine didn’t say more before she turned back to the other staff.
Addie took a shaky breath and moved toward the viewing gallery, a knot forming in her chest. When she arrived, she found Madeline standing just inside, her gaze locked on the OR. Addie joined her, her eyes fixed on the sterile, bright room below.
“Where’s Alex?”
“Getting her cuts checked,” Madeline said .
“That’s good.”
Madeline nodded. “Yeah.”
“Shouldn’t you be there with her?” Addie asked.
“She asked that I be here with Sophie instead,” Madeline said. “You know, Alex always said she wanted to have a daughter just like Sophie.”
Addie sniffled.
“I didn’t mean to—” Madeline began.
“It’s fine,” Addie whispered. “It’s fine.”
Sophie lay on the operating table, small and vulnerable under the harsh lights. The sight was almost unbearable, made worse by the fact that Giselle was the one in charge—the same Giselle who’d left her feeling so lost and unsure just yesterday.
But Sophie needed her.
Adrienne swallowed, recalling Giselle’s assurance earlier. The words were so unlike anything Giselle would usually say. Normally, Giselle avoided giving parents any false hope. It was a principle she stuck to, one they’d debated more than once.
But now she’d offered Addie reassurance, something she’d never heard from her before. It was almost enough to give Addie a sliver of calm.
Maybe Giselle had changed. Maybe the person she’d seen behind those cold walls was real, not just a projection of what she’d wanted. But it didn’t matter now. All she wanted was for Sophie to be alright.
There was nothing she could do now but wait and watch, her mind replaying Giselle’s promise over and over, hoping it would be enough.