Chapter 6
Rose
I wipe away my tears as I climb the stairs towards my apartment, my chin still wobbling, the guilt for not saving that kid hitting me hard.
It’s times like these I hate my job.
I was doing my rounds when the emergency bell rang and I ran to Cassie’s room, a little four year old who was admitted because she couldn’t stop vomiting but when I got there, the new nurse Becky who shouldn’t have even been on that floor to begin with stood back with her eyes wide as Cassie choked on her vomit while her mama screamed at Becky to do something.
Cassie’s throat had closed up.
I tried to suck as much as I could, heck Dr. Conners even did an emergency cricothyrotomy, placing a breathing tube in her neck, but it didn’t work, she died all while Becky cried in the corner that she wasn’t cut out for this kind of job not thinking about the little girl’s mama who was inconsolable and had to be sedated.
Becky’s now under investigation and is at risk of losing her nursing license. I’m struggling with the fact that we couldn’t save Cassie who shouldn’t have died.
She was four.
I sniffle as I reach my door, the urge to call Cage consuming me, but I hold off. We’ve only been dating for a week and the fact I want to call him says a lot. Besides, he’s currently on a three-day business trip. He doesn’t need me bothering him.
I unlock my door and walk inside, putting on a brave face knowing my sister is waiting for me. She’s spending the night because our parents are away and I know she’ll most likely want me to cook something.
Taking a deep breath, I look up but I pause just shy of the doorway to find her already sitting on the dark gray couch, eating what looks like tacos, and I look towards the kitchen and find Cage dishing up two plates.
He’s… here.
My chin wobbles even more, my emotions getting too much for me. Seeing he’s not only back but he’s inside my apartment, feeding my little sister, whom he hadn’t even met yet.
Kimmy notices me first as she side eyes me, the TV her main focus as she says, “Hey, sissy, how was work?”
Work, right, yeah, Cassie… Damn.
I sniffle, more tears falling, causing Kimmy to look at me instantly and demand, “What happened? Who do I need to hurt?” which gains Cage’s attention as he turns around instantly, his face hard.
I shake my head, wanting to reassure her, but instead, a sob releases, and I quickly cover my mouth with the back of my hand to hide the sound. Kimmy gasps as she quickly puts her plate down and runs over to me, taking me in her arms, and I shake with my sobs.
Losing a patient is hard on any day, but when she could have been saved…
Her test results said she had an allergic reaction to something, she could have been saved but Becky panicked when Cassie began to vomit again, apparently not sure on what to do and instead of putting the girl on her side, she left her on her back.
Kimmy pulls back and cups my cheeks with concern, and I notice Cage standing back, his hands fisted, and that makes me smile a little.
He knows my sister has to comfort me.
“Talk to me,” she whispers, and we lock eyes as I admit, “I lost a four-year-old little girl today,” and Kimmy’s eyes tear up as she takes me back in her arms, and I hold her tightly to me as Cage curses, “Fuck…” before a phone rings.
I don’t pull back. I place my face into my sister's neck, allowing my tears to fall as I hear, “Yeah, she’s just walked through the door. A little late notice, Doc.”
Doc… Dr. Conners, maybe?
Kimmy pulls back as Cage hangs up the phone, and she wipes away my tears and whispers, “Your boyfriend made tacos, they’re really good.”
“Boyfriend, huh?” I chuckle before sniffling, and she grins as she nods, and I look over at Cage, who is now leaning against the side of the breakfast bar, arms crossed over his muscular chest with a soft look on his face.
I raise a brow at my sister's title, and he shrugs and gives me a wink with a grin, bringing the first smile to my face.
Boyfriend. I think I like that title, even if it has only been a week.
Kimmy kisses my cheek as she wipes away my tears before she looks at Cage and smiles, then turns back to the living area, and I melt.
She’s giving him the chance to comfort me, she’s accepting him.
Shaking my head, I shut the door and drop my keys and bag on the little table near it before walking over to Cage, who pushes himself up straight just before I walk into his body.
His arms automatically wrap around me as I grip the back of his shirt, and nothing but sparks fly through me, his touch instantly settles me.
“You’re back,” I whisper, pressing my face into his chest as I inhale his musky scent that I wish I could just bottle up.
“Yeah, red, I’m back,” he murmurs softly, “Doc called or Dr. Conners as you know him, he wanted to let me know you’d had a hard shift, just a little too late.”
“Don’t be mad at him,” I say, “He’s been dealing with a nurse who never should have been in that room to begin with. She was new and was just supposed to go and collect all the charts on the floor below the Pediatric department.”
Cage sighs, “She wanted to work with kids but couldn’t get the job.”
I nod and admit, “I ran into my patient's room to find her struggling to breathe as she choked on her own vomit, while Becky stood frozen and my patient’s mama screaming at her to do something. She shouldn’t have died.”
My tears fall again, and I hold Cage tighter, causing his grip to tighten as well and he whispers, “I’ve got you, red, I always have you.”
“I’m glad you’re back,” I admit, and he hums and replies, “Me too, otherwise I wouldn’t have met your amazing sister or found out how she had you wrapped around her finger growing up.”
I smile as I pull back a little to look at him, and I admit, “I didn’t mind it,” not lying one bit, and he smiles.
Kimmy was the best sister growing up.
“I approve, by the way,” Kimmy says, gaining our attention, and I look her way as she nods to Cage and says, “He can cook, he’s easy to talk to, and he looks at you like he wants to devour you, so I approve.”
I snort and look at Cage to see a cheesy grin on his face, making my snort turn into a laugh. He looks at me, waggling his brows, making me laugh harder. His grin softens as he gently cups my cheek, his thumb rubbing over the tearstains.
“I don’t like seeing you cry,” he whispers, and I melt into him, giving him some of my weight.
“I promise I don’t do it a lot, only when I lose patients, or if I’ve laughed too much –” Kimmy cuts me off, “Or if the dog dies in a movie so if you want some advice, never watch dog movies with her.”
I nod because, yeah, those kinds of movies are evil.
Cage grins and teases, “My sappy girl,” and I pinch him gently, not able to hold back my smile, and I go to pull back because yeah, Kimmy is right, his food is amazing, and the tacos are making my stomach grumble. Cage tightens his hold on me, and I raise a brow at him.
His eyes look me over, taking in every little detail before he asks, “Would I sound crazy if I asked you to sign a piece of paper for me?”
I frown and ask, “Why?”
I mean, yeah, he does sound crazy.
He smirks, “Because I want your autograph before you become a famous Pediatric Cardiology nurse,” and I laugh as he waggles his brows again before he pouts and gives me puppy eyes, and I relent instantly, “Sure, I’ll give you my autograph, you weird-o.”
I hear my sister cackle and I shake my head as I take the pen from him and with his arm tightly around my waist, I sign where he’s pointing at the bottom of a rectangle paper with a pretty gold boarder then place my pen down and Cage says, “You too Kimmy, I want yours,” making her squeal and I grin because he’s not leaving her out which makes him smile back at me and my heart skips a beat.
We watch as she signs her name, then skips back to her spot on the couch, and I laugh before Cage cups my cheek and gently guides my face his way.
Our eyes lock, and I smile widely before I push up on my tiptoes and press my lips against his, feeling at home instantly, my bad day washing over me as he consumes me.
Cage holds me tightly as our tongues touch, and I melt into his embrace.
This man, he’s my forever, I just know it, and that thought, it doesn’t even scare me.