Special Delivery by J.A. Armstrong

Author:J.A. Armstrong
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: J.A. Armstrong Books
Published: 2015-07-27T03:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

“I don’t know!” Brooke said abruptly.

“Brooke?” Rachel called to her friend gently. Brooke’s stress was palpable. Rachel had asked a simple question. Brooke had just returned to the office from the hospital. She was shaken and Rachel knew it. She also knew that Brooke would never want to admit that. Brooke put her face in her hands. “Brooke, get out of here. It’s already after five. Go. Go home. Have a beer. Chill out with Murphy, I don’t know. Get your mind off of it. There is nothing more you can do. It’s out of your hands now.”

Brooke looked up and let out a heavy breath. Get my mind off of it? How the hell do I do that? Get my mind off what? “I’ll be fine. It goes with the territory. We both know that.”

“Bullshit. I mean it, Brooke. Get out of here and catch your breath,” Rachel ordered. “Don’t bother arguing with me,” Rachel said. She turned on her heels and headed for the door. “I don’t want to see you here until Monday.”

“I just had a whole weekend off,” Brooke argued. “This week has been insane. I need to catch up on some things here.”

“No. You need to step away. You know it and I know it. Don’t make me pull rank on you, Dr. Campbell. I will.”

Brooke was beginning to become angry, Technically, Rachel did have seniority. Technically, Rachel was the boss. They had never functioned that way. Rachel could be protective, but she was seldom bossy. “Fine,” Brooke replied in frustration and disgust. Brooke’s answer to work stress was to immerse herself in more work. Brooke’s response to personal stress was to drown herself in even more work. That was not working. Rachel could see it. Brooke knew she was right, but she had no intention of admitting it. Brooke slammed her laptop shut and got up from behind her desk. She stopped in front of Rachel and looked at her harshly. “I’ll see you next week.”

Rachel released the nervous breath she had been holding as soon as Brooke left the office. That went well.

***

Tess opened the front door and sighed. “Come in here,” she said to Brooke. Brooke’s eyes were rimmed red and Tess felt her heart drop. They had traded messages on and off all week, but never saw one another. Brooke had been on the run. Tess had noted the change in the tenor of Brooke’s messages gradually throughout the week. The one phone call they had shared came on Wednesday evening. It had been enjoyable. They had talked about the kids, talked about Brooke and Rachel’s misadventures in medical school, and even a bit about how Tess had met Jackie. Conversation flowed smoothly between them. Neither wanted to end their chat, nor their banter, but Tess could tell that Brooke was beyond tired. She reluctantly said goodnight, hoping she would see Brooke again soon. She hadn’t expected it to be so soon.

Tess closed the door. Before she had a chance to lead Brooke into the living room, Brooke broke down into tears.

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