Incidental Fate Book 1

70

I felt like a shell of myself walking into the hospital. I didn't even bother turning my phone back on, heaven only knows what messages Gavin probably sent.

My son hated me and I didn't even care. I was exhausted and void of emotion.

I knew I had fucked up. Too many times to count. Grant wouldn't be speaking to me anytime soon and Gavin was, well I didn't even know. He was probably furious with me, maybe even regretting telling me he loved me.

"Thanks Sadie!" Debbie's cheery voice called out to me as I passed the station. "It's so nice working the day shift!"

"You're welcome," I tried to smile back.

"I hope you had fun today," she winked. "Hopefully it was worth the swap."

Worth the swap, yes, no. I gave her another small, polite smile and went to put my things away. I didn't want to be rude but I couldn't even fake being cheery right now.

"Hey! You working the night shift?" May laughed, as she put her things away next to mine.

"Yeah, just tonight," I sighed.

"What's wrong?" She walked over to me, laying her hand on my back just how Gavin had.

My eyes betrayed me and started welling up with tears. There was no sense in lying anymore. I looked quickly around the room as I tried to stifle back the tears.

"Grant found out about Gavin today. And he did not take it well."

"Did you expect him to? He's been the only man in your life for 18 years." She rubbed my back, trying to comfort me.

"It's not that," I admitted. "It's um.. the age difference."

"What, does he want you with an older man? Was that Mike guy old?"

"No," I laughed. "Gavin is younger than what you think."

"How much younger?"

"He's 22."

"Oh damn!" She squealed. "That's young. But if it were reversed it'd be fine. He's legal," she chuckled. "Are you happy?"

"I was."

"Then what does it matter," she smiled. "But, are you sure he's just 22, that man seems very grown."

"He's an old soul," I smiled back. "I just don't know what to do now. Grant gave me an ultimatum, him or Gavin."

"And.."

"And I don't know if it's worth losing Grant right now when I don't even know the future for Gavin and I."

"How did Grant even find out?"

"Oh god," I cringed, "he walked in on us."

"No!" She screamed out and I flung my hands up to hush her. "Like you two were in the sheets?"

"Yes!"

"Boy's probably traumatized."

"I know! I know!" I threw my head down into my hands.

"Just give it time, he'll come around."

"I don't know if he'll ever come around to me dating someone only four years older than him, god."

"And what about Gavin?"

"What do you mean?"

"He was in bed with you and then what?"

"I threw him out, I didn't know what to do and he was yelling at Grant."

"Wow! I need some tea for this story!"

"Stop," I laughed, knocking her playfully in the arm.

"The floor's full so you'll have lots of distractions tonight."

"Let's go." I took one last swipe under my eyes to clear any mascara run-off before we walked out.

"But Sadie, one piece of advise," she smiled warmly, "Gavins don't come along often. That man's gorgeous and he loves you. I knew it the second I met him in Vegas. I could see it in the way he looked at you."

"I know."

We walked out to the already busy floor as an announcement was just ending. Debbie was already gone, replaced by Mary, whom I'd only met a few times.

"What's going on?" I asked loudly above the noise.

"Trauma en route, paramedics just arrived, bad accident," she shrugged. "They're taking two of our doctors and Julia so we're going to be short handed tonight ladies."

"Welcome to the night shift," May huffed.

Mary handed us our charts, "I heard patient's in pretty bad shape, at least that's what they said over the chatter."

"See, your night could have been a lot worse," May whispered as we walked away.

"Sadie!"

I turned to see Debbie rushing down the hall, almost knocking into us. "You're going to think this is crazy!"

"I thought you left," May teased but Debbie shot her a look before focusing back on me.

"Vegas guy is here, Gavin. It has to be him!"

Shit. I could feel May's eyes on me. "Tell him I'm busy." I couldn't deal with him right now.

"What does he want?" May butted in.

"Sadie," Debbie sighed, "he's just been admitted."

"For what?" I told him to never come back here, this isn't a place to just show up.

"Paramedics just pulled up with him. Accident, he was hit by someone blowing through a red light or something. I just got his paperwork from the paramedics and saw the name Gavin, then I got a quick look when they pulled up. I recognized him even with all the blood."

What.... "Wait.... what?" The noise around me faded, the walls started closing in and I watched Debbie's lips closely, trying to understand her but feeling as if I'd been drugged.

Gavin! I flung my charts at May, already running down the hall. It wasn't him, it couldn't be. Where was my phone? Where was my goddamn phone!