Ah fuck, just what I needed.
“I just wanted … what’s he doing here?” I heard Eli say.
“We’re discussing work. Maybe we can talk when I stop by Dad’s later,” she said.
He came around the couch and pointed a finger at me. “How many people have you killed here, Foster?”
“Eli!” Mia snapped. She looked at me with an apology in her eyes.
I put my wine on the coffee table.
“Wine. You’re drinking wine while working.” He turned on Mia. “What is it about him that you can’t keep your hormones in check. Isn’t there a rule about nonfraternization?”
“You’re out of line, Eli,” I said, hoping he heard the warning in my voice. Former friend or not, I wasn’t going to let him disrespect Mia.
He stepped up to me, getting into my face. “You killed our mother, you son of a bitch.”
He certainly knew how to hit me where it hurt. I hadn’t killed her, but I had refused to treat her when she’d been brought into the hospital. She wasn’t my family, but we were close. Dr. Lassiter was there. He had years more experience and was a good doctor, so I didn’t have any problem letting him take over. While I didn’t treat her, I did stay with her, and was there as the assessments were done and the realization that she probably wouldn’t survive.
“Your mother’s treatment was done properly—”
“She’s dead. How’s that proper?” Eli snapped.
“Eli, stop,” Mia said, pulling him back and out of my face.
“She had massive internal injuries—”
“You could have fixed her. But you didn’t. She wasn’t worth it to you?”
“On the contrary, she was like family, that was why I didn’t—”
“And because you didn’t, she died.”
I inhaled a breath. Intellectually, I knew I’d been right to let Dr. Lassiter treat her. But deep in my heart, I wondered if maybe had I been in charge, could I have saved her?
“Nick, maybe you could just go.” Mia said, with exasperation in her voice.
I nodded. “See you at work.”
I left with her and Eli arguing. But their quarrel was nothing compared to the burning in my gut that had me questioning my ability as a doctor. Was Eli right? Should I have treated his mother? Was there something else I could have done for Ms. Mason?
That night, I took a sleeping pill knowing the dreams would come and hoping I could sleep through them without noticing. No luck. All night long I was assaulted with Ms. Mason and Jane Parker asking why I let them die. Eli showed up, threatening to put me in the morgue. I woke up when Mia stabbed me in the heart.
10
Mia
I stopped by my father’s house the next morning to talk to him about Eli. What was his problem, anyway?
Dad was at the kitchen table enjoying his usual toast with peanut butter. “Good morning. How’s my girl?”
“Morning, Dad.” I kissed his head as I went to his coffee maker and poured myself some coffee. “How are you?”
“Can’t complain.”
I brought my coffee to the table, studying him. There was a lot he could complain about. Losing his wife. His Parkinson’s disease. His kids. But he didn’t complain. Perhaps I should take a page from his book.
“What’s up with you?” he asked.