NOAH

Ch. 8

Chapter 8

Now I know the feeling of waiting outside a hospital O.R., hoping and praying that everything will turn out alright. Except in our case, we'd already watched the person we so desperately wanted to live, die right in front of us. The gory images replaying in my head over and over again.

My foot taps rapidly against the bench pole, unsteady hands tucked into my armpits. He just needs to get up and explain himself to the chief. Explain how he showed up to a hospital drunk as hell, putting any patient he came in contact with in danger. Explain how his drunken arrogance paved the way for a man to die in the most unnecessary way. Maybe we could've saved him, but we'll never know and that thought nags me.

Noah taps my arm, nodding in the direction of our chief striding towards us, every step invoking pangs of nausea. Where the hell is Dr. Marsh? Surely his little dead man slumber party has ended by now.

Chief Williamson stops directly in front of us, eyes curtained of any emotion. "Nicole, what happened?"

I release my hands from their sweaty confines as I tell the chief exactly what occurred. Exactly how Dr. Marsh had been acting when I arrived. How he just...just yanked away a life.

He sighs, rubbing his hands over his droopy eyes. "You guys...you guys take the next two days off. I need to deal with the situation and it's best if you just head home."

Noah nods, his arm grazing mine as he pulls out his phone. I twitch as his body heat comes in contact with mine, melting away the last bit of cool, calm, and collected I had.

I shake my head as Noah rises from his seat. "I can't believe this is happening."

Noah sighs, slipping his phone back into the deep mahogany stained pockets of his scrubs. "Don't worry. I'm sure Dr. Marsh will be fired, maybe even sued when they find this mans family."

I look down to my double stained converse, willing the words to soothe my troubled mind, but the twisting in my stomach defies me. I can't help but wonder what's going on in that room. What they're talking about. Was he even awake? The fear of the unknown consumes my every thought, every breath.

I'm pulled from my session of over-thinking when a finger lightly bops the tip of my nose. "Arcadia Raine."

I scowl into his bright eyes, all the while secretly thanking him for pulling me out of my head. "Noah Roberts."

Noah slides his warm hand into mine, pulling me to my feet with one gentle tug. "I feel like you're a... what's the word?"

My rather small hand stays cocooned in his rather large one as he tries to find the word that escaped his mind. I slowly start to wiggle my hand out of his grasp as heat warms up my spine, spreading across my cheeks. His eyes fall down to our hands before staring into mine as a delighted smirk rests upon his face.

"Over-thinker." He states, letting my hand go as he backs away down the hall. "See you in two days, Arcadia Raine."

Once he's out of sight, I let out a short breath of air. I twirl my hand around as a bout of tingles tickle the area where Noah once held it. Rubbing it against my scrubs as I make my way out of the hospital building.

The chilly air welcomes me as I step outside, relishing in the crisp breeze. Heavy clouds suggest that a storm is approaching and my lips tilt into a smile. The dreary weather that ruins everyone else's day, brightens mine. I remember the days when everyone else stayed inside, judging the weather, judging me, I stayed outside. I stayed where I knew no one would come.

Shouting knocks me from my trance when a familiar voice catches my attention.

I allow my ears to lead me in the direction of the shouting, but not so close to be seen. A man stands in front of Noah, only a hair taller, but the authority in his booming voice makes him seem several feet above him. Noah says something that has the deep chocolate skin of his hands lighten as he grips the roof of his car.

A figure in the backseat shifts and a caramel little boy peeks his head out of the door. His eyes lock with mine and my stomach drops. But, instead of alerting who I assume is his father, he sends me a small wave. I raise my hand, waving back at the little boy who is surely the little brother Noah mentioned.

I sigh, my eyes leaving the scene in front of me. The sky roars with thunder and a familiar excitement surges through my body as I remember the rain that is sure to come. I want to hear waves crashing as I watch the cleansing of my town. My mind lights up as my feet walk in the direction of it's favorite place.

Blue Valley Beach.

No accidental murder, no kids, and no Danielle pestering me about a job. A job I need to find, no doubt. But, if Freddy wasn't hiring and the fast foo-

Wait.

Images flash in my mind. Images of the same bald, dark-skinned man, sitting with a woman in that very fast food restaurant. I'd seen Noah's dad already. His demeanor definitely changed from that love-struck teenager I once saw.

Eyes full of confusion, terror, and pure disgust were what I faced as I walked to B.V. Beach. Although the stares were well-deserved, seeing as I was covered in blood, I still hung my head in shame as the disgust filled eyes burned through my body liked a shot of straight gin.

My pace quickens once the cream tinged sand and deep cerulean water lures my gaze. The sky cracks, drips of rain running down my face as if the sky was crying for me. Waves crash against each other as the aroma of freshly baked treats, from the little bakery across the road, permeate my senses.

"I'm home."

As the wind blows my hair all around me, I watch as people shut their blinds in the beach-side apartments nearby. I could only imagine living in such a place. Waking up every morning to the most beautiful sight, not having to walk the short distance from my house because I lived on the waves. I could fall asleep to the white noise. What a dream.

I push off my converse, sinking my feet into the cold sand. I walk closer, wanting to wash away the day and forget it ever happened. Wash away the blood from my skin.

The freezing water sloshes at my ankles as I sink into the sea. As the water rocks around me, I relish the way it cleanses me with every nip of the cold. Dried blood liquefies and rolls down my skin, drowning me in pure relaxation.

What would happen if I walked into the ocean never to be seen again?

You would be your mother.

The mere mention of my mother invites images to flood my mind. Images of everything that the past day had brought, drowning me in unwanted stimulation.

I had just watched Dr. Marsh kill a man who needed saving. Who ran in desperately wanting to be saved. That thought alone made me want to drown myself in the icy depths of my paradise.

My eyes fly open as I realize I'm doing just that. I'm actually drowning.

I dart underneath the water, pushing off the ocean floor, swimming quickly to shore. My hands fly to my chest as I cough, sputtering water onto the already damp sand. I relax my frozen, wet, body against said sand with a smile.

This is the best I've felt in days.