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Tonight was a doozy Noof six year old Brendan Matthews He’d been asleep in the backseat of the car when his father took it on a drunken joyride as payback on his ex-wife The older Matthews had lost control of the vehicle and Brendan had been thrown through the windshield

Traueries weren’t my normal work, but Mr Matthews had caused quite a nasty pileup and the ER was full I’d been asked to step in and I had, willing, able and eager and all that nonsense that I now regretted

“You did everything you could, Zola” Cal laid a sympathetic hand on my shoulder but I didn’t want to be soothed, not when I lost a kid

“He was six years old,” I sighed, as if that ic so about all the birthday candles he wouldn’t get to blow out The cars he wouldn’t learn to hotwire Theeverywhere”

“You tried, and that’s all you can do”

I nodded, knowing Cal was right, but I just couldn’t hear those words Not now “Thank you, Cal”

“Thanks for sticking around to help, Zola Sorry it ruined your night”

I shrugged and walked away I was in a daze as I showered and changed back into o hoood plan, exactly what I did on the rare occasions I lost a patient

But despite my plans and my efforts, I foundI was on his doorstep and ringing the doorbell It was past one in theand he had to be at work in a few hours, but still here I ith tears in my eyes and an ache in my heart Who went to their booty call for comfort?

“Zola?” He blinked, looking hot in nothing but a pair of low slung boxers “Is everything all right?”

I nodded and then shook ht”

If he wondered why I’d shown up on his doorstep, Drew didn’t ask He si me inside with a nod “Sadie?”

I shookand it went perfectly This was an MVA, ca ready to leave for the day He had little chance of survival just fro the words out loud did nothing to ease the pain or the guilt

“I’ht, Zola” Drerapped his arms around me and the cos wobbled “So damn sorry”