“Then why leave? Your residency is ending in a few days-you’re about to become a fully licensed doctor. Are you sure you want to leave now?”
‘I appreciate that more than I can say.” I folded my hands in my lap. “But I need to go home. To where I really belong.”
‘Is this about personal issues? Because if you’re in some kind of trouble-
“This isn’t an impulsive decision. It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while.”
Martinez leaned back in his chair, studying my face. “You’re serious about this.”
‘Completely. But I want to fulfill my commitment to Gabriel William first.”
“Of course.” He sighed heavily. “You know our door is always open if you change your mind.”
“Thank you. That means everything.”
Kate found me at my locker, packing the few personal items I’d accumulated. A framed photo of Mom and me. Some medical textbooks. A small succulent plant that had somehow survived three years of my neglect.
‘Sable? What’s happening?” Her voice cracked. “Dr. Martinez said you’re leaving.”
I turned to face her. Kate’s eyes were already red-rimmed, and her hands shook as she reached for me.
‘I’m going home, Kate.”
“But this is so sudden! Does Alpha Darrell know?”
I paused. Kate was the only person at the hospital who knew about my relationship with Darrell.
‘He’ll know soon enough.”
Kate’s face crumpled. “No, no, no. You can’t leave me. Not now. Not when I’m finally getting good at this job because of everything you taught me.”
She grabbed my arm, her grip desperate. “If it wasn’t for you, my brother and I wouldn’t be here today. You literally saved us.”
One year ago, Kate had been a new resident drowning in debt. Her younger brother had needed emergency surgery for acute leukemia, and the family had run out of money.
I’d found Kate crying on the hospital roof, ready to quit medicine and go home to work in a factory.
Without thinking, I’d given her my entire savings account. Thirty thousand dollars – everything I had. Then I’d worked overtime for a month to help cover the remaining costs.
‘I only did what any decent person would do,” I said softly.
“No!” Kate’s voice broke completely. “You gave me everything you had. You worked yourself to exhaustion. You never asked for anything back, never even let me thank you properly.”
Tears streamed down her face. “You saved my life. My brother’s life. My dreams. My future. Everything I am, everything I’ll ever be – it’s because of you.”
I felt my own eyes burning. Kate threw her arms around me, clinging like I was her lifeline.
“I can’t do this without you, Sable. You’re like… you’re like the big sister I never had. The mentor I dreamed of. My hero.”
“Hey now.” I stroked her hair gently. “You know what they say about heroes, right? They’re just people who stick around long enough to see if their terrible decisions work out.”
Kate let out a watery laugh despite her tears. “That’s not funny.”
“It’s a little funny. Besides, you don’t need me anymore. You’ve got this, Kate. You’re going to be an incredible doctor.”
“But what if I mess up? What if I can’t remember everything you taught me?”
“Then you’ll figure it out, just like I did. And if you really get stuck…” I pulled back to look at her tear-stained face. “You know what the difference is between a doctor and God?”
Kate sniffled. “What?”
‘God doesn’t think he’s a doctor.”
This time her laugh was genuine. “You and your terrible medical jokes.”
“They’re not terrible, they’re professionally calibrated to distract patients from their imminent doom.”
‘See? This is what I’m going to miss.” Kate hugged me tighter. “Your awful sense of humor. Your patience. The way you explain things without making me feel stupid.
‘You’re never stupid, Kate. You’re one of the smartest people I know.”
‘Promise me something,” she whispered against my shoulder.
“What?”
“When I finish my residency, I’m coming to find you. Wherever you are. I’m going to follow you around like a lost puppy until you agree to let me work with you again.”
I smiled through my own tears. “That sounds like stalking.”
I prefer ‘persistent professional development.”
“You’re going to be someone’s little shadow, aren’t you?”
“Your shadow,” Kate said fiercely. ‘Forever. You’re stuck with me, Sable Crawford. I’m going to be your annoying little tail for the rest of our careers.”
‘I’d like that more than you know.”
We held each other for a long moment, both crying now. When Kate finally pulled back, her eyes were red but determined.
“I love you, Sable. Not just as a mentor or a friend. As family.”
“I love you too, Kate. Take care of yourself, okay? And call me if you need anything. Anything at all.
‘I will. And Sable?”
“Yeah?”
–
“Wherever you’re going, whatever you’re running toward or away from I hope it makes you happy. You deserve all the happiness in the world.”
I picked up my box with shaking hands. “See you around, Dr. Johnson.”
‘See you soon, Dr. Crawford.”
The automatic doors slid open, and I stepped into the cool night air. That’s when I saw him.
Darrell’s POV
I’d been sitting in my car outside Moonridge General for forty minutes, rehearsing what I’d say to Sable.
Mom’s text from this afternoon had been clear: “That girl bought an expensive watch trying to win you back. Break up with her immediately before she causes more trouble.”
But I wasn’t planning to break up with Sable.
The watch thing actually made perfect sense. She’d been hurt by the scene at the jewelry store, embarrassed by my reaction to her expensive ring. Now she was trying to prove she could be generous too, that she understood how relationships worked.
I’d always found Sable’s eagerness to please both touching and useful. She never held grudges, never played games. When I fucked up, a few flowers and a sincere apology would set everything right.
–
That was one of the things I’d grown to appreciate about her she was uncomplicated. Camila could be brilliant and passionate, but she also held grudges and demanded grand gestures. Sable just wanted to be loved.
So much simpler.
The plan was straightforward. Accept her gift graciously. Apologize for being harsh at the jewelry store. Maybe take her to bed and remind her how good we were together physically.
She’d forgive me. She always did.
Then I could figure out how to balance both relationships without losing either woman entirely.
At dinner with Camila, I’d barely touched my food. My mind kept drifting to Sable, wondering what kind of watch she’d chosen, how much she’d spent, whether she was nervous about giving it to me.
“Who texted you?” Camila had asked, noticing my phone buzz.
‘No one,” I’d replied, flipping the phone face-down.
“You’re smiling. Must have been good news.”
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