ELIZABETH

My mind is on Chief’s decision as I rise from a nap in the on-call room a few hours later, having never gone home.

If Chief quits then Caden would most likely stay in Chicago, because why would anyone bring him back now that they love him over there?

The program makes him happy, career-wise, but with Janet gone he’d be much happier back home and learning the same things here.

Part of me expects to walk out and discover that Chief hung himself in his office. That’s the type of thing unfaithful people too often do rather than face their actions and take responsibility. They don’t realize that gold is on the other side of healing, for all involved.

Let’s see if he’s a coward or the leader I always thought him to be.

I could have just called the Board, had him thrown on his ass with a scandal, but the truth is I don’t want his job, he’s good at it, and I don’t want someone worse coming in, either. Also, like in the situation of his quitting, there’s no guarantee the Board would even bat an eyelash in regards to Caden.

This is my best shot.

Bracing myself for what is to come, I enter a busy corridor, tying my hair into a low ponytail.

Dr. Mangal sees me and breaks into a sprint. “Did you hear?!”

“No, what?”

“Janet’s out, Caden’s in!”

My heart pounds with excitement, even as I maintain an expression that won’t give me away until I know more. “How?”

“Don’t know. Above my pay grade. Rumor is that Chief found out she never really wanted to go into cardiology and then it all unraveled, all the times she’d manipulated stuff.”

I blink into the distance. “Huh.”

Dev and I aren’t social so he doesn’t know where to go with this conversation now that he’s revealed the big news. After an awkward beat he jumps to attention and takes off, “Have to tell Sharon and Ray!”

To myself I whisper, “And I need to see someone.”

Sitting at her desk outside of Chief’s dark office I find his executive assistant looking rather off-balance. She spots me and from the guilty flicker in her eyes, she’s privy to everything.

“Camille…” I begin, tilting my head to gauge her response.

She inhales, lips tight.

“You knew.”

Her eyebrows rise. “Knew what?”

I glance around and whisper, “About Janet and…” I let the rest hang in the air.

“I’m loyal, Elizabeth. That’s all I’ll say.”

“You’re more loyal than some people,” I reply with meaning as she blinks at me. “And I respect that. I came here not to ask you to snitch, but for confirmation that Janet Gilroy is fired, and Caden Cocker is to be transferred back to Georgia?”

“I can confirm that.”

“Thank you.” Waking away I slide a glance to his empty office and wonder what’s going on at home for Wallace Oberhan. Not my business but I’m only human.

“Elizabeth!”

Turning around I ask, “Yes?”

Camille blinks to her desk. “I’m glad it’s over. Thank you.” She doesn’t look back up. Probably took a lot for her to confess she’s been stuck between two sides of her integrity. To support and help him was the daily goal, and one she was paid for. But in so doing she had to watch the man be unfaithful to a kind woman who thought her prince of a husband was only working when he left their home.

Poor Camille.

Even worse for Irene.

As I walk to the locker room to get my things and go home, I consider infidelity and how fucked up it is.

Pun unintended.

* * *

I’m going to call Caden as soon as I’m in my car. Have they told him yet? How quickly will this go down?

I’m walking quickly, and checking my phone to see if he called when Stevens sees me leaving and hurries over. “Liz!”

Pausing I smile, “Hi.”

“Weird day today, huh? Crazy. You going home?”

“I was off shift a while ago. Fell asleep in the on-call room rather than drive like that.”

“You’re going to miss out. Everyone’s buzzing with gossip. And I guess I’m getting a new shadow soon.” He stares at me like I know who he’s talking about.

Frowning I nod, “I heard, yes. Have you talked to Chicago?”

“No, should I?”

“Yes, I think that’d be smart. Dr. Cocker might sharpen your game, Stevens.”

He laughs with a shake of the head, “We’ll see about that,” and walks back into the hospital.

I’m staring after him wondering why he stopped me. Stevens and I don’t talk often. No particular reason why not except we never clicked like that.

Does this gossip he spoke of, include me and Caden?

* * *

In Oncology I find Pivens coming out of a patient’s room with his head in a chart. He feels my approach and glances up, eyebrows shifting. “Dr. Myers.”

Gratitude doesn’t begin to scratch the surface for what I feel, but I’m also confused, and that’s leading the way.

“Pivens, have a second?”

“I don’t.” He walks down the hall, focus back in his chart.

Catching up to him, I chuckle, “Okay, I’m taking it anyway. Am I to understand that you know about me and Caden.”

He hums, “Mmhmm,” eyes sifting through the materials.

“Have you shared that, or was it shared with you?”

“Everyone who works in this building knows I’m the last person to come to with the latest saga of who’s bedding whom.” Pausing he meets my gaze, his volume lowering. “And because of this, they think I don’t see. But I do.” Leaving me staring after him, he returns to the chart and mutters, “Oh, I see.” Without looking back he calls out, “I like Cocker. You’re welcome.”

And like the guy has magical powers, my phone vibrates. I pull it out and see the letters: CC

With a huge smile I answer, “Morning, handsome.”

Caden shouts, “I’m coming back to Atlanta!!”

Laughing and happy, I take him with me on my ride home.