Always a Stand-In

ie's

hue over the silk sheets. Rain drummed lightly against the window, the scent

entle yet distant. I rested my head against his chest, listening to his hea

t was real. That for once, I wasn't

I murmured, my fingers light

his lips curving into

your mind is s

f my hair behind my ear before pulling me into a slow, lingering kiss. His li

I let myself

if we were both trying to convince oursel

ips whispering my name like a silent promise. Bu

a goo

thought, but I pushed it away,

to face the t

eets. Daniel lay beside me, his arm draped lazily over my waist. His fingers mo

e barely above a whisper

ow chuckle. "I

to work," I pressed, s

and over his face. "You kn

it's

ties," he said, his

me. Of course, he had responsibilities. Daniel Si

, something about the

to question him furt

he quiet like a knife

the device on the nightstand. He gla

ked, trying to ke

cy," he muttere

d. "At t

ready reaching for his

. His movements were rushed, his fingers

at moment

as l

ed silent, my nails digging into the sheets

ertainty-before plastering on a reassu

. Then he was gone, leaving behind the scent o

the closed door. My fingers curled around the sh

een distant, but to

was hiding

ould even think about checking Daniel's second phone-the one he

my breat

wn Nu

before answe

asked-it was one of the night

I answered, my

a patient in labor-severe contractions,

merg

th, nodding even thou

minutes," I said firmly,

houghts kept drift

cies at the

ere th

feeling that his emergency had

ad stopped, leaving behind a cold mist that clung to the pavement. The silenc

ure still linge

this hour? It didn

he buttoned his shirt. I had spent years studying people, reading emotions-it was part

el tighter, forcing myself

pital.

nal life was unraveling, I

d chaos of beeping monitors, rushi

side. "Dr. Carter, thank God you're here! The patient is

h. No

asked, quickly pulling o

me in an hour ago, and he

ersonal thoughts aside. Ri

spital bed rails, her face pale with pain. Her husb

er a reassuring smile. "I'm Dr. Carter

Please, just-help me

hing for the ultrasound machine. "Let's take a quick l

king fetal distress, explaining procedures. In the end,

ocused minds. My hands moved with precision, each inc

ng the tiny infant into the world. A moment

washed

o the exhausted mother. "Yo

er husband kissed her forehead. It was moments

ivery room, peeling off my glov

ni

now? What w

ortantly-who

el's

sive perfume. The floor-to-ceiling windows rev

a glass of whiskey in my hand. Ac

hair cascading over one shoulder, her

" she said, taki

rply. "I shou

lting her head.

k, the burn doing nothing to

ph

y she had held me tonight, the way

t, I h

a called, I alwa

," Lena murmured, reachi

t gently. "Becaus

curving in amusement. "Marrie

iffe

ter now. "You married her because she was safe.

tretched

new which but

a finger down my chest. "When you'r

Because the tru

when the guilt wasn't

ie's

got home, it w

nside. My heels clicked softly against the

pt

of the bed. My fingers traced the sheet

ing wa

so quickly. The te

sitating only for a moment

ice. Then straig

mach t

r turned of

gain. Sti

e wa

ible feeling that he wasn't