A Heartbeat Away by Harry Kraus Read Free Book Online Page B

you had cancer, wouldn’t you want that surgeon to be perfect and to drive her team to be perfect?”
    â€œI suppose.”
    â€œSo I don’t see a real problem.”
    He raised his eyebrows. “Really?”
    She softened. “Okay, look, I’m pretty frustrated with myself right now.”
    He waited silently for her to continue.
    â€œOn the one hand, I know I haven’t been sensitive to the nurses’ feelings.” She hesitated, searching his face for understanding. When he nodded, she continued. “This is new territory for me. While I know there have been times when the nurses should have been better, I know I’ve offended them when I come down on them.” She touched her head. “I feel like I’m on a roller coaster. I still feel like things should be done according to the highest standard, but—” She stopped. “I think I’ve stepped on a whole lot of toes in the process.” She sighed. “The nurses here don’t even want to get me as an assignment. That tells me a lot.”
    â€œThis sounds like progress.”
    She tried to smile. “Maybe.”
    â€œWe work as a team here. So anything the team has discussed about you, I’ve been privy to.”
    She raised her eyebrows. “And just what does the team say?”
    â€œDr. Samuelson told me about your nightmares.”
    She stayed quiet.
    â€œCan you talk about that?”
    â€œOkay,” she said, suddenly aware that her voice was tightening. She studied the social worker’s handsome face. I can do this. “It’s weird. I’ve never had such vivid dreams. I’m hesitant to even call them dreams. They seem so real. I wake up with the feeling that I’ve tapped an old memory.”
    â€œSomething bad in your past.”
    â€œThat’s just it. Sure, I had some knocks growing up. My dad was killed in Iraq, and my mom died of breast cancer when I was a teen. But nothing ever like the stuff that haunts my nights.”
    â€œTell me.”
    â€œFire. Voices crying for help. A man’s voice. A mean man.”
    â€œHow do you know he’s mean?”
    She looked away. “I just know. It’s like it happened to me.” She took a deep breath. “He pushed me down the stairs.”
    â€œWow.” He sat quietly.
    The silence between them was comfortable. She had to resist reaching out to brush his callused hands. “The last time I awoke from a nightmare, I had the distinct knowledge that someone wanted me dead.” She studied his expression.
    â€œWhat else?”
    â€œA woman. Blonde. Green eyes. A tattoo of two hearts on her left shoulder. She gave me a number to remember.” She reached for one of her cards on the side table. “Got a pen?” She wrote it in block letters, just like the number that had been handed to her in the dream. “It was like this. 3. 1. 6. Just like that. I don’t write in block letters, but that’s what the note looked like.”
    Phin ran his fingers through thick brown hair that was cut short over the ears.
    â€œWhat? Why do you just sit there taking it all in? You think I’m crazy?”
    He crossed his legs. A one-word answer. “No.”
    â€œWhat?” She leaned forward. “What aren’t you telling me?”
    He cleared his throat. “I’ve got an idea.” Their eyes met. He seemed to be studying her.
    She wouldn’t look away. She waited for an answer.
    â€œI think they are memories.”
    She coughed, something that hurt her chest. She reached up, tightening her fist over her gown. “I told you, nothing like that ever happened to me.”
    â€œMaybe not to you.”
    She shook her head.
    He uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. “Ever heard of cellular memory?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œIt’s talked about in transplant circles.” He paused. “I think your memories may belong to your heart