The Edge of Hope

Chapter 19

Gabe could see his colleague’s mouth move but couldn’t hear the words coming out. This was an important meeting but it’s like all the energy had been sucked out of him after the weekend and what he thought was a supernatural experience.

“Dr Knight, do you think we should add anything else to the proposal?”

Gabe looked around at the expectant faces and shook his head. “No, they don’t want to read a novel, just the facts. Any more, and we might chase them away.”

“Alright, it’s settled,” Dr Roy concluded. “Let’s have the final document done by this afternoon…”

Gabe phased out again after that and followed his colleagues out. His mind drifted back to that weekend again and how quickly the atmosphere in the room had changed.

One moment, it felt like he was breaking through the barrier and Hope was hearing him lay out his heart. Then, it went dark and cold. He felt like ice was running through his veins. He knew something was wrong but what, he couldn’t tell.

At his desk, his fingers hovered over his keyboard. He was sure IT wouldn’t be impressed by him searching ‘Supernatural experiences’ or ‘I was visited by my dead girlfriend but something is wrong and now she is in limbo.’

“Dammit.”

“Dr Knight, are you busy?” A soft voice sounded behind him.

He turned around and saw Claire, the office assistant standing with a mountain of files in her hands. She would probably topple over at any moment.

“No, what’s up?”

“Um,” she hummed, shuffling her feet. “I was asked to give you these files? It’s about a patient with recurring brain tumours. He was readmitted last night and Dr Lott said I must give these to you for some reason.”

The whole time she spoke, she blushed and stuttered. She wasn’t the only one seemingly cautious around him. It was like people thought he was made of glass and on the verge of breaking. He hated it. When the office found out about Hope, he was given the last two weeks off and this was only his first day back.

Yes, he was hurting and confused but he wasn’t fragile.

“Leave them with me. Dr Lott was moved to the psych ward permanently. He was struggling with running the clinic and the ward.”

She frowned. “Oh. How did you know? You haven’t been in since…” she shut her mouth and nearly dropped the files onto the floor.

Gabe quickly stood up and took them from her and placed them on his desk. “I was still keeping track of my emails, Claire. And I’m going to ask that you, and everyone else, stop treating what happened with Hope like a taboo subject. It’s done. She’s gone and not coming back, ok?”

Claire’s eyes were the size of dinner plates and her mouth was opening and closing like a fish. Gabe mentally slapped himself for his reaction. He wasn’t sure why all of a sudden he was ok with talking about Hope’s death so freely. And on his first day back. And only less than a month after. Maybe that weekend had something to do with it. He shook his head and sighed.

“I’m sorry. Forgive me, please. It’s… it’s been a long few weeks.”

She gave him a sympathetic smile. “It’s ok. I can’t begin to imagine what it’s been like. Are you sure you’re ok?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Can’t hide forever.”

“Alright, well... bye.” She gave him a tentative wave and scurried off.

Gabe felt like an ass. The fact that this was his first day back was no excuse. Perhaps helping in the clinic was the distraction he needed. He knew of the patient and he had been suffering terribly from depression because of his impending death.

He threw himself into his work and the next thing he knew it was time to go home. He was relieved. If he had to face one more person giving him a pitiful look he was going to throw his printer at them.

He had changed his route home, avoiding the intersection where the accident had happened. It was a bit inconvenient but he didn’t care. He just wasn’t there yet.

Pixie wailed at him as he walked in and he immediately got concerned. She never did that.

“What’s it?” He picked her up, assessing every part of her to make sure she hadn’t been hurt. When he couldn’t see anything he asked her again. “What’s it, Pixie?”

She scratched him and ran away when Gabe dropped her. “Ow! What on earth is wrong with you?”

He swore and looked at the scratch. It was only minor. He looked around and found the cat in his bedroom sitting on the chair in the corner. She was looking up and darting her head around. Gabe suddenly lit up but shut it down when he realised he was getting excited over a supposed ghost being in the room.

He walked further in and sat on the bed facing the corner of the room where Pixie was staring.

“I don’t know what I’m doing, Pixie. And I’m not sure what you’re doing either. Maybe we’re both losing it.”

A feminine giggle filled the air and both Gabe and the cat froze.

“Or maybe not.”

He waited but it was silent again. He thought back to that weekend and had a longing to experience that warmth again. “Is that you?”

The wind came rushing in through the open window, not that he remembered leaving it open. He got up and just before he could close it, that floral smell wafted in, taking over all his senses.

Pixie meowed happily and made herself comfortable on the chair. Gabe sat back down, the window still open and he just closed his eyes, letting the breeze take his mind away from this reality.

A soft whisper tickled his ear. ‘Gabe.’

His eyes flew open and he was breathing heavily. There was no mistaking that. That was a voice. Her voice and it said his name.

He was overcome with panic when he thought she might disappear this time as she did before. “Hope, please stay. Please.”

The breeze was more gentle this time, caressing his skin and filling him with warmth. He was going to make it right.