Always on Duty

by DB McNicol

  “You need to proceed to the Medical Center for further information, Miss Peck.” He gave her directions, sending her back to level A where they had disembarked from the ship earlier. She hurried down and entered the small waiting room. A man with his son sat waiting their turn and pointed to the open window telling her the nurse should be back shortly. They had no sooner finished than the male nurse appeared and asked if he could help her.

  “Thank you. I’m here to check on my roommate, Caryl-Anne Newsome.”

  His brow wrinkled as he typed into the computer but before he could say anything she corrected herself, “I forgot. Her legal name is Caryl-Anne Martin.”

  “Ah yes, I see that.” He looked up. “And you are?”

  “Cassidy Peck, we are in the same cabin.”

  He looked down again and nodded. “Please follow me.” He opened the side door and proceeded down a corridor to a small room with a hospital cot. “Please have a seat and I’ll tell the doctor you are here.”

  Cassidy did as instructed and quietly examined her sleeping roommate. It was obvious that she’d gotten sunburned even though she was covered in a sheet. Her face was extremely red and swollen.

  “Miss Peck? I’m Dr. Oswald.”

  The doctor was older than she anticipated, maybe in his fifties. Of course his gray hair could be premature but she was usually a pretty good judge of age. She stood and held out her hand. “Yes, I’m Cassidy Peck. How is my roommate? Can you tell me what happened?”

  His forehead furrowed as he replied. “It appears that Miss Martin forgot the effects of combining the tropical sun with a bit too much alcohol. This is the result - a severe sunburn and a hangover tomorrow.”

  Cassidy hid her smile. Mother hen, indeed! “Is it sun poisoning?”

  He shook his head. “No, just shy of that. She was lucky that some of her friends,” he accentuated the word, “put her under an umbrella. She needs to sleep this off and I will give her a topical gel that will numb the pain of the sunburn.”

  “How will I get her to our room?” Cassidy couldn’t envision carrying the sleeping body down the hall and up the elevator.

  “No worries. We’re open here in the back until eight or even nine, busy treating the crew. She should be somewhat awake by then and we’ll deliver her in a wheelchair.” He seemed to be evaluating Cass before asking, “Are you two good friends or just roomies?”

  Cassidy laughed, “Well, we are roommates and while not close friends, we have shared a few adventures. I’m in law enforcement and she had an ex-boyfriend who was stalking her. Makes for an interesting introduction.”

  He nodded. “Good. I was concerned that her roomie might be as flighty as she appeared to be.”

  “She can be, but she also has a heart of gold. She just feels the need to be the center of attention and forgets she’s not twenty anymore.”

  “That’s understandable.” He referred to his notes. “She will need watching overnight. Are you okay with that?” Cass nodded. “Good. I’ll give you my direct phone extension. Please call me day or night if you feel she needs attention.” He glanced over at the sleeping redhead and sighed. “She should avoid the sun tomorrow but if she keeps the gel on continuously, she should be able to go back in the sun when we port in Roatan.” He stressed, “With sunscreen, LOTS of sunscreen.”

  “I tried to tell her...”

  “Stubborn redhead?”

  “At times.” Cass smiled and the doctor chuckled as he shook her hand again.

  “Please arrange to be in your cabin between eight and nine. Will that be a hardship?”

  “Not at all. Caryl-Anne is the party girl, not me.”

  He nodded and escorted her to the exit door. “Thank you for being a good friend. Some folks....” he paused and shook his head as she nodded in understanding.

  CARYL-Anne slowly opened her eyes and looked around. Am I in the hospital? It smells like one. She turned her head and realized everything hurt. Oh no, Cass is gonna kill me. I got sunburned!

  “Yes, you did.”

  “Did I say that out loud? I didn’t mean to.” She raised a hand to her head and groaned. “I guess I drank too much, too?”

  Arms crossed, the doctor repeated, “Yes, you did.”

  She closed her eyes before replying, “I know you can’t tell but I’m blushing.”

  “As you should.” The doctor’s smile contradicted his stern voice.

  A giggle bubbled out. “You talk funny.”

  “You’re still inebriated.”

  “Yup, you do talk funny. I like your accent. It’s all sunny and happy.” She peeked out of her right eye. “Where are you from?”

  Charmed by her flirting, even when in pain, he introduced himself. “I’m Dr. Who.”

  “No you’re not! He’s a character on a TV show. Really, who are you?” She squinted out of both eyes but still could only make out a blurred face with a sideways grin.

  “Sorry, I couldn’t resist. You Yanks seem to love the British comedies so thought I’d tug your chain...” He paused, “Is that the right term?”

  She laughed, then groaned as she slowly nodded.

  “I’m Dr. Oswald. Nice to meet you.” He shook her hand, pausing a little longer than normal. “How are you feeling?”

  “Um, embarrassed?”

  He chuckled, “Beside that obvious side effect of your adventure.”

  She sighed, “Well, my sunburn hurts, my head is throbbing and I’m hungry.” She twisted slightly towards him. “Is that normal?”

  “Perfectly. I’ll call down to room service and get you a dinner tray. Any requests?”

  “How about a grilled cheese sandwich. With plain old potato chips. Oh, and big glass of sweet tea. Do you think they can do that?” She moved onto her back again and covered her eyes. “Do you have a dimmer light setting? That’s so bright.”

  “Well, the dinner request is perfectly doable but I’m afraid it’s the big light or no lights. I can turn it off and leave the door open so you’ll have the hall light. When your dinner comes we can sit you up and the overhead shouldn’t bother you as much.”

  “Okay. Wake me when the tray comes.” She sighed when he turned out the light. “And thank you for being so nice and not scolding me.”

  What a hell of a mess I’m in now. Cassidy is going to hate me - Cassidy! She bolted upright and shouted, “Doc! Doc Oswald!”

  She closed her eyes as he flipped on the overhead light and asked, “What’s wrong? Is the pain worse?”

  “No, no. It’s not me, it’s my roommate. She’s-”

  He laughed, “Your roomie has already been here and will be waiting in your stateroom when we transfer you back.”

  Caryl-Anne gingerly laid down again, mumbling. “She’s gonna kill me.”

  “Actually, she was quite concerned about your welfare.”

  “Doc, would you stay here - I mean, can you stay here for a bit? I’m not sleepy and talking to you helps me not think about how stupid I was.”

  He looked at his watch. “How about a short nap. Your dinner won’t be up for another hour. Oh, and I took the liberty of ordering double so if you don’t mind, I’ll join you?”

  She smiled, showing a slight dimpling in her cheeks. “Awesome. I mean, that would be wonderful, thank you.” She closed her eyes and was sound asleep in minutes.

  Cheeky little thing. Doc smiled as he closed the door on his way out.

  Chapter 4

  Her mouth full, Caryl-Anne asked, “So where are you from? You do have an adorable accent.”

  Doc Oswald grimaced at the word ‘adorable’ before replying, “I’m originally from Australia but have spent most of my life traveling. Not sure how much accent I truly have now, I suspect my friends in Oz would laugh though.”

  “Traveling, that sounds so nice. This is my first trip out of the United States. I’ve never even been to Canada. Where have you been?”

  “Over the years I’ve worked in many third world countries through the Doctors Across
Borders. When I wasn’t working I was visiting anywhere I wasn’t needed. So I’ve been to all the continents other than the Arctic and Antarctic.”

  Wide-eyed she asked, “You’ve been to Africa? And South America? I don’t know anyone who has been anywhere except maybe Canada and Mexico. What about Russia? Have you been there?”

  He nodded and took a sip of his iced tea. “This is refreshing. I usually drink hot tea but admit I could become addicted to this.” He set the glass down and continued. “Yes, Russia, Africa, and all the countries in South and Central America. There is much beauty in our world. I know I’ve been privileged to enjoy so much of it.”

  “Didn’t the poverty in the poor countries bother you? I can’t watch the commercials with the starving kids.” She shivered slightly.

  “It is hard to see. Life isn’t fair sometimes. But I knew I was making a contribution, however small, and easing things for them. I have to admit, it’s been a rewarding career.”

  “How did you end up here? On a cruise ship? I would think dealing with drunken passengers who can’t remember to put on sunscreen would be a letdown.”

  “I did almost twenty years with Doctors Across Borders and realized I just wasn’t as spry as I used to be. That and too many political changes nowadays. It’s gotten very dangerous and I guess I’m not as adventurous as I once was, so now I choose the cruises I like and see the world from the ports.”

  “Wow, I never thought about working on a cruise ship to see the world. How long have you been doing this?”

  “This is my third year,” he chuckled as he leaned towards her and lowered his voice, “and my final one. I don’t plan to renew my contract when this cruise is over.”

  “Really? What will you do afterwards?” Caryl-Anne was intrigued. His lifestyle was so foreign to her.

  “I haven’t made any permanent plans yet. Since I will be landing in the US, I may do more traveling there. Maybe six months, I’m just not sure. There are many places where I could live out the rest of my life very happily.” He stared blankly at the wall, “I just wish I had someone to share it with.”

  Caryl-Anne cocked her head, “Were you ever married?”

  He nodded, “To my high school sweetheart from back home. We married right out of school. She was trained as a nurse and traveled with me.”

  “What happened - oh, sorry, am I being rude? Sometimes my mouth engages before my brain.”

  “No, it’s alright. It was a long time ago. She died from a disease she contracted in Africa. We were too far away from civilization to get her help, when we finally did it was too late. We both knew the risks and we had more than twenty wonderful years together.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Caryl-Anne was at a loss for words.

  “I haven’t really looked for another relationship. I’ve been busy working, maybe too much. Now that I’m officially retiring...” His face brightened with a wide smile, “Well, time will tell. I have to admit that I have met someone who completely captivates me.”

  “Really! Someone in the US, where you plan to go?”

  “Hmmm, yes, she is from the US although I’m not exactly sure where she lives.”

  “Oh?”

  The conversation was interrupted with the clinic phone ringing. “Excuse me, I have to get that.”

  “Sure.” Caryl-Anne watched him walk off. He is a cutie and so sweet and sentimental. He’ll be a great catch for someone. She sighed. Wish I could find someone as nice as that. Instead of losers like my ex.

  EATING in the main dining room was fun but tonight Cassidy opted for the buffet, not feeling the need to be sociable. As she stared out at the now dark sky, she thought about Caryl-Anne. Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea, maybe it would have been better to bring Derrick. She pictured him, the stereotypical tall, dark, and handsome. They had only dated a few times, the distance from Bradford to Pittsburgh being the biggest deterrent. The chemistry between them was amazing and she smiled as she thought about their first kisses. Fireworks!

  He was also a cop, her brother’s latest partner at Pittsburgh Police Department. Coincidently, she’d been working with his older brother back in Bradford. Jamison, or Jazz as most folks called him, was a State Trooper, working in the fire division. Derrick disliked being in his big brother’s shadow and they hadn’t spoken much in the last couple of years. Cassidy hoped to change that. Problem was, she didn’t want to leave Bradford and with Jazz there, she doubted Derrick would come north. But she was determined to figure something out, their connection was worth a few inconveniences.

  Always a people watcher, she studied the folks milling around the buffet tables. There was a mix of ages but most were over forty and a surprising number were in the well-over-seventy group. Not many children were on board, but that was to be expected since school was still in session. Out of the corner of her eye one man stood out. Well over six foot tall and at least two-hundred and fifty pounds, his companion was a tiny woman of barely five feet and, if she was wet, maybe one hundred pounds. He leaned over and whispered something and she laughed. Several others joined them as they made their way to a table. They all appeared to be having a good time, if you could judge by the amount of laughter bouncing around them.

  She continued surveying the room but found herself drawn back to the boisterous group. The body language of the tall man had changed. He was frowning, his arms were crossed, and he was leaning back in his chair. She located the woman he’d been with. She had changed seats and was now leaning in close to one of the other men in the group. He appeared to be whispering in her ear. A bar waiter arrived bearing a tray full of colorful fruity drinks and the whispering man held out his cabin key card to pay. Then he set one drink in front of the others but two in front of the woman. Out of habit, Cass named them Mr. Flashy and Ms. Curious. For now, the other man was just Mr. Big.

  With a sigh she looked at her watch and realized she needed to get back to the cabin before the doctor brought Caryl-Anne up. She would have loved to continue watching the group but knew she needed to leave. With one last glance at the crowd, she picked up her bag and left.

  CASSIDY opened the door and let the doctor wheel Caryl-Anne into the room. “Well, you’re looking a lot better than you did when I last saw you.”

  “Yeah, I know. Sorry, Cass.” She looked up at the doctor and smiled. “I’ve been in good hands though. I’m feeling a lot better.”

  Doc Oswald smiled and told Cass, “That’s partly due to some food but mostly due to the pain medication.” He handed her a tube. “Apply this three times a day to the worst sunburn areas. That should be all she needs other than rest and hydration. Non-alcohol hydration.”

  “Hey, I’m here and listening to you talk about me!” They all laughed as Cass and the doctor helped her out of the wheelchair and into the bathroom.

  “Shout if you need help,” Cass told her as she closed the door. Turning to Doc Oswald she spoke softly, “Is there anything else I need to know?”

  “No, just lots of water or even that sweet tea she introduced me to.” At Cass’s puzzled look he continued. “We ordered room service and she wanted grilled cheese sandwiches and sweet tea. I’ve always stuck to hot tea but found I enjoyed the change.”

  “Ah, the southern staple in the states, heavily sweetened iced tea. Afraid I like mine straight, ice but no sugar.”

  The bathroom door opened a crack. “Um, Cass? Could you get me my PJs please?”

  “I guess that’s my cue to depart.” The doctor nodded to them both and opened the stateroom door. “You have my direct number, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you need anything. Anytime, night or day. I’m at your service. Good night, ladies.” He smiled at Cass and beamed at Caryl-Anne which was not missed by either woman.

  After putting out the Do Not Disturb sign and closing the door, Cass passed Caryl-Anne her night clothes and sat on the sofa. “He seems really nice. Did you get to talk much?”

  After changing, Caryl-Anne walked slowly to the bed and
sat on the edge. “Actually we did. Talking helped me not think about what I did and how much it hurt.” She chuckled. “Guess I deserve your ‘I told you so’ talk.”

  Cass smiled, “You’re a big girl. Now you get to wear those big girl panties and deal with the consequences.”

  “You can say that again. No more skipping the sunscreen and I guess I need to start watching how much I drink. Especially when I’m not with good friends.”

  “So what did you two talk about?” Cass stretched her legs onto the coffee table.

  “Mostly about him and his career. He’s been everywhere, even Russia and Africa. But he’s originally from Australia. Oh, and his wife died some time ago and he’s never been involved with anyone else.”

  “Wow, you did cover a lot of ground. He seems really nice and is kind of cute for his age.”

  “Hey, he’s not that old. Not much older than me!” Caryl-Anne frowned at her friend.

  “Don’t shoot the messenger but I think he’s at least twelve or fifteen years older than you.”

  “Maybe, but he’s young at heart. Much nicer than the punks I’ve been with lately.”

  Cass laughed, “Can’t say as I disagree with that. Let’s try to get some sleep. I’ll put this gel on again in the morning. And no sun tomorrow!”

  Caryl-Anne closed her eyes, “We’ll just hang at the adults only pool but in the shade. Okay?” She muttered a few more words and before Cass could answer a light snore filled the room.

  “Yeah, okay,” Cass said softly.

  Chapter 5

  “This is the life,” Cass stretched out in the hammock on the adults only spa deck. “Have to admit that going back to Bradford is going to be tough. Snow, ice, cold...”

  Beside her Caryl-Anne nodded, “That’s for sure. I think I was meant to be a sunshine girl. Can’t we just stay on the ship?”

  They both laughed and ordered another fruity drink as the waiter made his rounds.

  “I’ll be right back.” Caryl-Anne grabbed the side of the hammock and swung off. “I’m going to get some snack stuff. Can I bring you back something?”