Saving Dr. Cooper

by Jennifer Taylor

  ‘Some lunatic has tried to climb the London Eye and got stuck halfway up,’ Terry informed him.

  ‘I thought they had security guards on duty to stop people doing damned fool things like that,’ Ross exclaimed.

  ‘Apparently it’s one of the security staff who’s decided to climb it,’ Terry explained wryly, pressing the bell to summon the crew. ‘They’ve stopped the Eye but now there are several hundred people stranded above London.’

  ‘Oh, great! Just what we need. Let’s hope that nobody panics.’

  Ross headed for the fire engine, trying not to think about what they could have on their hands. He consoled himself with the thought that all the capsules attached to the giant wheel would remain securely locked. Nobody would be able to climb out but it still meant there must be a lot of anxious people up there.

  ‘Make sure we’ve got enough ropes on board,’ he directed. ‘It sounds as though it’s going to be a climbing job. I doubt if the ladder will be long enough to reach this guy if he’s halfway up the Eye.’

  ‘At least everyone who bought a ticket tonight will get their money’s worth,’ Jack put in, climbing into the cab and starting the engine. ‘Not only will they get an extended bird’s-eye view of London but there’s a rescue being thrown in for good measure.’

  ‘I wonder if we’ll make the evening news?’ Baz Russell, the newest member of the team, glanced out of the window as the fire engine pulled out of the station. ‘Shame it’s raining. The camera crews mightn’t be too keen to hang around on such a rotten night. My mum would be thrilled to bits if she saw me on the ten o’clock news.’

  Ross didn’t say anything as the others added their own comments. There was always a lot of chatter on the way to a shout. It was a way of letting off steam. The crew were well aware how difficult and dangerous it was going to be to get the man down in conditions like these, yet every one of them was prepared to put his own life on the line to help.

  Ross was proud to be a member of the brigade. He loved the job even if it was extremely dangerous at times. He frowned. Did his job have any bearing on Heather’s decision not to get involved with him? Maybe he was clutching at straws, but he couldn’t dismiss the idea.

  ‘Suspected carbon monoxide poisoning. ETA five minutes. Where’s Ben? He should have been back from his break by now.’

  ‘I’ll take it.’ Heather shook her head when Abby frowned. ‘I don’t mind. It’s been like a madhouse in here tonight. Ben deserves a few extra minutes.’

  ‘Maybe he does, but you’ll wear yourself out if you keep on like this, Heather.’ Abby put her hands on her ample hips. ‘Just because you’re senior reg in the unit, it doesn’t mean that you have to do double the work of everyone else.’

  ‘I don’t!’

  Heather laughed off the accusation, although she knew the sister had made a valid point. In the past three weeks she’d been shouldering far more of the workload than she should have done. Granted, the continued lack of a consultant meant that she’d had to pick up a lot of tasks that normally she wouldn’t have had to tackle, but most of the extra work she’d done had been from choice. It was just easier if she kept herself busy because it gave her less time to brood.

  She shut off that thought because she didn’t want to start thinking about Ross again. So maybe she did miss him but she’d done what she had to do. Anyway, he’d probably found someone else by now and forgotten all about her.

  ‘Any information about where the patient was found and how long he or she had been breathing in the gas?’ she asked crisply, refusing to dwell on how much that idea hurt.

  ‘It’s a she and she was found in the bathroom,’ Abby explained, following Heather into Resus. ‘No idea how long she’d been in there, though.’

  ‘We’re going to need her blood gases done as quickly as possible so get onto the lab and warn them, will you?’ Heather snapped on a pair of gloves when she heard the sound of a siren approaching. ‘We’ll need to know what degree of carbon monoxide saturation she’s suffering.’

  ‘Will do!’ Abby hurried to the phone as the doors opened and the paramedics wheeled in the patient.

  ‘Alison Clark, nineteen, a student,’ Frank Farnell rattled out. ‘She was found unconscious in the bathroom. Pulse 120, respiration 25. We’ve administered oxygen but she hasn’t regained consciousness.’

  ‘Thanks, Frank. Let’s get her onto the bed. On my count—one, two, three.’ Heather bent over the girl as the paramedics left and began to examine her. Alison was unconscious and her face was flushed a deep cherry-red colour.

  ‘I thought our tutor was exaggerating when he told us about the colour of a person’s face when they’ve suffered carbon monoxide poisoning,’ Rob Bryce exclaimed as he hurried into Resus.

  ‘It is very striking,’ Heather agreed. ‘It’s due to the amount of carboxyhaemoglobin in the blood. The carbon monoxide binds with the haemoglobin and prevents it carrying oxygen around the body. Because carbon monoxide is odourless, most people don’t realise they are being poisoned until it’s too late.’

  ‘Her friend came in the ambulance with her. She told me there’s an old gas water heater in the bathroom of their flat and that they’ve complained to the landlord because it hasn’t been working properly,’ Rob told her. ‘He kept promising to get someone to look at it but nobody ever came.’

  ‘If he failed to have the appliance serviced on a regular basis then the police could decide to prosecute him.’ Heather glanced at the young student and sighed. ‘Not that it will be much comfort to her family if she doesn’t pull through.’

  Abby took blood and sent it to the haematology lab. Heather finished her examination and delegated one of the junior nurses to sit with the girl while they waited for the results to come back. Alison was receiving one hundred per cent oxygen but there was no sign of her regaining consciousness, which was extremely worrying. Carbon monoxide acted on the brain and if enough of the gas was inhaled, it caused irreversible changes to the central nervous system.

  There was little else she could do for the girl so, mindful of Abby’s nagging, Heather went to the canteen for her break. She wasn’t really hungry but she had a cup of tea and a sandwich then went back to the unit. The lab results had come back and they showed that Alison’s carbon monoxide saturation reading was almost fifty per cent, which was dangerously high.

  Heather phoned the bed manager and asked him to find a high-dependency bed for the girl then had a word with her friend and advised her that Alison’s parents should be told about what had happened. Although Heather didn’t say so, she knew it would be touch and go whether or not Alison survived.

  It was after midnight by the time she’d got everything sorted out and the department was starting to quieten down. Heather decided that she’d better write up some notes and headed for the office, but just as she opened the door, Ben called her.

  ‘We’ve got a woman on her way in. She collapsed at home and one of her children phoned for an ambulance. She’s pregnant but the paramedics aren’t sure how far along she is because she’s unconscious.’

  ‘We’d better inform Maternity. Sounds like it could be one for them.’ Heather groaned as she closed the office door. ‘And here was I thinking I could get on with some paperwork. I should have known better.’

  ‘You should,’ Ben agreed. ‘Still, keeping busy will help to take your mind off whatever it is that’s been bothering you lately.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ Heather asked in astonishment.

  ‘It’s obvious you’ve been worrying about something, Heather. I’m not trying to pry but if you ever need a friendly ear then mine is available.’

  ‘Thanks,’ she murmured as Ben turned to speak to a patient who was leaving.

  She went to the door to wait for the ambulance but she couldn’t pretend that the young registrar’s comment hadn’t worried her. She’d believed that she’d been hiding her feelings as she always did, but apparently not. It just seemed to prove how deeply Ross had
affected her. He had slid past her defences, found a niche in her life, and she couldn’t pretend that she didn’t miss him. She’d been right to send him away, though. If he’d had this much of an effect after such a short time then how much worse would it have been if she’d let their involvement continue?

  There was little comfort to be gained from that thought, however, so Heather was glad when the ambulance arrived and she could turn her attention to other matters. She waited while the crew opened the rear doors, expecting them to immediately lift out the patient. What she hadn’t expected to see were the two small boys clutching the paramedic’s hands. She gasped in dismay. What on earth were Ross’s nephews doing here?

  It was almost one a.m. by the time Red Watch got back to the station. Rescuing the man from the London Eye had been an experience Ross hoped he would never have to repeat. The ladder hadn’t been long enough to reach the man so it had been a hands-on climbing job.

  The fact that the rain had continued throughout the evening had increased their problems. Baz and Jack had done a fantastic job by bringing the man safely down. A number of people who’d been stranded in the capsules had been deeply shocked by the experience but there had been no actual casualties. It had been a successful operation but Ross was as relieved as the men were when they pulled into the station.

  ‘That was a job well done,’ he said to the crew. ‘Let’s hope the police read that guy the Riot Act and stop him doing anything as stupid again.’

  ‘He told me his girlfriend had dumped him,’ Baz informed them as they climbed down from the fire engine. ‘Most blokes in his position would just go off and drown their sorrows, but obviously that wasn’t dramatic enough for him!’

  Ross left the men discussing the night’s events and hurried upstairs. He needed a change of clothes first then he would have to get on with his report. He’d just reached the landing when he heard the office phone ringing, and he veered off to answer it.

  ‘Tanner.’ Clamping the receiver between his ear and his left shoulder, he started to peel off his soaking wet T-shirt. The rain hadn’t abated all night and he’d had to strip off his waterproof clothing while he’d climbed part of the way up the Eye with the men.

  ‘Ross, it’s Heather.’

  Ross just caught the receiver before it hit the desk. He dragged the T-shirt over his head and tossed it onto the floor, aware that his hands were shaking. ‘This is a surprise. I didn’t expect to hear from you again,’ he said in a massive under-statement.

  ‘No, I’m sure you didn’t.’ There was a small pause before she hurried on. ‘Look, I’m sorry to drop this on you without any warning, but your sister has been brought in to A and E.’

  ‘Kate! But what’s the matter with her? Is it the baby?’ he demanded, his stomach plummeting with shock.

  ‘We think she must have tripped and fallen down the stairs. The boys have no real idea what had happened because they just heard her cry out. Fortunately, they knew how to phone for an ambulance. I’ve examined her and it’s obvious that she has a nasty bump on her head. The baby seemed to be in distress so Kate has been sent to Theatre for an emergency Caesarean.’

  ‘But she’s going to be all right?’ His hand clenched on the receiver when she didn’t answer immediately. ‘Heather?’

  ‘We can’t be sure yet, Ross. That’s the honest answer. She’s unconscious and her Glasgow coma score is very low. Once the baby has been delivered, Kate will be sent for a CT scan. We should have a better idea then how much damage she did when she hit her head.’

  ‘I’ll be there as soon as I can. Should I come straight to A and E?’ he demanded, trying to make sense of what he’d heard. He gasped as a thought occurred to him. ‘What about the twins? They’re in the house on their own—’

  ‘They’re here,’ she cut in quickly. ‘In fact, they’re in my office at the moment, playing with some toys. They’re perfectly safe, Ross, but I’m sure they will be glad to see you because they were very frightened when they arrived.’

  ‘Tell them I’ll be there as soon as I can. And, Heather?’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘You don’t have to thank me, Ross. I want to help.’ She paused then added quietly, ‘That’s what friends are for.’

  Ross replaced the receiver and stared across the room. Had Heather meant that? Did she want them to be friends now, even though she’d sent him away?

  He took a deep breath because this wasn’t the time to start debating the issue. He phoned HQ, explained he had a family crisis and needed to leave the station then handed over to his second in command. Ten minutes later he was in his car.

  He started the engine, uttering a heartfelt prayer that Kate would be all right. At least Heather had been there when Kate had been admitted, and that meant his sister had received the very best possible care. He would trust Heather with his life.

  A wave of longing hit him. If only Heather would trust him, he knew he could make her happy.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  ‘WILL we be able to see Mummy soon?’

  ‘Not for a little while yet, I’m afraid.’ Heather sat down and put her arms around the two boys. The twins were obviously upset about not being able to see their mother.

  ‘Mummy’s with some other doctors who are going to help her have the baby,’ she explained gently. ‘But I’ve spoken to Uncle Ross and he said to tell you that he’ll be here soon.’

  ‘Mummy won’t die, will she?’ Josh’s lower lip started to wobble and Heather hugged him.

  ‘Mummy is going to be fine,’ she said firmly, mentally crossing her fingers that she wasn’t being overly optimistic. However, the twins were far too young for her to explain the true nature of the situation to them. She gave Luke a hug as well then stood up.

  ‘How about we go and find something for you to eat? I expect you’re both hungry.’

  The boys immediately followed her to the door. They were still wearing their pyjamas and Heather grinned as she took hold of their hands. ‘It’s a good job you have different coloured pyjamas or I wouldn’t be able to tell you apart!’

  ‘Lots of people can’t,’ Luke told her seriously. He was the more confident of the two brothers and tended to speak for both of them. ‘They think I’m Josh and that Josh is me. Mummy can tell the difference, though, and Daddy can. Uncle Ross can as well, though sometimes we swap ’jamas when he’s babysitting and fool him.’

  ‘I imagine it’s great fun, being able to do that,’ Heather said, laughing. With their blond hair and huge brown eyes the twins were real little charmers. Despite the difference in their colouring, she could see a definite resemblance to Ross and her heart turned over when she found herself wondering what his children would look like if and when he ever had any.

  ‘Uncle Ross calls us little monsters when we play tricks on him, but he doesn’t really mind,’ Josh said shyly. He stared wistfully up at her. ‘Will he be here soon?’

  ‘Just as soon as he can,’ Heather assured him.

  She took the boys to the vending machine and let them choose what they wanted, hoping that Ross wouldn’t mind them having chocolate bars and cans of cola at that hour of the morning. Once they had everything they wanted, she took them back to her office and got them settled with some paper and crayons that she’d found in Reception.

  ‘Why don’t you each draw a picture for your mummy?’ she suggested. ‘I’ll just go and see if Uncle Ross has arrived.’

  The boys nodded, their mouths too full of chocolate to speak. Heather quickly made her way to the nursing station and phoned Theatre first to check how Kate was faring. She sighed in relief when one of the staff informed her that the baby had been delivered safely and was on its way to the nursery.

  ‘Heather.’

  She swung round when she recognised Ross’s voice, feeling her heart go into overdrive when she saw him standing behind her. There were beads of rain in his dark hair and lines of strain etched into his face, but after an absence of three
weeks he looked good enough to eat!

  ‘There’s nothing wrong with the baby, is there?’

  ‘Oh, no!’ Heather rushed to reassure him when she realised he had interpreted her silence as bad news. ‘Kate’s had a little girl, six pounds two ounces in weight. She’s absolutely fine. She’s on her way to the nursery so you’ll be able to see her there.’

  ‘Thank heaven for that!’

  Heather saw a deep shudder pass through him. It was obvious the effort he was making to keep control of himself, and her heart went out to him. She laid her hand on his arm, wanting to make the situation as easy as possible for him. She didn’t want Ross getting hurt if there was anything she could do to help.

  ‘Once they’ve finished with Kate in Theatre, she will be going down to Radiology,’ she explained huskily, shocked by the depth of her feelings. She might have ended their involvement but she couldn’t pretend that she didn’t care about Ross.

  ‘She hasn’t regained consciousness?’ he asked in concern.

  ‘No.’ Heather drew him aside so Melanie could use the phone. There had been a fight outside a local nightclub and there were a number of people waiting to be seen. Heather knew that she would have to lend a hand soon but she wanted to make sure that Ross understood the situation first.

  She led him to the relatives’ room, waiting until she had closed the door before continuing the conversation. ‘Kate is still unconscious and we need to find out why. That’s why she’ll be having a CT scan.’

  ‘Have you no idea at all?’ he demanded, pacing the floor.

  ‘As I told you earlier, she hit her head when she fell and that’s the most obvious explanation.’

  ‘But is it normal for someone to be unconscious this long if they’ve just had a bump on the head?’ He stopped in front of her and Heather could see the worry in his eyes.

  ‘No, it isn’t.’ She sighed because there was no way she could avoid giving him a truthful answer. ‘It could turn out that there’s some damage to the brain—maybe a blood clot that’s formed or possibly localised swelling. Either of those can cause a prolonged loss of consciousness but we won’t know for sure until we get the results of the scan.’