Rescued by the Dreamy Doc / Navy Officer to Family Man

by Amy Andrews / Emily Forbes

  ‘How did you go?’

  ‘Good news and bad news,’ she said. ‘She showed me some tricks to put some colour back in my face and suggested I get a wig sooner rather than later if I’m planning on wearing one. She said it’s better to start wearing it before my hair falls out. There’s no point in waiting until it’s all gone.’

  That was what he’d been worried about. Would the cosmetician be too blunt? Would the conversation remind her of how she’d changed or help to boost her confidence?

  ‘Is that what you want to do?’ he asked.

  ‘If I can find a wig that doesn’t look too fake, I’ll wear it. I think it would be better for the kids.’

  ‘Did she tell you where to get one?’

  Juliet nodded. ‘There’s a good wig shop in the city, that’s the good news, but clothes are a different story. I wanted to get something that put a bit of shape back for me but the best shop is in Canberra. I guess I’ll have to try online.’

  ‘Why don’t we start with your hair?’

  ‘Now?’

  Sam shrugged. He figured he was here to help so he might as well do this, and as Juliet seemed happy to embrace the idea of boosting her appearance he figured they might as well start today. ‘Why not now? We’ve got time. I’ve always wondered what you’d look like as a redhead,’ he said in an attempt to lift the mood.

  Juliet tilted her head to one side, a slight frown on her beautiful face. ‘Really?’

  ‘Yep.’

  ‘Okay, then.’ It was her turn to shrug. ‘But I’m not sure about a redhead. Don’t blondes have more fun?’

  ∗ ∗ ∗

  ‘I don’t think I’d be any competition for Marilyn Monroe,’ she said half an hour later as she pouted at him from under a curly blonde wig.

  ‘That’s not so much Marilyn, more Shirley Temple.’

  ‘Hey, be nice, this was your idea! ‘Juliet laughed and Sam absorbed the sound. He couldn’t remember when they’d last laughed together. There hadn’t been much to laugh about, and it felt good to share this moment. It felt like old times.

  ‘Try this one instead,’ he said, handing her a wig of long, straight auburn hair. He was sure the colour would complement her complexion. The blonde made her look washed out and she didn’t need that at the moment.

  She whipped off the blonde wig and exchanged it for the red.

  ‘The colour’s better,’ he said, and it was a big improvement, the deep auburn shade a good foil for her pale skin and blue eyes.

  ‘But I look about fourteen.’

  He nodded. She was right.

  ‘What about this?’ The sales assistant was holding another auburn wig but this one was in a short, cropped style. Juliet’s expression was dubious. ‘It’ll look better on,’ the sales girl insisted.

  Juliet held out her hand. ‘All right, in for a penny, in for a pound,’ she said as she swapped wigs.

  ‘Wow.’ Juliet looked amazing. Sam felt as though he’d had the wind knocked out of him and he was almost speechless. He would never have guessed a hairstyle could make such a difference but the transformation was incredible.

  ‘You like it?’

  ‘You look sensational.’ He’d always liked Juliet’s long hair but he had to admit she looked fantastic with this crop. She was small enough to get away with short hair and it suited her heart-shaped face. The sales girl knew her stuff.

  ‘Really? I don’t look like a boy?’

  Sam shook his head. ‘It’s perfect.’

  ‘What about the first one I tried on?’

  The first wig had been a match to her normal hair in both style and colour. ‘That was fine but this one is fantastic. If you’re looking for something to give you a confidence boost, this is it.’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Juliet wavered. ‘You don’t think this one is too extreme?’

  He knew what she was really asking. Wouldn’t it be better to look like her old self? Would a drastic makeover be too much for the children, Kate particularly?

  ‘Why don’t we get them both?’ he suggested.

  ‘What for?’

  ‘So you have time to think it over. Or you can show the kids, see if they have a preference.’

  Juliet allowed herself to be persuaded and Sam happily paid for both wigs. If it was going to mean she felt able to face an evening out with her friends, and with him, it was money well spent in his opinion.

  Juliet was dressed, eventually. It had taken her ages to choose an outfit because even though dinner wasn’t about her, she wanted to look good. She wanted to look healthy. She didn’t want the focus to be on her and the better she looked the more people would treat her normally. She’d finally settled on a blue shirt with a ruffled front. She hadn’t had time to do anything about her wardrobe but at least this shirt would disguise her flat chest.

  Her hands shook as she snapped the back onto her diamond earring. It was only a small group invited to dinner for Gabby’s birthday and Juliet knew almost all of them well, yet she was still nervous. She hadn’t been out for a while but that wasn’t what concerned her. It was the fact that she and Sam were going together.

  She adjusted her wig, staring at her reflection in the mirror. She was ready. She couldn’t delay any longer.

  Sam was waiting in the family room. ‘You look fabulous, Jules.’

  His gaze was fixed on her face and he flashed her a smile, his gorgeous right-to-left smile that made her toes curl.

  His compliment made her cheeks flush and she touched the wig self-consciously as she paused in the doorway. ‘Thanks.’ She’d decided to wear the short auburn wig. She knew Sam liked it but it was Kate’s influence that had finally persuaded her. ‘Kate helped me.’

  Kate was hovering near the kitchen bench and he winked at his daughter, making her laugh. ‘Good job, Katie.’ He turned back to Juliet. ‘Are you ready to go?’

  ‘Just let me make sure I’ve got everything.’ Juliet made a show of checking in her handbag, using the time to regain her equilibrium. Sam’s compliment had pleased and surprised her and his smile had thrown her further out of kilter. It had seemed more potent than usual or perhaps it was something in his eyes tonight. He looked like he had a secret and she was dying to know what it was.

  But if he had a secret, it didn’t seem as though it was one he was going to share with her. There was little time for any sort of private conversation. Gabby and Finn were both gregarious and so were many of the other guests. It made for a lively evening and Juliet found she was enjoying herself. People were glad to see her but after asking her how she was feeling they didn’t question her at length about her cancer, and she was pleased to find that she was able to forget about it herself for a few hours and just enjoy the company. Particularly Sam’s company.

  He was very attentive, behaving as if they were a newly dating couple and not ex-husband and wife. She wondered if the others noticed Sam behaving any differently before realising that what she and Sam did was of little consequence to anyone else.

  Sam was sitting on Juliet’s right and on her left was Gabby’s brother, Ben, whom Juliet had met for the first time tonight. She’d seen photos of him. He was one of Melbourne’s most eligible bachelors, according to the social pages, and Juliet assumed it was to do with his status as heir to his father’s publishing company. It didn’t hurt that he was extremely good-looking—tall, dark, handsome and rich—not a bad combination, Juliet thought. She knew nothing about him really and assumed he was single by choice, but her curiosity got the better of her and she decided she needed more information. Gabby’s seating arrangements were perfect—sitting next to a stranger meant that Juliet could pretend she was just like everyone else at the party, fit and healthy? without the stigma of cancer hanging over her head.

  She was curious to know what Ben did for a living. ‘Do you work in publishing, Ben?’ she asked.

  ‘No. I’m a doctor.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Yes. That surprises you?’ He was smiling at her, obvious
ly not offended by her faux pas.

  ‘No. Yes. I—I guess it d-does,’ she stammered, a little embarrassed by her mistake. ‘Funny how you make assumptions, isn’t it? Sorry.’

  ‘Don’t apologise. It’s a common misconception. But I do wonder why Gabby is allowed to be an artist but everyone expects me to work in the family business. Everyone except my parents.’

  ‘What sort of doctor are you?’

  ‘A plastic surgeon.’

  ‘A cosmetic surgeon?’

  ‘A cosmetic surgeon is a Hollywood thing. Technically I’m a plastic and reconstructive surgeon but I think plastics has become interchangeable with cosmetics in people’s minds.’

  ‘What’s the difference?’

  ‘Cosmetic surgery is a form of reconstruction but it’s really just elective surgery—for people who want to change their appearance. Plastics and reconstructive work grew from a need or ability to repair deformities that were either congenital or following a trauma of some kind.’

  Perhaps Gabby’s seating arrangement wasn’t accidental?Juliet wasn’t sure if she was game to ask. ‘So do you do any cosmetic surgery or do you only do serious things?’

  ‘It’s all serious.’ Ben paused slightly. ‘Well, it is to the people undergoing the procedure. Even if I think it’s unnecessary, if my client can convince me that there’s a good reason for the surgery, if it can be justified, I will consider it, but my passion is reconstruction work.’

  ‘So is there a difference between breast reconstruction and breast augmentation, for example, or is it just semantics?’ Juliet couldn’t resist asking.

  ‘Technically they are both cosmetic but augmentation is simply changing someone’s appearance for the hell of it, whereas reconstruction is repairing, restoring if you like, someone’s appearance. Mostly that’s done just to make them look like they did before.’

  Juliet hadn’t really investigated the procedure, it hadn’t been a huge priority, but meeting Ben gave her food for thought. She would consider it and if she wanted to look into it further, she now had a place to start. She would get Ben’s details from Gabby if she needed them, she decided. A dinner party was probably not the appropriate place for a longer discussion about the ins and outs of breast surgery.

  Dessert had been served and it was obvious the other guests were in for a late night, but Juliet was looking pale and, even under her make-up Sam could see the dark circles beneath her eyes. It was time to go. He thanked Gabby and Finn and bundled Juliet out to the car.

  ‘Have you had a good evening?’ Sam asked as he pulled into the driveway.

  ‘It’s been lovely but I am looking forward to climbing into bed.’

  ‘Why don’t you get ready for bed? I’ll sort out the babysitter and bring you a cup of tea,’ he offered. ‘And you can sleep in tomorrow. I’ll take the kids to the park.’

  Juliet didn’t argue.

  Sam carried a cup of tea in one hand and an envelope in the other. Juliet was in bed. She’d taken her make-up off but was still wearing her wig. He put the cup on the bedside table and handed her the envelope.

  ‘What’s this?’ she asked.

  ‘A surprise. A good one, I hope.’

  Juliet smiled. Her face was aglow. The colour of her wig emphasised the blue of her eyes and they sparkled in the dim light. Sam felt a stirring of desire. Despite the circumstances his reaction to her was as potent as ever. She was still the only woman capable of taking his breath away.

  Juliet opened the envelope and pulled out the sheets of paper inside. ‘Plane flights to Canberra?’ She looked up at him, a slightly puzzled expression on her face.

  ‘I thought we could take the kids up there for a weekend. Show them some of our old stomping ground and maybe you could do some shopping.’

  ‘The shop the cosmetician was telling me about?’ She guessed his agenda.

  Sam nodded. He’d seen how much difference the wigs had made to Juliet’s confidence. He wanted her to feel as good as possible and he hoped this shopping trip could help. ‘I thought it would be nicer to shop in person instead of online.’

  ‘That’s a brilliant idea. The kids will love a weekend away. When did you want to go?’

  ‘I thought we could play it by ear a bit, see how you feel after the next lot of chemo and go then if you’re up to it.’

  ‘That sounds like a plan. Thank you.’ She grinned and Sam enjoyed the feeling of satisfaction that spread through him.

  ‘My pleasure. Now, drink your tea and get some sleep.’ He kissed her gently on the forehead, savouring the creamy scent of her freshly washed skin.

  He closed the bedroom door softly behind him.

  He was pleased with the outcome. If he could prove to Juliet how much better things worked if he was around, how much more smoothly things ran with them working together, perhaps she would agree to give him another chance. Getting her to Canberra and boosting her confidence with an updated, tailor-made wardrobe would surely serve to further his chances.

  He knew he still loved her; he had never stopped, and being together, even under such difficult circumstances, had made him question why he had given in to her before and hadn’t fought against the divorce. She’d applied for it and he’d never denied her anything if he could help it. She had convinced him it had been in the children’s best interests but now he doubted that.

  He would be patient but he was going to get his family back.

  But there were a few final hurdles. Baby steps, that’s what they needed. Getting her to Canberra was step one, getting her through chemo was step two and getting her to agree to spend New Year in Merimbula with his side of the family was step three. Little steps to show her how much better things could be if they were together. A family again.

  Who knew if there would be more? But if there were, he would get through them all. He wouldn’t rest until they were together again.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  December 2008

  IT WAS early morning on New Year’s Eve as Sam and his father headed out to sea, heading towards the rising sun. They travelled in silence, Sam’s father steering the boat as he checked his electronic fish finder, searching for decent schools of fish, while Sam prepared the rods and lines. They were both completely at ease on the water and had spent hundreds of hours together fishing and many fewer hours talking.

  Sam watched his father as he stood in the cabin. He was concentrating on the job at hand and unaware of Sam’s scrutiny. Sam was looking for any signs that his father wasn’t well but could see nothing untoward. At sixty-five years of age he still cut a fit figure. He was solidly built but wasn’t carrying any excess weight. He was almost as tall as Sam, although he’d shrunk a bit in the last ten years. His hair was now totally salt and pepper with no trace of the dark blond it had been. Even his beard was shades of grey. His hair probably needed a cut, a tidy-up, as did Sam’s, but this was a legacy of not having a wife to remind him it was time for a visit to the barber. With his tanned, almost leathery skin, erect posture and greying hair he looked like a movie version of a sea captain. His eyes were brown; Sam had inherited his green eyes from his mother, but there was no debating the fact that his father, Sam and Sam’s son, Edward, were three peas in a pod.

  The noise of the engine prohibited conversation so the two of them followed their usual routines, just as they’d done for over twenty years. Sam rigged the rods, checked the bait, tossed a few cockles to the seagulls who always followed the boat for the first few kilometres and then did a few running repairs. Conversation could wait until they were fishing. They would have a few hours to discuss anything they needed to, which was more than enough time on any day. Today, in fact, Sam did want a sounding-board. He needed a sensible ear and his father, with his carefully measured manner, could usually be relied on to provide judicious advice.

  ‘We might get lucky here,’ his father said as he cut the engine. ‘Snapper could be biting.’ Together they baited hooks and cast the lines. Sam’s father cleared his throat as
they settled into their rhythm, a sure indication that today’s fishing trip wasn’t going to be the usual, mostly silent affair with a bit of general discussion. Throat clearing always preceded a father-son chat, as Sam thought of them, and had done so since he’d been a little boy. Something in Sam’s behaviour must have suggested to his father that he needed a listening ear. Out on the water was the perfect time to embark on discussions. They were both comfortable at sea but having something to occupy themselves with, ensuring they didn’t have to maintain eye contact, also helped.

  ‘Juliet seems to be in good spirits,’ Bob said. ‘She tells me she’s going to be fine. Is that right?’

  ‘I hope so but it’s really too early to know. She’ll have to continue having blood tests and regular checks but the doctors are pretty confident that they’ve got everything. Jules took up every option that they offered her in terms of treatment.’

  ‘And what are your plans for next year? You’re going back to Sydney? Back to the navy?’

  ‘I have to,’ Sam replied. ‘I’ve been trying to assess my options but if I want to stay in the navy then I can’t see any other alternative.’

  ‘What if Juliet needs more surgery or more chemo or radiotherapy? How are you going to manage the situation from Sydney?’ Bob got a bite on his line and he jerked it back, hooking the fish and reeling it in as he continued. ‘Even if there’s nothing you need to do for Juliet, you need to think about the children. Someone has to look after them and even though you and Juliet are divorced they are still your children, still your responsibility.’

  ‘I know that, Dad. I’m trying to do the right thing by everyone, but it’s not easy. I wish there was a way I could have it all but I can’t see that happening.’

  ‘All?’ Bob had his head down as he unhooked his catch before throwing it into a container filled with sea-water, where it continued to swim around.

  ‘Yes. I really don’t want to give up the navy but I didn’t want to give up my family either,’ Sam said as he reeled in his line to check the bait. The bait was gone so he replenished it before casting out again, continuing the conversation as his hands stayed busy. ‘I didn’t want to get divorced but that’s what I am, and I can’t see how I can fix this.’