Dr. Cusack's Secret Son

by Lucy Clark

  Rachael nodded and did as he asked. She smiled down at Rino as he was loaded into the ambulance. ‘Don’t give the paramedics too much of a hard time, even though you know the drill.’

  He smiled. ‘I’ll try not to.’

  As the ambulance driver shut the doors, Rachael turned and looked around her, not sure where to go or what to do next. She spotted Declan putting a blanket around someone and headed over.

  ‘How are you holding up?’ She put her arm around his waist.

  ‘Yeah, good.’ He looked around the lot and gave a satisfied nod. ‘I just wish I knew more stuff, then I could help more.’ He frowned for a moment before looking at her. ‘I want to be a doctor, Mum.’

  Rachael’s eyes widened in surprise. ‘Really?’

  ‘Why so surprised? You’re a doctor. Joe’s a doctor.’ He shrugged in that self-conscious way she recognised so well.

  Rachael squeezed him closer. ‘That’s great, Dec. It’s great that you’ve got a direction…just as long as you’re making the decision for the right reasons.’

  ‘I want to help people.’

  Rachael nodded seriously. ‘OK. We’ll check out what the entry requirements are for university and go from there.’ She kissed his cheek. ‘I’m so proud of you.’

  ‘Mum! Not here.’ He shrugged out of her embrace but she wasn’t offended. ‘Look, Grandma and Grandad are here.’

  ‘I saw.’ She looked over to where the security guard was talking to one of the crew. Rachael met her mother’s gaze and beckoned them over. The security guard looked hesitant but then the crew member pointed to Declan. The security guard peered at Declan for a moment before nodding knowingly. Rachael smiled.

  ‘I didn’t think we’d ever find you,’ Elizabeth said, kissing her daughter’s cheek. ‘Thank goodness Declan looks like Joe, otherwise I’m sure the security guard thought we were trying to gatecrash the film shoot rather than just trying to collect our grandson.’

  ‘Come in handy, do I?’ Declan smiled.

  ‘Sounds reasonable,’ her father added. ‘All right, Declan. Let’s get you home.’

  ‘Is my homework in your car, Mum?’

  ‘Yes, but don’t worry too much about it tonight, Dec.’ Rachael smiled up at him. ‘Just try and unwind. OK?’

  He shrugged. ‘Sure, Mum.’

  ‘Thanks for your help, Dr Declan.’ Declan’s grin was instantaneous and he even blushed a little.

  ‘I’ll just get my bag so I can give you my keys. I’ll need to go to the hospital with Joe once we’re finished here, so if you can take my car back to your house now, that will help. I’ll get Joe to drop me there later.’ She also wanted to confront Joe about those looks he’d been giving her.

  ‘When can we expect you?’ Elizabeth asked.

  ‘I have no idea. Depends how long things take at the hospital.’

  ‘All right, dear.’

  As they left, she looked around for Joe and headed over once she’d spotted him. ‘Need any help?’ she asked.

  ‘All stable here,’ he remarked, not looking up as he finished bandaging a woman’s arm. ‘Go home and rest,’ he told his patient. ‘Take paracetamol six-hourly and call me if you have any problems.’

  ‘Are you sure I can’t just spend the night in hospital? My husband’s going to be watching over me as I sleep. He’s such a worry wart.’

  Joe laughed. ‘It’s probably good if you’re monitored tonight and I’m sure your husband would do an excellent job, but I’m not expecting any complications from your arm. They’re all textbook injuries.’

  ‘Thanks, Joe.’

  Just then Ivan came over, his face white. ‘Joe. One of the girls has just started twitching and we don’t know what’s wrong.’

  ‘Where?’ Joe had already ripped off his old gloves and repacked his bag. ‘Rach.’ He nodded to her and, following Ivan, they rushed over, being careful of the cables and debris on the ground. The woman was shaking and twitching around on the ground, the blanket she’d had over her body tangling around her legs. Rachael removed the blanket.

  ‘How long has she been like this?’ she asked the people around her as she checked the woman’s airway. No one answered. ‘How long?’ she repeated forcefully.

  ‘O-only a m-minute or so,’ someone stammered.

  ‘Call the ambulance. What’s her name?’

  ‘Grace,’ Joe supplied.

  ‘Right. Loosen her clothing and, Ivan, make sure she doesn’t kick anything or hit herself. Don’t restrain her completely, just make sure she doesn’t do further injury to herself.’

  Rachael looked into Joe’s bag as he checked Grace’s airway.

  ‘Airway’s clear.’

  ‘Good. Do you have phenytoin?’

  ‘Yes.’

  Rachael found what she needed and drew up an injection. ‘Make sure she doesn’t swallow her tongue,’ she said as Grace’s body kept twitching. She administered the drug and almost straightaway Grace stopped convulsing, her muscles still alternating between rigidity and relaxation. She looked at the patient. ‘Grace?’

  Joe checked her airway again. ‘Clear.’

  Rachael reached for the medical torch. ‘Grace? Can you hear me?’

  ‘Yes…’ The word came out squeaky and broken. Grace coughed.

  ‘I’m Rachael. I’m a doctor. I’m just going to check your eyes.’ Pupils were equal and reacting to light. ‘Good. They’re good.’ She reached for the stethoscope. ‘I’m going to listen to your chest now. Just relax. Can you hear me, Grace?’

  ‘Yes.’ The word was stronger this time.

  ‘Good.’ Rachael listened to her chest and was pleased to find everything fine. ‘Do you know where you are?’

  ‘Back lot at the studio.’

  ‘Good. Cognitive reasoning is clear.’

  ‘Ambulance should be here soon,’ someone said over her shoulder.

  ‘What happened?’ Grace asked, and Rachael realised the woman was starting to feel self-conscious and embarrassed.

  ‘You had a seizure.’ It was Joe who answered, his voice calm yet authoritative. He wrapped the sphygmomanometer cuff around Grace’s arm and took her blood pressure. ‘What’s the ETA on the ambulance? I want minutes, not soon,’ Joe instructed quietly, and Ivan directed someone to find out. ‘We need to get you to hospital, Grace. We don’t know why you had a seizure and we need to find out. Have you ever had one before?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Have you been in an accident recently?’

  ‘No. Not for about three months.’

  ‘That’s right. You had that concussion,’ Joe said. ‘That was when you were in America filming, wasn’t it?’

  ‘Yes. Got hit in the head with debris when they were blowing up a building.’

  ‘Right. The price of stunt work. Ever had an EEG? That’s where they scan your brain,’ he explained.

  ‘Yes. I had one then but everything was all ri—’ Grace stopped speaking, her eyes widening as she glanced wildly at Rachael. She gestured for her to come closer.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ Rachael leaned closer.

  ‘I feel all…wet.’ Grace tried to sit up but Rachael stopped her, urging her to stay still.

  ‘If you sit up now, you’ll be very dizzy. I’m just going to check your arms and legs. Does it hurt anywhere?’

  ‘No.’

  Rachael checked her legs and then realised what Grace had meant by ‘wet’. She reached for the blanket and covered her over to save her further embarrassment. She checked her arms, neck and head. ‘I can’t feel any broken bones, which is a good sign.’ She placed her fingers in Grace’s palms. ‘Can you squeeze my fingers, please?’

  Grace was able to do so on both sides.

  ‘Good.’

  ‘Ambulance is pulling into the theme park now,’ someone said.

  ‘Good.’ Rachael glanced at Joe. ‘Is there anyone else who needs attention?’

  ‘Ivan?’ Joe called.

  ‘I heard. I’ll check around.’

&
nbsp; ‘Thanks.’ They stayed with Grace until the paramedics came over. Rachael smiled as she recognised Smitty. ‘Back so soon?’ She stood up to meet him.

  ‘Can’t keep me away.’

  ‘How’s Wong?’ Joe asked urgently.

  ‘They whisked him to Theatre to try and find the source of the bleeding. What do you need here?’

  Rachael had just done Grace’s obs and reported her findings. ‘Tonic-clonic seizure. She’s stable but needs oxygen and an IV line. Glasgow coma scale is 15. Patient has voided and is highly embarrassed by the whole episode.’

  ‘Not surprising.’ Smitty nodded.

  ‘I’ve given her phenytoin, which should see her through until she’s at the hospital.’

  ‘Right. Everything settled here now?’ Smitty glanced around at the scene in general.

  ‘We’re just waiting for Ivan to give us an update. Once it’s clear, we’ll follow you to the hospital.’

  ‘I’ll get Grace into the ambulance,’ Smitty replied.

  Rachael helped Smitty get Grace ready for transfer as Joe went to speak to Ivan. ‘How are you feeling now?’ she asked her patient.

  ‘Stupid.’ Grace closed her eyes.

  ‘That’s natural. Smitty here’s going to take good care of you and I’ll catch up with you at the hospital. All right?’

  ‘Yes.’ Grace closed her eyes as the stretcher was put into the ambulance.

  Rachael looked around for Joe who was headed in their direction. ‘All clear?’

  ‘All clear,’ he acknowledged. ‘We’ll see you at the hospital,’ he told Smitty, before looking at Rachael. ‘Let’s go.’

  She nodded. ‘I’ll get my bag.’ She collected it and said goodbye to Ivan, thanking him for looking after Declan.

  ‘My pleasure. As I said, anything for Joe and his family.’

  Rachael was still smiling as she and Joe walked out to the parking lot. ‘Where’s your car?’ he asked.

  ‘My mum drove it to her house.’

  Joe’s only answer was to raise an enquiring eyebrow. Rachael decided to ignore it. They walked over to a green Jaguar. She glanced at the number plate and this time it was her turn to raise an eyebrow.

  ‘JOE-19.’ She smiled. ‘I think you’re a little older than that, Joe.’

  Joe frowned as he unlocked the door and held hers open. ‘Nineteen’s my lucky number.’ He waited until she was seated before heading around to the driver’s side.

  ‘That’s it? Nineteen’s your lucky number?’

  He shrugged. ‘A lot happened when I was nineteen.’

  The smile slid from Rachael’s face. ‘Yes. Yes, it did.’ She wanted to ask him all the questions that had been floating around in her head, she wanted to sort out the past, to try and make sense of it, but her mother’s words about focusing on the here and now slipped into her mind and she forced herself to take a deep, relaxing breath.

  ‘Thank you,’ she said, after he’d started the engine and pulled out onto the road.

  ‘For?’

  ‘For being nice to Declan.’

  He smiled. ‘It’s not hard.’

  ‘Still, it means a lot to me, Joe.’ She twisted her hands together in her lap, amazed to feel her heart rate start to increase. She took another deep breath, trying to steady her mounting nerves. A few minutes of silence passed. ‘Joe.’

  ‘Hmm?’

  ‘I know you said you wanted to spend time alone with Declan and I appreciate that. I’m all for it but…’ She closed her eyes, unable to look at him as she spoke just in case he turned her down. ‘But would you also like to spend time alone with me?’

  Joe glanced at her so suddenly the car swerved slightly. ‘Er…uh…sure.’ He cleared his throat.

  ‘You don’t sound too convinced.’

  ‘No. It’s not that. It’s just…you caught me by surprise.’

  ‘Oh. So you’re open to the idea, then?’

  He stopped the car at a red light and turned to look at her. Even beneath the artificial lights outside, it was still difficult to see all of his face, but she hoped his gaze was filled with delight at the prospect.

  ‘Yes. Rach, I’m a little astounded that you needed to ask.’

  She shrugged, feeling a little foolish. It had been easier when he hadn’t been watching her so intently, and she wished for the light to change so she could escape once more into the dark. ‘I’m not saying we jump straight into bed if that’s what you’re thinking.’

  His grin was immediate and wolfish. ‘Hey, I wouldn’t be a red-blooded male if I didn’t admit the thought had already crossed my mind, but I understand what you mean.’

  The light turned and he resumed driving. ‘I know we still have a lot of things to work out, but it would be nice to just spend some time together. The two of us. Grab a cup of coffee or something.’

  ‘Or something.’ He nodded.

  Rachael sighed with relief and he chuckled at the sound. ‘Surely it wasn’t that bad, asking me that question.’

  ‘Of course it was. You have been known to turn me down before.’

  ‘Cheap shot,’ he said good-naturedly.

  ‘Yes, it was. I apologise.’ She was glad to see he’d lost his black mood from the movie set. Perhaps she’d imagined it and had misinterpreted the dark looks he’d given her. ‘I’m glad you’re the one driving to the hospital. I would have got lost by now.’

  Joe smiled as he turned off for the hospital and parked the Jaguar in the doctors’ car park. Rachael grabbed her bag and walked quickly beside him into the hospital, bumping into Smitty again.

  ‘What took you so long?’ He grinned at both of them and then held up his hands. ‘No. On second thought, don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.’

  ‘Where’s Grace?’ Joe asked, ignoring Smitty’s teasing words.

  ‘Examination cubicle four, and Rino’s at X-Ray.’

  ‘Wong?’

  ‘Still in surgery.’

  ‘Thanks.’

  ‘All part of the service. That should be it for me tonight. I’ll catch you folks later.’

  Joe guided Rachael over to the nurses’ station.

  ‘Oh, so you’re Joe’s partner. He told us you’d be in at some time. I guess you didn’t expect to be here so soon.’

  ‘I’ll be in EC-4. Come in when you’re done.’ Joe went to check on Grace.

  ‘I’m not his partner, just the locum working at his private practice,’ Rachael corrected the nurse.

  ‘Whatever. You’ll need to fill in some forms, but if you wanted to check out the tonic-clonic patient first, she’s in EC-4. The paperwork can wait.’ The nurse held out her hand for Rachael’s bag. ‘I’ll lock it in the drawer here.’

  ‘Thanks.’ She headed for EC-4 and felt strange pulling back the curtain when she really felt like knocking.

  ‘Rachael.’ Grace’s gaze fell on her with relief. The oxygen mask was still in place and an IV line was in her arm.

  ‘Finished already?’ He raised a teasing eyebrow. ‘Come in, come in.’

  Joe gave Rachael an updated report on Grace’s vital signs and she was pleased to hear everything was fine. ‘I was just about to order a few tests for Grace. What do you think, Rach?’

  ‘EEG definitely, and compare it with the one she had three months ago. ECG, full blood work-up and urine analysis.’ She shrugged. ‘For a start.’

  ‘Good.’ Joe nodded to the nurse. ‘Can you get them organised please, Beatrice?’

  ‘Sure thing, Joe.’

  ‘Good. We’ll be back to check on you later, Grace. You rest and take it easy.’

  ‘Yes, Joe.’ Grace smiled as she closed her eyes. ‘At least I can try, before they start poking and prodding me.’

  They both smiled and headed out the cubicle. ‘Are you the treating doctor?’

  ‘Studio rules. All patients from the movie set are admitted under my name, even though several specialists may see them.’ He walked over to the nurses’ station and picked up the phone. A moment later, he ask
ed the switchboard to page the neurology registrar. ‘Although Wong is in surgery with all different kinds of specialists looking after him, I’m the one who coordinates everything because I’m the one who has to write reports for the studio’s insurers.’

  ‘Sounds like fun.’

  ‘Oh, it really isn’t.’ He smiled. ‘Let’s go find Rino.’ She followed him to Radiology and was pleased when they found Rino had just finished there.

  ‘Spine’s not busted,’ he said. ‘Told you.’

  ‘Yes, you did.’ They chatted with Rino until the first lot of films came back. ‘They’re looking good. Nice clean break of the clavicle.’ Joe accepted the next lot of films. ‘Only your left tibia is fractured, but right side has both tib and fib. Due to the lacerations on your left leg, Zac will probably opt to put an external fixator on that one.’

  ‘Zac?’ Rachael asked.

  ‘Orthopaedic surgeon,’ Rino supplied. ‘Open reduction and internal fixation on the right side?’

  ‘Probably,’ Joe responded, as he held the films up to the light so they could all see.

  ‘Ever thought of going into medicine, Rino?’ Rachael asked. ‘You certainly know more than the average bloke.’

  ‘You pick things up when you’ve been breaking bones all your life,’ Joe teased.

  ‘Not all my life, mate, but since I got into stunt work—yeah, quite a bit.’

  Joe’s pager beeped. ‘Theatre,’ he said, glancing at the extension number.

  ‘Wong?’ Rachael asked.

  ‘Yes. I asked them to page me when they had news.’ His face grew grim and the pain Rachael saw there, the deep-seated concern he had for his friend, made her heart melt. She reached out and squeezed his hand encouragingly.

  ‘Go and find out.’ She waited with Rino, neither of them speaking. She knew everything was all right the instant Joe returned.

  ‘They’ve managed to stop the bleeding and he’s turned the corner, but the general surgeon said it was touch and go for a while.’

  Rachael breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Rino. The look of guilt that had plagued the stunt driver from the instant she’d seen him had now eased.

  ‘He’s going to be fine,’ Rachael said to Rino.

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘Come on, Rach. I think it’s coffee time.’ Joe looked at Rino. ‘Want one?’