Crisis at Katoomba Hospital

by Lucy Clark

  ‘She’s an excellent doctor.’

  Oliver merely shrugged as though he didn’t care one way or the other before heading off. Stephen glared at the man for a few seconds and then went to find Nicolette. When she’d finished with her patient, he passed on the message.

  ‘Right. I’ll write up these notes and then I guess we can head back to your car. Do you have the keys or do I?’

  ‘You had them last.’

  She patted her trousers pockets. ‘Ah, here they are.’ She handed them over and concentrated on what she needed to do, which was easier said than done. Stephen stood beside her, closer than usual, and actually leaned over to see what she was writing. She could feel the warmth emanating from his body and wondered what he would do if she shifted to the left slightly, thereby bringing their bodies into contact with each other. Would he react at all? Probably not. It was probably her exhausted imagination playing tricks on her yet again. She and Stephen had been avoiding each other for the last two weeks so how could he possibly be interested?

  ‘All set,’ she said, surprised to find her voice a little husky. ‘Where’s Stephanie?’

  Stephen pointed to where his sister sat beside a boy of about thirteen, letting him touch her spiky hair. Both Nicolette and Stephen smiled. ‘Typical Steph,’ Stephen murmured.

  ‘I was just thinking the same thing. Is she staying here or do we need to give her a lift?’

  ‘She’s staying with Dr Bossy-Britches.’

  ‘Ooh. Juvenile name-calling.’ Nicolette’s grin was wide. ‘I take it you’re picking up on your sister’s emotions. If he tries to kiss her, are you going to give him a knuckle sandwich?’ She chuckled. Stephen’s answer was to put his hand beneath her elbow and usher her quickly towards the front door. She just had time to grab her jacket from where she’d draped it over a chair and soon they were out in the freezing night air.

  ‘Well, I guess the brisk walk back to the car should help warm us up,’ she said, trying not to focus on the tingles that were currently bursting around her body from his touch. Every time he touched her she had the same reaction, but at least now she’d experienced it a few times she was able to cope better with the intensity of it.

  ‘Excuse me.’ A police officer stopped them. ‘Did you say you needed to get back to your car?’

  ‘Yes. It’s just before the overpass on the Blackheath side,’ Stephen replied.

  ‘I’ll get you through, Doc. Come with me.’

  Nicolette was glad to get into the police car as it shielded her from the bitterly cold wind. The drive didn’t take long and she saw that the coal truck had been moved off the road and the emergency crews were working hard to fix the barrier where the coach had gone over.

  ‘There it is.’ Stephen pointed to his own car and within another few minutes they were heading to the hospital, the car heater at its highest setting. ‘What a night.’

  ‘So much for dinner.’

  ‘Raincheck?’ He was surprised with himself. Did he really want to put himself in the position where he’d be sitting across from Nicolette, just the two of them, eating dinner, trying to think of sparkling conversation whilst playing footsie beneath the table? Yes. Absolutely, yes! Was that what he’d planned on doing tonight if they’d had their date. He didn’t know. His feelings for Nicolette had once again altered over the course of the evening and now he had no idea what he wanted.

  The hospital loomed into view and he pushed the thoughts way to the back of his mind. He parked the car and they walked into A and E, trying not to groan as they were greeted with a similar scene to that at the health resort. People were everywhere and everyone required attention.

  ‘Ready for round two?’ he murmured as they headed to the changing rooms.

  ‘Ready as I’ll ever be.’ They both punched in the codes for their respective rooms and entered. Nicolette had a quick shower and dressed in theatre scrubs. She usually didn’t like wearing them while she worked but tonight it was necessary as her own clothes were so dirty.

  When she headed out, she found Stephen dressed the same, his hair damp. ‘Snap.’ She smiled at him and saw the suppressed humour in his eyes. She turned to Sophie. ‘What’s first?’

  Sophie handed her a file and, taking a deep breath, turned and picked up the phone. ‘It’s been ringing constantly since the accident. Hello…’ She gave her name and listened intently to the caller. Nicolette shrugged and headed into EC-3, which was where her first patient was waiting for her.

  It was another three hours before things started to settle down again.

  ‘Ready to go?’ Stephen asked Nicolette as she walked across to the nurses’ station.

  ‘Yes, if we’re allowed out of here, that is.’

  ‘Go.’ Stephanie was sitting at the nurses’ station, talking to her brother. ‘Things are under control here…sort of.’ She smiled tiredly at them. ‘If we need you back, I’ll call, but for now, with the urgent cases being airlifted to Sydney and the majority of patients seen to, we’re able to cope with what we have left.’

  Nicolette glanced up at the clock. ‘Is that the time?’ She checked her watch.

  Stephanie smiled. ‘I’ve heard it flies when you’re having fun.’

  ‘Three o’clock? It’s really three o’clock?’

  ‘Time to at least get some sleep before you need to be at work later this morning.’

  ‘Good point.’ Nicolette quickly hugged Stephanie and headed for the door. She waited while Stephen also hugged his sister.

  ‘It’s your day off tomorrow so I’ll expect you around for brunch. Eleven o’clock at the latest.’

  Stephanie leaned her head on his shoulder for a second and then looked up at him. ‘I’ll see you then.’

  Stephen kissed her forehead. ‘You be safe.’

  ‘I will. Now go before something else happens.’

  Nicolette yawned as they walked to the car. Stephen opened her door and seated her before heading around to the driver’s side. ‘I can’t believe how tired I feel. It’s like I looked at the clock and all of a sudden I’m tired.’

  ‘Your body is being allowed to relax,’ Stephen commented as he pulled out of the hospital grounds. ‘Yawning is a common reaction.’

  Nicolette yawned again and laughed as she raised her hand to cover her mouth. ‘Common is right. Now I can’t stop.’

  ‘I’ll drop you at home and then bring your car around.’

  ‘I’m fine, Stephen.’

  ‘You’re in no state to drive—even the short distance between our houses. You get yourself to bed and I’ll leave your keys in an envelope in the letterbox.’

  ‘It’s OK.’ She tried again.

  ‘Nicolette. I’m trying to be chivalrous. Don’t destroy it.’

  ‘Oh.’ She smiled and closed her eyes, leaning thankfully back against the headrest. ‘In that case, go ahead and be my knight in shining armour. I only hope you manage to stick around a bit longer than the others.’

  ‘Others?’

  ‘The ones whose armour turned out to be extremely tarnished, especially when they didn’t get their own way.’ She was babbling, she knew, but she didn’t seem able to stop herself.

  ‘Your boyfriends?’ Stephen said the words so quietly that for a moment she thought she’d imagined it.

  ‘Past boyfriends,’ she stressed. ‘I don’t know. I just seem so unlucky in love.’

  ‘You’re not the only one.’

  ‘Really?’ She opened her eyes and glanced at him. ‘How many women have you dated since Simone?’

  Stephen shuddered at the other woman’s name. ‘None. She was scary enough for me.’

  ‘What went so wrong? Apart from her being the clinging type, I mean.’

  ‘Isn’t that enough?’ He laughed without humour. ‘My mother was dying, as I’ve told you, and Simone was jealous of my spare time—not that I had much.’

  ‘You said she didn’t know about your mother.’

  ‘She didn’t know my mother was sick. Si
mone knew I was visiting my mother and she couldn’t stand it. She even followed me a few times to make sure I wasn’t cheating on her, but she never understood the relationship I had with my mother so what hope would she have had understanding the one I have with Steph? Simone is a woman who has a lot to give to a needy man. I am not a needy man. If she’d known my mother was dying, she probably would have wanted to meet her. She may have even offered to nurse her and, quite frankly, I loved my mother too much to put her through that. Simone would have smothered us both.’

  ‘So you broke it off.’

  ‘I tried to end it but she wouldn’t accept it.’

  That fitted with what Nicolette knew. Simone had tried her hardest to make it work and had then been offended when Stephen hadn’t. At least, that’s what Nicolette had been told.

  ‘How long after your mother’s death did you leave London?’

  ‘Once all the paperwork had been completed. I was working on a research project at the time. It directly related to my mother’s condition and she agreed to be a test subject. Needless to say, the treatment didn’t work.’

  ‘Didn’t work at all?’ Nicolette was surprised. From what she knew of Stephen, he wasn’t the type of man to make incorrect calculations.

  ‘It gave her an extra few months but—’

  ‘There you go, then.’

  ‘But there’s no concrete proof the treatment was successful. It could have just been Mum hanging on until we could get Stephanie over to London so she could say goodbye.’

  ‘You were both with her?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘I’m glad.’

  ‘So were we.’

  ‘And then you enlisted with the medical aid organisation. I’ll bet Stephanie wasn’t too happy.’

  ‘Er…no, but finally she realised it was something I needed to do.’

  ‘She said you got shot.’

  ‘It was a flesh wound.’ He brushed her words away. They were driving past the accident site they’d attended earlier, and although most of the debris had been cleared away there were still crews working, hoping to have everything done before the morning traffic began.

  ‘I wonder what time those guys will end up quitting,’ Nicolette mumbled as Stephen carefully navigated the area.

  ‘What time do you start clinic?’

  ‘Eight-thirty, and it will probably be hectic. It usually is after a major incident. If people were involved but weren’t seriously injured, they’ll leave it until morning before seeking medical attention. Then there are the people who just want to come in and gossip and find out exactly what happened.’

  ‘Sounds like fun,’ he said drolly.

  ‘Oh, yeah. Much more fun than having brunch with your sister.’

  Stephen nodded. ‘I’ll bet.’ He turned off onto the main road of Blackheath, the early morning fog wrapping itself around them as he drove towards Nicolette’s house.

  ‘Honestly, Stephen, I’ll be fine to drive home.’

  ‘Chivalry. Remember?’

  She held up her hands in surrender. ‘Fine.’

  ‘Besides, I can sleep in and you can’t so the sooner you’re tucked up in bed the better.’

  ‘I don’t think knights in shining armour are allowed to rub it in like that.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘I’m pretty sure they’re not. I’ll have to check the rule book.’

  ‘There are rules to being a knight in shining armour?’ He pulled up outside her house.

  ‘There are with me.’

  ‘Mind if I have a copy? I wouldn’t want to make any mistakes.’

  Nicolette undid her seat belt and shifted to face him. ‘Really? Why?’

  Stephen hesitated for a second and she wished there was more light so she could see his face more clearly, but there wasn’t. Still, the atmosphere between them for that one second intensified and she wondered whether he was going to kiss her goodnight. She certainly hoped so because since he’d pressed his lips to hers on the night of the fire, she’d been longing, almost desperately, for him to do it again, regardless of how many lectures she had given herself on the topic.

  ‘Why?’ The repeated word was whispered from him and he reached out a hand and tucked a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ear. ‘Because I need to know where the boundaries are.’

  Nicolette couldn’t move. Her heart was pounding furiously against her chest and blood was pumping wildly in her ears. He was going to kiss her again. Joy! Her tongue slid out to wet her lips in anticipation and she leaned in a little closer, her breathing so loud she was positive he could hear it. The windows in the car were starting to steam up, even though the heater and demister were on.

  His hand caressed her cheek and her eyelids fluttered closed for an instant. She was going to be his undoing, he realised, and although he wanted nothing more than to lean over and press his lips to hers, as he’d been dying to do for weeks now, he knew he shouldn’t. Not when they would start working together next week.

  ‘You are so beautiful.’ His deep voice washed over her and she gasped as his thumb brushed across her parted lips. ‘But we can’t.’

  His words took a few seconds to penetrate the haze surrounding her mind. ‘Stephen?’

  He swallowed and, after exhaling harshly, dropped his hand and pulled back. ‘Nicolette…I care about you, you must realise that.’

  ‘And I care about you.’

  ‘But we’ve both been hurt in the past and come Monday…’ He trailed off.

  ‘Come Monday we’ll be working together,’ she finished for him, her eyes stinging with tears. She cleared her throat, trying to get control over her voice. ‘I know.’

  ‘Believe me, I want nothing more than to kiss you right now.’

  The butterflies that had been lying dormant in her stomach began twirling with excitement at his words. ‘That’s what I want, too,’ she assured him eagerly.

  ‘But we can’t.’

  ‘Not even one last time?’ She sounded desperate yet she couldn’t let him go, not just yet.

  ‘It wouldn’t change anything.’

  ‘No. That’s true but it would make us both feel better.’

  ‘It’s only a temporary bandage, though. We can’t begin a relationship when we’ll be working together. It’s too risky. If something were to go wrong between us, it would make our working lives intolerable. We’ve both been there before, we’ve both experienced what it’s like to work with someone you’ve been involved with, and I can’t just walk away from my practice so that would mean you would be the one leaving and that’s not fair. Not to you, not to me.’

  She knew what he spoke was the truth and the fact he was trying to protect them both only endeared him to her even more. What if it did work out? She was too scared to voice the thought. It was too risky. Right now, though, she didn’t want to deal with truths. She wanted to deal with fantasy. ‘Tonight.’ She reached out and touched his cheek. The palm of her hand and her fingertips tingled from the stubble there. Those tingles made their way up her arm before zinging their way through her entire body. The explosion, from a mere touch, was enough to give her courage to say what she wanted to say. ‘Tonight,’ she repeated, ‘you’re my knight in shining armour. You’ve rescued me from endless patients…’ She ran her fingers through his hair and he sucked in a breath. ‘You’ve driven me home through fog-infested streets…’ She cupped his cheek and he angled his face into her hand. ‘And it’s protocol that you kiss me.’ She brushed her thumb across his lips and he groaned, his gaze never leaving hers. At least she was able to evoke as much of a reaction in him as he had been able to do in her.

  ‘Protocol,’ he murmured, his breathing becoming more insane as the moments ticked on. What could it hurt? They both knew the score. They both knew what was at stake and, as she had said, it would be a goodbye kiss, effectively ending it before it began. ‘I’m a man who always follows protocol,’ he said finally, and she almost sighed with relief.

  He was going to capi
tulate. He was going to give them both what they wanted, what they needed, because after this kiss, there would be nothing…only drought. As though in slow motion he switched off the engine with one hand and released his seat belt with the other.

  ‘You know I’ve been fighting the urge to do this for what seems like for ever,’ he said softly into the sudden stillness.

  ‘I know. I’ve been fighting, too, but after what we’ve just been through I’m not feeling very strong right now. I need your comfort, I need your touch…I need you, Stephen, at least one last time.’

  It was what he wanted to hear. Both of them knew the risks, both of them knew the score. It was a mutual goodbye kiss and afterwards they would be professional colleagues who enjoyed the same sense of humour. That was all.

  He reached out to release her gorgeous blonde locks from the clip. Her hair tumbled down instantly, cascading around her shoulders. With almost trembling fingers he plunged them into the silky softness and groaned, urging her head closer, leaning his body towards her.

  ‘You’re incredible.’ He pressed his lips to hers in a firm kiss, holding them in limbo for a few seconds before pulling back to gaze into her eyes.

  Her lips parted as she gasped, not caring in the least that he’d left her panting with anticipation. Once more she brushed her thumb across his lips but this time his tongue flicked out to wet it before drawing it into his mouth, suckling it.

  He watched as her dazed eyes opened wider. Did the woman have any idea just how much she was affecting him? He was beginning to burn, he was igniting and fanning the flames. The question he didn’t know the answer to was, would he ever be able to put it out? It only fuelled his impatience and quickly he released her thumb, wanting to have his mouth on hers once more.

  When they finally came together, their mouths were open, ready and seeking each other. Where the kiss outside the burning house had been gentle and testing, this one was wild and passionate, taking them both to extraordinary heights such as neither had ever felt before.

  His hands were fisted in her hair, holding her head in place. She wasn’t going anywhere—he wouldn’t let her. The possessiveness he’d felt earlier towards her began to intensify and he realised even though this was a goodbye kiss, at least he’d still be able to see her, to spend time with her without the hassles of a physical relationship. At the moment, though, he realised a physical relationship with Nicolette wouldn’t be a hassle at all!