Sydney Harbor Hospital: Marco's Temptation

by Fiona McArthur

  On night duty public transport didn’t work. Through the days she caught ferries. She couldn’t actually see Sydney harbour from her windows but the swish of the wash on the shore from passing boats floated in her window at night as she dressed for work.

  Annie was pacing the front veranda as she waited for her mother to arrive home.

  ‘Why did you have to be late, today of all days?’

  Emily carried her bag into the house and tried not to sigh. ‘We’ve been busy. I didn’t dawdle for the fun of it.’

  Annie dropped her complaints and hugged her mother warmly. ‘Sorry. I’m nervous...’ she twisted her fingers ‘...and started to worry we’d be late.’ She shook her head. ‘And baby was awake and moving most of the night. It’s almost as if she’s nervous too.’

  ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if she was. Babies pick up on their mother’s mood.’

  Annie tilted her head and studied her mother. ‘Well, I can see you need a cup of tea so maybe I can pick up yours too. I made you raisin toast!’ It was a large statement. In case Emily didn’t get the significance she added, ‘Even though I’m starving myself because I have to fast.’

  Emily was pleased to see after the initial stress Annie had calmed down. And was being nice. Though the last thing she wanted to do was eat. Her stomach was in knots about Annie’s hospital visit and impending anaesthetic for both her and her tiny granddaughter. ‘Thank you for that. Saves me a few minutes while I shower and dress.’

  * * *

  Three hours later Emily put down the crossword. The surgery seemed to be taking for ever. The waiting-room magazines needed to be tossed into the bin and replaced. Still, Emily had flicked through them all. She’d chewed her nails down to the quick. Now she was onto the edge of her finger. Come on!

  At ten-thirty the theatre doors swung open and Marco D’Arvello strode through them. It seemed his focussed glance searched until he found her sitting along the wall.

  She bolted upright off her chair as if on a spring. In seconds he was at her side. ‘It is good. All went well.’

  Emily sagged. Thank God. A strange buzzing began in her ears and her face felt funny, numb. The room began to tilt. His arms came up to steady her shoulders and he steered her back into a sitting position. His head dipped towards her with concern. ‘Sit. Not so fast. Have you eaten?’

  ‘What?’ The room stopped its slow turn and the humming noises in her ears faded away. She closed and opened her eyes slowly.

  ‘Emily? Have you eaten?’

  His hands left her shoulders and she felt strangely bereft, almost tempted to catch them back. ‘Must have got up too fast.’

  ‘Si.’

  Had she eaten? She couldn’t remember. ‘Um. Raisin toast three hours ago.’

  ‘Come. We will go for a cocoa and some more of your raisin toast before you drive home and go to bed. Annie is not yet awake but will be back in the ward in about thirty minutes. I will return with you then to see her.’

  Now she felt silly. Imagine if she’d fainted at his feet. ‘I’m fine. Just stood too fast. I’m sure you have better things to do than drink cocoa with me.’

  ‘I cannot think of one.’ He shrugged with that Latin assurance Italian men seemed to have and her brain couldn’t function enough to think of a good excuse to decline. She had to admit the thought of not being alone for another thirty minutes was attractive.

  He went on. ‘I believe the prognosis for both your Annie and our friend June’s

  babies has improved significantly. I can do no more for the moment.’ He searched her face and seemed satisfied. ‘Your colour has improved. But another half an hour of waiting without food will not help.’ He held out his hand. ‘Come.’

  Bossy man. Though she was feeling better. ‘You say that a lot.’

  He looked puzzled. ‘What is that?’

  She dropped her chin and deepened her voice in imitation. ‘Come!’

  He inclined his head. ‘I will attempt to refrain.’

  They smiled at each other. Such quaint speech patterns and it seemed he could cope with teasing. Luckily. What had got into her? She picked up her bag and glanced at her watch.

  ‘Then thank you. A hot drink would be nice. I start to get cold when I need to sleep. Just twenty minutes and I’ll come back.’

  ‘Si. Your daughter should be back in the ward soon after that.’

  They turned a few heads when they walked into the tea shop in the hospital grounds. Or Marco did, Emily thought as necks swivelled. She didn’t actually know many of the staff, having worked in Maternity on nights most of her career, and not a frequent visitor to the kiosk either, but she’d bet someone would recognise them and spread the word.

  This place was a minefield of gossip. Another reason she preferred nights.

  There was Head of Surgery Finn Kennedy and Evie Lockheart, her friend she was to have coffee with later in the week with Lily. Evie was hospital royalty and heiress to the Lockheart fortune.

  Evie and Finn sat, head to head, engrossed in a deep and meaningful conversation, and to her surprise Evie slid her hand across the table and gripped Finn’s hand. Emily couldn’t help wondering if something terrible had happened.

  Evie’s father had been kind to her all those years ago when she’d been a sixteen-year-old mother of an ill prem baby, and he’d been the one who’d suggested she would make a great nurse. He’d even provided the reference needed to start work as an unskilled nurse assistant until she could manage the extra burden of study. She liked Evie.

  Finn, she was just happy to stay out of his way. He was a grouch. The hospital’s most experienced surgeon, though rumours had begun to circulate that he suffered some kind of medical problem that was threatening his career.

  Emily had enough on her plate. She didn’t want to get anywhere near more drama and she steered Marco to the furthest corner of the kiosk.

  More heads swivelled their way and instead of ducking her head she lifted her chin and smiled and nodded back.

  Maybe she was sick of being boring. Ungossipworthy. Now she was the mother of a pregnant teenager, cavorting with the new Italian O and G consultant, and flaunting it all in the daylight hours, she may as well hold her head up.

  Something had changed her. Marco sensed the stiffening of her shoulders and resisted the sudden urge to take her elbow. Surely she was used to people admiring her? Even bruised around the eyes from lack of sleep, she was a stunning woman.

  He’d thought her attractive yesterday, but seeing her this morning when he’d left Theatre, she’d reminded him of a fragile Madonna and a strange urge to protect her had welled uncomfortably in his throat. A sudden desire to cradle her worried face in his hands and reassure her.

  No doubt she would have something to say about him trying that and he shook off the uneasiness that feeling left him with. She stopped at a table that couldn’t be described as secluded but it seemed it would do. Marco pulled out her chair.

  ‘You are smiling? Something amuses you?’

  ‘Gossip.’

  He glanced around. ‘In a hospital as large as this?’

  ‘Especially in this hospital.’ She followed his gaze. Tried not to look at Evie and Finn. ‘I hate gossip. It lives and breathes other people’s business. And here I am with the handsome Italian doctor who has operated on my daughter. I’m never seen with anyone.’

  ‘At least you notice something about me.’

  ‘You’re a bit hard to miss.’

  He looked around. ‘I too despise gossip.’ The memories tasted bitter in his mouth.

  Emily heard the underlying resentment and wondered where that had come from. The waitress arrived as soon as they’d picked up the menu and Emily put it down again and smiled at the girl. ‘We’ve only twenty minutes. Should we order food?’

  ‘Sure. Promise I’ll be quick. What would you like?’

  She looked at Marco. ‘Scones and cream?’

  Marco smiled at the young girl and she blushed all the way to the r
oots of her hair. ‘One hot chocolate, one coffee black, and two scones and cream. Per favore.’ The girl nodded and sped off.

  Well, that was that. She studied his face. He didn’t look tired. So maybe he really did manage on four hours’ sleep. She was beginning to droop. She stifled a yawn. ‘So tell me how it went.’

  ‘Very well. No complications. A simple scope and shunt away from the narrowed opening into the bladder. Initial ultrasound shows good drainage into the bladder already.’

  ‘Do you think my granddaughter’s kidneys will be very damaged?’

  His face softened and he reached across to touch her hand. Just that one stroke made her feel better. Comforted. His hand moved back. ‘This I cannot tell. We will hope not.’

  What did she expect? How could he know that? She just wanted reassurance but wisely he had promised nothing he couldn’t give. Still, she appreciated his empathy. He was a kind man.

  The hot drinks and scones arrived and they both smiled at the waitress. ‘So quick. Grazie.’

  ‘Wow.’ Emily too was impressed. ‘Thank you.’ The girl grinned and hurried off and almost bumped into Finn, who stood suddenly from his chair, almost knocking it over.

  He growled something at their waitress and shook off Evie’s hand before he stormed towards the door. Evie’s face looked white and drawn and Emily looked away. Maybe she could catch up with Evie later. Check she was okay. There was no doubt she was in love with the man who had just left her and Emily felt her heart go out to the younger woman. She’d picked a hard road there.

  ‘It seems our surgical chief is not happy.’ Marco too had seen.

  She refocussed on the man beside her. ‘I’m sorry?’

  ‘Finn. We met in the States a few years ago. Got on well.’

  Of course Marco would know him. They were both surgeons. She spread cream on the scone and then dropped a dollop of jam in the middle. ‘Evie’s tough. If anyone can bounce back from Finn’s ill humour, Evie can.’

  ‘And who is she?’

  ‘A medical officer here, a darned good one, but she’s more than that. Her father’s the hospital’s main benefactor, and the reason Sydney Harbour has so many ground-breaking programs.’

  ‘Lockheart?’

  ‘Yes. If rumour is to be believed, she and Finn have an on-again, off-again relationship that sometimes rattles the windows around here. But if I needed medical help, either of them would do fine by me.’

  And you would do fine by me, he thought, and the premonition that this woman could rock his stable skim-the-surface world seeped into his bones with a wary premonition. ‘I realise you have a lot on your mind but have you thought about dinner this evening?’

  ‘No.’ Not much anyway. ‘I really can’t think of anything until after I see Annie.’

  ‘Of course. Forgive me.’ He was not usually this impatient.

  They sipped their drinks and the silence became a little strained. She broke it. ‘So how long are you here? At Sydney Harbour?’

  ‘A month. Then I fly out to the US for a consultancy in New York. Last month it was London.’

  She sipped her cocoa and the heat seeped into her cold edges. His life sounded a little on the cool side too.

  Suddenly she wasn’t hungry. ‘It sounds a glamorous life.’ The creamy scone stared back at her. Like a red eye. She bet she had red eyes. Why on earth had this man asked her to breakfast? Kindness. That was all. Now she just needed to accept the favour and move on.

  ‘Si. Glamorous.’ He picked up his coffee and took a sip.

  ‘So where is home?’ At his frown she tried again. ‘Your family.’

  His expression didn’t change but she felt stillness come over him. And the temperature dropped another two degrees. So he didn’t like questions. ‘I have no family. I rent when I need. Mostly I work.’

  ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.’ She glanced at her watch and took another sip of her cocoa. ‘I might see if Annie is back.’

  He’d been abrupt. Closed her out like he always did when people asked about his family. No wonder she wanted to leave. What did he expect to happen? He never answered questions about himself. He’d learnt at a very young age when the police were eager for any news of his father. When neighbours had shunned his family as soon as they’d realised who they were.

  But this woman would never do that. The voice came from nowhere. Just a whisper, like she’d whispered yesterday to his thoughts, and he closed his ears.

  ‘I apologise.’ He glanced down at her uneaten scone. ‘Your food.’

  ‘I’m not really hungry.’ She yawned. ‘Excuse me.’ He wanted to pick her up and carry her to a big feather bed and tuck her in to sleep. Or not to sleep.

  He glanced around for the waitress and managed to catch her eye. She nodded and started their way.

  ‘We will go. See if Annie is back on the ward and then you must go home to bed.’ There was that thought again. Emily in bed. He dragged his mind away from her golden bob of hair lying next to his on the pillow.

  She dug into her bag for her wallet and he shook his head. ‘Please. Allow me.’ He laid a note on the table and stood up to help pull out her chair. The waitress arrived and he smiled and gestured with his hand that she keep the change.

  Emily stood and he followed her out of the kiosk back towards the wards. He wanted to ask if she would come with him tonight but he would not ask again. Perhaps after she’d seen her daughter he would know.

  CHAPTER THREE

  ‘HI, MA,’ Annie whispered sleepily. ‘They said my baby’s fine.’ She lay in a twin-bed room and the other stood turned back, waiting for June to return to the ward. ‘I’m gonna call her Rosebud.’

  Emily ached with the thick swell of love in her throat. At the moment her daughter could call her daughter Medusa and she wouldn’t mind. She was just glad Annie and her baby were okay. It was hard to realise her own baby was growing up. She didn’t want to think about the time when she left her completely. And her little gnome granddaughter was safe from further harm too. ‘That’s wonderful, darling.’ She squeezed the pale fingers on the sheet and stared mistily down at her daughter.

  ‘It all went very well, Annie.’ Marco’s deep voice rumbled in her ear and his presence felt like a man they’d known a lot longer than twenty-four hours.

  Emily stepped back to think about that, but he must have stepped forward at the same time.

  His hands came up to rest on her shoulders and her shoulders fitted snugly up against a wall of chest she’d only dreamed about. It felt too good to move but Emily’s attention flew to her daughter. Thankfully Annie’s long lashes rested on her pale cheeks as she drifted in a post-anaesthetic haze and she couldn’t see her mother’s weakness.

  From the pillow Annie’s eyelids didn’t flicker as her voice faded away. ‘Thank you, Marco.’ In her semi-doze Annie’s palm slid across the sheet to protect the small mound of her stomach and Emily let herself relax for a moment.

  Just enjoy the sensation of being held.

  Take the comfort he was no doubt offering. She hadn’t had a lot of that lately. Especially since Gran had died.

  But this was different from Gran’s gentle love. This was a virulent, protector of a man saying he was there for her, if only for the duration of her daughter’s recovery, and she’d be a fool to not accept it for what it was. She didn’t want to think about how some women had this twenty-four seven. It felt too damn good.

  But it wasn’t reality. She stepped away. ‘I’ll visit this afternoon, darling.’

  Annie opened her eyes. ‘Um. No. Don’t. I’m just gonna sleep. See me tomorrow, Mum. Have a rest.’

  Emily winced. ‘If that’s what you want.’ She chewed her lip. ‘You sure? I’ll have my phone. Just leave a message on my phone and I’ll come in.’

  Annie nodded sleepily. ‘Tomorrow. Love you.’

  ‘Love you, baby.’ She hesitated. Watched her daughter sink into a heavier sleep.

  Marco steered her towards the door. ‘
Come.’

  She flicked a glance at him and he grinned. ‘I do not know another word. Leave does not seem to work the same.’

  She smiled back. ‘Come is fine.’

  ‘Then—’ he deepened his voice to a tease ‘—come.’ They grinned at each other. ‘She looks well, your Annie, and we can hope not too much damage is done. But for now, sleepyhead, are you going to go home to worry?’

  ‘No. I don’t think I will.’ She’d try not to and think about leaning back into Marco’s arms. ‘I think I’ll sleep well.’

  ‘Good.’

  Then she thought of tonight, of the empty house. Of waking this afternoon after the four hours’ sleep she never seemed to be able to improve on, and wondering what it would have been like to go out with this handsome man, do something that would take her mind off the worry. Or she could sit at home and think about Annie. And maybe one day she could go on a dinner cruise on Sydney harbour on her own.

  ‘I’m wondering...’ She hesitated but he’d stopped and his attention was fully on her. ‘Um. Dinner. What time?’

  She had to guess he hadn’t found anyone between hot chocolate and now.

  * * *

  So that was how she came to be dressed, waiting, scanning herself in the mirror. Wondering if the top was too old, should she wear a scarf? Could she still walk in high heels—it had been so long!

  The doorbell drilled her like a cold knife and she glared at the mirror. Nerves. She was a big girl, dump the nerves, put on the smile and let the man take you out. You know you fancy him and he’s only here for a month.

  This would be good practice for the time when Annie left for her own life. He’d said he’d pick her up so he had a car, must have hired one if he was only here for a month. She kept coming back to that. Just a month. Too short to lose her heart. She hoped.

  She peeked out from behind the lace curtain. She hadn’t expected an Aston Martin. Or the open-necked black shirt. He was standing at the door. Looking around. Waiting for her to answer, and she was watching him with nerves flapping like pelicans in her belly.