Safe in His Hands

by Amy Ruttan

“Are you ready, Dr. Devlyn, Dr. Patterson?” the anesthesiologist asked.

  “Yes,” Quinn replied, his voice steady and calm, which reassured Charlotte. “Ready when you are, Dr. Horne.”

  Dr. Horne stepped forward. “We’re going to put you under now, Mrs. Tikivik.” A nurse placed an oxygen mask over Mentlana’s face while Dr. Horne injected something into her IV line. “Just breathe deeply, Mrs. Tikivik. Good. Now start to count back from one hundred, please.”

  Charlotte left Mentlana’s side as she counted, each number sounding more and more slurred. She stood beside Quinn.

  “How are you feeling?” Quinn whispered.

  “Fine. Dr. Patterson gave me something for nausea, but I’m ready to assist. How are you?”

  “Excellent. This will be a success, Charlotte.”

  “Do you promise?”

  “I never promise.”

  Charlotte bit her lip. “I know you can’t.”

  He leaned over and whispered, “Off the record, I do. I promise.”

  “The patient is sedated,” Dr. Horne said.

  “All right, ladies and gentleman, let’s proceed.” Dr. Patterson stepped forward to perform the incision. “Ten blade.”

  Charlotte watched in wonder and amazement as Dr. Patterson skillfully operated on Mentlana, exposing her uterus and cutting into it. It’d been a long time since she’d assisted in surgery and she’d forgotten what a thrill it was, but she wouldn’t trade this thrill for the high she got by dealing with her patients every day.

  Often she wondered if she’d done the right thing by turning down a residency as a surgeon and entering general practice, but standing here and knowing every aspect of Mentlana’s medical history, whereas these specialized surgeons only knew snippets, made Charlotte realize she’d made the right choice. Charlotte knew everything about her patients. She knew and understood the whole picture, and for that she was thankful.

  “We’re ready now, Dr. Devlyn.” Dr. Patterson stepped back.

  Charlotte looked at Quinn and nodded. You can do this, Quinn. She hoped she conveyed everything she wanted to say to him in a single look as he moved into position and began the fetal resection.

  She stood by his side, waiting to see if she’d be needed, but he didn’t ask her for help. His hands were fluid and gentle as he carefully lifted the baby out of Mentlana’s abdomen and began the surgery to remove the lesion.

  “Amazing,” Dr. Richards whispered behind Charlotte. She glanced over her shoulder to see the pediatric specialist watching Quinn with total hero-worship.

  Charlotte grinned in admiration at the man she loved, handling the baby so gently. The procedure flew by. He’d been so terrified that he’d need her, that he’d hurt or kill the baby, but he’d had nothing to worry about. All Charlotte did was hold the retractor and Bernice handed him the instruments he required.

  “Damn,” Quinn cursed.

  The blood drained out of Charlotte’s face as he paused, the baby resting in his hand.

  “Dr. Devlyn?” Bernice questioned.

  Quinn shot Charlotte a look.

  “Cramp?” she asked.

  “Yes.” There was tension in his voice.

  “Are you okay, Dr. Devlyn?” Patterson asked.

  “Perfectly. My stamina is the worse for wear, but if Dr. James assists me, I should be fine. I’m almost finished.”

  Charlotte nodded. “Dr. Richards, please hold the retractor for me.”

  Dr. Richards stepped forward and she slipped her hand over Charlotte’s, taking the retractor without moving it and applying the same pressure Charlotte had been using.

  Charlotte gently gripped Quinn’s hand. The muscles were taut, and she began to palpate the palm, easing the muscles.

  “You can do it,” she said under her breath, encouraging him.

  Quinn nodded and finished the resection. Charlotte stared down at the almost-full-term baby. Though he had ten weeks to go, he was beautiful, with the start of a full crop of thick black hair and some baby fat was beginning to flesh out his limbs. The baby’s body was still covered in protective lanugo. Tears stung her eyes as she looked into that tiny, precious face. Mentlana and Genen’s whole world, being held in Quinn’s healing hands.

  Live.

  “There,” Quinn announced, relief and joy in his voice. “Help me place the fetus back in the womb, Dr. James.”

  “Of course.” She cupped her hands underneath Quinn’s and they gently placed the baby back in his mother’s uterus.

  “Amazing,” Dr. Richards whispered again in awe.

  “It is.” Quinn’s gaze locked with Charlotte’s just for a brief moment. As they placed the baby back in utero the baby’s arm shot out of the incision and latched onto Quinn’s finger, squeezing it.

  A sob caught in Charlotte’s throat as she watched the baby in amazement. The tiny infant was reaching out for human contact and comfort.

  “Will you...?” Quinn’s voice shook. “Help me, Charlotte.”

  She brushed the little hand off Quinn’s finger, despite its firm grip, and set it back in place.

  “She’s all yours, Dr. Patterson,” Quinn said, stepping back.

  “Thank you, Dr. Devlyn. Okay, let’s get Mrs. Tikivik closed. Zero Vicryl, please, Bernice.”

  Quinn walked away from Mentlana towards the scrub room. His job was done. Charlotte didn’t follow but remained by Mentlana’s side. She was confident Dr. Patterson and Dr. Richards would be able to handle the rest of the surgery expertly, but she’d promised her friend that she wouldn’t leave.

  Charlotte glanced over towards the scrub room. She wanted to follow Quinn, wanted to hold him in her arms and thank him for saving her friend’s life, but that would come later. She moved around to Mentlana’s head. The anesthesiologist was monitoring the machines and Charlotte pulled over a rolling stool and sat by her friend. Ignoring the tube that helped Mentlana breathe and her taped eyes, she stroked her friend’s hair, hoping Mentlana could sense her presence.

  “Everything’s all right, Lana,” she whispered. “The baby is fine.”

  And I’ll be fine, too.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  QUINN KNEW CHARLOTTE couldn’t follow him out. He knew she’d be faithful and remain by Mentlana’s side, but right now he could use her. He needed to see her friendly face and share in the joy that was surging through him.

  I did it.

  His hands shook as he leaned against the cold tiled wall of the scrub room. He peeled the rubber gloves from his hands, disposed of them and then removed the surgical gown and stuffed it into the laundry bin, followed by his scrub cap.

  His knees were wobbly as he pressed his foot against the bar, allowing the water in the scrub sink to rush over his skin without having to touch anything. Quinn glanced down at his hands, his broken one and the scars that crisscrossed his skin, scars he’d been ashamed of. They no longer bothered him.

  They represented a point in his life he’d rather forget and wished had never happened. The memory of the accident that had almost cost him his life would remain with him, but the crash would no longer haunt him. Anything life could throw at him was not insurmountable, not with Charlotte by his side.

  In that moment when the baby had reached out and curled his hand around his finger, squeezing him to let him know he was there and alive, had been a miracle.

  Never in his years as a fetal surgeon had he ever experienced such a moment, such an affirmation of life.

  A life he’d saved.

  He’d survived the accident that had damaged his hand, when so many hadn’t. He was lucky he had been given a second chance, at surgery and at a future with Charlotte.

  Quinn scrubbed his hands. He’d been terrified at the prospect of this moment, but had kept it to himself.

 
Now there was one more life he had to save.

  His own.

  There was no way he was going to allow Charlotte to walk out of his life again because they couldn’t agree to practice medicine in the same place. Quinn was not going to make the same mistake twice.

  He was lucky she hadn’t moved on, that she was still single and wanted him. He wasn’t going to tempt fate. This time the odds were in his favor. The fates were smiling on him and he was going to make everything right.

  Quinn left the O.R. suites. First he’d find Genen and update him on his wife and child and then he was going to make some changes.

  It was time to stop being so selfish.

  It was time to live.

  * * *

  “Where am I?”

  Charlotte straightened and leaned over Mentlana’s bed in the recovery room. She took her friend’s hand and rubbed it gently. Mentlana was still groggy. They’d woken her in the O.R. after the surgery was complete, but she hadn’t been quite awake after several general nudges.

  Charlotte remained by her bedside in Recovery, wanting to tell Mentlana herself that her son would be fine.

  “Where am I?” Mentlana asked again.

  “Recovery.”

  “Charley?”

  “I’m here.” Charlotte smiled as Mentlana’s eyes fluttered open.

  “Thank you for staying with me.” Mentlana’s eyes closed again.

  “Don’t fall asleep again. You need to stay awake.” Charlotte stood and gestured to one of the nurses. “They’re going to check on you, okay?”

  “Don’t go, Charley. Please.”

  “I promise I won’t.”

  Charlotte stepped back so the recovery-room nurses could check Mentlana’s vitals, the baby’s vitals and the incision, but she stayed where Mentlana could see her. The effects of the anesthesia were wearing off. Charlotte watched as Mentlana came out of her haze of medication.

  “I’ll be back again in ten minutes, Dr. James,” the nurse said as she drew the curtain around Mentlana. Charlotte sat back down.

  “How’s the pain?” she asked, rubbing Mentlana’s leg.

  She winced, her face pale. “Not pleasant, but the nurse shot some morphine into my butt.”

  Charlotte grinned. “You should be feeling good in a few minutes.”

  Mentlana nodded. “So tell me. I’m ready to hear whatever you have to say, good or bad.”

  “All good,” Charlotte whispered, barely containing her glee.

  Mentlana perked up, more alert. “What?”

  “Dr. Devlyn corrected the baby’s CCAM. If we can keep him inside you for a bit longer and get him closer to term, everything should be okay.”

  Tears began to roll down Mentlana’s face, and her shoulders shook as she reached out and grasped Charlotte’s arm. “It hurts to cry.”

  Charlotte tried to swallow the lump in her throat but couldn’t, and soon she was weeping in joy along with her friend.

  “Thank you,” Mentlana said, wiping away the tears with the back of her hand.

  “You’re welcome.”

  “You thank Quinn, too.” Mentlana closed her eyes, tears still streaming. “I don’t even know how to begin to thank him.”

  “You’ll find a way.” Charlotte’s voice was still wobbly and she cleared her throat to regain her composure. “Why don’t you make him a great big honking plate of muktuk?”

  Mentlana grinned. “Perhaps I should, but I think he’d rather receive my thanks through you. He didn’t come up here because he’s a humanitarian, Charley. If you were just any old physician he wouldn’t have come. He would’ve found another one or I would’ve had to fly to Toronto and break the bank to do it. The reason he came up here, at his own expense, was you.”

  Warmth crept up Charlotte’s neck. Mentlana spoke the truth. Quinn loved her and she loved him. “Still, I think he has a certain fondness for you, Mentlana.”

  “Good. Or I’d have to kick him in that soft spot I spoke of before.” Mentlana winked. “Don’t let him get away, Charley. Don’t let him walk away from you and that precious bundle you carry. Even if it means you have to leave us in Cape Recluse and head to the bright lights of the city.”

  “I won’t.” Charlotte stood. “I know I’ll have to leave here to live in Toronto. I’ll miss you.”

  “And I you, but you can always visit. You do know how to fly.”

  Charlotte laughed and stroked Mentlana’s face affectionately. “The nurses are going to give me heck for getting you all emotionally riled up.”

  A devilish grin spread across Mentlana’s face. “I’ll tell them where to go. You helped save my baby. You and Dr. Devlyn have given me everything I’ve ever wanted.”

  Charlotte kissed her forehead. “Rest. I’ll see you later.”

  “Tell him, Charley. Tell him and don’t let him go.”

  Charlotte nodded and left the recovery room. Her heart was singing with joy as she walked down the corridor of the hospital with a spring in her step.

  Tell him, Charley. Tell him and don’t let him go. Mentlana’s words were weighing on her. Her friend had never been so right. For five years she’d waited and mourned the loss of their baby and the loss of Quinn.

  Now he was back in her life and she was pregnant again. She’d do anything to keep Quinn in her life, even if it meant leaving the North and moving to the city, be it Toronto, Manhattan or Abu Dhabi. Charlotte didn’t care. She just wanted Quinn.

  She had to be flexible and not so stubborn.

  Charlotte’s hand drifted down over her abdomen and she thought about the little life just starting out in her womb. She meant to go and find Quinn, tell him how she felt and how she was willing to go anywhere, risk everything to be with him.

  This was for the best. Her baby needed a father. She’d finally have the family she’d always dreamed of since she’d lost her parents.

  She also needed Quinn. Charlotte was aware of that now. She couldn’t live without him.

  Her phone buzzed and she pulled it out. Quinn had texted her, asking her to meet him in the on-call room on the fourth floor.

  A heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders and right now she was going to make everything right. She wasn’t going to let Quinn Devlyn get away. She was going to show him exactly what he meant to her and she hoped he’d feel the same.

  The on-call door was open and she slipped inside the room. When she entered, Quinn was seated on a cot, his elbows resting on his knees as he stared at a small box in his hands. He looked down at it, seeming sad and puzzled. What did he have to be sad about? He should be rejoicing. Two lives had been saved. A miracle had been performed, thanks to him. Charlotte crossed the room and sat down next to him, placing her hand on his knee.

  “Quinn, are you all right?”

  He gazed at her and smiled. “Of course.”

  Charlotte let out a sigh of relief. “I thought you were upset.”

  He shook his head. “Fine. I’m fine. How’s Mentlana?”

  “Sore, but very grateful.” Charlotte kissed his cheek. “You did it. You kept your promise to me.”

  “My hands cramped, but I did it. With your help.”

  “They’re healed. I hope this outcome gives you more confidence.”

  “It gives me a bit.” He grinned.

  “It should give you more than a bit, Quinn. You’re a surgeon, a surgical god again. Unfortunately, our outcomes are not always what we want or expect, but if we don’t try...if we don’t try to save a life, that’s the real crime.”

  Quinn leaned over and kissed her, a tender kiss that brought tears to her eyes. He stroked her face. “I’m ready to come back from my sabbatical.”

  Charlotte’s heart skipped a beat, her stomach churned. He was going to return to surgery
, but where was the big question. Wherever it was, she’d follow him. She was ready, as much as she hated living in the city.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, confused. “Look, I know you don’t want to live in the city...”

  “No. I’m certain of what I want, too.”

  “Certain of what?”

  “That I can leave here to follow you.” She ran her fingers along his jaw, the stubble tickling her fingertips. “I’ll go wherever you need to. Wherever you want to.”

  “You don’t have to leave. You belong up here. This is your home.”

  “Quinn, you’re my life now. Wherever you are, I’m home. I won’t lose you.”

  “You won’t. I was made an offer by this hospital to be the head of the neonatal unit. They want a state-of-the-art facility here and I’m the surgeon they want to lead that project. I accepted, Charlotte.”

  Charlotte was floored. Her mouth dropped open. She knew she must look like a gaping fish by the way Quinn started to laugh. “You...you what?”

  “I’m head of the up-and-coming new neonatal unit. Honestly, Charlotte, how hard can that be to understand?” He was teasing her.

  “What about your chief of surgery position in Toronto? The one your father groomed you for?”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “My life is with you and your life is here. You wouldn’t be happy in Toronto, in close proximity to my mother.”

  “I thought you hated the North. The cold? The ice?”

  “I did, but that was the old me. I’ll grow used to the cold, and there are other aspects I love, but the most important draw is you, Charlotte. Besides, there are always vacations.” Quinn stood and pulled her into his arms. “I love you, Charlotte. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be so damn happy again.”

  “And I love you.”

  “I do have one condition, though, and it does involve a city.”

  Charlotte cocked an eyebrow. “Oh?”

  “You need to find another physician for Cape Recluse. I need my wife in Iqaluit with me.”

  “Deal.” Charlotte kissed him, lightly brushing her lips against his.

  Charlotte knew there was no way she was going to be able to hold back her tears. She was getting everything she wanted. Cape Recluse wasn’t too far away that she couldn’t keep an eye on it from Iqaluit—she could easily open a practice in the city. All she wanted was Quinn. She wouldn’t be obstinate. He was sacrificing big money and the metropolitan way of life for her.