The Secret Between Them

by Clark, Lucy

  ‘Yes. We must get these treatments started.’ But as they walked away in opposite directions, Sunainah’s heart yearned to be with Elliot, to ensure Joshua was indeed all right. She loved that little boy as though he were her own.

  And his father? She closed her eyes for a moment, recalling the way she had felt in his arms, with his mouth pressed to hers. So perfect. So right. A few weeks ago she had not even known Elliot and Joshua and Daphne existed but now she could not bear to be parted from that little family. Was this normal?

  She shook her head, knowing she had to find a way to put her personal thoughts on hold so she could focus on her job. So many of her patients needed her right now and she owed it to all of them, not just Joshua, to do her best to treat them. She followed Bergan, pleased she now had a treatment plan to follow, hoping Tarvon’s information was correct.

  As she administered the medication and stood watch over the two patients in A and E, waiting for them to show signs of stabilising, of the pain in their legs to decrease, of the fever to start dropping, she managed to call the paediatric ward so she could at least get an update on Joshua.

  ‘Temperature has dropped half a point and he’s not whimpering in pain any more.’ Elliot’s smooth voice came down the line, washing over Sunainah and renewing her strength.

  She sighed with relief. ‘That is excellent news. My two patients here are showing similar signs. I am about to arrange their transfer to the ward.’

  ‘Good. Good.’

  Sunainah closed her eyes, allowing his warm, rich tones to wash over her. It was a selfish thing to do but she needed it. ‘You sound more at ease.’ Talking to Elliot, being near him, working alongside him had the ability to strengthen her. Yes, she was indeed most selfish because she wanted these sensations to continue for ever.

  ‘I am. Joshie is picking up. Mackenzie sent me a text to say Daphne is sleeping soundly in the spare bed in Ruthie’s room so at least I know she’s all right too.’

  ‘I am happy to hear it.’

  ‘Plus, there’s you.’

  ‘Me?’

  ‘I can cope better with things like sick children when you’re near me.’

  ‘Oh?’ At his words, her heart rate, which felt as though it had only just settled into a more normal rhythm, began to beat double time against her chest. She was glad she was sitting down and that there were not too many of the nursing staff around her at the moment, providing her with a bit of privacy.

  ‘Sunainah, I want you to know that I’ve heard what you’ve said, that you’re...married, but I also know there’s a lot more to this story than you’re telling me. But I want you to know that I’m not easily scared. With what I’ve been through these past few years, watching Marie die, having her family blame me for her death, entrusting them with Daphne, only to be hauled into court to be told I wasn’t a good father, I’ve realised I’m a lot stronger than I thought.’ His voice had dropped to a more intimate level and her heart pierced with pain at his words.

  ‘Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, they did, but that’s all in the past. It’s been dealt with and I know Marie would have been terribly hurt had she seen the behaviour of her parents and sisters, with the way they were desperate to have Daphne live with them because it was the only way they knew how to hold on to a part of their daughter. I can understand the psychology behind their actions but on an emotional level it was imperative for me to leave town, to uproot my children, to leave my friends and colleagues and start again.

  ‘And then I met you.’ He paused. ‘I’ve felt love before, Sunainah. My marriage, although short, was a happy one, and while I will always love Marie, I also know she didn’t want me to be alone. Not only that, she told me to find someone special to help me raise the children.’

  ‘Elliot—’

  ‘Just a moment. Hear me out. I want you to know that whatever this is...this thing between us, Sunainah, I’m very interested. My children think the world of you, especially Joshua. He does not like strangers, doesn’t like people he doesn’t know holding him and yet the very first time we met he went to sleep in your arms.’

  ‘He was not well,’ she felt compelled to point out.

  ‘Even so, it was very out of character for my little man, but now I see that he was right all along. His actions showed me you were indeed someone to be trusted, someone who was very caring and giving and loving. That’s rare and special.’ He exhaled slowly and she could imagine him up in the quiet ward, leaning back in one of the chairs at the nurses’ station, his eyes closed as he spoke quietly to her on the phone.

  ‘I felt horrible leaving Daphne tonight, palming her off on Mackenzie and John, and even though I know she’s fine and she’s happy, I still feel guilty, Sunainah. I could have brought her with us to the hospital but then I wouldn’t have been able to give one hundred per cent of my attention to Joshua, who needed me. I know I’m fortunate to have such wonderful neighbours and, believe me, I appreciate that more than I can say, but I still feel guilty. I left her behind before and I want to make sure I never do it again.’

  Sunainah’s heart felt his pain, his anguish, and she recalled similar words from her father, words it had taken him well over two decades to confess to her.

  ‘You’ve been too sheltered,’ her father had once said when she had spent yet another night playing card games with him and finishing off a jigsaw puzzle. ‘You should be going out. Having fun. Meeting people your own age. Meeting men. Getting married. Having a family of your own.’

  ‘I am fine, Father.’

  Her father had shaken his head, his tone filling with repressed emotion. ‘I should have taken better care of you, Sunainah.’

  ‘You did. You took excellent care of both my mother and myself.’ Sunainah had placed her hand on her father’s shoulder. ‘We were happy.’

  She had not wanted to point out that she could not get married as she was already legally married, because it was a subject on which her father had confessed to feeling his greatest failure. Not only the failure, as he had seen it, of protecting his daughter from the cultural tradition of arranged marriages but also of getting the marriage annulled.

  For so long neither of them had spoken of it, and as her father’s dementia had increased, he had become muddled as to whether he had finally achieved his goal of ‘rescuing’ his daughter’s honour. She had always thought he had ‘taken care of’ things, as he had promised her, and it had only been when she and Raj had filed the paperwork for a marriage licence that she had discovered she was still married. That had been five years ago and she remained wed to a man in India she barely knew.

  Sunainah hated to think about that time in her life, of her forced marriage to Amir. It was filled with too much pain and confusion as well as the terror of being a fourteen-year-old girl married off to thirty-five-year-old man. It had not been her father’s fault and she had never blamed him. When he had discovered what Sunainah’s grandfather had done he had most certainly come to her rescue, whisking her back to his home country of England. She had never returned to India and she did not want to.

  Yes, she wanted Elliot to protect Daphne and to continue to protect his daughter for the rest of the little girl’s life, but in the light of tonight’s events it had been the logical course of action to ensure Daphne was not only safe with Mackenzie and John but also happy. Knowing Daphne and the way she not only loved her brother but with her need to always help, the little girl might have been distraught to know Joshua was sick.

  ‘You did the right thing, leaving her with Mackenzie,’ Sunainah offered after a long moment of silence. ‘And I want you to know you are a good father, Elliot.’

  ‘Even though I’m constantly second-guessing myself? Even though I fell to pieces when Joshua’s temperature spiked?’

  ‘Yes. It is because you are second-guessing yourself that you are a good fath
er. All parents worry about their children and they all show it in different ways. Remember Mr Preedy? How he blustered and bullied because he thought little Rory was not getting any better?’

  ‘I hope I’m not that bad.’

  Sunainah chuckled and opened her eyes, feeling the intense emotions Elliot had evoked within her beginning to subside to a more normal level. ‘You are not, thank goodness.’

  ‘You, lady, are good for my ego.’

  She laughed again and sat up straighter in the chair. ‘I had better go and check on my patients and then I will come up to the ward. I have already jotted down some notes for a protocol document to be sent to the other hospitals about the treatment Tarvon has suggested. From what I can see, it definitely appears to be working.’

  ‘Agreed. The sooner treatment can begin the better, and that can only happen if all staff know what signs and symptoms to be looking for. OK. I’ll go check on Joshua and the other patients and I’ll see you when you come up.’ He paused, then, before he rang off, he said, ‘Thanks for listening to me, Sunainah.’

  ‘It is my pleasure,’ she told him, not at all surprised when a warm blush of happiness seemed to envelop her. A few sweet, appreciative words from Elliot and she was once more reduced to mush. He rang off and Sunainah slowly put the receiver down as Bergan walked into the A and E nurses’ station.

  ‘Everything all right?’ Bergan asked.

  ‘Yes. Yes, Elliot’s son is doing much better.’

  ‘I meant is everything all right with you?’ Bergan clarified.

  Sunainah looked into the eyes of her friend, a woman who had been through a lot of heartbreak and hardship herself, and knew she could not fob Bergan off with placating words. ‘I am confused and concerned and...’

  ‘Falling for Elliot?’

  Sunainah gasped in shock. ‘You can tell?’

  Bergan smiled and gave her friend a quick hug. ‘We’re all here for you, Sunainah. Mackenzie, Reggie and I. Whatever you need. Navigating the rocky path of love can be pretty tricky but...’ Bergan sighed in a romantic way, her gaze straying to just past Sunainah where Richard was standing. ‘It’s worth it. Well worth it.’

  Richard walked over and slipped his arm around Bergan’s waist, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. ‘There’s my wife.’ He looked at Sunainah and winked. ‘Nothing like working side by side with the woman you love.’ He returned his attention to Bergan. ‘Ready? The drop-in youth centre is awaiting our presence.’

  ‘Almost,’ Bergan said, and looked at Sunainah. ‘You’re fine getting the treatment plan for Hergeldorct Tela fever out to other hospitals?’

  ‘Yes. Elliot and I will take care of it and ensure it is posted up on the relevant online bulletin boards. You two go. I must get to the ward.’ Sunainah smiled at her friends and headed off to the ward, still unused to seeing Bergan looking so happy.

  Was she right? Were these confusing emotions she felt for Elliot really worth fighting for? What if it led her down the path of pain? She had been there before with Rajesh. He had said he would look after her, he had promised they would have a long and happy life together, and then he had broken her heart when he had discovered her past.

  Would Elliot be able to cope with what had happened to her? With the details of her marriage and the fact that she was emotionally powerless to deal with it?

  The instant she entered the paediatric ward Elliot greeted her with a large, beaming smile and for just a moment all her doubts fled. When she looked into his eyes, when she was standing near him and having him smile at her in such an all-encompassing way, she truly believed she could handle anything. He took her hand in his and pulled her towards the far end of the ward where Nicole had set up an isolation area.

  ‘Come and see him, Sunainah. He’s doing so much better. Come and see.’ Elliot was so happy. ‘After I got off the phone to you I checked on him and the other patients and it was just...spectacular.’

  He tugged her along with him impatiently, and she couldn’t help but smile at the change in his mood. Here was not only a doctor who was pleased the treatment had worked but a father who was elated his son’s condition was improving in leaps and bounds.

  They entered the isolation area where several of the young children who had been afflicted with the odd symptoms of Hergeldorct Tela fever were starting to improve.

  ‘The treatment is most definitely working.’ She nodded as she waved to some of her patients who were now able to sit up in their beds before heading over to where Joshua was lying in his cot. Her smile increased as she looked down at him, and when he held his arms up to her, indicating he wanted her to pick him up, she could not help the tears that came to her eyes.

  ‘I told you he was feeling better.’ Elliot, filled with fatherly pride, stood next to her as she carefully picked Joshua up from his cot, mindful of the IV drip in the little boy’s arm. The instant Joshua was close, she closed her eyes and buried her face in his cute little neck, breathing in the life that was surrounding him.

  ‘Oh, Joshua. We were so worried,’ she whispered, knowing the little boy would not completely understand her words. ‘You are so precious, little one.’ She dropped a kiss on his head then opened her eyes, surprised to find Elliot watching her with great interest. He nodded, as though satisfied with her response, his deep blue eyes filled with delight.

  Sunainah found herself unable to move, looking at him looking at her. She was holding his son as though she were the boy’s mother, and that did not seem to bother Elliot one little bit. Indeed, all he did was step closer and put his arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer as Joshua snuggled further into her arms.

  ‘Thank you, Sunainah.’ His words were barely above a whisper, and as she continued to look up into his face, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs, she had the fleeting thought that Elliot might actually kiss her, right here, in the ward, in front of everyone.

  She blinked once then swallowed, her lips parting slightly as she suddenly realised she wouldn’t care if he did. In fact, to feel his mouth pressed to hers once more would be absolutely perfect because her heart was presently hammering out his name.

  Joshua shifted, trying to get more comfortable in her arms, and it was his small movements that brought Sunainah out of the wonderful dream. She edged away from Elliot, murmuring softly that she had best put Joshua back in his cot so he could continue to rest.

  When she was near Elliot she felt confused. When she was apart from him she felt confused. Would there ever be a day when the confusion would lift and she would receive some level of understanding as to exactly what was happening to her?

  They spent a few more minutes with Joshua then Sunainah checked on the other patients, pleased the treatment was most definitely working. Every time she moved she was highly conscious of Elliot’s presence, wondering whether he had felt that same undercurrent of desire that had pulsed through her.

  ‘I had better go and write up the treatment protocol for the other hospitals to follow,’ she remarked as she left the isolation area, unable to meet Elliot’s gaze.

  What had he seen as they’d stood there, staring at each other, his son in her arms? Had he seen just how much his son meant to her? That she cared for him more than she did for her other patients? Did he see that she was happy because his son was getting better? Heaven forbid he realise that his nearness, his closeness, the touch of his arm about her shoulders, binding them together into one unit, was a dream she wished would come true.

  She almost raced to her office, needing some space, some privacy, some hope of finding peace with the multitude of confusing emotions pulsing through her.

  It’s worth it. Well worth it. Bergan’s words repeated in Sunainah’s mind as she sat behind her desk and switched on her computer. Was it? What would happen when Elliot found out the truth about her marriage? Would he understand? Would he think it ri
diculous or old-fashioned? Would he blame her for her cowardice in refusing to deal with the entire situation?

  She forced her wayward thoughts back into line and began typing up the necessary information for the treatment of Hergeldorct Tela fever and emailed it to the necessary online medical bulletin boards, as well as to the other hospitals who had reported cases of the condition. She also noticed that Pacific Medical Aid, the company with which Daniel Tarvon and his German colleague worked, had also put information up on their website.

  She scanned it quickly but now her thoughts kept returning to the way Elliot had looked at her. The way he had held her close.

  She closed her eyes, unable to believe the security she had felt in Elliot’s arms. What had she been thinking? Elliot had come here to start a new life, to give his children a fresh start, and she was sure that would not include becoming embroiled in her own problems. He did not need that stress in his life. This was her burden to carry. She had been doing it for so long now it was second nature to her, but to try and explain it to—

  She jumped as the door to her office opened. Elliot came in, closing the door quietly behind him. Sunainah stood, a question on her lips, but she had no chance to ask it as Elliot covered the remaining distance between them, scooped her into his arms and pressed his mouth to hers.

  CHAPTER NINE

  NOTHING ELSE MATTERED except the feeling of being in Elliot’s arms, of the enticing way his mouth was creating havoc with her senses. It felt so right, so perfect to be with him like that, and the thought that it would all end when he finally learned the truth about her filled her with despair.

  She clung to him, matching his need with perfect synchronicity. How was it possible to feel such powerful emotions and know them to be wrong? As the combined heat between them began to rise, Elliot shifted slightly, bringing his hands up to the nape of her neck, where he started pulling the pins from her hair, throwing them heedlessly on the floor until her hair had been pulled from the band and was floating freely around her shoulders.