The Honourable Maverick / The Unsung Hero

by Alison Roberts / Kate Hardy

  ‘Hey, buddy.’ He winked at Josh as they positioned themselves near an old sundial in a corner of the garden. ‘How’s it going?’

  Josh eyed him warily.

  ‘I’m Rick.’

  ‘I know. You’re Max’s friend.’

  ‘Yep.’ Both men spoke together and then Max put his arm over Josh’s shoulders as cameras whirred. ‘Rick’s got a Ducati too. Just like mine.’ He raised an eyebrow at Rick. ‘Josh was looking at that photo of us last night. With the bikes.’

  ‘Max said he might give me a ride one day.’

  ‘Cool.’ Rick had no trouble smiling for the camera. Maybe this was it. His ticket for getting to know Sarah. Max was going to be very busy settling into married life. He could offer to give Josh that ride.

  ‘I don’t think so.’

  Sarah held out her hand to accept the glass of juice she had requested at the drinks table, congratulating herself on being so restrained.

  Had Rick been waiting for a moment when she was away from everybody else to make his unwelcome offer to give Josh a ride on his motorbike?

  Over my dead body had been the words that first sprang to mind but she had managed—with difficulty—to stop them emerging. She didn’t want to antagonise this man. OK, maybe this was a long shot but it was the only shot she had left and she couldn’t afford to throw it away. And maybe she should have been as prepared for something like this as for the way Rick was making no secret of finding her attractive.

  He was totally irresponsible. The kind of good-looking—well, OK, make that great-looking guy who skated through life getting everything he wanted and to hell with any less than pleasant consequences. How old was he? Thirty-five or-six? High time he woke up and smelled the coffee, that’s for sure, but what was she going to do if he simply refused?

  ‘I’m not suggesting anything remotely dangerous.’ Rick pulled a can of lager from the nest of ice in a big silver tub. ‘Just a slow crawl around the block, or something.’

  The smile revealed that Rick Wilson usually got what he wanted and no wonder. It was a winning smile, for sure. Confident and lazy. Softening a face of definite lines and a shadowed jaw that had ‘bad boy’ stamped all over it. Soft, dark hair that had been neatly combed into place a while back but the breeze in this outdoor setting had detached a single lock that almost touched an equally dark eyebrow. Eyes that had a hint of mischief that any woman would have trouble resisting.

  Any other woman, that was.

  ‘I don’t think so,’ Sarah repeated, trying very hard not to put a punctuation mark between each word. She even added a smile of her own. ‘But thanks anyway.’

  His smile faded. A tiny frown appeared between his eyes.

  Oh…help.

  As if in answer to the silent plea, there was a rustle of silk beside her and Ellie reached for one of the cans in the tub of ice.

  ‘For Max.’ She grinned in response to Rick’s raised eyebrows. ‘He’s got his hands full of baby at the moment.’ Then she looked from Rick to Sarah and she paused, her eyes widening.

  Sarah gave her head a tiny shake. No, she hadn’t broken her promise.

  ‘Rick was just offering to give Josh a ride on his bike,’ she said, her tone carefully neutral.

  ‘Oh…’ Ellie bit her lip, giving Rick an oddly sympathetic glance. ‘Um…Josh’s mother was killed when she was a pillion passenger on her boyfriend’s bike,’ she said quietly.

  Rick winced visibly. ‘Sorry.’

  ‘No worries. You weren’t to know.’ Sarah could see Josh approaching. ‘Here’s your juice,’ she said brightly. ‘Want something to eat as well?’

  ‘Nah. I’ve already had heaps. Can we go down to the beach? Max says there’s a jetty and you can go fishing.’

  ‘Maybe another day. We’re here for the wedding, remember? And not for too much longer, either. You don’t want to get too tired when you’re going to be starting school again this week.’

  This wasn’t going well.

  If it wasn’t his wedding day, he might have given Max a bit of stick for setting him up for that little disaster of offering Josh the opportunity to get maimed or worse.

  He still could, if he made a joke of it, but there was something even more disturbing that needed his attention urgently.

  Sarah was talking to Jet now. Smiling and nodding at something he was saying. Rick broke off the conversation he was having with some theatre nurses he knew and moved in their direction. The clock was ticking here because who knew how long it would be before she whisked Josh off home? And what if she was busy agreeing to a date or something? No. Rick could be pretty sure he was safe on that score. Jet wouldn’t go near a woman who had a child. The mere mention of babies had been enough at times for his mate to hold up crossed fingers and make a hissing sound to ward off bad voodoo.

  ‘We’ll have to see how it goes,’ Sarah was saying as he got close enough to hear. ‘One step at a time.’

  ‘Hey…’ Jet seemed happy enough to include Rick in the conversation. ‘Did you know Sarah’s a specialised ICU nurse? She’s coming back to work at Queen Mary’s next week.’

  ‘Just casual to start with,’ Sarah added. ‘I’m not sure how it’ll go. All depends on Josh, of course.’

  ‘Of course.’ Rick gave up trying to find a smooth opening line. Instead, he went for something much more mundane. ‘Our paths will be crossing. I spend quite a good percentage of my time in ICU.’

  ‘You’re a neurosurgeon, yes?’

  ‘Yes.’ This was good. Had she been asking someone about him? Even better that she would be working in that department. Given that neurosurgery was often the main specialty involved in cases like head injuries, he often spent considerable periods of time in ICU. But then he frowned.

  ‘Coming back? You’ve worked there before?’ Surely he would have spotted her. In the unit or the cafeteria. Even the car park, dammit. He was absolutely certain he would have noticed.

  Sarah’s expression was rueful. ‘I applied for a job and got it but I never actually did a shift. That was when Josh got diagnosed.’

  ‘ALL?’ Jet queried.

  Sarah’s nod was grim. Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia was the stuff of parental nightmares. ‘The next few months were a bit of a blur. All the invasive diagnostic tests and then induction chemotherapy. I lived in the children’s oncology unit.’

  ‘Good response to induction?’ It was Jet who spoke again.

  Sarah shook her head this time. ‘Slow enough to be a real concern. We finally achieved remission but that was when I was told he was a candidate for an early HSCT.’

  Rick was listening carefully despite being fascinated by watching Sarah’s face as she spoke. She was genuine all right. Nuances of emotion played across her features and he could feel the agony she’d been through. God help him, but he had an insane urge to wrap her into his arms and hold her close. He shook it off and focused on what she’d been saying.

  HSCT. Haematopoietic stem-cell transplant. More commonly known as a bone-marrow transplant.

  ‘And that took you to the States?’ he asked. ‘To try and locate a donor?’

  Sarah’s gaze flicked in his direction. She hesitated before responding but he couldn’t read her expression this time. It was almost as if shutters had come down but he could tell she was struggling with something. Then she looked away from both her companions, her gaze raking the small crowd now scattered throughout the garden.

  Many were holding champagne glasses and some had plates, having helped themselves to a sumptuous afternoon tea from the table laden with silver, tiered stands that held everything from savouries and sandwiches to tiny cupcakes decorated with hearts. Imitating Sarah’s observation, Rick spotted Josh, who was sitting on the wide steps of the terrace beside Max, who was feeding Mattie with a bottle.

  Of course. She wouldn’t want to be discussing this if Josh was within earshot.

  ‘We heard that didn’t work out,’ he said gently. ‘But Auckland was more successful, yes?�
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  ‘What?’ Those dark blue eyes flashed with…what?…alarm? ‘What makes you say that?’

  Rick sighed inwardly. He was only trying to be interested here. Supportive. Was she always this prickly?

  ‘Ellie mentioned that Josh was in hospital, that’s all. And that was why there was some doubt about whether you’d make it to the wedding. I knew you’d gone to Auckland because of another donor possibility so I was hoping that was due to a transplant happening.’

  ‘No.’ He could see the deep breath Sarah took. ‘He got sick. Pneumonia. A bug he probably picked up from the plane trip home.’

  She was watching Josh again. Ellie had gone over to the steps and was sitting beside her brand-new husband but leaning forward, talking to Josh on his other side. Then she stood up and began walking towards Rick. He glanced at Jet but there seemed to be nothing to say to break the suddenly tense silence enclosing the three of them.

  Josh’s condition was fragile. He might or might not still be in remission but even if he was, he was at risk due to his suppressed immune system that the maintenance drug regime would cause. Any bacterial, viral or fungal infection could be potentially fatal. Ellie joined the group but it didn’t relieve the tension. If anything, it went up a notch or two even before she spoke.

  ‘Sarah…I’m sorry but Josh isn’t feeling very well. He says he’s got a headache and he thinks he’s going to be sick.’

  ‘Oh, no!’ Rick saw the colour drain from Sarah’s face.

  ‘It could just be too many chocolate éclairs and sunshine but…’

  The tiny word hung in the air. It could be an infection of some kind. It could even be a sign of a central nervous system relapse, which would not only take away the status of remission but could escalate the progression of this boy’s disease.

  ‘I’ll have to get him checked.’ Sarah’s eyes were bright. Too bright. Glittering with unshed tears? ‘Oh, God…We’ve only just got over the last setback. He was so desperate to stay well enough to go to school again.’

  ‘I’m so sorry.’ Ellie was biting her bottom lip. ‘Jet could take you into Emergency.’ She turned. ‘You’ve got a shift starting later tonight, haven’t you?’

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘He knows everyone,’ she said to Sarah. ‘He’ll make sure Josh gets the best of care.’

  ‘I’ll go too,’ Rick announced.

  The others all looked at him in surprise.

  ‘Jet and I came together,’ he said quickly. ‘In my car. It’s not as if you guys are planning formal speeches or anything, are you?’ He didn’t give Ellie time to respond. ‘Jet can look after Josh and everything that needs to happen. I can look after Sarah.’

  It felt good to say that. And he meant every word. Smooth opening lines or first kisses were the last thing on his mind right now. This was about a potentially sick kid and the woman who was, effectively, his mother. There was no hidden agenda or ulterior motive.

  The ‘bad boys’ weren’t being disbanded by this marriage, he realised in a moment of sudden clarity. The tribe was simply expanding. Ellie was a part of it and, by association, Sarah came under the same protective umbrella. That was what this was about. Solidarity. A tribe thing.

  So why did Sarah and Ellie exchange a glance that made him feel as if he’d stepped into a minefield?

  ‘I think…’ Ellie spoke after a loaded pause and her voice sounded strange. ‘That might be quite a good idea, don’t you, Sarah?’

  Equally strangely, Sarah had closed her eyes as though offering up a silent prayer. She opened them slowly, stared at Ellie for a second and then turned her head towards Rick.

  The gaze was so intense it rang alarm bells that were positively deafening. What the hell was going on here?

  ‘Yes.’ Sarah sounded perfectly calm, which was weird in itself. ‘It is a good idea. Can we go now, please?’

  Josh had been diagnosed with leukaemia here at Queen Mary’s and it became rapidly obvious that he was a favourite patient amongst the paediatric oncology staff that got summoned to the emergency department. One of the registrars even called his consultant, Mike Randall, who said he would be coming in to see what was happening.

  A lot was happening. Numerous blood tests and a chest X-ray. An exhaustive physical examination, abdominal ultrasound and a lumbar puncture. Jet changed into scrubs and simply went on shift early but Rick was left with little to do but be there and observe, feeling somewhat ridiculous in his dinner suit and the bow-tie, which had come undone but he wasn’t about to bother retying it.

  Sarah would have probably felt absurdly overdressed, too, in that long frock and with the flowers still in her hair but it didn’t seem to occur to her. As pale as her nephew, she was there by his side for every moment. Holding his hand for the blood tests and curled protectively close to his head throughout the lumbar puncture procedure. Rustling in her long dress as she walked beside his bed when it was rolled to a different area. She said little but seemed grateful to have Jet and Rick there to smooth the admission process and the transition of care to the oncology department.

  Josh was just as stoical as Sarah. The hospital environment and these frightening and painful procedures were a part of life for both of them now and they were in it together. With every passing minute, Rick became more aware of the striking bond between these two. Of their courage. Josh didn’t cry, even once, and Rick was left convinced that Sarah was a vital component of any treatment for this child. The gentle way she touched him, almost constantly, and the way she held direct eye contact throughout the worst moments, infusing him with both strength and comfort, touched something very deep in Rick.

  All his younger patients had families that loved them and would do anything they could to help but he’d never witnessed a bond quite like this. They were both special but Sarah…she was astonishing.

  By the time the consultant, Mike, arrived, the early testing was complete and Josh had been moved to a private room in the children’s ward. Surprisingly, Max turned up at the same time.

  ‘What are you doing here, man?’ Rick asked. ‘It’s your wedding night! ‘

  ‘Ellie sent me in with some clothes for Sarah and to find out what’s happening. How’s Josh?’

  ‘I think we’re about to find out.’ Rick tilted his head to where Mike was gripping Sarah’s hand.

  ‘I hoped it would be an outpatient appointment when we got to see you again,’ the older doctor was saying. ‘You’ve only just come down from Auckland, haven’t you?’

  ‘Yesterday,’ Sarah confirmed wryly.

  They both looked at the still figure of the sleeping child on the bed beside them. He had a pulse oximeter on a finger and an IV line snaking up from a heavily bandaged elbow to the stand supporting bags of medicated fluids.

  ‘Let’s step outside for a minute so we don’t wake him up,’ Mike suggested. ‘He’ll be worn out by now, I suspect.’

  He raised his eyebrows as they reached the two men standing by the door. ‘Rick…this is a bit out of your field, isn’t it? And, Max…didn’t I hear you were getting married today?’

  ‘I did. Sarah was our bridesmaid and Josh was the pageboy.’

  ‘Ahh…’ Mike’s smile was warm. ‘And there I was thinking you’d all dressed up on my account.’

  He pulled the door almost closed behind him and they drifted closer to the window where they could still see Josh. The ward was quiet ant the corridor dimly lit, with evening visiting hours well over. A baby began crying somewhere and a child’s voice called out for her mother. It was a subdued and slightly miserable background.

  Mike spoke softly. ‘We still haven’t got all the results back yet, of course. And I’ve scheduled a bone-marrow biopsy and MRI scan for tomorrow morning.’

  Sarah made a low sound of distress that cut Rick like a sharp blade. Mike’s face creased in sympathy.

  ‘I know. I’m sorry. The good news is that his fever’s dropped and his lungs are clear. There’s no significant change in the size of his
liver or spleen and his kidney function’s looking good. Even better, this doesn’t look like CNS involvement. I think the symptoms are probably due to a virus and we’ve got treatment under way to deal with it. Antivirals and antibiotics to cover all the bases.’

  ‘He was going to try and go back to school this week. Said he’d wear a mask even if it made him look like a freak.’

  Mike shook his head, dismissing the possibility. ‘We’ll have him in here for a bit. I want to make sure he’s still in remission. If not, we’re going to have to get back into a pretty aggressive chemotherapy programme.’

  Sarah closed her eyes and Rick could sense her struggle in trying to find the strength to face what was coming. He felt helpless.

  ‘What about HSCT?’ he asked Mike. ‘That’s going to be the best option, isn’t it?’

  Mike’s expression was grim. ‘No siblings, unfortunately. Sarah’s the only family and she’s nowhere near a match. Nothing’s come up on the bone-marrow register and she hasn’t been able to trace Josh’s father.’ He turned to Sarah. ‘You didn’t get any further in your hunt in Auckland, did you?’

  Her eyes were open now. She was staring at Rick but her gaze flicked back to Mike.

  ‘Actually, I think I did. Quite by chance and only because of Josh being admitted for the chest infection. One of the nurses in the ward had been working there for ages and she seemed to know everybody.’

  ‘And?’ There was an undercurrent of excitement in Mike’s tone.

  ‘I’ve got a possibility to chase up. I…I’m just not sure how co-operative he might be.’

  ‘You think he’d refuse to help?’ Rick could hear more than a hint of outrage in his own voice.

  ‘He might. He doesn’t even know he’s got a son yet.’

  Rick gave a dismissive snort. ‘Tough. It’s not as if he’s had to take any responsibility so far, is it?’

  ‘No.’

  Sarah’s agreement was cautious. She was giving him an odd look, as though wondering why he was pushing this, but there was an element of something like hope in her face and that made Rick feel good. Very good. He was helping here.