by Lucy Clark
‘It’s all right, Hayden,’ Annie said softly, giving his arm a little squeeze. ‘It won’t take long.’
Hayden stepped aside and reluctantly relinquished his hold on her. She smiled sweetly at him as he stepped off the makeshift dance floor.
‘How’s life, Adam?’ she asked as they moved around the floor, the correct distance—and a bit more—between them.
‘Busy. You?’
‘Same.’
‘So you’re with Hayden now,’ he stated with a nod.
‘Is that a problem?’
‘No. No. So long as you’re happy.’
‘I am. Very happy,’ she said sincerely.
‘I can see it,’ he mumbled reluctantly.
The atmosphere between them became stilted. ‘Annie, I have something to say.’
She waited patiently.
‘When I broke off our engagement, I wasn’t entirely honest with you.’
‘I know.’
‘What?’ He frowned.
‘I know—about the other women,’ she added.
‘But—’
‘I was about to break it off with you anyway, and not because of the other women. Well, they were part of it, I mean, but…’ She stopped and took a breath. ‘We weren’t right for each other, Adam.’
‘And Hayden is?’
‘Yes. He is.’ The words were stated with complete confidence. Regardless of what happened between herself and Hayden, he was definitely her one true love. ‘And if you don’t mind, I’m going to go to him now because he’s just stormed outside.’ She turned and made her way through the crowd with growing impatience, wishing they would simply part and let her through. Finally, she was outside and she scanned the area for Hayden. The gardens Rowena had hired for her wedding reception were lovely, but all Annie cared about at that moment was getting to Hayden.
She saw him disappear down a side path and hurried after him. ‘Hayden.’ He either hadn’t heard her or was ignoring her. She pressed on, down the side path which ended in a T-junction. Which way had he gone? She looked both ways but couldn’t see him.
‘Hayden?’ she called again, and as she listened, an intent look of disappointment on her face, she heard footsteps heading in her direction. She turned to come face to face with the man of her dreams. ‘There you are.’
He didn’t say anything, his face a mask.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘Why did you dance with him?’
At least he wasn’t going to beat about the bush. She smiled, knowing his directness was just one of the reasons why she loved him.
‘He had things to say.’
‘Such as?’
She took a deep breath. ‘Such as he confessed to seeing other women while we were engaged.’
‘You were engaged to him? You never told me that.’
She shrugged. ‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to conceal it from you. If you think about it, there are a lot of things we haven’t talked about.’
Hayden knew she meant his ex-wife and his beautiful Liana. Right now, though, there was one question he needed to ask her, one he desperately needed to know the answer to, and he wasn’t sure what her reaction would be. He took a deep breath. ‘Do you still love him?’
‘Adam?’ She seemed surprised. ‘No. Not at all.’ It’s you that I love, she added silently.
‘You were shocked, in the church, when you first saw him. I thought that—’
‘I was merely surprised, that’s all. I honestly hadn’t expected to see him. Hadn’t even given him a thought.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes.’
He took her hand and together they walked down the path, which skirted a pretty lake. ‘My ex-wife did the same thing. Cheated on me, that is.’
Annie didn’t say anything, didn’t want to stop whatever was in his heart from coming out, especially by saying the wrong thing. Instead, she squeezed his hand reassuringly.
‘When she told me she was pregnant, I was hard pressed to believe it was mine, but she assured me it was.’ He raked his hand through his hair and nodded. Slowly he extracted his wallet from his back pocket and retrieved a tatty old picture. He stared at it for a moment before holding it out to Annie.
‘That’s Liana.’
‘Oh, Hayden, she’s gorgeous.’ Annie stared at the sleeping baby in the photo. She would have been only a few days old when it had been taken, wrapped up in a bunny blanket, her little fingers peaking over the edge.
‘Yes. She was…amazing. I wasn’t even sure I was ready to become a parent. We’d only been married a year,’ he added, as though to justify his statement. ‘I was working round the clock, doing my duty to provide for my wife, but an intern’s salary isn’t all that much.’
‘I remember.’ She handed the photo back. ‘She looks…peaceful.’
Hayden stared at her. ‘I thought that when I took it out just now. Strange, I haven’t looked at that photo for so many years, but every other time I would think how alive she looked.’
‘She still is alive, Hayden. She’s alive in your heart.’
He was silent for a moment, there was just the sound of their footsteps on the footpath. ‘Four weeks.’ The two words were a whisper. He cleared his throat. ‘Four glorious weeks I had of sheer happiness. I had no idea a baby would make me feel the way she did. She was helpless, completely dependent upon myself and Lonnie, yet I felt as though she’d given me a gift.’
‘The gift of for ever?’
‘Yes. Liana made me feel as though I could take on the world, that I could do no wrong in her eyes. I was her dad.. for ever.’
Tears welled in Annie’s eyes. ‘You always will be.’
‘I know.’ He stopped walking and dropped her hand. He took out his wallet and put the picture back inside. ‘After her death, life began to crumble.’ He stared down at the ground. ‘Lonnie blamed me entirely for Liana’s death. I was a doctor. Why couldn’t I resuscitate her? Why couldn’t I fix the problem? How had she died?
‘But with sudden infant death syndrome there aren’t any clear answers. You wouldn’t believe the things she accused me of.’
‘She needed to blame…someone, anyone. It was easier than facing reality.’
He nodded at her words and looked into her eyes. The brown depths were filled with compassion. Usually he would brush other people’s emotions aside in times like these. His parents, his sisters, they hardly spoke of Liana simply because they knew he didn’t want their sympathy, but with Annie, for some reason he couldn’t quite fathom, it was different.
‘Then there’s guilt. On top of my own guilt, Lonnie heaped hers. For two years we tried…well, I tried to patch things up. Nothing worked. She didn’t want another child, well, not with me. The chasm between us had become so enormous it was too far for me to jump across. I threw myself into my work.’
Annie wasn’t sure what to do. He was hurting so badly that she wanted to put a sticking plaster on his pain and kiss it better, just as he’d done with her knee. Instead, she flung her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his own.
It wasn’t a kiss of passion.
It wasn’t a kiss of desire.
It was a kiss of love. Pure and simple…And one which he accepted.
CHAPTER NINE
‘YOUR family are amazing,’ Annie remarked to Hayden as she drove along the freeway, the Jaguar eating up the road with effortless ease. They’d not long passed through Albury/Wodonga and Annie was feeling comfortable behind the wheel. She laughed at the memory of his mother packing him a huge hamper of home-cooked food to take back with him. ‘They’re so…’ she searched for the word she wanted ‘…familyish.’
Hayden chuckled as he rested his head back and closed his eyes. ‘It was a good day.’
‘I don’t think Katrina’s husband’s going to sleep much—what with their seven-year-old daughter catching the bouquet.’
‘Ah, she’s gorgeous is my niece.’
‘She’ll break a lot of hearts when she
’s older.’
He chuckled again. ‘I don’t envy my brother-in-law those headaches.’ He felt great. Since he’d spoken to Annie about Liana, he felt as though a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. She was a good listener and offered sound and logical advice when necessary. He valued her opinion, not only as a medical professional but as a friend.
‘This has been so great—getting away this weekend,’ she said jovially into the silence. ‘Away from the hospital. Away from prying eyes and gossiping tongues.’ Annie took a deep cleansing breath. ‘Time to spend getting to know each other more.’
‘Does this mean you’re going to tell me about your family?’
She shrugged. ‘There’s nothing much to tell. I’m an only child. My dad has never loved me because I wasn’t a boy and my step-mother, who is fifteen years older than me, is only interested in his money.’
‘And your mother?’
‘She died when I was twenty. We weren’t close.’
‘They didn’t try to have more children?’
‘My mum miscarried with ten pregnancies after me. The doctors advised her to have a hysterectomy and that, as they say, was that.’
‘Did your parents divorce?’
‘No, but they weren’t happily married either. After my mum died, my dad remarried within six months.’
‘Any children there?’
‘No. My step-mother went through IVF for years but in the end it all became too much for her and so they just stopped.’
‘You would think all of this would make your father appreciate the child he has.’
‘You would think that, but I wasn’t the child he wanted. Big difference.’
A mobile phone beeped, indicating a text message. ‘That’s my phone,’ Annie said. ‘It’s just inside my handbag, near the top, Hayden. Could you get it out and see who it’s from?’
He felt a little self-conscious going through her bag, but did as he was asked. ‘It’s from Kelly.’
‘Good.’
‘She wants to know how much further we have to go.’
‘Text her back and tell her we’ve just passed through Yackandandah.’
‘How do you spell that?’
Annie laughed and helped him out.
Moments later, another text came through. “Come directly to Bright hospital”,’ Hayden read.
‘Saddle up.’ Annie concentrated on the winding road. All too soon, she was driving through the main street of Bright.
‘That’s where Kelly and Matt live,’ she pointed out. ‘Their clinic is across the road.’
‘Handy.’
‘This way to the hospital.’ Another minute later, she’d parked the car outside the small district hospital and they quickly made their way inside.
‘Thank God you’re here,’ Kelly said when she sighted them. Hayden reached out a hand to introduce himself but received a ‘You must be Hayden’ from the redhead in front of him.
‘Correct.’
Kelly hefted a large emergency crate which was filled with medical equipment and motioned to the one next to her on the ground. ‘Would you mind taking that, please, Hayden?’ She walked off towards the car park. ‘We’ve just had a call. There’s been an accident at one of the vineyards on the road to Buckland. A couple of kids were playing around with tractors in a back paddock. Matt and Rhea, that’s Matt’s sister,’ she explained for Hayden’s benefit, ‘have gone down to see what’s happening. I’m expecting him to call through any moment now.’
She stopped by a four-wheel-drive and Annie quickly opened the tailgate. ‘You’ve both just been drafted. Let’s go.’
‘What details do you have?’ Hayden asked as Kelly drove.
‘Two males, both around fifteen. Both tractors overturned.’
‘Races?’ Annie asked.
‘Either that or playing chicken,’ Kelly replied disgustedly. ‘Parents heard a noise and went to investigate, then came back and raised the alarm. Both boys were reported unconscious and one was trapped—’ Her mobile phone, sitting in a hands-free holder, rang and she leaned down and pressed a button. ‘What’s the news?’ she asked.
Matt’s voice came through. ‘One trapped beneath the overturned cab of the tractor. Definitely fractured legs, possible pelvis. Both still unconscious. Are you in the car?’
‘Yes.’
‘Annie and Hayden with you?’
‘We’re here, Matt,’ Annie replied.
‘Hey, mate. Sorry to do this to you.’
‘Not a problem. Any fractures on the second boy?’
‘Possible skull fracture. There’s blood on a nearby rock as well as his head, so I’d say they’ve connected at some point. Left shoulder’s badly banged up, too, but at least he was thrown clear. We’ll need the SES boys to get this tractor off the first boy, though.’
‘I’ll call it in,’ Kelly told her husband. ‘Be with you in about fifteen minutes.’
‘All right, honey. Drive safely.’
‘I will,’ she promised, love radiating through her tone before she disconnected the call. ‘He’s so cute,’ she told them both. She contacted the SES and gave them the details before glancing at Annie in her rear-view mirror. ‘So, let’s do the social thing while we have a moment. How’s Tash and Brenton?’
‘Good.’
‘The kids?’
‘They had a stomach virus a week or so ago, then Natasha got it—’
‘Then Annie got it,’ Hayden interjected.
‘Well, I hope you didn’t bring it with you because none of us have had it.’
‘No. I’m well and truly over it now.’
‘Good to hear. How was the wedding?’
‘It was lovely.’
‘Oh, my gosh. I’m such a cad. Happy birthday for yesterday, Annie. Sorry, this emergency has thrown everything out, but we have a cake and everything back home so, regardless of how long this emergency takes, you’re just going to have to stay and eat a piece.’
‘If you insist.’
‘I do. So the wedding was lovely? What did you end up wearing?’
Annie glanced at Hayden who was sitting in the front seat next to Kelly. Annie had insisted he sit in the front because he had longer legs and needed the room. ‘Well…Hayden actually bought me the most gorgeous dress as my birthday present. It’s just…stunning. I felt like a princess when I was wearing it.’
Kelly turned to look at Hayden and he felt himself squirm a little. ‘Natasha said I’d like you. Just keep being nice to our Annie and you’ll do just fine, Professor.’
‘Kelly has a strong Irish streak running through her. Don’t be too alarmed by it,’ Annie said.
‘You seem to know quite a lot about me,’ Hayden remarked.
‘I should hope so. We’re all very possessive of our darling friend, aren’t we, Annie? But if you think I’m bad…’ She laughed. ‘Just wait until you meet my sister-in-law.’
As they neared the accident site, the talk turned to the different scenarios they might find. By the time Kelly stopped the vehicle, everyone was ready for duty.
‘We’ve set up drips to stabilise them. The boy beneath the tractor, Gordon, has regained consciousness once or twice but he’s slipping in and out. He’s had morphine for the pain. Obs are stable. The second boy, Leo, is still out. His obs aren’t so good but I’ve called through to Wangaratta hospital and they’re sending an ambulance. Should be here in around twenty-five to thirty minutes. Rhea’s keeping a close eye on him.’ Hayden and Annie had helped Kelly unload the equipment and were pulling on gloves while Matt had been talking.
‘How are the parents holding up?’ Kelly asked.
‘Not too good, as you can imagine.’
‘I’ll talk to them,’ Kelly offered.
Annie walked across to where Gordon was, glad they still had about three hours left of light so she could see the undulating surface of the ground. ‘Gordon?’ she called as she checked his pupils. ‘My name’s Annie.’
‘I’m Hayden. Gordon, can you
hear us?’
No response.
‘Pupils equal and reacting to light.’
‘Pulse isn’t settling down as much as I’d hoped,’ Matt commented.
‘BP is still quite low,’ Hayden said, after releasing the pressure on the sphygmomanometer. ‘If the femoral arteries have been severed, he’ll bleed to death if we don’t get him out a.s.a.p.’
‘We need to stabilise him, and fast,’ Annie agreed. She lay down on the ground and peered beneath the tractor to where Gordon’s legs were. ‘How long until the SES get here?’
‘I’ll check,’ Matt replied, and pulled out his mobile.
‘Let’s get a blood transfusion going, stat,’ Hayden said and they worked together, quickly setting up the unit of blood expander Kelly had brought with her from the hospital.
‘SES ETA—ten minutes.’
‘Good. Once the tractor’s off him, we’re going to have to move fast.’ Hayden and Annie discussed with Matt and Kelly the surgery they’d need to do. ‘We’ll need to repair those arteries immediately.’
‘They’ve already done enough damage,’ Kelly agreed.
‘I gather the staff at the hospital are organised?’ Hayden asked.
‘I called the anaesthetist in just before you arrived,’ Kelly confirmed.
Leaving Hayden to monitor Gordon, Annie went across to see how Rhea was getting on with Leo.
‘Howdy, stranger,’ Rhea said.
‘Hi. How’s he doing?’
‘He’s stable but he’ll definitely need a headscan.’ Rhea spoke softly so as not to panic Leo’s mother, who was close by talking to Kelly.
‘The concussion’s that bad?’ Annie asked, and after she’d changed her gloves, she felt Leo’s scalp. ‘Definite skull fracture.’
‘Ribs are fractured as well.’
Annie carefully felt around the front of Leo’s ribs. ‘Right T5 and 6 feel broken. Left T4, 5 and 6 don’t feel good,’ she remarked, as she tried to feel, but with the way Leo was lying, ensuring his airways were clear and accessible, she couldn’t tell for sure. ‘Let’s get another bag of saline going.’
With the sound of approaching vehicles, Annie sent up a silent prayer of thanks. That would be the SES crew. The sooner they had that wreck off Gordon the better. Matt gave the commands for the SES workers and about fifteen minutes later they were able to carefully move Gordon out from beneath.