by Lucy Clark
When he’d gone, Phemie looked at Gil. ‘How’s Kiefer doing?’
‘Stable. Tell me, will the plane be able to land close to the train? I mean, there’s no airstrip nearby, is there?’
Phemie smiled. ‘For a start, we’re on the tip of the Nullarbor Plains. There’s nothing but the odd shrub here and there, and, secondly, we’re alongside the main road. I was just about to ask Harlan to arrange for any traffic to be stopped so the plane can land.’
‘That would be beneficial.’ Gil nodded.
‘Oh, you’d better believe it. There’s nothing like making an emergency landing on a road when there are cars heading straight towards you, neither of you knowing which way to swerve.’
‘Really?’ Gil’s eyes widened and Phemie’s smile increased. ‘Are you being serious, Dr Grainger?’
Harlan chuckled at her words and again lifted his radio to issue more orders. He certainly was ‘point-man’ and Phemie was exceptionally pleased they’d managed to get someone who was as good at his job as Harlan had proved to be.
‘Excuse me, Doctors,’ the steward said a few moments later. ‘I’m receiving lots of reports of other people with injuries and problems due to the train stopping. I was wondering if—’
‘Set up the lounge carriage as a treatment area.’ Gil’s tone was firm. ‘Dr Grainger and I will see whoever has a complaint. If it’s possible to find any other medical personnel on the train, their assistance would be invaluable.’ Gil then pointed to their patient. ‘Kiefer will need to be moved as well so we can continue to monitor him until the RFDS arrive.’
‘Very good, Doctor,’ Harlan replied, and again turned to talk into his radio, issuing orders.
‘Ready for the next round of injuries?’ Gil asked.
Phemie nodded, a smile in her voice as she spoke. ‘Nothing like doing an emergency clinic on a stationary train in the middle of the outback.’
‘I’d have thought you would be used to it. Doing clinics and providing treatment to people who are too far away from medical care.’ Gil was intrigued, not only with her job but with the woman herself. He was looking forward to really seeing her in action, doing what she did best.
‘I am, but I usually have a team I know and trust as well as quite a few more medical supplies than we have here.’
‘Up for the challenge?’ His dark eyes were alive with excitement.
Phemie watched him closely. ‘You’re enjoying this.’
‘Not the fact that people are hurt,’ Gil quickly pointed out. ‘Never that, but the chance to do some real outback medicine? Yes.’
‘You like new challenges,’ she stated, pleased with her insight.
‘What doctor doesn’t?’ he quipped, but she had the feeling he was playing down his delight at doing something different. As Kiefer was transferred to the stretcher and an announcement made asking for any trained medical personnel to report to the lounge carriage, Phemie continued to think about Gil and his excitement. She guessed that after travelling the world for a year, giving lectures and demonstrations, this sort of medicine would be different and challenging for him.
When they arrived at the lounge carriage, she once more performed Kiefer’s observations and was pleased the man was still stable. There had been no report yet that they’d found the toe and she hoped sincerely it was indeed found before the plane was ready to transfer Kiefer to Perth.
‘I have some medical helpers for you,’ Harlan announced, and indicated the three people standing behind him. First, he introduced Gil and Phemie then pointed to a man in his forties. ‘This is Julian, he’s a registered nurse.’ Julian shook hands with both Gil and Phemie.
‘I usually work in geriatrics,’ he informed them, ‘but whatever you need, I’m more than willing to provide.’
‘And I’m Wilma,’ said a woman in her late sixties. ‘I’ve been a retired triage sister for quite some time but that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten anything.’
‘I don’t doubt it.’ Gil smiled at her.
‘And this is my granddaughter Debbie.’ Wilma indicated the young twenty-year-old next to her. ‘She’s a dental assistant and I thought she might be useful to help with any administration and minor bandaging.’
‘I’m first-aid trained as well,’ Debbie spoke up.
‘Thank you for your offer of help.’ Gil’s smile was warm at all three. ‘I’ve no idea how this is going to play out but we no doubt have a very long train filled with confused and scared people. Debbie, as your grandmother has suggested, if you’re happy to organise the files and keep everyone happy, that would be very helpful. Wilma, you do triage? Anyone requiring immediate attention goes either directly to Phemie or myself. Julian, you take care of the patching-up jobs, Wilma helping you as and when you need it. If anyone has any concerns, please don’t be afraid to ask. We’re all strangers but we need to work as a team, to put people’s minds at ease and to ensure their needs are met. I’ve asked Harlan to have his stewards bring those passengers who are asking for medical attention right to us rather than announcing we have a makeshift A and E set up.’
‘That would just cause panic,’ Phemie agreed. ‘Debbie, you’re going to have your hands full but everyone’s details must be recorded before they’re seen by any of us. I also believe a tea trolley is being organised in case people need fluids.’
‘Remember,’ Gil said as the door to the carriage opened, ‘if you’re not sure, ask questions. That way, we can attempt to avoid any unnecessary errors.’ Three elderly patients were ushered through the door and Gil nodded. ‘Let’s get to work.’
For the next few minutes, the lounge car seemed to fill up quite quickly. Now that there was somewhere to bring people who were complaining of injury or stress, the stewards seemed to be sending the entire passenger manifest. Phemie made sure she kept a close eye on Kiefer, but his observations remained stable.
As they all treated patients, some with minor injuries, some requiring suturing, Phemie couldn’t help but watch Gil, watch his techniques, the way his clever hands seemed to heal his patients simply by touch. He also had a wonderful bedside manner, making people of all ages feel completely at ease. He really was quite a man and it was an absolute honour to have the opportunity to really see him in action.
The other volunteer helpers, Julian, Wilma and Debbie, were doing a marvellous job. The majority of people presented with cuts and bruises, most needing bandaging and reassurance.
Phemie was treating a heavily pregnant woman who had confessed she was travelling on the train because she was not permitted to fly.
‘I just want you to check the baby. I fell quite hard when the train stopped and I don’t know if everything—’ She broke off, unable to finish her sentence. Phemie’s heart went out to her. ‘I know it’s probably nothing but I just need to know the baby’s all right.’
‘Of course I’ll check the baby. Besides, knowing the baby is fine may actually help you get some rest and that’s what you really need to be doing. Off your feet, and resting. You have relaxing scenery to watch and you may find that you even doze off.’
Gil listened nearby as Phemie talked reassuringly to the pregnant mother. She certainly exhibited a natural caring ability, not only for this woman but for all the patients he’d seen her treat.
He wondered what the RFDS set-up was like, what situations and scenarios they dealt with on a regular basis. He was completely intrigued by it all.
Phemie was busy treating an elderly man for bruises and abrasions when she tilted her head to one side and listened, before calling to Gil, ‘Here they are.’
‘What?’ Gil strained, listening so hard he thought his eardrums might burst. ‘I can’t hear anything.’
‘The drone of the plane.’
He listened again. ‘No. No drone.’
She shrugged. ‘Guess I’m used to it.’
It was a whole two minutes later that he was able to hear the plane. ‘I’ll go greet the guys. You stay here,’ she said as she stood, then stopped a
nd put her hand across her mouth. ‘Oh. Sorry. I keep forgetting who you are. Is that all right? Do you mind—?’
Gil smiled at her, a smile which had the ability to turn her legs to mush, and she instinctively put a hand to the wall to support her. ‘It’s fine, Phemie. I understand. This is your job. Just go.’ The way she’d confessed to treating him like any other colleague was great. She wasn’t fawning over him, she wasn’t bowing and scraping to his every whim, as had happened during the past year that he’d been travelling.
He had his own support staff, including a secretary, events manager and personal aide. They all made sure he was where he was supposed to be and on time. Thankfully, they hadn’t accompanied him on this train ride, instead preferring to fly across to Sydney to ensure everything was set up and ready for his arrival on Saturday.
Gil had no idea what this long delay would do to their overall timing but an emergency was an emergency. He would contact his staff when they stopped in Adelaide—the next city on their route. Until then, he was more than content to simply be a colleague of the delightful Euphemia Grainger. In fact, he wondered if he could somehow wangle an invitation to come and visit her Flying Doctor base once the conference was over.
He had a whole week set aside as ‘vacation’ time. His staff wanted to lounge about on Australia’s famous golden beaches with little umbrella drinks in their hands. That wasn’t for him. Going to a Flying Doctor base, doing something completely different, sounded like heaven. The more he dwelt on the idea, the more he liked it. Now all he had to do was get Phemie to agree.
When she eventually returned, it was with her colleagues and they were able to give Kiefer stronger analgesics, before they transferred him to the stretcher and prepared him for the plane.
‘Still no sign of the toe?’ Madge, the outback nurse practitioner, asked as they loaded Kiefer into the plane. Valma, the other nurse, was making sure Paolo was seated and the luggage stored. Gil had left their volunteer helpers to monitor the rest of the patients. There was no one urgent for him to treat and, besides, he wasn’t about to miss seeing the RFDS in action.
‘I was positive they’d find it.’ Phemie couldn’t believe she’d been wrong but looking for a severed toe along a railway line in the middle of such an enormous country really was like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
‘They’ll find it.’ Gil put his hands on Phemie’s shoulders and gave them a little squeeze. She tried hard to ignore the shock waves coursing through her system. It was ridiculous that a man she’d just met could evoke such a reaction yet that was exactly what was happening. She schooled her thoughts and attempted to keep herself as aloof as possible even though he was still touching her. ‘Keep that optimism alive, Dr Grainger.’
His voice was rich and deep and its magnificence passed from the top of her hair to the tips of her toes. She tried not to close her eyes at the way he was so intimately affecting her. ‘B-but the plane’s about to leave.’
‘And they’ll—’
‘Gil! Phemie!’ It was Harlan. He was running towards them, holding a plastic lunchbox in his hands. ‘We’ve found it. We’ve found it!’
‘There you go, Phemie. See? Your optimism was right.’ Gil gave her shoulders the briefest of squeezes before he dropped his hands and raced over to meet Harlan. He checked inside the container and found the severed digit on ice. ‘Ready for transplant,’ he announced triumphantly as he handed it to one of the RFDS nurses.
‘Let’s get in the air,’ Sardi ordered as she headed for the cockpit. ‘Knock ‘em into a pile of dead bones at the conference,’ Sardi called over her shoulder to Phemie.
‘She means knock ‘em dead,’ Phemie explained to Gil as she watched her colleagues prepare for take-off. She herself had done it a thousand times before, ensuring the patient was stable, closing the doors, making sure everything was locked and in place. ‘Sardi sometimes gets her English phrases mixed up.’
‘A female pilot?’ Gil was impressed.
‘Sardi’s the best.’
‘Good to hear. Are there any males working at your base?’
‘Ben does a lot of the administration. He’s a nurse as well but so far he’s the only bloke.’
‘Lucky Ben. Surrounded by beautiful women all day long.’
Phemie could feel Gil’s gaze on her and forced a nervous laugh. Surely he couldn’t mean that she was beautiful? Sure, she knew she was OK looking but she’d hardly call herself beautiful. Small. Tiny. Petite even, but never beautiful.
They all moved right out of the way, waiting for the plane to taxi and take off. ‘I don’t think Ben sees it that way. I think he goes around the twist being surrounded by females all day long. Plus, he and his wife have three girls so there’s really no hope for him.’
‘Do you think Ben would like to have another man around next week?’
‘I think he’d be delighted,’ she said, thinking of the part-time medic position which had been advertised yet again. Trying to get doctors to come to the outback was nigh on impossible yet so desperately needed in a country the size of Australia. ‘If there was another man around, poor Ben might finally be able to win the argument of whether or not the toilet seat remains up or down!’
‘Then I accept.’
Phemie blinked twice then frowned, looking up at Gil. ‘You accept what?’
‘The position.’
‘The position of what?’ She was now totally perplexed. ‘Gil, what are you talking about?’ They turned and headed back towards the train.
‘The position of visiting medical doctor for the week after the conference.’
CHAPTER THREE
‘WHAT?’
Phemie was so startled by his words that she misjudged the depth of the uneven ground and came crashing down. Gil was by her side in an instant, helping her to her feet, even though she was trying to push him away at the same time.
‘I’m fine. I’m fine.’ She brushed herself down, knowing the reddish dust would never completely come out of her pale green top. Thankfully, her jeans were dark enough not to stain. She didn’t want to feel his hands on her or his arms around her or to have his firm muscled chest anywhere near her own. His light spicy scent was addictive and the way the lightest touch of his hand on her body sent her insides spiralling out of control was something she’d rather not have to deal with right now.
She had a paper to present at the conference in Sydney. She had her brother and his friends joining her on the train when they reached Adelaide. She’d just had to watch her colleagues fly off without her and all of it combined was making her rather vulnerable. There was too much going on in her life right now and the last thing, the very last thing she needed was to hear Professor Gilbert Fitzwilliam declare he would be accompanying her back to the RFDS base for one week after the conference! No. It would not do.
Of course, on a medical level, everyone would be delighted to welcome him to their base. They’d be keen to have someone of his qualification and expertise helping out with the various emergencies and clinics.
But to have him simply declare his intention had knocked Phemie for six. Even now, as they walked back to the train, she was completely aware of him. She could feel him watching her every step lest she should stumble again.
She was not a damsel in distress. Far from it. She’d looked after herself for years, holding her family together as she and her parents had dealt with the differences and difficulties her younger brother Anthony experienced. Now Anthony was living independently in an assisted facility in Perth, travelling to Adelaide for holidays, and soon he would catch the train to take him to the opposite side of the country from where he’d lived. Her parents were enjoying their first holiday alone since their honeymoon. And Phemie? Phemie had left home, too. She’d moved to the middle of nowhere to work with the RFDS and had found the outback the most glorious place in the world.
No. She was not a damsel in distress, neither was she a fool. She refused Gil’s help as they climbed back onto the train
but even as she hoisted herself up, she knew she couldn’t turn down Gil’s other offer—that of visiting their base for a week after the conference.
She could certainly understand why he would want to view the whole RFDS set-up. He was from another country, one where they obviously didn’t cover so much territory, given that England itself could fit nineteen times inside the State of Western Australia. The RFDS was unique and it was only right that an A and E specialist such as Professor Gilbert Fitzwilliam would want to see such a place in action.
Although, she pondered, it didn’t necessarily have to be her own base where he spent his time. That thought sparked another and the idea grew.
That’s what she would do. When she arrived in Sydney, she would call the Australian director of the RFDS and suggest that Professor Fitzwilliam be assigned to one or the other bases. The one stationed near Katherine in the Northern Territory might be good for Gil to observe, given they were certainly busy almost every day of the year. They covered a lot more territory than the Didja crew and he might even have the opportunity to visit her friends Sebastian and Dannyella at Dingo Creek. Yes. He could go there. The real heart of the outback…which was far away from her.
‘So? What do you think?’ Gil asked as they headed back through the train, leaving Harlan to take care of the clean-up and other official duties. Harlan had also told them he’d need to have an accident report filled in but it could be done later.
‘Think of what?’ Phemie played for time, purposely ignoring him. Why was her heart thumping a little too fast against her chest? Was it due to Gil’s nearness or because she was about to defy him? They made their way through the carriages, back towards the lounge car.
‘Of me coming to the RFDS base?’ Gil’s eyes were alight with fun and excitement and for one brief, blinding moment Phemie wanted him to come back to the Didja Base with her. She didn’t want to send him anywhere else, not when he looked at her like that.