by Judi Nolan
"That's great, I wanted a girl." Mandy fell back against the pillows, looking completely exhausted. "Is she all right?"
"We're not out of the woods yet," Spencer said, for Kate's attention only.
"I know." Kate tenderly cuddled the tiny limp form, willing the child to inhale her first breath. "Just give us a couple of minutes, Mandy." Kate stroked the tiny baby and lowered her voice to below a whisper, "Come on, little one, breathe for me." Mentally she sent all her energy to the little girl. "Come on, come on."
A few more tense moments passed as they watched and waited, looking for the baby to breathe. Finally she let out a tiny wail. Kate, Spencer and Cheryl looked as each other with relief and joy.
Staring down at the yowling infant in her hands, Kate noted with pleasure that its slightly bluish face had become flushed and ruddy. She moved away to check the baby's APGAR score before handing her over to Mandy to cuddle. Spencer continued to work over Mandy for several minutes before he could insert a few neat stitches.
"I haven't done that in a while." Kate pressed a hand to her chest, as she stroked the little baby head as she lay in her mother's waiting arms. "It really feels good."
The uncomfortable feeling of despair rose again and Kate tried to ignore it. But the whole scene around her simply reinforced her own chosen state of aloneness. It had always been her dearest wish to have a baby, but she found it hard to trust another man not to hurt her. But the unfulfilled desire hurt just the same. "It does indeed."
Cheryl came over and she and Kate hugged each other, both laughing a little, with tears in their eyes.
"Well, that went well." Spencer straightened up after several minutes to stare at the three women clucking over the new arrival before they cleaned up the room and Cheryl helped Mandy and her baby into a wheelchair. Kate watched them leave the room.
"Thank you, Dr. Stelanos." Her heart gave a funny little leap as she turned to look into his dark eyes. She looked quickly away again, commanding that foolishly errant organ to behave itself. "A second pair of hands is always useful."
"There you go again." He frowned at her. "The name is Spencer, remember? Dr. Stelanos is far too formal. We are really like a family here."
"How could I forget?" she muttered, inadvertently inhaling the clean, masculine scent of him, causing a dizzying effect to her system.
She glanced up into his face. He was wearing his glasses again. The lenses reflected the light, making his eyes difficult to read. But, his expression was once more set in those same cool, remote lines.
He seemed to be judging her again. By some standard she could never hope to measure up to. If it helped her maintain some kind of distance between them, she wasn't about to complain.
Spencer's mobile mouth settled into a wry twist, both height and presence seeming to fill the small room to exclusion.
Kate did her best to gather her scattered defenses, show him she was oblivious to his closeness. "Thank you for your help. I do appreciate your taking the time."
"So formal." A wry smile drifted across his mouth, curving his lips up at the corners. His look was faintly teasing, as if he found her constant stiffness perversely amusing. "Very well, then. Was there anything else you need me for, Kate?"
"Nothing that comes to mind, thank you." Her breath hitched at the slight inflection in his tone as he said her name.
Spencer shook his head as he opened the door. "I should mention that Jake has asked me to make sure I look after you. Make sure you have everything." His words gave away nothing of his inner thoughts or feelings about the arrangement. "So, anything you need, I'm always available."
"Thank you. I'll remember that." She nodded, keeping her eyes down, even after she heard him leave the room and close the door quietly behind him.
Thank heavens! Only then did she release the pent up breath she wasn't aware she'd been holding.
Her new life was becoming more complicated by the hour. She could easily become confused by the sound of his voice, the way his eyes trailed over her when he thought she wasn't looking and the slight curve of his mouth when he seemed determined to tease her out of her stiffness, confused into thinking there was some sort of romantic future there for her. Some unknown way for her to have everything she had once craved.
Her heart picked up the drumbeat of dawning awareness within her tight chest. She could easily become seriously addicted to looking at him, wanting him to look at her. With a determined effort she pushed the image of the man into the back of her mind and tried to concentrate on the work in front of her.
To wonder about anything else more personal would be pure madness.
CHAPTER FOUR
"Are you free, Kate? I need you."
Spencer stood in the doorway of her consulting room, looking impatient and concerned.
Kate determined to ignore the sensual implication of his words as she rose to her feet. "Yes, I've just finished my morning list. What do you have?"
"An unusual case to attend. Since you're going to be working here it's vital that you become familiar with the symptoms." Spencer turned away. "We'll take my four wheel drive. It'll be quicker since you're still finding your way around."
"If you think so." She followed him into the car park, trying not to walk too close to him.
She felt vitally on edge and wary with Spencer, but it seemed inevitable they should be flung together, despite her need for some distance. Where was the sense of peace she craved?
She tried to shrug aside her personal concerns and asked, "Who's the patient?"
"Ryan McCarthy, a twelve year old boy." Spencer unlocked his four wheel drive and they got in. "His mother phoned saying he'd been bitten by an insect at a school camp two days ago. She wasn't too concerned, but this morning the bites turned nasty and he's running a high fever. She doesn't have any transport and Ryan needs to be seen urgently."
Spencer turned out of the surgery car park and drove swiftly through town as he filled her in with the details. He pulled off the road into the driveway of a large house. A brown haired woman with dark worried eyes opened the front door.
"Thanks for coming quickly, Dr. Stelanos." Joanna McCarthy led the way into a large bedroom at the back of the house. "I've been out of my mind with worry."
"We didn't think anything of it at first," she explained, in a distressed tone. "But Ryan's in a lot of pain this morning and the bite looks really awful. And it's now so big."
"Okay, let's take a look at it." Spencer approached the bed while Kate gathered some more details from the boy's mother and did her best to reassure her everything would be all right.
"Hi there, Ryan." Spencer bent down to the flush faced child in the bed. "I hear you're not feeling well. Can I see where the bite is?"
"I didn't feel anything when it bit me." Ryan lifted the covers from the large wound on the side of his knee where the skin had begun to ulcerate.
"Let's see what we can do to make you more comfortable." Kate came around to the opposite side of the bed from Spencer, opened her bag and proceeded to take Ryan's pulse, temperature and blood pressure.
As she worked she noted the area surrounding the wound was reddened and swollen, indicating a severe case of cellulitis. Spencer sat down on the edge of the bed to take a closer look. Kate did her best to ignore his nearness as she worked.
"It's already starting to ulcerate." Spencer inspected the wound, gently probing its limits. "We need to take care of that right away."
"I didn't see what did it," Ryan put in tearfully. "It was only an itchy spot yesterday."
"What do you think caused it, Dr. Stelanos?" Kate looked across at Spencer.
Even given her extensive reading, she was at a loss to explain the cause of the wound, but clearly a full course of antibiotics was called for to treat the severe infection evident in and around the ulceration.
Spencer sat back. "I had my suspicions when Joanna rang. That's why I asked you to come with me. I'm afraid this looks like the bite of a white tailed spider."
Mrs. McCarthy shook her head. "What sort of a spider can cause such a wound?"
"It's an Australian spider that's unfortunately becoming all too common in this country. Its bite will cause this kind of infection if left untreated."
"Oh, dear." Joanna swallowed tightly. "So we should've had Ryan seen earlier?"
"You weren't to know," Spencer reassured her quickly. "People's reactions to the venom vary widely. The bite isn't really noticed until it begins to ulcerate. That's when the pain sets in. With the right course of treatment and careful monitoring Ryan should be fine in a few weeks."
"A few weeks?" Joanna gasped. "I didn't think it was that serious."
Kate moved around the bed to the distressed mother's side. "A course of antibiotics should clear it up and regular paracetamol will help with the pain and bring down Ryan's temperature. Hopefully it should heal cleanly without any further problems."
"Thank goodness." Ryan's mother sighed. "Should he—I mean—will he be put into hospital?"
"I don't see the need for hospitalization at this stage," Spencer told her. "Dr. Martin or I will come back tonight to take another look at the wound and redress it. I want you to make an appointment for tomorrow morning, for a follow-up consultation. Then we can see how things are progressing."
"Please, Mrs. McCarthy, try not to worry," Kate said, continuing to talk quietly to her, as Spencer dressed Ryan's wound and made him more comfortable.
Kate noted that Spencer was very thorough and managed to put Ryan at his ease as he worked over him. It was obvious the boy was in good hands.
"I can see I'm going to learn a lot while I'm here," she said, once they were back in Spencer's vehicle. "That was another new one for me. Thanks for consulting me."
"No problem, I thought you should observe the condition first hand. White tailed spiders bites aren't something you'd see in the States," he acknowledged, as he drove back to the surgery. "I saw too many of them when I was training in Australia. Now they've established themselves here. Their bite can be fatal if left untreated. It's the bacteria they carry, not the venom that does the damage."
She nodded, her chest tight with the thought of what could have happened to the boy if they hadn't been called in. "Then Ryan was very lucky you were available."
He turned his four wheel drive into the car park. "I'll make the time tonight to see him again. It's your first day and you're still getting your bearings."
And becoming more confused by the hour, Kate thought distractedly before she said simply, "Thank you. But, please let me know about Ryan's progress."
"Of course. I'll let you know tomorrow."
A strained kind of silence developed between them. Once back in the surgery, Kate was grateful to escape and distract her inner thoughts with the worries and concerns of her afternoon list of patients.
She was gaining in confidence as she worked her way steadily through her afternoon list and getting to know the people she saw. She looked up some hours later to discover it was after six in the evening. Cheryl was shepherding her last patient out.
She threw down her pen, reaching to switch off her computer. "Bath and then bed, I think."
Despite her weariness, the day had been immensely satisfying. She smothered a yawn. After a good night's sleep, she could look forward to a fresh day tomorrow with renewed eagerness. She enjoyed her work; it gave her a much needed focus.
"Go home, Dr. Martin. You've done enough today." Cheryl put her head around the door, catching Kate in a second yawn. "I'll finish tidying up then I'm off too. Dr. Morgan has the duty tonight."
"I'll see you tomorrow, then." Kate stood up. "And thanks for your help. I know the first day with a new doctor is never easy."
"No problem." Cheryl smiled her appreciation. "You're so easy to work for, it's a pleasure. Now, go home. You've earned it. Night."
"Good night." Kate didn't need any further urging.
There was no sign of Spencer as she crossed the reception area. As Kate said goodnight to Kris, she felt a sense of gratitude she hadn't encountered him. She didn't want to encounter those dark questioning eyes that seemed to understand more than she wished him to know. And held questions she had no way of answering.
Letting herself out the back entrance, she unlocked her recently purchased hatchback and got behind the wheel with a relieved sigh.
So much for her first day. It had certainly been frantic. But she had enjoyed her time. As she put the car in motion, she wondered what tomorrow would bring.
Arriving at the cottage, she locked the front door behind her before entering the bathroom and turned on the taps. While the water was running, she walked into the compact kitchen to pour herself a glass of chilled white wine and set out a plate of plump, fresh strawberries she'd left on the windowsill to sweeten in the warm sunshine.
Now she was finally home, she didn't feel like anything more substantial. What appetite she'd possessed had been smothered in tiredness.
"Just as well you weren't silly enough to agree to go running tonight." She spoke sternly to her frowning reflection in the misty bathroom mirror.
As she turned away, a wanton picture of a determined Spencer pounding through the warm twilight surfaced in her mind. When he invited her to join him, a small part of her desperately wanted to go running with him. Thankfully common sense and her inner wariness had prevailed over such a foolish idea.
"Be happy with doing sit-ups in front of the television," she muttered, discarding her clothes and stepping into the bath. She lay back, sliding down into the steaming water. "You can't get into any real trouble with sit-ups."
As the water flowed up over the ivory curve of her breasts, she reached out to pick a strawberry from the plate balanced on the edge of the bath. She took a bite of the sweet fruit then lifted the wineglass to her lips.
"Heaven." She sighed, dropping her head back.
The cool wine ran down her parched throat. Closing her eyes on a soft groan, she began to sink lower into the water, letting the heat work its magic on her tired limbs. Thirty minutes later, she was still drifting pleasantly, hovering precipitously on the brink of sleep when the telephone shrilled.
"I'm not answering it," she grumbled, slipping lower into the water, trying to block out the sound. She didn't want to move, but the insistent ringing continued unabated. "All right, all right. I'm coming."
She rose up in her bath, pushing wet hair out of her eyes. Of course, it could be a medical emergency. The sudden thought nudged her from the cooling water. Pulling a towel around her naked body, she padded through into the kitchen.
She lifted the receiver. "Kate Martin."
"Hello, Kate? It's Spencer."
"Spencer..." Kate gasped, nearly dropping the receiver. Her brows drew together. "Ah hello, Dr. Stelanos. I...is it Ryan? Has something happened? Is he worse?"
"No, Ryan's fine. I saw him earlier and he's looking more comfortable. I'm actually phoning because I was hoping you weren't doing anything this evening." His tone sounded impatient. "You don't have any plans?"
Kate wondered what he was asking. "No, no plans. Just a bath and an early night. It's been a long day."
"Fine. I know this is rather short notice, but I was hoping you could come over."
"Come over?" Kate stalled for time. She knew he could hear the consternation in her voice.
As invitations went, it was decidedly abrupt. She was at a loss to know what he could want with her at—she cast a swift glance at the kitchen clock—eight thirty on a Monday night.
"Sorry, I'm not explaining myself very well," Spencer muttered roughly. "Look, I'd just got back from checking on Ryan and found my elderly aunt has taken a fall in the kitchen. She's been trying to convince me she's fine. But I want to admit her to hospital for some tests and overnight observation as she did lose consciousness briefly after hitting her head when she fell."
He paused then said, "I need someone to look after Jamie until I get back. Alexia is very stubborn and she's p
oint blank refused to go anywhere in an ambulance. I'll have to drive her, but I shouldn't be more than a couple of hours. Jake's out on a call and Edith and Kevin have both switched off their mobiles." She heard his sharply indrawn breath. "Look, I hoped you could see your way clear to helping me out. I'm well aware that—"
"Of course I will," Kate interjected quickly. "I'll be over right away. I just need to throw some clothes on. Can you manage? Right now I'm standing here in just my bath towel, dripping all over the floor."
She caught her breath, listening for an answer. Her exposed skin dimpled suddenly with the chill of gooseflesh. "Dr. Stelanos? Did you hear what I said?"
The silence lengthened. Kate's heart began to hammer in her chest. "Hello?" she questioned the silence again.
"Sorry, no problem," he replied at last. "I'll see you soon. Take the same path over the hill Jamie and I used the other day. You can't miss the house." He paused. "And Kate..."
"Yes?" Kate's mind roiled with many medically related questions she should be asking, but they refused to reach her tongue. She pulled her towel closer around her against the chill feathering across her bare skin.
"Thank you. I'll owe you one for tonight. I won't forget this."
"Please, you don't owe me anything," she replied quickly. "It's the least I can do in the circumstances. I promise I won't be long."
Mumbling a quick goodbye, she hung up before Spencer could say anything more. She would help out, even if it drew her closer to the man and his son; closer than she ever wanted to contemplate. "I guess I can't do anything about that now."
The thought gave her only a tiny measure of comfort. In her bedroom she pulled black jeans and a white cotton sweatshirt over a lacy peach bra and matching panties. Ruffling her fingers through her damp curls, she grabbed her house keys and let herself out into the warm scented twilight.