A Family Made at Christmas

by Scarlet Wilson

  Riley picked himself up and leaned in to check on Ben just as the flames shot up towards the sky. The two men on the other side of the car yelled and leapt backwards. Riley reached forward to check Ben’s legs weren’t trapped. He knew the rules. A casualty should never be moved from a vehicle without a neck collar in place to protect them.

  But threat of imminent death from fire took priority over all the normal rules.

  He gestured to the other guy. ‘Give me a hand getting him out of here.’ There was a sound of sirens in the distance. The other guy looked at the flames. Riley could see the doubt on his face but, to his credit, the guy stood up and came forward. Together, they half pulled, half lifted Ben out of the car, looping arms around his waist and carrying him over to the side of the road.

  Ben winced in pain as Riley touched his leg. Riley glanced around. His emergency bag was lying on the ground next to the first car. He ran and picked it up, pulling a swab out to stem the bleeding from Ben’s forehead.

  He shouted over to Phil, whom he’d left at the side of the first car. ‘How’s everything?’

  Phil looked anxious. ‘Her lips look a bit blue,’ he shouted back.

  Riley looked up. He could see the blue flashing lights now and the sirens were getting louder. The police cars and ambulances were trying to weave their way through the traffic. They would still be a few minutes.

  He ran over to the car to check both patients again. A quick glance at the man showed he still hadn’t regained consciousness. But his pulse was strong and he was breathing easily. The leg injuries remained but it was likely that he’d need to be cut out of the car. There wasn’t much Riley could do for him at the side of the road. He turned his attention back to the woman. He spoke quietly. Her handbag was behind the seat, so he checked her details. ‘Elizabeth? Mrs Bennett?’ She gave a nod. ‘I’m Riley. I’m a doctor. There’s an ambulance coming soon.’ He put his fingers on her pulse again. It was faster and more thready than before. ‘Are you having difficulty breathing?’

  She nodded again. He glanced at Phil at the other side of the car. ‘Take a run towards the ambulance. Tell them we have a pneumo—’ He changed his mind about the language. ‘Tell them a possible punctured lung. Tell them I need some oxygen.’

  Phil nodded and took off. The cars were doing their best to get out of the way of the police cars and ambulances but there was virtually no room to manoeuvre.

  Riley was frustrated. He hated the fact he had little or no equipment. From her colour, Mrs Bennett had either a collapsed lung or a blood-filled one. Both needed rapid treatment. But there was nothing he could do right now. He held her hand and spoke quietly to her, trying to ascertain if she had family and if there was someone to contact, in case she became too unwell to communicate. The thud of boots behind him made him look up. The familiar green overalls of a paramedic. He was carrying as much equipment as he could. His eyes fixed on the car that was now firmly alight.

  ‘Tell me no one is in that?’

  Riley shook his head. ‘Man and a little boy, both at the side of the road. They’ll need to be checked but—’ he nodded to the car ‘—Mr and Mrs Bennett look as if they need attention first.’

  The paramedic nodded. ‘Eric’ was his reply. ‘What we got?’ He handed over the oxygen cylinder.

  ‘Lieutenant Riley Callaghan, a doctor at Waterloo Court.’ He leaned forward. ‘Elizabeth, I’m just going to slip an oxygen mask over your face.’ He did that quickly. ‘Mr and Mrs Bennett. Mr Bennett has been unconscious since I got here. I think he has a fractured tib and fib in the footwell. His pulse has been strong and his breathing fine. Mrs Bennett, I think, may have had some damage from the seat belt and I don’t know about her pelvis. She also looks like she has a tib and fib fracture. I think she may have fractured a few ribs and punctured a lung.’

  A female paramedic arrived too, shaking her head. ‘Still can’t get the ambulances through. Where do you want me?’

  Eric signalled to the side of the road where Aaron and his dad were sitting and she nodded and ran over. Eric ripped open the large pack he’d brought with him. ‘Right, Doc, let’s get to work.’

  CHAPTER SIX

  FINN WAS SLEEPING NOW. April wasn’t quite sure what Riley had said to Mrs Banks on the phone, but Finn had been released into her care with a few mutterings of ‘exceptional circumstances’.

  After she’d realised she didn’t have a key to Riley’s place, she’d made a quick trip to the shops to let Finn pick something for dinner then brought him back to her flat.

  Thank goodness for the TV. There was a whole host of kids’ TV channels she’d never known about or watched, but Finn could tell her exactly where to find them. She’d checked him over as best she could and, apart from being a little pale and not wanting to eat much, he seemed fine. As soon as he’d eaten a little dinner, he’d fallen asleep, lying on the sofa with a cover over him.

  Part of her had been nervous. Hadn’t Riley said something about sleepiness being a sign of head injury? But her gut instincts told her that Finn was simply exhausted. It was after seven; she wasn’t sure when he normally went to bed.

  She walked through to the kitchen to make herself a drink but when she came back through Finn was awake again with his nose pressed up against the window.

  ‘Hey,’ she said gently as she crossed the room and put an arm on his shoulder. ‘What are you looking at?’

  It took her a second or two to realise his shoulders were shaking a little. She knelt down beside him so she could see his face. ‘Finn? What’s wrong?’

  ‘I...I heard someone shouting. I heard someone shouting my name...’ His voice stalled for a second.

  April glanced outside. There was a family directly under her window, laughing and carrying on in the light dusting of snow outside. The woman shouted at the little boy and girl. ‘Finn, Jessie, come over here.’

  Finn started to shake next to her. ‘I thought it was my mum,’ he gasped. ‘I thought it was her.’

  Her actions were instinctive. She gathered the little body as Finn’s legs collapsed under him and he started to sob. She pulled him in towards her shoulder and stood up, clutching him tightly. Normally she would have thought a five-year-old might be too big to carry like a toddler. But there was nothing else she could do right now. Finn needed her and she would never let him down.

  She rubbed his back as he sobbed and whispered in his ear. ‘I’m so sorry, honey. I’m so sorry that your mum isn’t here.’

  His words came out in gasps. ‘I...I...miss...her.’

  Tears started to flow down her face. She walked over to the sofa and sat down, keeping Finn firmly in her arms. ‘I know you do. Of course you do. And I know that your mum wishes she was still here with you.’

  He curled in her arms, pulling up his knees and resting his head on her chest. ‘I want my mum.’

  She rocked back and forward. His pain was so raw. So real. She wanted to reach out and grab it. To take it away for him. No child should have to go through this.

  She stroked his hair. ‘It’s not the same. But I had a sister who died not long ago. I know how hard it is when you lose someone you love very much. And it is hard, Finn. I won’t tell you lies. You’ll miss your mum every single day. And while it’s really horrible right now, and you’ll think about her all the time, I promise that at some point it won’t be quite as bad as it is now.’

  Finn shook his head. ‘I just want her back. I just want to go home.’

  It was almost like a fist reaching inside and twisting around her heart.

  She kept rocking. ‘I know you do, honey. But you’re going to have a new home with your dad. He loves you. He loves you just as much as your mum does. It just takes a little getting used to. For him too.’ She gave a little sigh and tried to find the right words. Were there even right words?

  ‘
Mum used to do this,’ whispered the little voice.

  April froze mid-rock.

  She’d only done what came naturally. She wasn’t trying to be a mum to Finn. She was just doing what she thought she should.

  Finn’s hand crept up and his finger wound in her hair. Now, it was her turn to almost shake. ‘Can we stay like this till I fall asleep?’ came the tired voice.

  Her brain was screaming silent messages at her. No! Too close.

  Her body started to rock again, but she couldn’t say the words out loud. It was almost like being on automatic pilot. And even though her movements were steady her thoughts weren’t.

  She was overstepping the mark. This was wrong. It was Riley’s job to comfort his son—not hers. She couldn’t let Finn rely on her. That would be wrong. That would be so wrong. Particularly when she didn’t know what might lie ahead.

  Finn’s little heart had already been broken once. It was bad enough for a child to experience that once. If things developed...

  She pushed the thoughts straight from her head. No. They wouldn’t. She couldn’t let them. It wasn’t good for her. And it really wasn’t good for Finn.

  Her brain buzzed as she kept rocking until the little finger released its grip on her hair and Finn’s head sagged to the side.

  Moving carefully, she positioned him on the sofa with a blanket on top as she stood on the other side of the room, leaning against the wall and breathing heavily.

  She hadn’t meant for this to happen. She was getting too close. She was feeling too much.

  A few extra tears slid down her cheeks. She had to get a hold of herself.

  But it wasn’t how he felt about her that was hardest. It was how she felt about him, and Riley.

  For her, they were a perfect combination at a completely imperfect time. A guy who made her heart beat quicker with just one glance, and a little boy with so much love to give.

  Her heart ached. She just wasn’t ready for this. Not right now.

  There was a gentle knock at the door. It startled her and she took a few deep breaths, pushing her hair back from her face and wiping her eyes before she pulled it open.

  Riley looked exhausted. He was still wearing his pale blue scrubs from work. They were rumpled and had a number of stains that she really didn’t want to question.

  ‘How’s Finn?’ He almost pushed past her in his rush to get through the door.

  She shook her head and stepped completely aside. ‘He’s fine. He’s just tired.’ She pointed towards the sofa. She hesitated for a second. ‘He had some dinner and he’s sleeping now. But he was a little upset earlier.’

  ‘He was? Is he sick?’

  Riley turned towards her and she could instantly see his panic. She held up her hand in front of him. ‘No, he’s not sick. His pupils are equal and reactive. I gave him some kiddie paracetamol that I bought at the pharmacy. Yes, he felt a bit queasy for a while, but was fine after I’d fed him.’ She took a deep breath. She was being automatically defensive because she wasn’t that experienced with kids. Looking after kids with cystic fibrosis had been a whole different ball game. But she could imagine how Riley must have felt, thinking there was something wrong with Finn and he couldn’t get there.

  He crossed the room in a few strides and knelt down in front of the sofa. She watched as he gently stroked Finn’s hair and whispered to him. ‘Hey, buddy, sorry I was so long. I’ve missed you.’

  The truth of every word that he said was etched on his face, and she turned away as tears sprang to her eyes.

  This guy was doing crazy things to her heart. His love. His connection to his child. That overwhelming parental urge that she’d never felt—and would never feel.

  Or would she? When she’d seen Riley’s name on the phone screen today her heart had been in her mouth. She’d been immediately worried about Finn. Seeing him, and knowing he was okay, had relieved her concerns instantly. Spending time with him this afternoon had been a pleasure—even though he’d been a little cranky.

  His every move, every gesture had reminded her of Riley. Being with Finn today had made her realise that even though she’d made her decision about the future she still had the ability to love a child as if it were her own.

  That had almost seemed like something so far out of her reach she hadn’t even thought about it that much.

  She’d been focused on making the decision and getting her surgery out of the way before she gave herself a chance to regroup and think about what the future might hold.

  But the guy who was currently leaning forward, showing every element of being a doting dad, was wrapping her emotions up in knots and her interaction with Finn earlier had exposed her to some overwhelming feelings.

  After a minute he came over and stood next to her. ‘What happened?’

  She sucked in a breath. All of a sudden she didn’t really want to tell him. He was Finn’s father. He had a right to know his child had been upset. But she couldn’t quite extricate her own feelings from all of this. Not without revealing them to Riley.

  She gave her head a shake. ‘He misses his mum. He heard a woman outside call his name—her son must be called Finn too. For a few seconds I think he thought it was his mum and he got upset and was crying.’

  Riley ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head. On top of the exhaustion that was already there, he almost looked broken. ‘How do I deal with this, April? What do I do?’

  She gulped at the pleading tone to his words. She wanted to wrap her hands around his neck and pull him close.

  This was a conversation she couldn’t have. She just couldn’t.

  Not the way she felt right now. He had no idea what she was preparing herself for. She turned and walked into the kitchen. She had to try to distance herself from this. She couldn’t let Finn see her as some sort of mother figure. She couldn’t let this potential relationship with Riley develop any further.

  She kept her voice steady as she flicked on the kettle. ‘You just be his dad, Riley. That’s all you can do.’

  She looked at the pained expression on his face and the sag of his shoulders. She’d never seen him look so tired. It was time to try to change the subject. ‘What happened?’ she asked.

  He paused for a second and gave her a quizzical glance. She could almost see the words forming on his lips to ask her why she was pulling away, but in the end he gave a brief shake of his head. ‘There was another RTA at another part of town. Turned out A&E also have a sickness bug. I had to travel with one of the patients in the ambulance. When I got there...’ He let his voice trail off.

  She nodded. ‘You couldn’t leave. You had to stay and help.’

  He sighed. ‘I’m a doctor; what else could I do? They didn’t have enough staff to deal with two major RTAs. By the time I could hitch a lift back to the scene of the accident to pick up my car half the day had just gone. I’m sorry, April.’

  She put her hand on his arm. ‘It’s fine. Really.’

  He wrinkled his nose and squinted back at Finn. ‘What is he wearing?’

  April shrugged. ‘He couldn’t lie around in his school uniform. I gave him a T-shirt to wear. He picked it. It’s a superhero one. He said it was better than the one with pink sequins.’

  They’d laughed about it. Finn had been impressed with her variety of superhero T-shirts. He’d been even more impressed by her collection of superhero socks, especially when she’d whispered, ‘I think these are mostly for boys. But girls need superheroes too. And I always have cold feet. So I need lots of socks.’

  Riley smiled, shook his head and followed her into the kitchen. He looked around. ‘Nice flat. Have you lived here long?’

  She shook her head. ‘Just since I took the job at Waterloo Court.’ She held up her hands in the glossy black kitchen. ‘It was brand new when I bought it, and alrea
dy finished, so I didn’t have much say. Hence, the wooden floors throughout and the black kitchen.’ She shrugged. ‘I think they do up most new places the same these days. White walls, white bathrooms and very little personality.’

  He pointed towards a large cardboard box tucked in the corner of the kitchen. ‘What’s that?’

  She lifted a cup out of the cupboard. ‘Oh, that’s the Christmas tree. I just pulled it down from the loft last night. I have a little loft space because I’m the top floor flat. It’s good. I’m secretly a hoarder, so I can hide all my junk up there.’

  Riley stood up and lifted the edge of the cardboard box. His eyebrows shot up. ‘A black Christmas tree? I thought you loved Christmas? This seems kinda weird.’

  She smiled. ‘Yeah, well. It fitted with the flat. It has purple baubles, though. I’m sure Finn will approve.’ She wagged her finger. ‘And, believe me, you have no idea just how many other Christmas decorations I actually have. Now, tea or coffee?’ She held up both in her hands.

  ‘What, no wine?’

  She shook her head. ‘Not on a school night. It seems like there’s no dinner either. I bought something for Finn but forgot about myself. I can make you chicken nuggets if you want? Or cheese on toast.’

  Riley let out a groan. ‘Coffee, please. Just black since you don’t have a fancy cappuccino maker. And I’d kill for some cheese on toast.’

  She smiled as she opened the grill. ‘I’m glad you appreciate my cooking talents.’

  It only took a few minutes to start toasting the bread under the grill and to grate some cheese. Riley nursed his coffee as he watched.

  ‘How was the accident? Was everyone okay?’

  He sighed. ‘Hopefully, yes. There was an elderly couple. The man has a broken tibia and fibula. He was pinned in the car and I waited until the fire brigade could cut him out. He was unconscious while I was there, but came around when he got transferred into the ambulance. The woman had a pneumothorax and a fractured tib and fib too. She needed a chest tube when she reached A&E and then had to go to emergency theatre. It took about three hours for the anaesthetist to agree to take her. The other two were a father and son. The little boy was unharmed and the father just had a head lac, and some burns from the airbag.’