‘Just wish the rest of them would get on with producing heirs for me to play with.’ And fill the gap in her heart that should’ve been filled by her own children.
There were only two vacant seats at the table, side by side, apart from those her parents always sat in. A manipulation by her family? Or coincidence? She’d go for the latter, and try not to question what those big oafs who claimed to care so much about her were up to. Or were they silently telling her to take another look at Fraser? That they’d vetted him and found him good enough for their sister after all? Totally confused, Nikki sat down and deliberately immersed herself in the light banter flowing around and over the table. This was how families behaved. At least, hers did, and always had.
As the meal progressed Nikki became increasingly aware of the man sitting beside her. It seemed that every time she moved she brushed against him. ‘Salt, please.’ And her thigh touched his as she reached to take the shaker. ‘Peas, ta.’ Her arm moved over Fraser’s. Her elbow nudged him as she cut her meat. When she tapped her foot in exasperation, her toes tapped the top of his foot.
This was far worse than being shut in an ambulance with him all day. And that was bad enough.
‘How are you finding being back in Blenheim?’ her father asked Fraser when he could get a word in around his sons’ banter—about halfway through dessert.
‘At first everything seemed exactly the same as the day I left for university. But Blenheim has changed, Allan. More people live here, the vineyards have spread farther out from the town, and now it’s the people I grew up with who are working on the land, running the businesses. I’m very glad to be back.’
Out in the hall the phone rang and Jay pushed his chair back. ‘I’ll get that. Might be someone remembering it’s my birthday.’
‘How could anyone forget when he told the whole town?’ Beau grinned.
Jay was back, his face bleak. ‘That was the police. The bridge is out. The river’s burst its banks. Our four-wheel-drive tractor’s needed up by the bend to pull a campervan out from where it crashed over the railing into the water.’
‘Sounds dangerous, son.’
‘It gets worse. Two people are trapped inside. Nikki, Fraser, I took the liberty of saying you were here and the SARS co-ordinator wants you to attend. There could be injuries.’
‘Not a problem. I’ll change into work-boots.’ Nikki stood up. ‘Jay’s in the search-and-rescue team these days,’ she informed Fraser while mentally running through what might be available in the house to take to the scene in case of injuries. ‘Mum, I’ll take your first-aid kit and some blankets.’
Fraser pushed his chair back. ‘Has the ambulance been called?’
Jay answered over his shoulder as he headed for the back door. ‘Yes, but they’re going the long way. There’s another breach of the river bank closer to town that’s causing chaos.’
Nearly an hour would be added to the crew’s trip, then. ‘Guess it really is up to us.’ Nikki grimaced.
Beau was already at the door. ‘I’m coming, too. Might be something I can do to help.’ Within moments three brothers were kitted out in wet-weather gear and stomping through the rain to one of the large four-wheel-drive vehicles parked by the shed, while Jay headed to the shed and the tractor. Allan called to Fraser, ‘Keep an eye on my girl, will you? I know what she’s like when she thinks someone needs her help.’
‘I’ll be glued to her at the hip.’ Fraser took the pile of blankets Nikki’s mother handed him and stuffed them into plastic bin liners for protection from the rain. He nodded at Nikki. ‘We’ll take your SUV. My little heap will sink in the first puddle we come to.’
‘Glued to me at the hip?’
‘Where you go, I go.’ He grinned that wicked grin of his that turned her toes upwards, fizzed her blood.
Thank goodness it would be chilly out in the rain.
Fraser drove, following the guys down the long drive and out onto the sodden road, surprised that Nikki had tossed him the keys. Normally she would be proving that she was as good as any of her brothers.
Slap, slap went the wipers. Whack, whack went his brain. He’d gone out to her family home that afternoon, not really knowing how well he’d be accepted by Nikki’s family despite Jay’s genuine invitation after he’d heard his story. No one had mentioned the past, which had perversely put him on edge, tightening his gut, tensing his shoulders.
They’d just waited for him to say his piece, which had been hard to do with those men all lined up, hands on hips, waiting. Everybody but everybody knew you didn’t fool around with Nikki or else those brothers would be down on you like a load of hay bales. But Jay had stood beside him.
Parking on the edge of the hard by the group of people clad in waterproof gear peering over the edge into the raging waters of the usually quiet Wairau River, Fraser commented, ‘Those spotlights on that farm truck give the whole place an eerie look.’
‘There’s the campervan.’ Nikki pointed to the van bobbing precariously in the river, water lapping at the bottom of the windows. ‘Those poor people must be terrified.’ She jumped out of the vehicle and stomped through the puddles to join her brothers.
Fraser followed, pausing at the river’s edge, the sight making him whistle through his teeth. ‘Hell, those folks are lucky not to have been swept away.’
‘The current could still roll the van at any moment.’ Beau appeared at his elbow.
Jay joined them. ‘It’s going to be a job and a half getting those people out of there. I doubt I can pull the camper back onto land. It’s too far over the edge and I’ll be pulling against the current. A crane might do the trick tomorrow. In the meantime, I can anchor the van while the guys evacuate those people.’
Nikki stood on Jay’s other side. ‘If that was me stuck in there, I’d be screaming in fear.’
Fraser grimaced. If it had been Nikki in that van he’d be screaming with fear. And there’d be no stopping him moving mountains to get her out. ‘Do we know exactly who’s inside the camper?’ he asked Jay.
‘A woman and a teenager. They’d been parked on the river bank most of the afternoon but must’ve decided it was time to move away from the river. Pity they didn’t make that decision hours ago.’ Jay stomped off to his tractor.
Fraser turned to Nikki. ‘Why don’t you wait in your vehicle until we’re wanted? No point in getting soaked unnecessarily.’
‘Because then I wouldn’t know what’s going on.’ She glared at him. ‘As soon as Jay’s secured the van I’m going to see if I can reach those people. There’s a strong possibility one or both were injured when they tipped over the edge. Either of them could’ve slammed head-first into the windscreen or dash.’
Fraser’s blood chilled, slowed. ‘You are not going anywhere near that vehicle. Or the bank.’
Beau stepped in front of her. ‘No, Nikki. I don’t think so. What if the bank gives out completely and the van gets washed away?’
‘You could be hurt. Drowned.’ Fraser added his fears.
Jay had spun around and stomped straight back to Nikki. ‘Where did you get that dumb idea from, sis? You are not going near that river.’ Even in the dim light his fear for his sister was easy to see. ‘You think we haven’t got enough to deal with without you getting into trouble? Try climbing down to the front of that van in this rain and see what happens. You’ll slip for sure. Stay with Fraser and Beau until we can bring those people to you.’
Nikki laid a hand on Jay’s arm. ‘It’s okay, I’ll be careful.’
Jay shrugged her hand away. ‘You’re not going there.’
‘You could tie a rope around my waist.’ Defiance tightened her voice and stabbed Fraser in the gut.
‘No way,’ he all but shouted, and was rewarded with rolling eyes and a tight mouth.
‘You think we’re not going to do everything we can to get those two out of there?’ Jay snapped. ‘We’ve got specially trained people to do this.’
‘None of your lot can do more t
han basic first aid. I can.’ Nikki glared at her brother. ‘I understand why you’re worried but this is different. I can look after myself, Jay. And your guys will make sure nothing happens to me.’
Jay grunted. ‘You want me scared witless?’
‘No, I don’t.’ Some eye contact went down between Nikki and her brother before she turned her fiery glare on Fraser. ‘Our job is to help people.’
Fraser responded quickly. ‘No, Nik. It’s the job of the SAR’s guys to get them out of there. Then you can do your magic medical stuff.’
Jay prodded Nikki’s shoulder. ‘Seriously, sis, I want you safe on firm ground, not giving me a heart attack while you’re hanging over that wild river in a vehicle that’s relying on a rope to keep it out of trouble.’ He raced towards his tractor.
Just then shouts came from below them. ‘Help me. Mum’s not waking up.’ The young voice from the camper’s now open skylight was filled with terror.
‘That does it. I can get in through that skylight.’ Nikki charged after Jay, calling, ‘Hurry up with securing that van. I’m going in.’ She approached the other men and whatever she said quickly had them fixing her into a harness attached to a long safety rope on pulleys.
Fraser’s heartbeat was all over the place. She couldn’t go out there. What if she slipped? He stepped forward. ‘I’ll go.’
‘Like you’re going to fit those shoulders through that gap.’ Her eyes glittered at him then suddenly softened. ‘Can you get the first-aid stuff that I brought from home?’
He wanted to tie her to her SUV so she couldn’t do such a damned-fool thing, not be aiding her in this crazy scheme. But she wasn’t about to listen to him.
‘Okay,’ he acquiesced, but it should be him going. He wanted to help those people as much as she did, and at least then she’d be safe.
‘Fraser,’ she said softly, ‘I’ll be fine. These guys will make sure of that.’
And I’ll be terrified every single second until you’re back on firm ground. ‘You’re right.’ He strove for a normal voice, speaking around a huge blockage in his throat. Nikki needed him focused on the job. ‘I wish we had the ambulance and all its gear.’
Her hand was shaking when he handed her the bag of supplies. He changed tack. She needed support, not argument. ‘You can do this, Nik. You’ll be just fine.’
Please, his heart begged. Please don’t slip, fall, hurt yourself. Please put your safety first, but he knew that was a hopeless request so he kept it to himself and stood with Beau, watching while his heart thumped continuously.
The SAR men wouldn’t let Nikki go until Jay had the wire cable secured from his tractor to the camper and one of them had gone over to perch on the van’s roof first. The moment they gave her the nod she was moving down the bank as fast as possible, crossing the raging water. Using the spare wheel attached to the back of the van, she began hauling herself up. She slipped, grasped the wheel and hung for a moment, her feet kicking at the water. The rope did its job, holding her safe, although at an awkward angle.
‘Hell.’ Fraser stood on the edge of the bank, mindless of his own safety, holding his breath. Even knowing about the safety rope, his mind tossed up pictures of Nikki being washed away, rolling and bouncing down the river. Then she began hauling herself upwards again. Slowly, one hand grip at a time. He’d give anything to swap places with her.
‘Damn it, Nikki. Be careful,’ Beau muttered beside him. ‘Why couldn’t she wait until the guys brought those people to her?’
‘Because she cares too much,’ Fraser admitted. ‘Hell, I want to go and help them, so why wouldn’t Nik?’
‘You ambos are all the same, needing to make everyone better.’
‘Yeah, and you’re not? Coming out in these conditions to rescue these people?’ Fraser nudged Beau in the arm. ‘Eh, Dr Page?’
‘A lot of use being a gynaecologist is,’ Beau retorted before calling to Jay, ‘How are your lot going to get everyone off that campervan?’
‘The same way Nikki and Andy went on board. Ropes and pulleys.’
It took for ever to evacuate the boy, Bryne, who’d had his left arm strapped across his chest by Nikki. When he was on firm ground Fraser led him to the SUV and settled him on the back seat. ‘Let’s take a look at that arm.’
‘The lady said it’s broken,’ Bryne told him. ‘Here.’ He tapped his lower arm.
Beau joined them. ‘Did Nikki give you anything for the pain?’
Bryne shook his head. ‘Do you think Mum’s going to be all right? She’s unconscious and her head’s bleeding.’
‘I’m sure she’ll be good to go as soon as we get her to hospital. What did she bang her head on?’ Fraser asked.
‘I don’t know. I was in the back when we went over the bank. It was scary. I thought I was going to die.’
‘Hey.’ Fraser lightly tapped Bryne’s hand.
‘You’re safe now, okay? Think of the story you can tell your mates.’
Nikki poked her head in the door. ‘How are you doing, Bryne? Mum’s safe now. My brother, Beau, he’s a doctor and he’ll see to your mum.’
Fraser couldn’t help himself. He reached for Nikki, ran a finger down her frozen cheek. ‘Glad you’re back,’ he whispered.
‘So am I. It was darned freaky out there.’
It had been darned freaky here, too.
Flashing lights announced the arrival of the ambulance. ‘Here comes the cavalry.’ It was easier to focus on that than think about the danger Nikki had put herself in. She was safe and that should be all that mattered. The fact that his heart was still knocking hard against his ribs was irrelevant. Wasn’t it?
Nikki called through the rain still pouring relentlessly out of the sky, ‘Hey, guys, typical. Wait till the hard work’s done before turning up.’
‘I think we’ve been to Christchurch and back, trying to find a way through,’ Mike said as he and Rebecca jumped down and splashed across to them. ‘What have you got for us?’
‘Bryne here has a broken arm and lots of bruises. His mum needs a nice warm bed for the night in hospital.’ Beau gave them a quick rundown.
Fraser led the boy around to the back of the ambulance and helped him aboard, while Rebecca and some of the SAR guys loaded Bryne’s mother onto a stretcher.
Finally, Fraser held open the SUV’s door. ‘Come on, Nikki, let’s go home and get dry.’
‘Home, as in Mum and Dad’s place,’ she muttered. ‘I don’t fancy driving back to town with all that water on the roads.’
Disappointment flooded Fraser. For one crazy moment he’d forgotten they weren’t a couple. They weren’t even having a relationship so they didn’t do things like go home together. ‘I guess you’re right. It’s probably crazy to be on the road tonight if you don’t have to be.’
‘There’s plenty of room for you to stay too,’ Nikki murmured, staring fixedly out the windscreen. ‘I’m sure Mum will be happy to put you up for the night.’
Warmth trickled through Fraser at the offhand invitation. Three steps forward, none back. Progress?
CHAPTER SEVEN
FRASER pulled into the drive of his parents’ home just after six the next morning. He’d left a note on the bench back at Allan and Rose Page’s house, thanking them for putting him up the previous night.
Quietly closing the truck door, he headed up the path in the dark to the front door. Hopefully his dad had had a quiet night.
His father’s newly querulous voice shattered that wish. ‘What do you think you’re doing, skulking around here, you scoundrel?’
‘Dad? What are you doing outside this early?’ Fraser stared at the semi-naked man sitting on the top step. ‘You need more than pyjama pants to protect yourself against the cold and damp.’ At least the rain had finally stopped.
‘Keeping an eye out for you, Henry Broad. You needn’t think you’re getting past me to Molly. She’s mine now. She don’t want a bar of you, so beat it.’
Shock slammed into Fraser, forcing the ai
r out of his lungs. Dad doesn’t recognise me. Knowing that this would happen didn’t lessen the impact or the pain. He’s really lost all sense of what’s real.
‘Dad, it’s me, your son.’ Fraser spoke evenly, quietly, pretending his heart wasn’t pounding his ribs like a battering ram. He needed to make his father come back from wherever his mind had wandered. ‘Dad, I’m Fraser,’ he said as he slipped his jacket off and around his dad’s shivering shoulders. This was the man who’d tormented and bullied him all his childhood and yet Fraser would give anything to bring back the father he was more familiar with.
‘Go home, Broad.’ His dad’s voice dipped, wavered, as though he wasn’t sure what was going on.
Fraser grimaced. How long has Dad been out here? His skin was icy. Hypothermic? Shivering and confusion were symptoms. But the confusion was more likely due to the dementia. ‘Come on, let’s get you inside and warm.’
Where was Mum? Finally getting a desperately needed full night’s sleep? This would rattle her, and cause more sleepless nights as she kept one eye open to watch over the man she’d spent all her adult life with.
His dad stood up slowly. ‘Don’t get funny with me, Broad. I know you’ve been sneaking around, trying to win Molly away from me.’ He swung an arm in Fraser’s direction.
Carefully catching the arm, which wasn’t as muscular as it used to be, Fraser tried to turn his father round and lead him inside, all the while aching for this once strong man. The man who’d been a hard father, who’d pushed him around, taunted him over any shortcomings, and yet had sat with him for every single round of chemo.
Twisting out of Fraser’s hands, his dad yelled, ‘Don’t you touch me. Get off my property and don’t come back, you hear?’
Fraser reluctantly tried another tack. ‘Ken, get your butt in the house now before Molly comes looking for you. She’s going to be mad as hell if she finds you out here.’ It was a crappy state of affairs when a man had to speak to his father like this, but if it meant getting him inside and wrapped up in warm clothes then it would be worth it.
His father glared at him then suddenly peered sheepishly over his shoulder at the front door as though expecting Molly to appear suddenly. ‘She’d give me a bollocking, wouldn’t she, son?’
Medical Duo - Dr Chandler's Sleeping Beauty & Christmas with Dr Delicious Page 24