Secrets (Hope Bay)

by Angela Verdenius

  He nodded.

  “She refused. Anyway, one day I commented on how lovely her brooch was. It was an old piece, apparently very valuable. The old lady was really nice, but her daughter could be really nasty. Demanding. Rude, even, but you get that in all walks of life, hey?”

  “You do.”

  She gazed into the distance. “You know the saying ‘where there’s smoke, there’s fire’?”

  He knew immediately what she was getting at. “What happened?”

  She told him.

  CHAPTER 11

  “It’s missing.”

  “What’s missing?”

  “Mum’s little brooch.”

  “It can’t be.” She adjusted the temperature of the water. “Have you looked on the bedside table?”

  “Of course. It’s not there.” The sound of drawers opening and closing, getting more impatient as they were slammed louder and louder. “It’s not there!”

  She sighed inwardly. With too many patients and doctors coming soon, it was not what she needed right now. “I’ll look around as soon as I’m finished showering your mother.”

  Mrs Standwick, the old lady sitting in the shower chair, peered up at her. “It was on my table just minutes ago.”

  “I’m sure it was,” she replied soothingly. “It’s probably just fallen onto the floor and slid under the bed or something. I’ll check after.”

  The bathroom door slammed open, and she turned to face an angry woman.

  The daughter, Karen Barlow, breathing fire. “You were the only one in here!”

  “I haven’t seen it. But I will look for it, you can be sure.”

  “My mother had it on the table just minutes ago and you’re the only person to have come into this room. You brought her menu, you did her obs and stuff.”

  Now she started to feel uneasy. “What are you saying?”

  “What I’m saying is that you admired my mother’s brooch, mentioned how you liked it, and now it’s gone. You took my mother’s brooch!”

  Disbelievingly, she stared at Karen. “Me? I didn’t-”

  “Then who else, huh? It was there when I left the room and now I’m back and it’s gone.”

  “Look, I promise you, I never-”

  “Mum, has anyone else been in this room since you arrived?”

  “No, dear.” Mrs Standwick looked apologetically at her. “I am sorry, but…”

  Trying to get a grip on the situation, trying to stop it spiralling into something worse, she turned off the water. “I’ll look for it now. It must have gone under the bed and-”

  “No. I’ve checked.” Folding her arms, Karen glared at her. “I want to see your boss.”

  “My boss?” Her stomach dropped sickeningly. “There’s no need to-”

  “Then give me the damned brooch!”

  “I don’t have it. I promise you-”

  “You do! How could you?”

  “I swear.” She was getting desperate. “I swear, I didn’t do it!”

  “You did it! I’ll have your job for this! You lying piece of trash!”

  “Please.” Throat choked, tears filling her eyes, heart hammering. “Please, I’m telling the truth. Please, just listen to me, I couldn’t have-”

  “No, you listen. I’ll have your job, your reputation, and you’ll have a black mark on your record. You’ll never work in this field again!”

  Her heart thumped heavily, her stomach pitched sickeningly. This was fast becoming a nightmare. “Please, I didn’t-”

  “I’ll see you in gaol, you thieving bitch!”

  From there it had deteriorated, the Nurse Manager coming in, the accusations. Time fled past, hours, the Police arriving, the shocked faces of her co-workers, the sympathetic expressions, the odd knowing nod as what happened swept through the hospital.

  She’d been suspended, the union provided her with a lawyer. She didn’t have many close friends but the few nurses she’d been friendly with dropped away, going on with their lives, keeping their distance, not wanting to be involved in the proceedings.

  Leaving her alone.

  She contemplated ringing her foster parents but she hadn’t seen them in awhile. They’d cared for her but once she was of age and left, it was clear the room was now for the younger foster kids. It was the way they did it. Plus, when she finally broke enough to ring, she was politely told that she was an adult now and they didn’t want her coming around with the troubles she had, didn’t want the younger foster kids to get influenced.

  She was on her own.

  Except for CK. CK loved her unconditionally and it was into CK’s fur that she cried, talked, found comfort.

  Then, just days before she had to go to court, the lawyer turned up on her doorstep. All charges had been dropped. Mrs Standwick had stated she’d found the missing brooch. It had all been a terrible misunderstanding and she was very sorry.

  The relief was staggering. It was almost a dream, a part of the nightmare that couldn’t quite let go. But she was no longer under suspicion. She was free to return to work. Or so she’d thought.

  That night the Nurse Manager came around personally. Emma thought it was to congratulate her, but instead she was told that maybe it was better she not return to work at the hospital. Maybe it was better to start afresh elsewhere. After all, she really didn’t want to go back to a place which held bad memories, did she?

  Shocked that she wasn’t getting the support she needed - had needed all the way along - Emma stood her ground. Her registration was intact, the job was still hers. Suspension had been lifted as soon as Mrs Standwick had withdrawn the charges.

  She soon found things weren’t the same. Everyone greeted her with smiles when she returned, but there were a few reservations. Then one afternoon a man’s wallet went missing and she felt the eyes on her, the silent judgement. True, not every nurse looked at her like that, but some did, and one of those judgemental looks was from the Nurse Manager. It cut her to the quick. She’d looked around and hastily the other nurses had averted their gazes.

  She felt as though she had a big red ‘Thief’ permanently burnt into her forehead for all to see.

  The wallet was found within fifteen minutes, he’d dropped it in the hallway and an orderly had picked it up and, in the act of returning it, had been called away for several minutes.

  But not one person apologised to her. No one gave her a pat on the shoulder. There were, however, several sheepish glances and smiles. Some overtures of friendliness that bordered on apologetic.

  But she knew. Where there was smoke, there was fire. She’d been burned.

  Just when she thought things couldn’t get any worse, Karen turned up on her doorstep. Not to apologise, but to issue a warning. If she ever saw Emma near her house, if she ever saw Emma caring for her mother if she were ever to be admitted back into hospital, she’d let the world know that the brooch had never been found. It had simply been her mother’s insistence that Emma not be charged, that she withdraw the accusations, that had saved Emma. The brooch was still missing. If Emma didn’t watch her step, she’d find herself charged once more. Then Karen walked away.

  Emma had no idea if the charges could be brought against her again, and she didn’t want to pursue it. Sadly, she was just grateful for the warning. It was then she decided to leave the hospital, leave everything behind and start anew while she still could, before disaster struck again.

  Unable to afford quitting, she stayed at the hospital while scouring the newspapers and internet for jobs. Hope Bay Clinic finally pinged on her radar, she’d spoken to Doc and, not wanting any misunderstandings, told him everything. The kindly doctor had hired her on the spot. Within a week she was flying to the other side of the country to start afresh.

  **

  “That’s it.” Emma looked at Shane.

  Anger burned in his eyes. “That bitch! That lowlife, boot-licking bitch!”

  A little taken aback by his anger, she ran a hand soothingly down his arm. “It’s okay, Shane
.”

  “No, it’s not.” His nostrils flared with fury. “I’ll find her and-”

  “No!” Alarmed, she jumped up.

  He followed swiftly. “Emma, you can’t let her hang this over you. It’s not fair.”

  She looked pleadingly up at him. “Shane, I started a new life here. I don’t want to go back where I’m not wanted. I don’t want to risk being charged again.”

  “I don’t know if they can-”

  “Neither do I, and I don’t want to find out. Out of sight, out of mind. I am not going back. My life is here now, do you understand? Or…” she faltered. “I think it is.”

  His expression switched from fury to puzzled hurt. “I told you I believed you. Doc believes you. Why would you say such a thing?”

  “The boys.” Emma cringed faintly. “They heard what Bitsy said.”

  “Oh, Emma.” His eyes warmed as he shook his head ruefully at her. “Mitch, Daz, Steve and Danny are not like that lot you worked with. They are not like your so-called friends back in the city. If they knew you thought otherwise, they’d be hurt.”

  “They don’t even know the story.”

  “So I’ll tell them.”

  She cringed again.

  “They won’t reveal it to another living soul, I promise.” He gave her a gentle shake. “Trust me.”

  “I do, but…”

  “Trust them. They’re good people. Trust me to trust them.”

  “I don’t know.”

  When he drew her back against his chest, she burrowed in, feeling safe, warm, surrounded by his protectiveness.

  “Then you tell them,” he suggested.

  “Ugh.”

  “Or not.”

  “I have to.” The words were said grudgingly.

  “Yes,” he agreed. “You have to. For your own peace of mind.”

  “Thank you.” She tipped her head back to meet his gaze. “For believing in me.”

  The kiss he pressed to her forehead was tender. “Always, Em. Always.”

  She closed her eyes, relaxed against him. He believed her. God, she loved him so much it hurt. Her arms tightened around him.

  “Emma, why you were so hesitant to tell me?” Shane asked softly.

  She sighed. “I didn’t want you to wonder. If something went missing, I didn’t want everyone here to look straight at me first.”

  “No one here would think that,” Shane replied immediately.

  “No?” She pulled back enough to look up at him. “I make sure every woman takes her handbag and purse with them when they leave the treatment room. If I find one has been left, I get it to reception straight away regardless of who is in with me.”

  “Emma-”

  “Come on, Shane. You know what some people are like. People are people, wherever they are.”

  “Okay. But those who matter - our friends and my family, they’ll understand. They won’t judge you.”

  “I hope not.” Emma placed her cheek against his chest, seeking the comforting, steady beat of his heart. “I guess I’ll soon find out.”

  He held her tight. “Forget about that bloody hospital and those useless people. They should have supported you, Emma. Anyone with half a brain can see you’re as honest as they come.”

  Her fingers curled into his shirt, held on.

  “Mind you, it does seem as though some of those people miss you. You had a friend.”

  “No friends.”

  “What about the woman who rang? Bitsy? Who is she? She said they miss you.”

  Emma shook her head. “That was my neighbour. She has five kids and I used to run around and do errands for her, baby-sit the kids at times. Funnily enough, when I was going through all this she stopped inviting me in for coffee. Stopped the baby-sitting. Stopped any contact at all with me.”

  Anger trembled in his voice. “Is this the first time she’s rung you?”

  “Yes.”

  “So why ring now?”

  “I can guess.”

  He looked down at the wavy hair just below his chin.

  “She’s decided she needs help with her kids again, she’s probably worn out her other friends and has no one left to drive her around and do her errands for her. I guess she’s desperate enough to want me back to help her.”

  “Well, she can bugger off,” he growled. “You’ve gone through hell and back on your own.” He pushed her back enough to see her face. “But you’re never going through that on your own again, understand?”

  “I don’t ever want to go through that again full stop.”

  “It’s over.” He kissed her softly. “It’s all over, Emma.”

  “It will be once I change my phone number to a private one.”

  He gazed down at her intently. “We can go back together, face up Karen Barlow, reveal her threat.”

  “No.” She shook her head. “Please, Shane, no. That’s my decision and I made it when I left, when I came here for a new start. Please don’t push it.”

  She saw his jaw harden, but after a few tense seconds he nodded grudgingly. “Okay. Okay, it’s your call. I don’t bloody like it, that bitch threatening you like that, but it’s your call.”

  “Thank you.”

  “But if she ever dares to even think of starting trouble, I will clip her wings so fast that vulture will never recover.” Shane hugged Emma close. “No one will ever hurt you again, Em. Ever.” He rested his chin atop her head. “I will protect you with my life, you hear me?”

  She nestled against him. “Yes.”

  “Good.”

  After several seconds of silence, she whispered, “Thank you so much, Shane.”

  His arms were warm, reassuring. “Anything for you, Emma.”

  They stood in comfortable silence, happiness at his acceptance trickling through her. Relieved she’d told him everything.

  “Hey, Em?” Shane breathed against her ear.

  “Mmm?”

  “When you took off earlier, where did you go?”

  “I panicked and got to the end of the road, hid when I saw the boys drive past in Mitch’s van, then realised I couldn’t keep running for two reasons.”

  “What were the two reasons?”

  “CK was here. I’d never leave her.”

  “Acceptable. And…?” His arms tightened a little.

  “And you were here,” she admitted. “I couldn’t leave you. Not without telling you my side of the story.”

  “Just one warning only - don’t you ever run out on me again when something important has to be discussed, no matter how worried you get. I would never hurt you. I’m on your side the whole way, understand?”

  “I know. I’m sorry.”

  “I’ll hunt you down to the ends of the earth.”

  Smiling, she relaxed against him. “Okay.”

  “Missy,” he growled, hugging her even tighter, “you are never going to leave me.”

  “Okay,” she repeated happily.

  “I mean it. Never. You are never leaving.”

  “I’m not sure if that’s romantic or a little creepy.” She nestled closer.

  “We’ll go with romantic.” Shifting his hands, he cupped her face, tipped her head back so he could meet her gaze.

  He was so serious, his eyes intent, the greyness holding an intensity that had her wondering.

  But not fearing. Knowing he wouldn’t ditch her. Her trust in him now so complete.

  “Emma, I want to tell you something,” he said.

  She waited.

  “Emma, I lo-”

  “What the hell?” The front door banged open. “Emma!”

  “What the-” Startled, Shane looked at the doorway.

  CK yowled and hid under the sofa.

  Katie barrelled into the room. Her eyes were burning, her expression angry, and her fists were clenched. “Who bloody dared accuse Emma of stealing something? I’ll bust their arses! I’ll kick them in the nut sac! I’ll bloody tear them a new arsehole so big they’ll have to use a whole forest to wipe
their arses after they have a sh-” her words were stopped by Mitch appearing behind her and clapping his hand over her mouth.

  Uncertainly, Emma stepped back into Shane. He wrapped an arm around her waist in silent support, his body warm, pressed reassuringly against hers.

  “Yeah, sorry about that.” Mitch grimaced. “She got away from us.”

  Katie yanked his hand away. “Who did it, Em, huh? Just tell me and I’ll kick them right in the googlies or muff! I don’t care which!”

  Danny peeked over Mitch’s shoulder, which he managed only by standing on tip-toe. “Hi, Emma.” Hs smile was warm. Friendly.

  Non-judgemental.

  “Make way, make way!” Steve elbowed past them all. Crossing to Emma he yanked her into his embrace. “Jesus, woman, why didn’t you just tell us what happened? We’d have sorted it out for you.”

  She didn’t know what to think, what to do, not when Daz ambled in holding yet another bag of drinks.

  He smiled at her and winked. “We’re here for you.”

  “Yeah.” Katie elbowed Steve aside to hug Emma. “You just point me in the right direction, love, and I’ll have their hides.”

  Tears brimming, too choked up to talk, Emma managed to turn in Katie’s tight embrace to look up at Shane.

  He smiled down at her crookedly. “What they’re saying, sweetheart, is that they have your back.” His eyes warmed. “We have your back.”

  “Hell yes,” Steve said. “That’s what friends are for!”

  **

  Lying in bed that night, listening to the night birds calling out in the garden, Emma wondered just how she got so lucky.

  Friends who believed her and were prepared to stand beside her.

  The man she loved lying asleep beside her. The man she loved who believed her without a doubt, without hesitation. Who would protect her in a heartbeat. The man she knew was prepared to stand fearlessly beside her against the world if necessary.

  Glancing over her shoulder, she could just make out his face in the shadows. Strong lines, firm mouth, laughing eyes closed. Sleep relaxed him, gave him a slightly boyish air, but the face was all man. Her gaze wandered lower, over his chest and flat abdomen. His muscles weren’t as heavily pronounced as Mitch’s, true, but they were there. He was a normal man to some, but to her he was special. She loved every line of him, his every laugh, his tone, the way he made her feel that she was the only woman in the world who mattered.