Reunion with His Surgeon Princess

by Karin Baine

  ‘Here’s my hand, honey. Can you grab it? Good girl.’ Her cheek was practically embedded with part of the village landscape as she reached down through the gap. Even if she couldn’t get the girl out right away she could assure her she wouldn’t let go of her until someone did.

  ‘Okay, sweetie, hold on with both hands and I’ll pull you out of there.’

  Although she was only a little thing, Kaja was sure she was going to dislocate both shoulders with the strain of wrenching her up through the hole alone.

  ‘If you could put your foot on that rock...good girl.’ With one last heave she pulled the child free and collapsed on the uneven ground, panting for breath.

  Once she managed to control her breathing Kaja turned to check on the little girl. ‘Are you hurt anywhere?’

  She shook her head. Eyes wide with fear, face stained with dirt and clothes torn, she resembled a Victorian street urchin. Not someone who only a short time ago had been having the time of her life with her family. Kaja’s heart went out to her, hoping she’d be reunited with them soon.

  She remembered the child had indicated someone else was down there with her but Kaja hadn’t seen or heard anything other than the debris continuing to fall.

  ‘Is there someone else down there?’

  She nodded.

  ‘Are they awake?’

  She shook her head. Kaja understood she was in shock but she could really use some help to establish who was down there and in what condition. With Seth still bulldozing his way through the adjacent site it was down to her to locate any further survivors and get to them as soon as possible.

  If there was someone else stuck down there she wasn’t going to be able to get them out herself. Then again, she couldn’t call Seth away from his task until she knew what they were up against.

  ‘I’m going to go down and see if I can help. I need you to run over to that man there and he’ll keep you safe until I come back up. Okay?’

  Another nod. If anything happened while she was down there she knew Seth would get this little one to safety. There was a slight hesitation but Kaja assured her she’d join her soon. She took a deep breath to steel herself before she climbed into the gap they’d made in the rubble. It was a tight squeeze but the discomfort as she shimmied down was bearable. Whoever was down here had surely endured worse.

  She dropped onto the ledge accessible through the new skylight they’d installed. From there she had to pick her way carefully down the loose stones and step down onto the ground. ‘Hello? Is there someone down here? I got your daughter out. She’s safe. Can you make a noise so I can find you?’ The only sound she could hear was Seth’s nearby excavation work.

  It was dark and ominous in the depths of the devastated building. There was every chance the whole lot could come down on her at any time as she moved from room to room, climbing over mounds of rock. Her ankle screamed every time she jarred it on an uneven surface but she persevered.

  When she came to the area of the building that seemed to have suffered the brunt of the damage, making it largely inaccessible, she was ready to give up the quest. Except as Kaja went to leave she spotted a flash of colour breaking through the grey. She bent down to take a closer look and there, buried in the landslide, was the very definite shape of an adult male whose bright Hawaiian shirt might have just saved his life.

  ‘Can you hear me?’ Kaja began to move the rocks around the rest of his body, careful not to knock anything more on top of him. His face was turned away from her but when she checked his wrist she could feel a rapid pulse beating against her fingers. It was a relief to know he was still alive but a fast heartbeat could also be an indication of serious injury. She needed a better look but he was unconscious and there was no way she could move him on her own when he was pinned under several large boulders.

  ‘What the hell do you think you’re doing coming down here on your own and scaring me half to death?’ Seth’s disapproval boomed around the enclosed space and gave Kaja such a fright her heart nearly popped out of her chest. Any more surprises today and she’d find herself in a hospital bed along with the rest of her family.

  ‘There’s a man trapped under the rocks.’ She ignored his irritation at her to concentrate on the important matter at hand.

  He came over to help but not without muttering about how stupid she was for putting herself in danger. As though he wouldn’t have done exactly the same thing.

  ‘He hasn’t gained consciousness since I found him and his pulse is too fast for my liking.’

  ‘We’re going to have to get him out of here.’

  ‘What about the woman you were helping?’ She was almost afraid to ask in case the latest rescue attempt hadn’t been successful.

  ‘She’s fine. A few cuts and bruises but she’s with her daughter now. It was her who directed me over here. When I couldn’t find you...’ His face was dark. He was angry with her and it was only now she could see what it would’ve looked like when she disappeared. The last time he’d seen her she’d been digging in the rubble. A few minutes later she’d vanished, with only a hole remaining where she’d once stood.

  ‘Sorry. I wasn’t thinking about anything other than helping.’

  ‘Right, well, no more disappearing acts. I don’t think my heart can take it.’

  It was a throwaway comment but the sentiment behind it meant the world. He was worried about her. As he’d so gallantly displayed during the earthquake, he cared. She wasn’t going to let that slip through her hands again but they could talk about that when this crisis was over.

  ‘First things first, we need to move him.’ This guy was twice her size and she had been foolish to think she could do that on her own. It remained to be seen if they could do it now.

  It would’ve been preferable for them to stabilise him with a neck brace and a back board until he had his injuries assessed properly in hospital. There was a danger of paralysis but life came before injury and getting him out of here was crucial to his survival. They couldn’t risk another rock slide in here in case it injured him further. Crush injuries could prove lethal unless promptly treated.

  Kaja pulled her ponytail loose and used the hair tie to apply a tourniquet above the injury site prior to moving the rock. ‘Hopefully that will prevent the release of toxins into his bloodstream.’

  Once she had limited the blood flow to the injured leg, Seth jumped over to try and shift the weight hampering their progress. Working together like this was reminiscent of those busy nights in A & E when their paths had occasionally crossed during an emergency. It was the same rush of adrenaline and understanding of each other’s roles that made them such a good team. That didn’t always happen with fellow surgeons and was probably more to do with their genuine affection and respect for one another.

  ‘I’m...not...sure... I...can...lift...it.’ Regardless that Seth was bound to be exhausted she could hear the effort he was putting in attempting to dislodge the obstacle.

  ‘If you can shift it a fraction, maybe I could drag him out from under it.’ Kaja grabbed the shoulders of the gawdy shirt and got ready to pull him free.

  Seth manoeuvred himself between the man and the boulder and with a huff of breath braced his back against the rock to lever it off. His legs were shaking and his face was a violent shade of red with the strain he was putting on his body.

  ‘I’ve got him.’ Kaja hauled him out while Seth took the weight of the rock. Once he was free Seth let out a grunt and dropped the boulder as gently as he could without dislodging any more stones.

  ‘His pallor is a little blue. A direct trauma to his chest during the rock fall could have fractured his ribs and punctured his lung.’ Kaja had done her best not to jolt the man too much as she’d wiggled him free but there was no way of telling how much internal damage might have been caused during his ordeal. If air had collected in the space between the layers of tissue lin
ing his lungs it would prevent them from expanding properly.

  She put her ear down to the man’s chest to listen to his breathing and the short, gurgling breaths did nothing to relieve her anxiety. ‘We could be dealing with a traumatic pneumothorax. If we don’t release that pressure he could suffocate.’

  ‘We don’t have the luxury of medical facilities to help him or even access to a chest tube to help drain the air.’

  ‘We’ll have to improvise. I don’t suppose you’ve got a pen on you?’ She was only half joking, having seen this scene dramatised in a number of TV programmes. In real life it was a risky move with too much room for error. However, in these circumstances they were out of options.

  Seth emptied the contents of his trouser pockets into his hands. While there wasn’t a pen, he did have a mini pocket knife. Literally, a lifesaver.

  ‘What’s in this?’ Kaja pointed to a small metal tin he held.

  ‘It’s a reusable metal straw. Amy’s very insistent on using it instead of the plastic ones, which could find their way into the ocean and choke a turtle or something.’

  ‘Good girl. That has to be an improvement on an empty pen barrel. Although, I think you might have to buy a new one after this.’

  ‘No worries. I keep it scrupulously clean so it should be sterile enough to use.’ The tin contained the tiniest brushes Kaja had ever seen so she didn’t doubt him.

  ‘Okay. I’m going to make a small incision with the knife for access and insert the straw to let the air out. That should let the lungs expand again and help him breathe.’ These weren’t the ideal conditions to work in with so much dust and dirt but they were far from help and if they did nothing, this man wouldn’t make it. Neither she nor Seth would stand and watch him die without trying their best to save him.

  Seth opened up the man’s shirt, exposing the torso so Kaja could work. ‘You can do this.’ Seth urged her on as the butterflies in her stomach threatened to fight their way up and out.

  In England she’d thrived with every emergency that came through the hospital doors. Although she did her best to keep her hand in at the hospital here, this felt as though it was the first time she’d really been tested on her home turf.

  She could do this, she knew that deep down, but she was thankful for his encouragement. Any other capable surgeon might have tried to muscle their way in and take over. It was reassuring that he believed in her as much as he always had where her job was concerned. They worked as easily together as ever, happy to let the other take the lead when necessary. Much like their relationship. Seth had never put any pressure on her to do anything, letting her do everything at her own pace so she was comfortable. Including moving in with him, which had taken her some time to agree to as it had seemed such a huge step at the time. Seth had always believed in her and, despite everything since, that had never changed.

  Kaja felt her way along the patient’s torso until she was sure she’d located a gap between the lower ribs. A deep breath to steady herself and she plunged the tip of the small knife in, allowing the trapped air to escape. Seth passed her the metal straw to insert in order to keep the airway open.

  ‘Ideally, we’d have some surgical tape to keep that in place.’

  ‘Sorry. I don’t keep that on me but it’s a foldaway straw. Perhaps if you retract it as much as possible there’s less chance of it falling out.’ He held the base of the straw steady in the site, letting her push it down as far as it would go.

  Kaja tried to be as gentle as possible when there was no pain relief available but their patient remained unconscious throughout.

  It was vital they got him to hospital as soon as possible so surgeons could use the appropriate equipment to repair the injuries but how? They were both running on empty, he was a big guy and there was no way they could carry him back up the way they’d come in.

  ‘We need to find a way to keep him lying flat and stretcher him out.’

  ‘Easier said than done, Seth.’ If they’d had access to the emergency services that wouldn’t have been too much of a problem. However, this emergency rescue rested solely on their shoulders.

  ‘We should be able to tunnel our way back out to the main courtyard.

  Kaja didn’t know if he was trying to convince her or himself. Even if they managed to get him out there were still risks of him suffering from infection, inflammation or fluid developing in the lung. At worst, cardiac arrest. For everyone’s safety they needed to get out of here before they were hit by any further complications.

  ‘Should we enlist some extra help from outside?’ The only other available pairs of hands belonged to the two they’d just dug out but they had run out of options.

  ‘Good idea. I’ll go back out, try and pinpoint where we need to go and get his family to start working from the other side. At least that way we might cut down on the time.’ Along with the effort required.

  She waited for Seth to climb back out of the hole above and listened for him on the other side. Eventually, she heard him shouting. ‘Kaja, let me know when we’re close.’

  ‘Kaja?’ Seth shouted again, closer this time.

  She moved as close to the outer wall as she could. ‘I’m here, Seth.’

  That all too familiar sound of scraping and tumbling rocks began again and she waited for those on the outside to clear a path to them. It was hard manual labour in the heat as well as stressful. She was beginning to wonder if the nightmare would ever end. It seemed as though they’d been living on the edge of hell for hours now when in reality it was probably only a matter of minutes.

  After a while she could see a chink of light through the gap made in the outer wall. It grew steadily bigger until Seth was visible on the other side working alongside the woman he’d rescued from nearby. Even the little girl was helping to move the rocks aside.

  Once there was enough room for Seth to pass through he joined her inside and between them they lifted the incapacitated man. Seth grabbed him under the armpits and Kaja grabbed his legs. He was heavy but they were careful not to knock out the straw chest tube, carrying their patient until he was free from the danger of being hit by any more falling debris.

  ‘Do you have the keys to the car?’ Seth asked the woman crying over her husband’s battered body, stroking his face and begging him to wake up.

  ‘My husband had them.’ She sniffed and searched his pockets. There was a collective sigh of relief when she produced them. They would never have found them if they’d fallen out along the way.

  ‘We need to get him to the hospital for X-rays. He might have a punctured lung so we’ve put this tube in to help him breathe better. Can you drive?’ Kaja asked the woman, aware that this car was the only available means to get back and they didn’t even know if it was drivable.

  She nodded, pulling her little girl close.

  ‘Go and get the car and bring it back here. We’re going to have to put the back seat down and lay him flat in the back to prevent as much movement as we can. You’ll have to keep an eye on that straw to make sure it’s not dislodged on the journey.’ Seth issued the orders with so much authority no one questioned him.

  It was a blessed relief when the car alarm was turned off. Once the car was reversed in as close as they could get it, Seth cleared the glass from the interior.

  They lifted their patient again, Seth backing up inside the car so they could fit him comfortably on the passenger side lengthways.

  Kaja gave the terrified wife directions to the hospital as she clutched the steering wheel. ‘Try to avoid driving close to any trees or any other large structures in case there are any aftershocks.’

  ‘I think you should squeeze in there too, Kaja.’ Seth’s last-minute suggestion threw her so much she nearly lost her professional composure.

  ‘No!’

  ‘You’re hurt. It makes sense for one of us to try and get help. I’ll be fine here.
There’s nothing to stop me walking back along the road.’ He was being sincere but that only strengthened her resolve to stay with him.

  ‘There’s no way I’m leaving you behind.’ She’d done that once too often.

  ‘Kaja—’

  She ignored his plea and put her own to the woman in the car. ‘If you could let someone know we’re out here and need transport back, we’d be very grateful.’

  ‘I’ll do my best. Thank you so much for everything.’

  They said their goodbyes and wished each other luck before Kaja and Seth waved the family off.

  ‘You didn’t have to stay with me.’

  ‘Yes, I did.’

  He sighed, apparently getting the message she wasn’t going to back down over that. She was done being selfish.

  ‘You were amazing back there,’ he told her, downplaying the lives he’d rescued too.

  ‘All part of the day job. It felt good to be back in the thick of things. Although, I’d have preferred to have been working in a more traditional setting.’

  ‘That makes two of us. Still, if we hadn’t been here that family wouldn’t have got out alive.’

  The thought made her shiver but it also gave her a boost knowing she’d made a difference today. Her work as a surgeon was more important than anything she did in a royal capacity and infinitely more fulfilling. A matter she couldn’t ignore now their close call with death was making her reassess the choices she’d made and the unhappy life she’d been living as a result.

  CHAPTER TEN

  ‘YOU KNOW, YOU could’ve increased our chances of getting rescued if you’d told her who you were,’ Seth said with a bemused grin.

  Kaja wrinkled her nose at the suggestion. ‘I wouldn’t do that. In this situation we’re all in the same boat. It wouldn’t be fair to divert emergency services when they’re needed much more elsewhere. We’re not hurt, we’re safe. If she passes the message on someone will get to us eventually.’