AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He blinked. Once.
‘I like him.’ There. She’d said it out loud.
Her stomach instantly churned. It wasn’t entirely true. But only she knew that. She more than liked him. She just didn’t know if she was ready to admit that.
Don was staring at her. She didn’t move, didn’t flinch—no matter how uncomfortable she felt. Sometimes it felt like those eyes could feel about in her brain and find the truth that she kept hidden. Like the time she’d sworn at a neighbour’s kid, then said she hadn’t. Or the time as a teenager she might have gone somewhere she shouldn’t have. Don seemed to know everything.
‘Only like him?’
Yep. He could see right into her brain. She thought for a second. ‘I don’t know. He makes me smile. I enjoy spending time with him. I intend to keep spending time with him.’ She sucked in a deep breath. ‘I took him to meet Hiroko.’
One eyebrow rose. ‘Were you trying to determine his staying power?’
She smiled. ‘Nothing like a cantankerous grandmother to scare a man off.’
‘And has she?’
Katsuko paused, then shook her head as little pieces of the puzzle of Avery Flynn started to fall into place in her brain. ‘Actually, not at all.’
Don gave a silent nod. ‘What did you mean earlier?’
She was surprised at the subject change. She’d expected to be grilled on Avery—or at the very least asked for an introduction. She cringed as she realised he’d met her grandmother before he’d met Don. In hindsight that didn’t seem quite right.
‘Which part?’
Don looked serious. ‘The part about living somewhere else?’
Had she said that out loud? Oh, no. That wasn’t how she wanted to have this conversation. She wasn’t even sure she was ready to have it yet. It had just been floating around inside her.
‘I’ve been thinking. If I want to do well in the air force, if I want to get a promotion, I should probably think about serving on another base.’
Don moved around the table and picked up a pile of papers. Distraction technique. Thinking time.
He didn’t meet her gaze. Just nodded as his eyes fixed on the table. ‘Yes, you probably should.’ There was the tiniest waver in his voice and that broke her heart. Don wasn’t her biological father, but she’d come to think of him that way. After a few years of staying with him she’d just started calling him Dad. It had seemed natural. It might be by default, but he’d become every bit as important to her as her own father had been. It had only been in the last few years, as an adult, that she’d occasionally called him Don again. He didn’t seem to mind what she called him. Their relationship was that good, that steady, and she’d just hurt him.
Tears filled her eyes.
Don looked up. ‘Where do you want to go?’
She shook her head and tried to blink back the tears. ‘I haven’t thought about it enough yet. I’d like to work somewhere I can get some different nursing experience.’
‘You’re bored with the ER?’
‘I’ll never be bored with the ER, but I need to grow as a nurse. Maybe I need to think about Theatres or ICU.’
Don opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again. Whatever it was, he must have reconsidered. ‘Why don’t we sit down sometime and look at the options?’
He was so matter-of-fact. So supportive. She walked over and put her hands around his neck and hugged him. She didn’t do that much now. But she could tell he needed it. The man who’d practically given up his own life for her, manoeuvred a way to let them both remain in Japan, and supported her every step of the way was doing what every parent did at some stage—letting their child move on without them.
And after a few seconds Don hugged her back.
* * *
It was a weird kind of day. Some people were still shooting him strange glances. Some were cracking jokes to his face. There was even an occasional warning glance.
Katsuko had been a little strange when she’d come to see him last night. After six weeks his house was finally starting to smell like something resembling normal. He’d bought around a hundred candles at a local market, all smelling of Japanese maple and jasmine, and had nearly burned them all. Katsuko hadn’t even wrinkled her nose when she’d walked through his door last night.
But things had been a bit strained. Something was on her mind and she didn’t seem to want to talk about it. She said the General had spoken to her but was fine.
Fine. What did that mean?
Tonight’s night shift was slow. Which was unusual.
But it was a Tuesday. Did anything happen on a Tuesday? The other doctor on duty was due to sit exams so Avery had told him to hide out in the office with his books. Lily, the pregnant nurse, had looked a bit tired, so he’d sent her off to the staffroom to put her feet up for a while.
Katsuko had chatted casually, but had seemed very conscious that people were watching their every move so had managed to keep herself busy.
His stomach gave a little grumble so he stood up and stretched his back. ‘Back in five, folks. I’m going to grab a sandwich.’
He strolled down the corridor, glancing from side to side. Katsuko was around here somewhere, maybe she’d join him for a coffee.
He pushed the door open.
And stopped thinking about food.
Lily was on the floor, having a seizure. Her arms and legs were jerking heavily.
‘Help! I need help in here!’ he shouted. Avery had never been a doctor who panicked. But a sudden wave swept over him.
What on earth...?
He was next to her in a second, turning her on to her side into the recovery position. She’d vomited, so he wiped at her mouth trying to maintain her airway. How long had she been doing this?
He glanced at his watch. It was important to time any seizure. He could only time it from the moment he’d found her, so that was where he’d start.
‘Help!’ he shouted again. Katsuko and Frank burst through the doors, complete confusion on their faces.
Katsuko’s eyes were wide. ‘Lily!’ She ran over and dropped to her knees beside Avery. Frank turned on his heel and left.
‘What on earth’s wrong? She’s been fine.’
Avery shook his head. Now he felt sick. He’d told her to come and rest earlier. She’d looked tired and had complained about her sore back. A pregnant woman nearing the end of her pregnancy. He hadn’t thought any more than that.
‘I have no idea. Has she complained about anything to you?’
Frank burst back through the doors, carrying a patient slide and pulling a trolley behind him. Two other members of staff were pale-faced behind him.
‘We’ll need to lift her onto the trolley, put this under her,’ said Frank.
No one cared they were about to break all the health and safety rules about lifting patients from the floor. There wasn’t time to go and find a proper patient hoist.
Avery was still trying to maintain Lily’s airway. ‘Anyone know anything about this? I thought Lily was well.’
‘So did I,’ said Katsuko quietly.
‘Hold on.’ Avery lifted his hand and everyone froze. The seizure seemed to be coming to an end, the jerking slowing.
‘Wait until it’s finished before we move her. I have no idea if she fell to the floor or slid from the chair. The last thing we need to do is drop her and cause any harm to her baby.’
When the jerking stopped he gave the signal and they pulled her further onto her side and slid the patient slide underneath her. They had her on the trolley with the safety sides in place in only a few seconds.
Avery didn’t even need to give the command. They took her straight to the resus room.
All the staff moved instantly. A blood-pressure cuff was put in place, her airwa
y checked and an oxygen mask put on her face.
‘I’ll pull up her medical records,’ said one of the admin staff. Avery gave her a grateful nod. She didn’t normally come near the resus room but these were exceptional circumstances.
