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They were carefully optimistic words. Lily had been transferred to the ICU. There was still a chance she could go into organ failure. They just had to hope and pray that she didn’t.
Katsuko gave a grateful nod and headed to the changing room. Five minutes later she was searching for Avery.
Fifteen minutes later she was still searching. One of the cleaners finally gave her some hope. ‘I think I saw him heading towards the vending machines.’
She headed down the corridor. It was in darkness, and only the dim lights from the machines let her notice a pair of white runners sticking out.
‘Avery? Is that you?’
She hurried down the corridor.
It was definitely Avery. He was slumped halfway against the back wall and the side of one of the machines. His eyes looked half-glazed. She crouched down. ‘Avery? Are you okay?’
She reached forward and touched his hand. He looked up.
Those eyes. Those pale green eyes that had mesmerised her right from the beginning. Those confident, cocky pale green eyes that seemed to both taunt her and flirt with her at the same time. They didn’t look like that tonight.
She flung her bag to the side and knelt on the floor. ‘Avery? What’s wrong?’ She shuffled a little towards him. His permanently too-long hair was ruffled in every direction but the right one. ‘Honey?’
His eyes connected with hers. He looked exhausted. Completely exhausted.
She grabbed his hand and pulled him forward. ‘What’s wrong?’
He shook his head. ‘Nothing.’ Then gave her a dopey smile as he lifted up his other hand and shrugged. ‘Everything. I was hungry. I just came in here to find some food. That’s what I was doing when I found Lily.’
She froze. It was the way he’d said her name. She got it. She really got it.
‘Come on, Avery. You’re exhausted. It’s been a horrible shift for us all. But you were the doctor in charge. Everything was on your shoulders.’ She reached forward and ran her fingers through his hair. ‘You need to get some sleep.’
She pulled at his arm a little more, bringing him closer to her.
He gave his head a shake. ‘I just sat down for a second.’
She smiled. ‘I know. I get it. I’ve been there. But let’s go. This isn’t the best place to hang out.’
He pushed himself up and she grabbed hold of him. ‘Do you have any food in the house?’
He frowned and then nodded, giving her a curious look. ‘Why?’’
She touched his cheek. ‘Because I’m going to make you something to eat.’
He paused and let out the longest breath. ‘Kat—’
She held up her hand. ‘Whatever it is, it can wait. You did good today. We all did good.’
He shook his head, then spun around unexpectedly and took a kick at one of the vending machines. It rocked backwards and forwards for a few seconds.
He didn’t shout but the voice that came out was one of pure and utter frustration. ‘I didn’t! Why didn’t I notice something was wrong with Lily? What if I hadn’t walked into the coffee room when I did? She’d vomited. She could have choked. Anything could have happened.’ The worry lines on his forehead were so deep and she could practically see the thoughts churning around his head. Both hands pushed against the glass of the machine, then his head sagged down against it.
She was stunned. She’d never seen him like this. The whole time she’d been in that resus room she’d been giving silent prayers of thanks that Avery was the doctor on duty. She trusted him. She had faith in him.
She reached out and touched his shoulder.
‘Well, if you missed it, so did her obstetrician. So did I. So did Frank. So did Samuru. So did everyone on duty tonight. And so did Lily. You heard Dr Tanaka. He thinks it was very rapid onset. It can happen.’ She pulled him around to face her and clasped his hand. ‘I heard you. I heard you tell Dr Tanaka that you’d only delivered two babies in the last seven years. You were totally out of your comfort zone tonight and I think I was the only one that noticed.’
He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. ‘You have no idea how much I was out of my comfort zone. And it’s ridiculous. I’ve treated bomb injuries. Even though I’m not a surgeon I’ve ended up in Theatre more times than I care to remember. I’ve seen hundreds of kids even though I’m not a paediatrician. If I had a dollar for every MI or chest infection I’ve diagnosed, I’d be a millionaire. But obstetrics?’ He shook his head. ‘I’ve hardly seen any cases.’ He paused for a moment. ‘Lily spoke to me last week about how happy she was and how much she was looking forward to this baby. She couldn’t wait to be a mother. When I thought that might slip away today and it was all in my hands...’
He stared off into the distance. Katsuko put her arms around his neck, staring up into his eyes. She kept her voice low. ‘When you shouted me through to the coffee room and I saw Lily fitting on the floor I thought I was going to be sick. When you didn’t find a heartbeat straight away I thought I was going to be sick again. When Dr Tanaka said he was over an hour away I wanted to cry.’
His gaze met hers. There it was. The flash of recognition in his eyes. He nodded in appreciation, then said slowly, ‘But this is our job, Katsuko. This is the life that we’ve chosen. I just hate it that I didn’t know everything in there.’
He looked so racked with guilt that her heart squeezed. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek, her lips coming into contact with his stubbled jaw. ‘Avery, I’m sure I’ve heard of HELLP syndrome but I could barely remember what to do. I heard you. You spoke to the obstetrician straight away and were completely honest with him. The treatment you’d started was correct. You did nothing wrong. Lily was in good hands. Lily was in safe hands. That first hour was crucial.’
He ran his fingers through his hair again. ‘But what if she ends up in organ failure? It’s still a possibility. She isn’t out of the woods yet.’
Katsuko nodded. ‘I know she isn’t, but if we go upstairs now we’ll just get in the way. Blake told us all to go home. That’s what we need to do.’
His stomach growled loudly in protest and she let out a laugh and threaded her fingers through his. She was a nurse. She was used to taking care of people. But she wasn’t on air force time now. She was on her own. And this was the first time she’d been absolutely sure about her next step.
Avery wasn’t dating her because she was the General’s daughter. Avery wasn’t looking for promotion. Avery wasn’t trying to win friends and influence people. Avery was just a guy, trying to do the best job that he could.
And it was quite possible she loved him for it.
‘How about a little company?’
He blinked. Then his gaze narrowed a little as if he was trying to work out what she was saying. ‘What kind of company?’
She licked her lips and met his gaze. She wasn’t embarrassed. It didn’t feel awkward. It felt completely natural.
‘Overnight company.’ Her words were assured.
He put his hands on her hips and leaned back a little. ‘Katsuko, did you just proposition me?’
He was teasing her again. He was starting to get back to normal.
She stood on tiptoe. ‘So, what if I did?’
He grinned. ‘What if you get seen leaving the Captain’s house first thing in the morning?’
She placed her hands on his chest. ‘I’ve no intention of being seen leaving the Captain’s house first thing in the morning. I’m planning on sleeping late and having breakfast in bed.’
He slipped his arm around her waist as they started walking back along the corridor. ‘What do you eat for breakfast?’
She slapped his arm. ‘Eggs. You’d better have some.’
He stopped walking and pulled a face. ‘Oops.’
‘And obviously I’ll want my favou
rite coffee.’
‘I don’t think I can whip up a skinny vanilla latte with my poor kitchen supplies.’
‘What exactly do you have in your cupboards and fridge?’
He smiled. ‘I have some sushi, a can of beans and some beer.’
She shook her head and wagged her finger at him. ‘Watch out. I expect to get exactly what I want.’
He picked her up and twirled her round. The twinkle in his eye that she was used to was back. ‘I’m sure I’ll be able to give you exactly what you want.’
‘Promises, promises.’ She pushed open the door. ‘How about a wager?’
He raised his eyebrow. ‘I like the sound of that. What’s the wager?’
She looked around. ‘Oh, I’ve left my jacket by the vending machine. Can you grab it?’
‘Sure,’ he said. He walked back down the corridor quickly and she didn’t even try to hide her smile.
‘Avery, the wager?’
He bent to pick up her jacket. ‘Yes?’
‘Last one back to your place has to do the coffee run in the morning.’
And with that she winked and raced out into the dark night.
CHAPTER NINE
‘CAPTAIN FLYNN, WILL you report to the Major General’s office, please?’
Avery nearly choked on the cup of coffee that he’d just taken a drink from.
