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‘Because she has appendicitis, too?’ the mother asked anxiously.
‘No.’ Talia shook her head gently. ‘Actually, it’s the contrary. During the procedure, the intestine will be straightened out to reduce that so-called whirlpool effect, and the small intestine will be folded into the right side of the abdomen while the large bowel—or colon—will go on the left-hand side. Now, usually the appendix would be found on the right side of the abdomen, but where there is intestinal malrotation it has often moved to the left.’
‘So it would be in the way.’
‘Although it is rare, there is always a possibility that the artery to the appendix could be damaged in the course of the surgery,’ Talia conceded. ‘But the other reason is because, should Obi ever develop appendicitis in the future, the atypical location of it could complicate diagnosis and treatment.’
For a further half-hour Talia continued to answer questions, feeling a sense of deep satisfaction as she managed to calm the understandably frightened mother and prepare her for the short flight to The Island Clinic with her young daughter.
Finally, the two of them emerged from the quiet consultation room, and Talia headed back to the nurses’ station to go through other patient notes before she, too, left St Vic’s Hospital.
* * *
‘Talia, girl, haven’t seen you for too long. How’ve you been doin’ up at that posh Island Clinic of yours?’
Talia snapped her head up from her notes as she was greeted by one of St Vic’s longest-serving staff. She was an older woman who was both fun and friendly to work with, and an experienced nurse.
‘Nyla.’ She let the woman embrace her in a crushing hug. ‘It’s been good up there, though I’ve been here in the community clinic from time to time, but we’ve kept crossing shifts. Don’t tell me we’ll finally be working together?’
‘No,’ Nyla said mournfully. ‘I’ve been on night shift. I’m heading off in half an hour.’
‘Oh, no,’ commiserated Talia, genuinely sorry. It would have been good to have a shift with Nyla. Perhaps it would have helped to take her mind off anything Liam-related. ‘Who’s going to give me all the up-to-date gossip?’
‘Well, we’ve got half an hour to make the most of it.’ The older woman’s eyes gleamed and Talia realised, too late, that the gossip was going to be about her. ‘So I understand the new clinic surgeon is your old beau.’
‘Don’t know what you mean.’ Talia shook her head, wishing that she was a better liar.
Or at least that Nyla wasn’t so damned shrewd.
‘Oh, girl, don’t even try to feed me that line.’ Nyla shot her an empathetic look. ‘I can read you too well, child. But if it makes you feel any better, no one else up there has any idea, they’re all too busy trying to snag him for theyselves.’
‘Then how did you know?’ She was genuinely curious.
Nyla tapped her nose and laughed. ‘Boonoonoonoos!’
‘He’s not my special friend, Nyla.’ Talia wrinkled her nose.
‘Sure he is. You know me, I’ve always had a sense for this stuff. The moment I saw your pinched little face from across that corridor, it all fell into place. The new doc from North Carolina, the fact that you suddenly got you’self transferred here for a rotation, the way you look as though you’re about to jump out of you’ own skin any minute.’
‘I do not.’ Talia frowned defensively, then shook her head at her own blunder. ‘Okay, maybe a little.’
‘So he is the one who hurt you.’ Nyla raised her eyebrows knowingly.
A week ago, Talia wouldn’t have thought twice about confirming it. Now, though, his words rang in her head.
‘Yeah.’ She nodded slowly, then pulled a face. ‘Though if you’d heard him speak the other day, you’d have thought I was the one at fault.’
As usual, the words were out before she could stop them but instead of looking surprised Nyla gave a half-shout of delight.
‘We knew it.’
‘Sorry?’
‘Your mama and I, we always knew it.’ Nyla reached a plump arm out and squeeze
d Talia’s shoulders. ‘We al’ays said he be a fool to hurt you; maybe he is hurting a little himself, no?’
‘You and Mama said that?’
