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She was beginning to understand just how close to the mark that was.
Shaking the bleak thoughts from her head, Elle concentrated on her task of watching her student work, commenting if necessary but trying to take a step back as much as she could. Amir’s work was neat and clean; he picked things up quickly but he also listened well and watched closely. He would likely be a real asset to the hospital in very little time, which was good since he’d have his work cut out for him.
Finally, he was closing up on the perforated ulcer patient.
‘Nice job,’ she congratulated him. ‘How would you feel about heading up a mobile team on your own this time? We’re due to carry out a round of measles and polio vaccinations for infants in some of the outlying communities.’
A surprised look crossed the young doctor’s face, swiftly replaced by a proud one.
‘I’d like that very much.’
‘I’m not sure but I heard something about a sandstorm being due in the next couple of days,’ one of the voluntary aid nurses interjected apologetically. ‘Of course you can never be sure, and there’s every chance you might get out and back before it even hits, but...’
‘But you can’t be too safe.’ Elle flashed her a bright smile to reassure her. ‘Then we’ll hold back for now but pick your team and as soon as we get the all-clear you can go, Amir.’
‘Thank you,’ he nodded. ‘I will.’
‘Major?’
Elle craned her neck around as one of the designated liaison soldiers stood at the edge of the privacy screen, evidently having heard the exchange and concluding he wouldn’t be disturbing them. He could have been there for any length of time, waiting patiently while they carried out the operation.
For the moment, the simple screen set-up was the only thing to separate the delivery room from the open ward. In a few months it would all look completely different and would be significantly more sterile and high-tech. For now, it was all they had.
‘What is it, Corporal?’ With a final check on Amir’s work, Elle stepped around the screen.
‘Colonel Fitzwilliam asked if you were available to go through a couple of design modifications with him and Major Howes for the power and water supplies to the hospital.’
And just like that, her heart slammed against her chest wall. He’d had the presence to include Major Howes in the message but she couldn’t work out whether it was a good thing or a bad one. They would have a buffer, true, but there would be even more pressure to act normally—whatever that meant—around Fitz, and she wasn’t sure she was enough of an actress to pull it off.
‘We’re almost done here.’ Elle had no idea how the words came out, as strangled as they sounded to her ears.
The corporal, however, didn’t seem to notice anything amiss.
‘Ma’am.’
‘Will you inform the Colonel I’ll be there within the half-hour?’
‘Yes, Major.’
She watched him leave and stood motionless long after the double doors had closed and stilled behind the lad. Her hands felt sticky, her heart was racing, and none of it was due to the searing temperatures inside that operating area. She’d performed two Caesareans and overseen the perforated ulcer operation pretty much back to back this morning, and yet one mention of Fitz and she was instantly flustered. It didn’t bode well for their future working relationship.
Finally, almost jerkily, she managed to get her legs moving again and rounded the screen to help Amir finish up. The last suture was put in place as a strange rattling began and the ground felt like it was shaking beneath their feet.
Earthquake. Not uncommon out here and probably some distance away, but it was certainly a strong one. She grabbed hold of the bed, more concerned that the patient didn’t fall to the floor.
It seemed as though the very earth was mirroring her uncertainty out here. She snorted quietly to herself and waited for the quake to end.
* * *
‘So the Colonel and I thought we could extend this part of the facility...’ Carl tapped the plans with the tip of his pencil ‘...and move the ICU to where the ORs would have been, and therefore demolish the block where the ICU is currently planned to be.’
‘That won’t work.’ Elle shook her head, keeping her focus firmly on Carl, as she had during the entire briefing.
If she allowed herself to look at Fitz, even once, she was afraid she would crumple, but now she could see him in her peripheral vision, moving forward in his chair.
‘Why not, Major?’ he demanded tightly.
She bristled. That steely part of her core that had been AWOL for the last few days started to hum back into life. She composed herself and faced him.
