One Night with Her Italian Doc

by Karin Baine

  He let Sophie lead the way back to the clinic, although it was down to him to get them on the other side of the locked doors and into the treatment room.

  ‘She’s in here, resting.’ He wanted her to know this wasn’t the time for finger pointing. It wasn’t going to do Mrs Fields any good to be caught in the midst of their feud.

  ‘Oh, Edith. Are you feeling okay? I’m a terrible friend for leaving you.’ Sophie’s guilty plea when she saw her frail companion struck Luciano square in the chest. She was blaming herself, even though it had been his decision to send her away.

  ‘I’ll survive. Besides, if the doctor hadn’t chucked you out I would’ve done it myself. There’s no point in both of us being cooped up in here.’ She was pale and weak but Edith hadn’t lost her sense of humour. It went some way to easing the tension in the room and Luciano was grateful for it.

  He stepped up to the bedside. ‘Obviously we want to take every precaution where Mrs Fields is concerned. In case her condition worsens, or she requires long-term treatment, I’d prefer we put her ashore in the nearest hospital. I’m going to need you to pack your bags and disembark at the next port. Unfortunately, Mrs Fields won’t be able to continue this trip.’

  Luciano had already discussed it with his patient, the news coming as nothing of a shock under the circumstances. She’d even gone as far as joking that this was the reason she’d taken out such extensive travel insurance—a necessity for someone of her age with such numerous health conditions. The medical bills at sea could be enough to bankrupt any unfortunate individual who hadn’t had the foresight to take out health coverage. He didn’t think it was going to be as easy a conversation with her companion.

  Sophie rounded on him, hands on hips, those flecks around her irises blazing like green fire in her otherwise blue eyes. ‘You’re actually throwing us off the ship now? You really get off on this power trip of yours, don’t you?’

  Luciano was agog at the vitriol launched at him. ‘It’s standard protocol. Not a personal decision or a display of any megalomania. We’re not equipped to have passengers receive long-term treatment on the ship.’

  Sophie didn’t back down, maintaining eye contact and managing to sneer at him simultaneously. ‘Obviously I’m going to accompany Edith to the hospital but I’d appreciate a second opinion on whether or not she’s able to continue her trip.’

  ‘You’re well within your rights to do so but it will mean waiting until another doctor is available.’ Strictly speaking, the buck stopped with him. He made the medical decisions and reported them back to the captain. It wasn’t going to help relations if he confirmed her idea that he was running a dictatorship here.

  ‘That won’t be necessary.’

  Sophie stood down once Edith spoke, all that spine-strengthening indignation seeping away until she physically wilted into the chair by Edith’s bed. ‘Whatever you want. We need to get you back on your feet, Edie. That’s the most important thing.’

  She clasped the woman’s hand between both of hers, abandoning the battle with Luciano to focus on her friend.

  ‘Oh, don’t worry. I’ll have a few days’ rest and I’m sure I’ll be as right as rain. There’s no need for second opinions or to ruin your holiday.’

  ‘But, Edith—’

  It appeared Sophie had met her match in this woman, who raised her hand and cut her off in mid-protest.

  Perhaps he should ask Edith later for tips on how best to manage riled passengers.

  ‘“But, Edith” nothing. You need this trip more than I do. Why did you think I asked you to come?’

  ‘To—to take care of you?’ Sophie stuttered, no longer sounding so sure of herself.

  Edith shook her head. ‘For you. You’ve been so despondent lately and I know you hate that job in the care home. The only time I see you come to life is when you talk about the travels you used to have when you were younger. Or when you and Dr Montavano start bickering over me.’

  ‘I do not!’

  As she teased Sophie, the mischievous Edith displayed the fighting spirit Luciano was sure wouldn’t let her down in her fight back to full health.

  He supressed the urge to smile. Any sign of smugness on his part would undoubtedly come under fire from the subject of Edith’s well-meaning affection.

  ‘Nonsense. That Ryan clipped your wings and you are someone who needs to fly, or in this case sail. You are staying here.’

  Sophie scoffed at the suggestion. ‘There’s no way I’m abandoning you in a foreign hospital while I lounge around a pool.’

  ‘Why not? You can’t do anything for me. Besides, I’ve spoken to John.’

  ‘Your son? Doesn’t he live in Spain?’

  ‘Yes, and he’s flying in to be with me. Once I’m up and about again I’m going home with him to spend some time with the lovely grandchildren and great-grandchildren I rarely get to see. I’ll be going to Seville to recuperate and you’re not invited.’

  ‘Edith, it’s a very kind offer but I don’t want to take advantage of your generosity.’

  ‘Not at all. The cruise is all paid for. One of us may as well get the benefit of it and I think a few days away will do you the world of good. Although I will need you to pack my things for me.’

  Sophie looked at him as though expecting him to back her up. This definitely wasn’t his jurisdiction. ‘It sounds as though Mrs Fields has it all planned out.’

  ‘It certainly does.’

  Not only did it mean Edith would be in the best place for after-care but Sophie would have no reason to venture into his domain and upset the status quo. He wasn’t going to argue and he wouldn’t advise Sophie to either.

  ‘Can I at least accompany her when she’s transferred to the hospital to make sure she’s settled in?’ She deferred to him, her whole demeanour changing as she asked him for the favour.

  ‘If you’d like. The ship won’t be sailing until later tonight. I’ll let the captain know what’s happening. I’ll be travelling to the hospital too to oversee the transfer of Edith’s care.’ If anything was going to put her off the idea, he was sure it would be the thought of spending more time with him.

  ‘As the attending physician I’d expect nothing less.’ She batted her eyelashes. No doubt an attempt to lull him into a false sense of security before she launched another verbal attack on him.

  ‘Chief Physician,’ he added, in the hope his status would give him more authority in her eyes. All he received in response was a raised eyebrow.

  As long as they made it back on board before the ship set sail and they weren’t stranded together for the night, he supposed they’d survive. At least they’d have Edith and the paramedics as a barrier between them until then.

  It was odd that two people who barely knew each other should immediately clash the way they had. Especially when, or perhaps it was because, they worked in the same field. Usually the nurses deferred to him in matters of treatment and, likewise, he respected their position and input. For some reason there was friction, a spark between them where there ought not to be one. Whatever was causing that flash of passionate temper, he hoped to avoid it in the future.

  With any luck, once Edith was settled and they were back on board, they’d go their separate ways. Sophie clearly needed the holiday her friend wanted for her, chilling out by the pool. Leaving him free to return to the sanctity of his clinic, where they needn’t run into each other again for the duration of her vacation.

  His place of work on board was supposed to help him escape thoughts of his late wife and the idea everyone had that he should find someone new.

  So how had one woman managed to barge her way in and upend those plans?

  CHAPTER THREE

  KICKING BACK AND emptying your head of all thoughts except your own enjoyment wasn’t as easy as Sophie remembered. She and Dr Montavano had waited until Edith had a bed at the hospit
al and they were up to date with her medical notes before leaving her. They’d travelled back to the ship in a taxi together, making polite small talk whilst avoiding another clash.

  That should’ve ended all contact between them. Unfortunately, as she was unable to get a phone signal out on the high seas, she had to rely on updates from the good doctor to catch up on Edith’s condition.

  ‘Are you back again?’ It was Patrice, the nurse who’d first attended to Edith, who spotted her in Reception.

  ‘I wondered if you’d heard anything from the hospital today about my friend, Edith Fields?’ She walked over to the desk, bypassing the receptionist to speak directly to the nurse, cutting out the anticipated conversation about how everyone was too busy to speak to her.

  Sophie had since apologised to her fellow nursing colleague for her behaviour, which Patrice had graciously accepted, meaning there was only one other person left onboard for her to be awkward around.

  ‘Dr Montavano was in contact with them earlier. Let me go and get him and he can tell you himself.’

  ‘That’s really not necessary. I don’t want to disturb him.’ Sophie’s plea fell into the void left by Patrice’s departure.

  She let out a sigh, resigned to the fact that she’d be forced to see the doctor again. It was difficult enough to get him out of her head without seeing him first thing in the morning. She didn’t need a refresher of how good he looked in his whites.

  Okay, she sounded as shallow as all those other women swooning over him as he passed by. Deep down, she knew it was more than the physical attraction she was trying to swerve. There was something between them masquerading as a personality clash that was threatening to get in the way of her own self-discovery.

  As well as serving as a companion to Edith, she’d hoped this trip would help her rediscover the woman she’d once been. Once upon a time if a guy had taken her fancy she wouldn’t have thought twice about acting on that impulse. She hadn’t worried about the consequences of asking a man out or what their future held. Back then she’d lived in the moment. These days she was a much more cautious character. Her time with Ryan had made her think more carefully about getting involved with anyone. Especially when the person who’d caught her eye couldn’t seem to get rid of her fast enough.

  ‘Ms Blythe?’

  There was that whoosh of blood in her veins again at the sound of his silky Italian voice. Until now she’d associated it with their disagreement over Edith’s treatment. Watching him striding towards her, she wondered if the increase in her blood pressure was for an entirely different reason.

  The dark hair, tanned skin and that dreamy doctor façade had the same effect on most people. It was possible her attraction towards him, unwanted and ill-timed though it was, had manifested in an outburst of temper instead.

  She realised she’d been staring at him wordlessly since he’d said her name. ‘I, er, just wanted to find out if there’d been an update on Edith’s condition. I didn’t mean to disturb you.’

  ‘It’s fine.’ He smiled, doing his best to put her at ease instead of making her feel she was wasting his time.

  Her stomach flipflopped in the same manner as those pancakes she’d watched the chef tossing at breakfast.

  ‘She’s comfortable and had a good night’s sleep. I hope you did too.’

  She cocked an eyebrow at that. That sounded more personal than their usual conversation about their mutual pensioner patient.

  ‘I mean, I hope you weren’t up all night worrying.’ He went to lean a hand on the edge of the desk but missed, almost resulting in a comedy prat fall. For a moment she wondered if he’d become equally as flustered around her as she had around him. Then he straightened up, looking as smooth and in control as ever, making her believe she had imagined the whole thing.

  ‘I managed a few hours’ sleep. Thank you.’

  ‘Good. Well, I should...’ He pointed down the corridor, indicating his need to get back to work.

  ‘Yes. Sorry. If it’s easier for you I’ll ask at Reception for updates from now on.’

  ‘It’s not a problem at all. Ciao.’ He was walking backwards down the hallway, giving her one last smile before turning away.

  Sophie watched until his tight white trousers disappeared around the corner out of sight before letting out a long breath. She wouldn’t admit to it being a sigh. The whole exchange had been odd. A completely different atmosphere from the one when they were around Edith. An awkward dance between two people afraid of what might be happening despite outward appearances. She wasn’t sure what to make of it but one thing was certain, it was the most excitement she’d had in a very long time.

  * * *

  Sophie chose one of the blue plastic loungers around the main pool. Not so close she’d get splashed every time someone dived in but near enough to jump in herself without having to parade around in her bikini if she decided on a swim. She wasn’t used to all this spare time and unless she wanted to join the class making origami animals out of towels on the mezzanine deck, this was the best place to be.

  There were the party people here for drinks, music and a good time, children chasing each other round the pool and helping themselves to cookies and ice cream from the all-day buffet. Then there were the people like her, here to soak it all in. She laid her towel down and settled back with her holiday read, making the most of the opportunity Edith had given her for a rest.

  Although she was scanning the words and turning the pages of her book, she wasn’t really taking it in. It wasn’t the sound of children shrieking or the loud music disturbing her enjoyment, it was the noise going on in her own head. There was too much to think about to let her concentrate. Apart from her worry about Edith’s health and the crush she’d apparently developed on the ship’s doctor, she was thinking about the changes she wanted to make back home. Moving away, changing her job were things she used to do all the time but she was afraid of making the wrong decision. Again.

  Ryan’s betrayal made her question her own judgement, the choices she’d made and the person she’d become. She’d spent so long as part of a couple she’d lost an important part of herself: her independence. Never would she leave herself so vulnerable again by letting someone dominate her life.

  She was about to give up all pretence of reading when a flash of something in the pool caught her eye. Putting her book down, she stood up to get a closer look. There it was again, a splash in the furthest corner of the pool. The deep end was empty with everyone else messing around in the shallows with inflatables, more concerned with showing off than actually swimming. Even the lifeguard was posing for selfies.

  She peered down over the edge of the pool and saw a dark shadow shimmering underwater. That was when it hit her. The small splashes and flash of colour had been someone in trouble. Their last gasp for air before they’d sunk to the bottom of the pool.

  Sophie didn’t think twice about diving in. She held her breath, swimming down and down until she reached the dark mass. With her hands hooked under the arms of whoever was down there, she hauled the dead weight back to the surface with her, gasping for air with the effort. It was a child, not more than seven or eight, but she didn’t have the energy left to get him out of the pool, her lungs burning as she fought for breath.

  ‘It’s about time,’ she snapped at the lifeguard who suddenly appeared, helping to haul the boy out.

  ‘I didn’t see—’

  ‘No, you didn’t.’ She was furious he hadn’t been doing his job properly but his negligence wasn’t uppermost in her mind.

  ‘He’s not breathing.’

  The now fully alert lifeguard felt for the child’s pulse while Sophie got herself out of the pool. She was sure he had to have first-aid training to get this job but right now she wasn’t convinced about any of his credentials so she checked the boy herself. No pulse. His chest wasn’t moving, there was no sound of breathing,
and he was unresponsive to her attempts to rouse him.

  ‘Go and get help,’ she shouted to anyone listening.

  They’d attracted something of a crowd as people gathered around, watching the drama of a life-or-death situation as though it was part of the onboard entertainment. If they hadn’t the decency to help or turn away, that was down to their own consciences. She couldn’t be distracted from saving this child. There was bound to be a defibrillator somewhere on board, as well as the medical staff. Until either became available it was down to her to get this boy breathing again.

  She brushed her wet hair away from her face before tilting his head back. With no visible obstructions to his airways, she pinched his nose closed and started CPR. Forming a seal over his open mouth with hers, she blew until she saw his chest rising. It fell as she took her mouth away and she repeated the process another four times.

  ‘Joshua? Let me see him. That’s my son.’ There was a kerfuffle somewhere to the side but Sophie let the lifeguard handle the fraught parent as she started chest compressions. With her fingers interlocked, the heel of her hand placed in the middle of his chest, she pressed down hard. She kept her arms locked out straight, pushing up and down, doing her best to keep his heart pumping.

  ‘Come on.’ She urged him to pull through, blocking out everyone and everything else around them.

  Working with elderly patients she should have been used to dealing with death but it didn’t make it any easier. This was a child, someone who had his whole life in front of him. He was on holiday, for goodness’ sake. She wasn’t going to let him die.

  After several rounds of rescue breaths and chest compressions, she felt movement. He spluttered, coughing up the water lodged in his lungs, his lips slowly losing that deathly blue tinge. Before she breathed her own sigh of relief, she quickly moved him into the recovery position, rolling him onto his side to keep his airway clear.