by Suzy Shearer
“Thanks.”
Now that the adrenaline rush was over, Aiden was feeling exhausted. He leant back and shut his eyes.
“We’re here.”
Someone was shaking him. He couldn’t believe he’d fallen asleep in a minute or so. He staggered out of the seat and walked around to the open doors. Following Jessica as she was wheeled inside, Aiden looked around in dismay.
So many people filled the waiting rooms. There was an eerie pall of silence that hung over the place. People were in shock. They were either sitting staring off into space or wandering aimlessly about, everyone wore the same expression of disbelief.
They slid Jess into a curtained-off triage area. Ten minutes later, a harried-looking doctor came over. He gave a sigh and looked Aiden up and down.
“You okay?”
“Just tired. This is my fiancée.”
“Okay. You’d better clean your head, you’ve got a cut that might need a stitch or two.” He looked down. “Check your leg as well.”
“We have to do triage on your girl. You understand, we have to take the serious cases first.”
“I understand.”
“Wish we had another dozen doctors. There just isn’t enough of us. We called for help but it’s transportation that’s the hang-up.”
“What do you mean?”
“The civil authorities won’t give us a plane to bring them in until we fill out all the fucking red tape forms.”
“I have a plane. It’s at the airport.”
“You do? God, I know this is wrong, but any chance you could help us?”
“If you have a phone that works, I can and the number of the airport.”
“We do.” He called out for someone. A nurse who looked as if she was asleep on her feet came over. “Take this guy to the phone. He’s got a plane for us.” He looked at Aiden. “I’ll look after your girl. Jo here will give you all the details.”
Aiden leant over and kissed Jess’s forehead, then followed Jo to the desk. She gave him details of where the doctors could meet the plane at the next airport. He rang through to the airport, explained who he was then spoke to Bob and explained the situation. Bob promised to handled everything. He would contact Aiden when he returned.
Aiden quickly rang through to the hospital where Gray was and left a message telling him he’d found Jessica and she was alive. He rang Carl and left a message on his machine, telling him the same thing.
Telling Jo it was arranged, she immediately said she’d ring the other hospitals that were sending medical staff and tell them where to meet the plane.
Then he went back to Jess and informed the doctor that things were being arranged. Wearily, the doctor looked at Aiden.
“Okay, she’s got slight concussion. I’ve got some stitching to do. As soon as the CT scan is free, we’ll get her checked. I don’t think her ankle is broken but she’d got a lot of nasty cuts and bruises on it. She won’t be doing any running for a while.”
“Thanks.”
“Thank you. Just the knowledge that we’ve got help on the way is a godsend. Someone will be back to stitch her up. Not sure who.”
He gave Aiden a bottle of liquid and some gauze pads.
“You’d better clean your wounds too. Just throw the used pads in the bin there.”
Then he left the room. Aiden put the things he’d been given on the side table. He went to Jess and took her hand. He could now see her clearly. She looked terrible but she was alive and that was all that mattered. He rested his head on their hands and closed his eyes.
“Excuse me, Sir, we need to stitch up this lady.”
“Oh sorry. I must have fallen asleep again.”
He stood and looked at Jessie. Her eyes were open and she gave him a weak smile.
“You look as bad as I feel,” she whispered, her voice hoarse. “I thought I was going to die and all I could think of was that I’d fought with you.”
“Oh, Jess, me, too. I was so scared.”
“Excuse me, sir. Can you just stand over there please?”
Aiden moved away from the bed and watched as the doctor or nurse, he had no idea which, began the task of cleaning Jessie’s wounds and then stitching her up. Each stitch sent an echo of Jessie’s pain through him. She was in tears by the end of it, even with the painkillers. He’d lost count how many they had inserted. There had to be well over thirty. He went back to her. Her face was white with pain.
About an hour later another man walked in.
“We’re taking you for a scan. Is it Ms. Williams?”
Jess nodded.
“Okay.”
He expertly manoeuvred the bed and Aiden stood waiting. He felt wretched, he wanted to care for her, but it was impossible. The original doctor walked in and stood surprised when he saw the bed missing. Aiden told him she’d gone to be scanned.
“Good. Have no idea what’s happening.” He grinned at Aiden. “The good news is the extra help has landed at the airport. Thanks to you. You haven’t cleaned up yet. Better do it now, in case I have to stitch you too.”
“I know this isn’t the time to ask because we don’t know what’s on the scans, but if Jess is okay, can we fly back to our home? I can have around the clock nursing for her.”
The doctor hesitated. “Not sure.”
“It’s just her father was taken to hospital tonight…” Aiden shook his head and thought. “No last night, I took him last night. She doesn’t know and he’s panicking about her. If we can just get them together—”
“No promises. She’s taken a bad knock to her head. Let’s just wait till we get the results.”
Aiden knew he looked frustrated.
“Mr. Williams?”
“No, I’m Dowling, Aiden Dowling.”
“Mr. Dowling. I know that name, I think. Anyway, I’ll do what I can, especially since you’ve helped us. If there are no internal injuries and you can guarantee she’ll be cared for, then I guess we can make an exception. Plus it will clear up a bed. God knows we need the space especially with all the damage.”
He ran his hand through his hair.
“I have no idea how we are going to fit everyone in. There are more and more coming every few minutes.”
“Can’t you transport some to another hospital?”
“We’ve got limited ambulances. Too many people and not enough resources to care for them.”
“Let me make another call.”
“Go ahead.” He waved to the desk.
Aiden rang Sal’s mobile number but couldn’t get through so he rang the airport. They managed to find Sal for him.
“Aiden! How’s it going? Did you find her?”
“Yeah. I’m with her at the hospital. Might need you to take us back to the airport soon. In the meantime, you still in that four wheel drive club?”
“Yes, why?”
Aiden explained about the lack of room and transport for the wounded. He thought if Sal and his club could take some of those that weren’t badly injured to the hospital in the next county, it would give some relief to the hospital here.
“Okay, we can do that. I’ll organise it and we should be there in half an hour or so. The local government had declared the city a disaster area and they’re sending in troops but we can certainly help.”
“Thanks. I owe you.”
“Nah, we pitch in when there’s trouble and this is trouble with a capital T. See you soon, my friend.”
Aiden went back and searched for the doctor. He found him talking to a woman and another doctor about triage. He told them what he’d arranged.
“That’s great! We’ve been triaging them in the car park. I’ll ring Bowen Hospital and let them know. That will free up a lot of room. We’ll change the triage and sort people into those who can be transported. I’ve heard the troops are coming but they are going to search for more wounded and dead first off. Another lot will be here late in the day.”
They all shook hands with Aiden and went off to try and sort out the new
triage arrangements. Aiden wandered back to the cubicle where they’d put Jessica. Taking the doctor’s advice, he cleaned his leg, and, looking in the mirror, he did the same to his face. His leg, although it was a long cut, didn’t look too deep. The cut on his head was deeper, running from the top of his head to the side of his eyebrow. When he rubbed the antiseptic liquid on his head, it started it bleeding again and stung. He couldn’t even remember hitting it.
He was bone-weary. He stood swaying, frightened that if he sat down he would fall asleep and wouldn’t wake up. He looked around and saw a clock on the wall above a nurses station. It was almost eleven-thirty. He was way past running on empty.
Chapter Twenty-One
The same man returned, pushing Jessie’s bed. He plugged in all the wires, smiled at them both and left. She smiled weakly at Aiden as he stepped over to her bed.
“How do you feel?”
“Awful. I want to go home.”
“I’m trying to arrange that.”
She began to cry.
“I really thought I was going to die back there. I didn’t know what happened, then I got knocked out. When I came to, it was pitch black. There was stuff all over me and I was hurting. I could hear people screaming, crying. People moaning. I don’t know what happened.”
He tried as best he could to put his arm around her shoulders and hold her close. She turned her head into his chest and sobbed. Aiden could feel his own tears running down his face.
“It was a tornado, Jess. It was a fucking tornado.” His voice was so soft she could barely hear him but there was no mistaking the pain in it.
He sat with her cradled for another thirty minutes or so until the same harried doctor returned.
“The convoy has started. The relief staff are here. Things are hectic but at least we have a little more space, staff and breathing room thanks to you.”
Jessica looked at Aiden, puzzled as the doctor continued.
“Remembered where I’d seen you. In a magazine, you’re the billionaire that designs planes.” He gave a laugh. “No wonder you had one. So anyway, I’ve looked at the scans. Nothing’s broken, nothing’s torn. You do have a lot of bruising, Ms. Williams, and you’re going to get sorer before you get better.”
“Can I take her?”
“Only if you can fit a stretcher in that plane of yours.”
Jess looked at Aiden confused. “Plane? The Cessna?”
“No, your dad’s.”
“Oh.”
“Look, it’s a Lear jet, plenty of room.”
“Okay. What I’ll do is arrange for the next ambulance heading out to the disaster area to drop you at the airport, they have to go past it anyway. I can’t divert one just for you. We’ve got a couple of old handheld-type stretchers, so you can use one and get it back to us later.”
Again, Jessica was reminded what money could do. Had Aiden been an ordinary man, she doubted he would have been allowed to take her from the hospital.
“Is there anything else I can do for you, doc?”
“If you could wave a magic wand and get the hospital repaired, I’d be grateful.”
“How much had been damaged?”
“One wing is gone. This section is okay and so is the maternity wing. We’ve only got two theatres, the other three are a mess. Not sure what structural damage has been done but at least we can work. We’re lucky I guess. But it’s going to be a very long time before we’re back to normal.”
He looked at Aiden. “You’ve cleaned up, let me check.”
The man moved Aiden into the light and made him sit down. He prodded his leg then check the cut on his head.
“Might just put a couple of stitches in your head. Won’t take long. I’ll just get a kit.”
He went off and as he did, Jessica went to speak, when a nurse came over and told Aiden he was wanted on the phone. It was the pilot, Rob. Aiden explained they would soon be returning. He told him Jess would be on an old-fashioned stretcher, so Bob said he fixed things in the plane to make sure it was secure and safe for the flight. He’d lodge their flight plans and have everything organised so they could leave as soon as they got there.
While he was at the phone, he rang the hospital and gave another message to be given to Gray, updating him. He rang Sal and thanked him, then rang Carl. He promised to ring when once they returned. Going back to Jess, the doctor was waiting for him. They had transferred Jess to another, old-style stretcher. The doctor put three stitches in Aiden’s cut head then grinned at Jess.
“Your boyfriend has been a great help. Not sure what we would have done. Anyway, thanks again.”
They shook hands and the doctor told Jess to get better quickly.
“Aiden.” She started crying, sobbing actually. “I’ve lost my ring.”
“Hush, sweetheart. No, you haven’t, I’ve got it. It’ll need a good clean, but its fine.”
She cried more with relief as Aiden took the ring and put it back onto her finger. Just then an orderly came to help Aiden carry the stretcher. They left the building and he took them to a waiting ambulance. Now that it was daytime, Aiden could see how badly damaged the hospital was. There were still people arriving, but there were a few troops there now helping with the triage.
As they drove through the littered streets, Aiden could only shake his head. Last night it had been too dark to see much, and now the full extent of the damage shocked him into silence.
The driver worked hard to get past blocked roads and debris strewn everywhere until they reached the airport. Rob came over and helped get Jessica on board. Aiden thanked the driver as he went off to collect more survivors. Aiden staggered to a seat as Rob went forward to the cockpit.
He wondered what time it was. He yelled out to Rob, who told him it was close to three in the afternoon. They took to the air to make the return trip to their local airport. Aiden had rung ahead and got transport arranged. He sat holding Jess’s hand as she drifted off to sleep again.
His phone beeped then rang as they flew into areas where there was now coverage. Answering it, he found it was Gray. Aiden realised he hadn’t told Jessica what had happened to her father. He spoke with Gray and told him she was okay. Gray informed him that he was being released and was going home.
“I’ll bring Jess to your place.”
“Is she truly okay, Aiden?”
“She got a badly cut foot, slight concussion, some cuts here and there. They put over thirty stitches into her but I got them to agree that I could bring her home on condition she had a nurse. I’ll have to ring for someone.”
“Leave that to me, son.”
“Okay. We should be there in about three quarters of an hour. I’ve got transport arranged to meet us at the airport.”
“Good. I’ll ring my PA and she’ll get things organised. Isabella’s driven over so I’ll be home in about ten minutes or so.”
“All right. See you then.”
“Bye. And son, thank you.”
Aiden was too scared to fall asleep, so he fought it all the way. He was worried that if he did, no one would be able to wake him and he would sleep for days. They landed around 4:15 and quickly transferred Jessica to a patient transport. Aiden thanked Rob for all he’d done and promised him a case of scotch when he asked if there was anything Rob wanted and Rob said no, just shoot him a scotch next time he saw him.
Finally, they arrived at Gray’s.
Gray was at the front door when he heard them arrive. Isabella fussed but managed to get them all inside. Jessica burst into tears again when she saw her father. Later on, they would tell her what had happened to him, but now it was important to get her settled.
A nurse was due to arrive later in the afternoon, so all was organised. Aiden and Gray went into the bedroom Jessica used when she stayed here. Once there, they had transferred Jessica to her big king sized bed. She grimaced as they moved her but gave a sigh of happiness that she was home. Gray took one look at Aiden and shook his head.
“Did you di
g her out single-handed?”
“Not quite, there were three of us.”
He filled Gray and Jessica in on all that had happened.
“I didn’t think you’d mind me using Rob and the plane.”
“No, it was smart thinking. You said the hospital was damaged?”
“Yes, they’re working under rotten conditions. I think I’ll see what strings I can pull.”
“Leave it to me. We’ve both got more money than we’ll ever need. We should be able to build them a nice new one pretty quickly with both our connections. We can call in a few favours to make it happen ASAP.”
Jessica looked over at Aiden. He was standing, but he was swaying on his feet.
“Have you slept?”
He shook his head. She gave him such a warm smile filled with love.
“Then you should.”
“Yeah, soon. I’ll get my driver to come collect me.”
“No you won’t, son. You’ll stay here.” Gray raised his voice. “Isabella!”
She came rushing in.
“Can you get someone to go collect some clean clothes for Aiden? Give Isabella your keys, son.”
Aiden offered no resistance. He handed over his keys and told her to ask them to bring him some jeans and T-shirt.
“Meara can work it all out, just tell her I need clothes.”
He looked at Isabella, bleary eyed, as she took his keys and left the room.
“Isabella?” Jessica looked interested. “What caused this breakthrough, Dad?”
“Tell you later,” Gray answered as he pushed Aiden into the bathroom and ordered him to take a shower then go to bed.
“I’m sure my daughter will move over and give you room in the bed,” he said with a twinkle in his eye.
Aiden staggered into the bathroom and dragged off his ruined clothes. He couldn’t remember showering, or even making it to the bed. He vaguely remembered kissing Jess before he fell deeply asleep.
* * * *
Jessica woke in the early evening. Aiden was dead to the world alongside her. Her heart gave a jump when she thought of the past few days. The stupid fight with Aiden was just that—stupid—when she realised she had come very close to being killed. It was a sobering thought.
