A Father for Her Baby

by Sue MacKay

  Glancing around the table, she found all eyes on her. ‘What?’ Had she missed something? Something monumental? Like there was yoghurt on her chin?

  Oh, no. It had to do with Grady. She just knew it. Worse, Grady and her. What crazy scheme were the doctors hatching? She flicked Jess a ‘what’s going on?’ look, got a shrug in return. Traitor. Friends stuck together through everything. Break-ups, reunions, uninvited babies, family crises.

  Grady cut in. ‘There’s a patient on your house call list that Roz wants seen by a doctor as well as you. Mary Stanners. Are you aware of her case?’

  ‘She had a car accident last month and spent four weeks in hospital with a fractured femur and hips, a ruptured spleen and both lungs punctured. She’s now at home under the care of her elderly mother.’

  Roz added her bit. ‘The situation worries me, Sasha. Mary should’ve been kept in hospital for at least another week but they were short of beds. I think it’s wise to keep an eye on her. I’d also prefer it if we didn’t ask her to make that long and uncomfortable drive in here until her pain level has improved.’

  ‘Makes sense.’ And keeps Grady in my vehicle. Why didn’t I do midwifery instead of stopping at general nursing?

  Mike added, ‘We’re making use of Grady while he’s here. For either Roz or I to take a couple of hours to do the round trip visiting Mary takes a huge chunk out of the clinic schedule. Since Mary is already on your list of patients, it makes sense for Grady to accompany you.’

  ‘And this has absolutely nothing to do with my worry over lifting Josh up yesterday and hurting my back. Nothing to do with my mad dash over to Nelson last night.’

  ‘Of course not.’

  ‘Not at all.’

  Sasha felt her brow wrinkling, and forced it smooth again. They were babysitting her because of yesterday’s drama. It was kind of nice, if Grady wasn’t going to be her constant companion. Her hormones were in for a long, exhausting day. But arguing with these guys wouldn’t get her anywhere. She’d accept the deal for today, get on with her patient list, come up with a solution to get rid of Grady by tomorrow.

  ‘Not a problem. We’ll go and see Mary first and then I’ll drop Grady back here before heading to the Cobb.’ Didn’t have to give in gracefully, did she?

  *

  Grady wanted to throttle Sasha and laugh out loud all at the same time. She absolutely hated to be bested, and she knew that’s exactly what had happened. Mary Stanners lived less than thirty minutes from the farmlet Roz and Mike lived on. It would be no problem for one of them to call in on the way home at the end of the day. Roz had apparently been doing that every day anyway.

  ‘I’ll go get my files and kit. See you in ten.’ Sasha gave him an ‘I’m still in charge’ glare as she rinsed her mug under the tap and placed it in the dishwasher. ‘The car needs fuelling on the way out.’

  ‘Yes, ma’am.’ He resisted throwing a salute. They had to spend the day together.

  ‘Being smug doesn’t suit you,’ she muttered as she pushed past him on her way out.

  ‘Still always have to get the last word in.’ His grin wavered as his nostrils filled with honeysuckle scent. Closing his eyes, he watched a rerun of the image in his mind of Sasha curled up in the front seat of his car, sound asleep. Then, bang, that kiss flashed across his brain, filled his body with heat and need. Snapping his eyes open, he strode resolutely to the office where he would find Mary Stanners’s complete medical records. Anything to keep his mind on the job and off Nurse Wilson.

  ‘Sheree, can I please have a printout of all the hospital reports on Mary Stanners?’ he asked the receptionist the moment she put the phone down after taking an appointment booking.

  ‘Sure.’ Her fingers began clicking away on the keyboard of her computer, and the phone began ringing again.

  ‘Sheree, has the courier dropped off a package from the medical supplies company?’ Sasha bounced into the office.

  Damn it, woman, give me some space here. It’s bad enough I’m going to be sitting in your vehicle, sucking up all that honeysuckle smell, for hours on end, not to have you following me around the medical centre as well.

  Grady watched the computer screen over the receptionist’s shoulder, refusing his body’s command to turn and look at Sash. But he knew the instant she came to stand on the other side of Sheree. Why had he put his hand up to go on the rounds with her? What little devil had been playing havoc inside his skull this morning? He should be at home, preparing the lounge for painting, doing sensible, sane jobs that would get him out of town quickly. If he was still leaving. Focus on the screen, stop thinking about—anything.

  Sheree glanced at Sasha and pointed a pen in the direction of a bench on the back wall of her office while talking to someone on the phone and printing off the notes he wanted. Wonder woman. Who said medical centres relied on their doctors and nurses to keep things on an even keel? Without Sheree this place would fall apart before the first tea break.

  Without her he’d be negotiating his way around the alien program on the computer in the staffroom, trying to extract the notes he needed, and wouldn’t be losing his mind over Sasha.

  They hit the road five minutes later than Sasha had intended and headed for the petrol station. The moment she pulled up to the pump Grady hopped out and made to fill up the vehicle’s tank.

  ‘You don’t have to mollycoddle me. Refuelling my vehicle is very simple. Baby brain can still manage that.’

  ‘Go and sign for the petrol, Sasha. I’d be doing this for you no matter what your situation.’ Did he sound as tired as he felt? Probably. Sasha’s eyebrows had risen at his tone.

  But at least she stomped inside after a curt, ‘Thanks.’

  Back on the road the silence was deafening. Grady replayed the previous night and wondered where he’d gone wrong. He’d looked out for Sash all the way. Except for that kiss—which Sash had started. Oh, yeah, of course you hadn’t been thinking about kissing her, definitely didn’t want to. One step forward, ten back.

  He’d concentrate on the calls they’d be making and hopefully soon Sash would relax enough to start talking freely with him. ‘Who’s your first patient?’

  ‘Janice and Julie Daniels, seven-year-old twins. They’ve had a severe vomiting bug and their mum’s keeping them in isolation. No point in spreading the bug to all their schoolmates.’

  What about you? Shouldn’t you be staying away from them too? Dehydration due to vomiting is not good for your baby. He bit down on the words that would cause a greater rift between them and went for, ‘Has anyone else in the bay had this bug?’

  The corner of her mouth lifted in a wry smile. So she’d known what he was thinking anyway. Might as well have said it.

  ‘Not so far. Kathy Daniels thinks the girls caught it while over in Nelson with their cousins.’

  ‘Let’s hope we keep it contained.’ He wasn’t thinking only of the twins’ schoolmates. The woman beside him was his number-one priority.

  ‘Thanks, mate,’ Sasha growled. Mud and muck splashed onto the windscreen, thrown up by the stock truck they were now following up a narrow, metal road. She flicked the wipers on and pressed the cleaning liquid button. Soapy water briefly turned the windscreen opaque and Sasha slowed, dropping back far enough not to collect any more mess. ‘There’s one call not on the list that we’ll make after the twins. I always drop in on Mr Harris whenever I’m out this way. He’s in his eighties and lives with his son and daughter-in-law. He’s got a history of cardiac failure.’

  ‘Are you talking Old Jack, the man my father used to go fishing with every Christmas Eve?’ When she nodded he continued. ‘They’d get blue cod for Christmas breakfast. Dad bought the beach house from Jack when he moved up to the farm with his family. They hit it off and that fishing trip became a ritual. I’d wondered if he was still around.’ The memories were warm, comfortable.

  ‘He’s as spry as a sixty-year-old. Refuses to let his heart condition dominate what he does, though I don’t thi
nk he gets out fishing any more. No one to go with, and his son’s always too busy with the farm.’

  ‘I could take him out if I get a chance to put the boat in working order.’

  Sasha glanced his way. ‘Mr Harris would love that. So you’ve still got a boat?’

  ‘The same old aluminium runabout. I tested the motor the other day. Needs a bit of TLC but nothing major.’

  ‘At last.’ Sasha slowed to a stop as the stock truck negotiated the turn onto the farm they’d been driving beside. ‘Guess that’s a load of beef heading for market.’ She nodded towards the yards a hundred metres away by a cluster of sheds. ‘Sirloin on legs. Yum.’

  ‘Makes that chicken-and-salad-filled bread roll you bought at the service station seem lame.’ And the ham sandwiches he’d bought just as unappetising.

  Ten minutes later they pulled up at a large old villa sitting in the middle of immaculate lawns and gardens that spoke of many hours of weeding and pruning. ‘That’s stunning.’

  ‘Isn’t it? Whenever I see this I think I’d love a garden to spend time in.’ Sasha laughed. ‘Then I remember the only time I tried growing radishes, which anyone can supposedly grow, and how they were the biggest flop ever. I was only five but my schoolmates all grew plump, delicious radishes. Got right up my nose, that did, and I never tried again.’

  ‘Bet they can’t fly a plane.’

  ‘True.’ She slid out of the vehicle and collected her pack of supplies. ‘Coming?’

  Julie and Janice were very unwell little cuties who still had enough energy to sit up in their beds the moment Sasha entered their bedroom. Grady laughed when they told him knock, knock jokes, and chuckled as they kept finishing each other’s sentences, commiserated when they told Sasha how many times they’d puked.

  Kids, eh? He’d not given having a family of his own much thought. Hadn’t seen the point when he was seriously single. But apparently a few days around Sash made a huge difference in his outlook. Having children would be kind of cool. With the right mother, of course. Funny how his gaze tracked immediately to Sash. Like that was going to happen, no matter how patient he was and how much he tried to fool himself she might give him a second chance. Not after her warning that morning.

  Sasha took temperatures and listened to their chests when Kathy said they’d started coughing during the night. ‘Their temps are still a little high, but I think the worst of that bug is over.’

  Grady also felt their tummies and listened to their chests. ‘I’ll write out prescriptions for antibiotics. I think they’re both presenting with the beginning of a chest infection. Double trouble,’ he said, as he handed the prescriptions over.

  ‘Double love,’ Kathy said, as she passed the prescriptions on to Sasha.

  ‘We’ll drop this in when we get back to town and then Sheree will bring it out on her way home.’ Sasha clipped the piece of paper to the outside of Julie’s file. ‘She’s Kathy’s sister and lives two farms down the road.’

  ‘Small communities have their advantages.’ Grady picked up the stethoscope to place it in its pouch in Sasha’s kit.

  ‘Sometimes,’ the women answered in unison, then burst into laughter.

  ‘Not when you want to keep something secret, eh, Kathy?’

  Kathy’s cheeks reddened. ‘You can talk, Sasha Wilson.’

  ‘Time we were on the road.’ Sasha slung the pack over one shoulder and waved at the twins. ‘See you two scallywags tomorrow.’

  Back in the four-wheel drive, Grady dared to ask, ‘What was your great secret that the town found out about?’

  ‘I didn’t ride into town and announce to all and sundry I was pregnant. Apart from telling Mum and Dad, I kept it to myself for a while. Thought I’d give them time to get used to the idea before I started letting it out, but I hadn’t counted on Kathy guessing. Not that she went wild with the news, but she made me realise I couldn’t keep Flipper hidden for ever.’

  ‘I take it they knew at the medical centre?’

  ‘I was up front with them right from the start. Had to be. I’m there to cover Karen’s maternity leave, but Mike and Rory have indicated there might be a permanent job at the end of it.’ Worry darkened her words, tightened her brow.

  ‘What will you do if the job doesn’t eventuate?’

  ‘That’s not an option.’ She leaned forward to peer through the windscreen, and instantly eased off on the accelerator and wound down her window. Cold air filled the cab.

  ‘What’s up?’ Grady asked, as he craned his neck to see past her head.

  ‘I’m not sure but those guys are running towards the shed, carrying someone between them.’

  ‘I see them. That’s the farm the stock truck turned into.’ Unease made him wary. ‘We’d better go and see if we’re needed.’ Men didn’t usually run around with one of their mates swinging from their arms.

  ‘On our way.’ Sasha turned sharply, bounced the vehicle over the cattle stop and drove directly to the shed. ‘Stock truck’s still here, parked over behind that second shed.’

  ‘Drive right up to that door where those men ducked inside.’ Grady undid his seat belt, ready to follow the men.

  Before Sasha had pulled up, a man appeared in the doorway, carrying a rifle under his arm. ‘What the heck?’ She stuck her head out the window. ‘What’s happening, Jason?’

  ‘Sasha? That was quick. Murts is in a bad way. That bull went berko when we tried to load him. Got Murts in the gut I don’t know how many times.’ The man who was apparently Jason strode over to them. ‘I’m going to put a bullet between his eyes.’

  ‘What do you mean, that was quick?’ Grady asked as he climbed out. ‘We’ve been up the road, visiting patients, and saw you all running inside the shed.’

  Jason looked across at him, then back to Sasha, a question in his eyes. ‘I phoned 111 and McKentry used his truck phone to call the medical centre. Mike’s getting the ambulance and heading out here as soon as he can.’

  Sasha joined Jason. ‘This is Grady O’Neil. He’s a doctor.’

  ‘Some good news.’ Jason pushed Grady towards the shed. ‘Go, man. Murts needs you real bad.’

  Grady called over his shoulder to Sasha, ‘Bring your pack with you.’ Not that it contained half the equipment he’d give his right arm for at this moment. He hated to think of the injuries this guy Murts had suffered every time that bull’s head had slammed into his gut.

  The man lying on the floor of the shed looked worse than even he’d imagined. Covered in blood from head to foot, he was shaking and groaning as his friends knelt beside him, helpless to do anything. ‘Hey, guys. Grady O’Neil. I’m a doctor.’

  In the shed the relief was almost palpable. As the three men scrambled out of the way they tripped over themselves. ‘Thank God,’ one of them muttered, then added, ‘Hello, and we’ve got Sasha. Murts, this is your lucky day, dude.’

  Unable to see anything lucky in being gored by a raging bull, Grady kept his mouth shut and knelt down on the hard dirt. Sasha joined him on the other side and immediately began taking a pulse. Make that tried to take a pulse. Her finger pressed on the carotid, moved a smidge left, right. Then, ‘At last,’ she whispered.

  Grady spoke to the patient. ‘Hello, Murts. I’m Grady, a doctor. And Sasha’s here, she’s a nurse.’

  ‘Glad to see you,’ the guy wheezed around his obvious pain, and opened his eyes for a brief moment.

  ‘Murts, how old are you?’

  ‘Forty-eight.’

  A clear verbal response, and Murts had opened his eyes. ‘Can you feel my hand?’ Grady asked as he touched his patient’s hand, and felt a small clenching around his fingers. ‘GCS thirteen,’ he told Sasha. Not bad in the circumstances.

  ‘Pulse weak and low,’ she responded.

  Not good. Grady settled further down on his haunches. ‘Murts, can you tell me where the pain is coming from?’

  ‘Everywhere.’

  Okay. Try again. ‘What about your head?’

  ‘Yes, b
ad.’

  ‘Your chest?’ Grady asked. There could be a pneumothorax if that solid head had hit Murts’s ribs hard enough. Or often enough.

  ‘Agony,’ Murts muttered.

  Grady said in an aside to Sasha, ‘How do we go about calling for the rescue helicopter?’ Without that, this man was unlikely to survive. A two-hour trip over the hill was not an option.

  ‘I imagine Mike would’ve put them on standby the moment he got the call. They have to come from Wellington or Nelson, about equal flying times.’

  ‘Can you get Mike on the phone for me? Then see if any of these men saw the attack and where the bull got Murts, other than in the gut, as already mentioned.’

  ‘Sure.’ She stood, tugged her phone from her pocket and punched buttons. After handing the phone to him, she strode across to where the three men hovered anxiously.

  He heard Mike answer his phone and got on with getting what he needed. ‘We’re with the man attacked by a bull. Can you make that helicopter a go? Needed here a.s.a.p.’

  ‘Onto it. I’ll be with you in ten.’ The phone went dead.

  Continuing with his examination, Grady worked his hands over the chest he’d just exposed by tearing away what remained of Murts’s shirt. Beneath his hands the man writhed and groaned. Pain or cerebral irritation? What he wouldn’t do for a fully equipped theatre at this moment, and an X-ray machine. Or even that ambulance with at least essential equipment.

  Sash squatted down again. ‘The bull rammed into Murts continually pretty much everywhere. The guys reckon at least twenty times.’

  Grady closed his eyes briefly. Murts was lucky to be alive.

  Sash wasn’t finished. ‘His head whipped all over the place, often connecting with the wooden fence rails. His legs took some hits as well.’

  ‘So we’re looking at internal injuries, possibly broken ribs and a punctured lung, and brain injuries.’

  ‘Could be bleeding out internally, too.’ Sasha began counting Murts’s resp rate again.

  ‘I need to insert an artificial airway before he gets into that helicopter. I’m presuming there are the right drugs in that ambulance so that I can do an RSI?’