In His Loving Care

by Jennifer Taylor

  ‘Three-month-old boy exhibiting all the classic signs of severe colic,’ she explained when he came over to her.

  ‘But you don’t think that’s what it is?’

  ‘No.’ She shrugged. ‘The mother mentioned that he’d been sick and that she’d found blood in his nappy when she’d changed him.’

  ‘Intussusception?’ Lewis didn’t need her to prompt him towards a diagnosis. His expression darkened as he went to the couch to examine the baby. Peeling off the child’s nappy, he pointed to the blood-stained mucus that had collected in it. ‘I don’t think there’s any doubt what it is from that.’

  ‘What do you mean? What’s wrong with Dominic?’ Tanya demanded, looking scared out her wits. However, before Helen could attempt to calm her, Lewis stepped in. He smiled reassuringly at the young mother.

  ‘We think that Dominic has an obstruction of the bowel called an intussusception. The best way to explain it is to imagine what happens when you try to remove a tightly fitting glove and one of the fingers turns partly inside out. That’s what’s happened with your son—part of his small intestine has got stuck inside his large one and it needs to be straightened out as quickly as possible.’

  ‘You mean that Dominic will have to have an operation!’ Tanya exclaimed, turning white.

  ‘It’s possible, although quite often it can be resolved by hydrostatic reduction.’ He pulled up a chair and made her sit down. ‘Basically, all it means is that Dominic will be given a barium enema and the intestine might right itself because of the pressure of the fluid that’s being passed through it.’

  ‘But if it doesn’t right itself, he’ll need an operation,’ Tanya insisted.

  ‘Yes. If nothing is done, the intestine will become permanently blocked and that could have very serious consequences for Dominic. However, I’ve seen an awful lot of intussusceptions in my time and very often the problem can be resolved without surgery.’

  ‘Does that mean you can do it here?’ Tanya asked hopefully.

  Lewis shook his head. ‘I’m afraid not. Dominic will need to be X-rayed so you’ll have to take him to hospital.’

  He glanced round and Helen stiffened when she found herself the subject of his gaze. ‘Have you any idea who’s in charge of gastroenterology at the local hospital?’

  ‘I’m afraid not,’ she replied carefully. ‘Would you like me to find out for you?’

  ‘Please. I’ll give the consultant a call and let him know that we’re sending a patient along, to help speed up the process. The sooner this little chap is seen to the better.’

  He gave her a quick smile and Helen turned away, not wanting him to know how much the smile had affected her. She quickly left the room, even though she could have found out the information he needed by using the phone on her desk. However, it seemed prudent to put a little distance between them while she got her emotions in check.

  A quick call to the hospital’s administration department soon achieved the desired results. She made a note of the consultant’s name and extension number then went back to her room. Tanya looked a lot calmer when she went in and even managed a smile when she saw Helen, so obviously Lewis had succeeded in reassuring her.

  ‘The consultant’s name is John Dancer,’ she said, handing him the piece of paper on which she’d jotted down the details.

  ‘John!’ He laughed out loud. ‘I’ve known John for years, although I had no idea he was working in this neck of the woods. I’ll give him a call and get everything organised.’ He turned to Tanya with a smile. ‘Dr Dancer is one of the best people in his field so Dominic couldn’t be in better hands.’

  Tanya looked relieved as he went away to make the call. ‘It sounds as though it will be all right, doesn’t it, Dr Daniels?’

  ‘I’m sure everything will be fine,’ Helen said firmly, because it was ridiculous to feel jealous because Lewis had smiled at the other woman. She helped Tanya to dress Dominic again and they had just finished when Lewis reappeared.

  ‘John is getting everything ready. There’ll be an ambulance here in a few minutes to take you to hospital, Tanya, so do you want to phone your husband and let him know what’s happening?’

  ‘Andrew’s out on a job this morning. He’s a site engineer and there’s no reception where he’s working at the moment so I can’t get hold of him on his mobile. Maybe I could phone my mum instead? I’d feel better if I had someone with me,’ Tanya added forlornly.

  ‘Of course you would. Come along, then—you can phone her from my room. That way Dr Daniels will be able to see the rest of her patients and I’ll be able to keep an eye on this little fellow.’ Lewis ushered Tanya to the door then paused. ‘Well spotted, Helen. An awful lot of doctors wouldn’t have realised what was wrong with this little chap.’

  ‘All part of the service,’ she replied lightly, although she couldn’t deny that her heart had lifted on hearing the words of praise. As she sat down at her desk, she tried to remember the last time anyone had told her that she’d done a good job. Her patients were always very grateful, of course, but she couldn’t recall Ian ever praising her…She shut off that thought. There was no way that she was going to start making any more odious comparisons.

  Helen drove straight into town after surgery finished. She parked her car then headed for the coffee-shop. It was market day and the place was full so she ended up sitting on one of the high metal stools at the counter, but she didn’t mind. It had been ages since she’d been out for lunch and it was good to watch the world going by.

  She paid her bill then decided to browse around the shops before she went to visit Lucy Maguire. She walked along one side of the main street then backtracked along the other, pausing when she came to a small boutique which had opened just before Christmas. She had glanced into the window when she’d been shopping for presents for the twins but she’d been too pressed for time to go in. However, she had time to spare that day so she opened the door.

  Thirty minutes later, she left the shop with a glossy carrier-bag in her hand. The clothes had been so gorgeous that she hadn’t been able to resist buying herself something to wear. She sneaked a peek at the cobweb-fine pale gold sweater and sighed with pleasure. She’d bought a skirt to go with it—a drift of cloud-soft chiffon in shades of gold and rust. Admittedly the outfit had cost a small fortune but it had looked wonderful on her. Now all she needed was the right place to wear it and someone who would appreciate it—like Lewis, for instance. What would he think if he saw her in the new outfit?

  Her stomach lurched when she realised what she was doing. Closing the carrier-bag, she hurried along the street. She felt both ashamed and guilty that the reason why she’d bought the clothes was so she would look her best for Lewis.

  He didn’t care how she looked! He’d made that perfectly clear last night when he’d dismissed that kiss they’d shared. She couldn’t believe how stupid she’d been to get carried away and made up her mind to return the clothes after she’d been to see Lucy. If the owner of the boutique wouldn’t refund her money, she would ask for a credit note and give it to Katie when she came home.

  Lucy was still in ICU so Helen went straight up there. Once she’d explained who she was, she was taken through to see her. The nurse who showed her into the unit explained that although Lucy was conscious she still needed careful monitoring so she would be staying in ICU for another couple of days.

  Helen thanked her then went to the bed. ‘Hello, Lucy. How are you feeling?’

  ‘Sore.’ Lucy managed a wobbly smile. ‘Every bit of me feels as though it’s been trampled on.’

  ‘No wonder!’ Helen laughed as she sat down on a straight-backed chair. There were ten beds in the unit and every one was occupied. The muted blips and bleeps of the various monitors provided a background noise. ‘Playing chicken with a great big lorry isn’t the best start to anyone’s day.’

  Lucy tried to laugh, then winced as she clutched her throat. ‘They put a tube down my throat to help me breathe,’ she croake
d.

  ‘And I bet it’s really sore.’ Helen picked up the plastic beaker and helped the girl sip some water. ‘I spoke to the social worker yesterday and she told me that your neighbour is looking after your boys. Apparently, she’s a registered foster-carer so it was the ideal solution.’

  ‘That’s right. Carol…my neighbour…came to see me this morning and she told me the boys were both fine, although they’re missing me.’ Tears sparkled in Lucy’s eyes. ‘I just want to get better so I can go home to them.’

  ‘You’re making really good progress, Lucy, so it won’t be long. You just have to concentrate on getting your strength back.’

  Helen glanced round when the same nurse came to tell her that it was time to leave. Visiting was strictly regulated in the unit so she immediately stood up. ‘I have to go now but I’ll pop in again to see how you are.’

  ‘Thank you. And will you thank Dr Cole for me as well? Carol told me that he stayed under that lorry with me while they got me out. I’m really grateful to him.’

  ‘I’ll tell him,’ Helen promised, trying to control the warm little glow that had ignited inside her. Lewis had been very brave but it would be silly to think too much about what he’d done.

  The intensive care unit was on the fifth floor and there was a queue for the lift when she got there so she decided to use the stairs. She reached the second floor and paused when she saw a sign for the gastroenterology department, wondering if Tanya Rimmer and her baby were still in there. She decided to check so pushed open the door and made her way along the corridor, smiling when she saw Tanya and a fair-haired man coming towards her.

  ‘I was wondering if you were still here.’

  ‘Dr Daniels!’ Tanya exclaimed. ‘What are you doing here?’

  ‘I’ve been up to ICU to visit another patient so I thought I’d see how Dominic is doing,’ Helen explained, smiling politely at the man.

  ‘He’s fine.’ Tanya heaved a sigh. ‘Dr Dancer has sorted everything out. It was just like Dr Cole said—the enema pushed Dominic’s intestine back into its proper place. My mum’s with him so I was just on my way to phone Andrew and tell him what’s happened. He should be back in his office by now.’

  ‘Oh, that’s wonderful news! You must be so relieved, Tanya.’

  ‘I am. I’m also really grateful to you and Dr Cole. Dr Dancer explained how dangerous it would have been if Dominic’s condition hadn’t been spotted so quickly.’

  ‘So long as he’s going to be all right, that’s the main thing,’ Helen said lightly, turning to the man. ‘I’m sorry. I should have introduced myself. I’m Helen Daniels, Tanya’s GP.’

  ‘John Dancer, consultant in charge of the gastroenterology unit. I’m delighted to meet you, Helen.’ He smiled warmly at her as Tanya excused herself. ‘I was most impressed by your rapid diagnosis. A lot of GPs might not have spotted the problem so quickly.’

  ‘I think Lewis deserves the praise more than me. He was the one who confirmed what was wrong with Dominic. I just had my suspicions.’

  ‘Well, it seems you were both very much on the ball, although I wouldn’t have expected anything less from Lewis. He knows his stuff—there’s no question about that.’

  Helen laughed. ‘He said exactly the same about you!’

  ‘Obviously a mutual admiration society.’ John smiled at her again and Helen felt a little flustered when she saw the appreciation in his eyes. He obviously found her attractive and she wasn’t sure how to respond so it was a relief when he carried on.

  ‘I must say that I was surprised to learn that Lewis has switched careers. What made him make such a decision?’

  Helen shrugged, unsure what to tell him. She didn’t want to betray Lewis’s confidence by telling him about Kristy. ‘General practice work just seemed more appropriate at the present time.’

  ‘Because of his daughter?’ John nodded. ‘I heard about that. It must have a been a shock for him, although he’s handled it very well. You can only admire a man who’s willing to give up a very successful career for the sake of his child.’

  ‘Yes,’ she agreed softly. She took a quick breath, trying to quell the rush of emotions the comment had aroused. Lewis’s attitude towards his daughter was something else she admired and it was unsettling to be made aware of that in the present circumstances. She didn’t want to think about his good points. She didn’t want to think about him at all after last night!

  ‘I’ll have to get in touch with him again. It would be good to talk over old times.’

  ‘I’m sure he would be pleased to hear from you.’ She made a determined effort to concentrate. ‘I imagine most of his friends are still living in London so he would probably appreciate having someone to talk to.’

  ‘Then I’ll give him a call. Maybe we can arrange to have dinner together…all three of us, I mean.’ He smiled at her. ‘It would be good to see you again as well, Helen, if it isn’t too presumptuous of me to say so.’

  ‘Oh! Well, yes, of course. That would be lovely. Thank you.’ Helen quickly covered her confusion by glancing at her watch. ‘I really must start heading back. Evening surgery begins at four and I don’t want to be late.’

  ‘Of course not. I can get your number from the phone book so I’ll give you a call next week.’

  ‘I’ll look forward to it,’ she said quickly, and held out her hand. ‘It’s been nice meeting you, Dr Dancer. I’ll tell Lewis that you’ll be in touch with him.’

  ‘John,’ he corrected gently, taking her hand. ‘And even if Lewis can’t get away for dinner, I’m hoping you will be able to. It would be lovely to see you again, Helen.’

  ‘You, too,’ she murmured politely. She said goodbye then made her way back to the stairs, wondering if she’d been right to accept John’s invitation. After all, she barely knew him so there was no way of telling if they would have anything in common…

  But that’s what dates were for, a small voice reminded her. To get to know people and find out if you liked them.

  She stopped dead. Had she really agreed to go on a date? She hadn’t considered the invitation in that light but that’s what it was, of course. Dr Dancer had asked her out because he wanted to spend time with her. He might have included Lewis in the invitation but she wasn’t naïve enough to believe that he’d been more interested in catching up with an old friend than seeing her. He was attracted to her and she wasn’t sure how she felt about the idea. She certainly didn’t know what Lewis was going to think when he found out…

  She cut that thought dead. It wasn’t any of Lewis’s business what she did!

  CHAPTER TEN

  LEWIS could tell something was in the air as soon as he walked into the surgery one day the following week. Janet, Eve and Amy were huddled together in the office, obviously discussing some juicy bit of gossip. He rapped on the door and grinned when the three women leapt apart.

  ‘What are you lot up to? I’ve never seen such a guilty-looking bunch in my life.’

  ‘We have nothing to be guilty about, have we, girls?’ Amy retorted.

  ‘You must think I was born yesterday,’ he replied good-naturedly, riffling through the stack of post that was piled on the desk ‘All you needed was a bubbling cauldron and you could have passed for the three witches.’

  ‘Cheek! Who are you calling a witch?’

  Amy glared at him, although he could tell that she was only pretending to be annoyed. Janet and Eve chuckled as they hurried out to the reception desk to get ready for the morning rush. Obviously, they didn’t intend to tell him what had been going on and his curiosity was piqued.

  ‘I apologise. So what’s the big secret, then? Something’s obviously happened to get you all of a dither.’

  ‘It’s Helen,’ Amy confided. ‘She’s got a date!’

  ‘A date? You mean with a man?’

  ‘No, with an elephant,’ Amy shot back in exasperation. ‘Of course she’s going out with a man. Why do you think we’re so excited? I mean, it’s the first time sh
e’s shown any interest in the opposite sex since Ian died.’

  ‘And that’s a good thing?’ he asked hollowly, trying to contain all the emotions that were rushing around inside him.

  ‘Of course it’s a good thing! You said yourself that she needs a social life, and I think it’s great that she’s actually going to go out and have some fun for a change.’

  ‘I’m sure you’re right.’ He summoned a rather sickly smile but the news had left him feeling completely poleaxed. He couldn’t begin to explain how it felt to learn that Helen would be spending time with another man when he desperately wanted her to spend it with him. ‘So who’s the lucky guy, then—do you know?’

  ‘Yes, I do, actually. It’s that consultant from the hospital who looked after Tanya Rimmer’s baby.’

  ‘You don’t mean John Dancer?’ he exclaimed.

  ‘That’s right. One of my friends works in the gastroenterology department and she says he’s really nice. Apparently, he and his wife got divorced a couple of years ago…not because of anything he did,’ Amy added hurriedly. ‘Their marriage just broke down and he’s been single ever since. He’d be perfect for Helen, wouldn’t he?’

  ‘John’s a decent bloke,’ Lewis agreed, struggling to keep a sense of perspective. It wasn’t easy so he decided to cut short the discussion before he said something he would regret. ‘Anyway, much as I enjoy gossiping with you, Amy, I’d better make a start. Are the others here yet?’

  ‘Helen’s in her room but I don’t know where Harry’s got to…’ The nurse broke off when the door opened. ‘Speak of the devil.’

  Lewis left her and Harry trading friendly insults and made his escape. Helen’s door was open and she looked up when she heard him passing. Lewis knew that she’d been avoiding him since the night he’d kissed her so he was rather surprised when she called him into the room.

  ‘I just wanted to check if you’re free on Thursday night,’ she explained without any preamble. ‘John Dancer has invited us both out to dinner at the Forester’s Arms. Would you be able to find a babysitter for Kristy?’