Christmas-Day Fiancée (St Gregory's Hospital)

by Lucy Clark

  ‘I am so going to win this bet.’ Natalie grinned.

  ‘Are you going with anyone to the party tonight?’ Marty asked her as he flipped another pancake.

  ‘No.’

  ‘Not even Everley?’

  ‘No. He couldn’t make it—even if I did want to go with him.’

  ‘But you don’t, right?’ Marty needed clarification before he asked his next question.

  ‘Correct.’

  ‘So…’ He checked the pancake. ‘Shall we go together?’ He slid the pancake onto her plate, hoping the question had come out as nonchalantly as he’d planned.

  ‘Sure, but you can’t chalk me up as date number seven. I don’t count.’ Natalie took the plate and drowned the pancake with maple syrup. She got some on her finger and licked it off, her eyelids fluttering closed in ecstasy as the sweet syrup made contact with her tongue. ‘Mmm.’

  Marty watched, mesmerised by her beauty. She didn’t need to have her hair coloured or wear pounds of make-up to make herself look incredible. It was all there, God given, and she looked…radiant. He forced himself to swallow and look away before she caught him staring.

  This was ridiculous. Why did she affect him so much? He poured more pancake batter into the pan, desperate to find coherent thoughts again. ‘I hope that’s real maple syrup,’ he said and could have hit himself for sounding so lame. Real maple syrup? Where had that come from?

  ‘You bet,’ she replied as she opened her eyes and began cutting up her pancake. He waited, almost expectantly, while she took her first mouthful. ‘Mmm. This is delicious,’ she mumbled as she began to chew. ‘You are a brilliant cook, Marty. Isn’t he, Beth?’ she demanded.

  ‘Absolutely.’ Beth raised her eyebrows at him, then winked. Marty grinned and, basking in the sunshine of feminine praise, returned his attention to the next pancake.

  ‘Did you hear about the case that came in last night?’ he asked conversationally.

  ‘When were you at the hospital? Before or after your date?’

  ‘After.’

  Natalie filed this information away for later. Surely if he’d had fun on his date with Katrina, he wouldn’t have stopped off at the hospital afterwards. Very interesting.

  ‘A three-year-old boy presented at A and E. His mother said he fell down and hit his head. As I was around, I had his head X-rayed and everything came back fine. Then I noticed some bruises on his arms, collar-bone and legs.’

  ‘He’d been hit?’

  ‘That’s the presumption. Social workers will be seeing him today and speaking to both parents, but I managed to keep him in overnight for observation.’

  ‘What’s his name?’

  ‘Glen.’

  ‘Any previous admissions?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘What about siblings?’

  ‘Two older brothers.’

  ‘Old enough to hit or torture their little brother?’

  ‘To be decided,’ Marty said as he expertly flipped a pancake in the air.

  ‘I guess that’s a big factor of working in Paediatrics,’ Beth chimed in. ‘Do you often see child abuse?’

  ‘More often than not,’ Natalie said as she scraped her plate. ‘Pass me a spoon, Marty. I can’t let this syrup go to waste.’

  He chuckled. ‘Now that you’ve had your sugar hit for the morning, are you planning on going to work any time soon? It’s almost eight o’clock.’

  ‘What?’ Beth gasped. ‘I’ve got ward round in half an hour. Richard will be spare if I’m late again.’ Beth raced off and a moment later they heard the shower running.

  ‘You all set to go?’ Marty asked.

  ‘Just have to brush my pearly whites and tie my hair back.’

  ‘Do you have to?’

  ‘What? Tie my hair back? Of course. Could you imagine all those sticky fingers tugging on it all day long? No, thank you.’

  Marty leaned over and tugged the end. ‘Aw. Go on, Dr Nat. It’ll be good fun.’

  She laughed and licked the spoon free of syrup. ‘Sorry.’ She stood. ‘If you want them to play with long hair, grow yours.’ She stacked the plates and carried them to the dishwasher as Marty slid another pancake out of the pan.

  ‘I’ll put the rest of the batter in the fridge and you can have pancakes later.’

  ‘You’re very well house-trained, Marty. Your mother must be proud.’

  He grinned as he sat on the stool she’d just vacated and poured syrup over his pancake. ‘She is. Go and do your hair. I’ll eat and then we can go to the hospital together.’

  ‘That means you’ll have to bring me back here after work.’

  ‘So? We’ve got the departmental thing tonight anyway.’

  ‘Oh, yeah. OK.’ Natalie headed off.

  Marty sat and ate in peace, amazed at the discovery he’d made while he’d been watching Natalie devour her maple syrup. He was in love with her!

  How could he have fallen in love so quickly? Or had it been quick? Had this been building for the past fifteen years or so? Was it possible? He shook his head. They knew each other so well and he never let any woman through his barriers, yet Natalie had been there before the barriers had been put in place. It wasn’t supposed to have happened. He was supposed to have been keeping his distance, dating other women and not getting deeply involved with anyone. Besides, they were friends…and he’d been stupid enough to fall for her.

  He groaned and closed his eyes, unable to believe it.

  ‘Enjoying the pancake as much as Natalie?’

  Beth’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and as she was dressed for work he wondered how long he’d been sitting there, thinking about Nat. ‘What? What do you mean? Enjoying Nat?’

  Beth laughed. ‘You misunderstood. I didn’t mean—Oh, forget it. It’s written all over your face, Marty.’

  ‘What is?’ He tried feigning ignorance.

  ‘You’re hooked on her.’

  ‘What?’ Why had his voice come out as an uncontrollable squeak? He cleared his throat and tried again. ‘What?’ Deeper, more masculine. Much better.

  ‘I’ve been watching you both all week long and even though you’ve been going out with one girl after another, it’s Natalie you want.’

  Marty decided he may as well give up. ‘Do you think she knows?’

  ‘No. She’s too busy trying to regain control over her life, but you’ve definitely thrown her a curve ball and in my opinion it was exactly what she needed.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Hey.’ Beth kissed him on the cheek. ‘I’m on your side, mate.’ She picked up her keys. ‘I gotta run.’

  Marty was just about to offer her a lift when he turned and saw Natalie at the base of the stairs, staring at him.

  ‘Bye,’ Beth called, and in the next instant she was gone, leaving the two of them alone. Natalie was the first to recover.

  ‘She’s like a whirlwind, isn’t she?’ She walked over to the table where her bag was and began rummaging through it.

  ‘Ready?’ was all he said as he stacked the dishwasher and wiped the bench.

  ‘I’ll just check everything’s locked.’

  Marty waited, feeling the change in atmosphere. Natalie appeared to be a little frosty towards him but he wasn’t sure why. She’d been fine when she’d gone to do her hair. Could she see straight through him, just like Beth? Did she like what she saw or not? Why was he feeling so insecure all of a sudden? He stopped watching her and tried to concentrate on getting himself together.

  When she’d checked and locked the doors, they headed out to his four-wheel-drive. Natalie climbed up, trying to do it gracefully in her skirt.

  ‘That was fun,’ she murmured, and Marty laughed, the previous tension easing.

  ‘I guess this isn’t a “skirt” type of car.’

  ‘Definitely not. Next time, we’ll take my car.’

  ‘Deal.’ He turned the radio on and a song they remembered listening to at school was playing. They both sang along, laughing when th
ey both got the words wrong.

  ‘I haven’t heard that song in years.’ Natalie grinned as he pulled into the hospital car park.

  ‘Stay there. I’ll come and help you get down.’

  She turned to protest but he was already striding around to her side. He opened the door and held out his hands. ‘Put your hands on my shoulders.’

  Natalie did as he asked and in the next instant he’d slid his hands under her arms and physically lifted her from the car. ‘It’s not that high up,’ she told him.

  ‘Don’t want you making an undignified exit in that skirt.’ His voice was deeper than usual and a little bit husky. Natalie’s insides instantly responded to it and she could quite see why he had so many women chasing after him. Her hands still rested on his shoulders and that same stimulating scent was still driving her wild every time she breathed in. He hadn’t removed his hands and it felt as though he was gathering her closer to him.

  Their gazes locked and she wasn’t sure she could have moved even if a freak hailstorm had hit in the middle of summer. She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry as she saw his desire.

  His warm fingers were now splayed across her back, thumbs around the curve of her ribs, almost brushing the sides of her breasts. Slowly he exhaled as he urged their bodies closer. ‘I’m sorry, Nat,’ he murmured, his breath fanning her cheek. ‘I have to.’

  His head started making its descent and she found it amazing that he honestly desired her. Of course he did, she realised as logic hit. She was female and she was currently unattached.

  ‘No. Wait.’ She placed three fingers across his lips. ‘I’m sorry, Marty,’ she whispered urgently. ‘I’m sorry. I can’t.’ The touch of her fingers on his lips was doing more to her insides than she’d realised as tremor after tremor of zingers spread through her. She quickly removed her fingers.

  ‘Too soon?’

  ‘No…well…yes. I’m just…I don’t want to be number seven on the list.’

  ‘You won’t be.’ Even as he said the words, he slowly pulled away. ‘But you’re right. Now’s not the time. We have a ward round and all sorts of doctor stuff to get through today, and feeling uncomfortable with each other isn’t going to help.’

  ‘So, do we pretend it didn’t happen?’

  ‘We could, or we could just accept the fact that one day we’ll see what it’s like.’

  At his words, the zingers started all over again and she gulped, then started coughing.

  He chuckled at her reaction. ‘Is the prospect so daunting?’

  ‘No,’ she said on a cough, before turning to collect her bag. He shut the door and locked the car as Natalie cleared her throat. ‘No. I am curious but right now I need a friend rather than another relationship.’

  He linked their arms together and grinned, the uncomfortable and embarrassing situation almost forgotten. ‘Friends it is, then. Let’s go do ward round.’

  A few people looked at them as they entered the hospital, some calling greetings, others watching eagerly as they continued, arm in arm, through to the paediatrics ward. At the nurses’ desk Natalie tried to disengage her arm but Marty held it tightly. She glared at him but he merely smiled back. She tugged away but he simply moved closer to her.

  ‘Marty.’ There was a warning in her tone.

  ‘We’re stuck together. We’ll just have to do ward round like this.’

  ‘Oh, that’ll go down a treat.’

  ‘Morning,’ Cassie said as she walked in. ‘What’s going on?’ She glanced at the two of them.

  ‘We’re stuck together,’ Marty explained.

  ‘Excellent.’ Cassie linked her arm through his other one. ‘I love games. Wasn’t there a nursery story about people stuck together?’

  ‘Marty, cut it out.’ Natalie tried tugging her arm out again but to no avail.

  ‘Why? The kids will love it.’

  ‘No doubt, but Sister won’t. Then again,’ she amended, ‘I don’t mind getting into trouble if it’s going to sink you further in Sister’s opinion. Oh, yes. This bet is going to be easy to win.’

  ‘What bet?’ Cassie asked, looking around Marty at Natalie.

  Natalie was about to explain when Sister Dorset spoke from behind them.

  ‘I beg your pardon, staff, but I believe this is a hospital ward, not a playground. Doctor…’ she glared at Marty ‘…please, unhand my staff so we can get the round under way.’

  Cassie, lucky thing, was released and headed to the desk to answer the phone. Natalie, on the other hand, still wasn’t being released from Marty’s vice-like grip. She half expected Marty to turn a bright shade of red and meekly pull away, but all he did was smile sweetly at the fuming Sister Dorset.

  ‘Aw, come on, Sister. It’ll be fun. We can all link arms and do ward round like that. The children will love it and it’ll make them laugh. You know what they say—laughter is the best medicine.’

  Natalie stared opened-mouthed, stunned at his audacity. To her total surprise, she actually saw Sister’s lips twitch a little and behind her dull brown eyes humour began to twinkle. Had he done it? In one simple move? Surely not. In the next instant Sister seemed to pull herself together and cleared her throat.

  ‘I have no objection to laughter, Dr Williams, but I’m sure you’ll agree, it has its time and its place.’

  Having now been firmly chastised, Natalie expected him to concede but no. Not Marty. He merely pulled a sad, little-boy pout. ‘No fun during ward round?’

  ‘Not today, Dr Williams, and I will ask you in future to confine your more…jovial antics to my days off. Too much humour is certainly not good for a woman of my age and experience.’

  ‘Ah, now, Sister, that’s where we will have to agree to disagree.’ He turned to face Natalie, releasing her arm but taking her hand in his, bringing it to his lips so he could kiss her knuckles. ‘Alas, my darling Nat, we will not be joined for ward round today. Will you be able to bear the deprivation?’

  ‘I will endure it as best I can,’ Natalie answered, her voice wavering slightly at the feel of his lips on her skin. Why did he have to do something like this in public? Couldn’t he see she was having difficulty trying to hide her involuntary response to him?

  ‘If you’ve quite finished, Doctors?’ Sister gave them both a quick stare before whisking away to the first patient’s bedside.

  Natalie was pleased to see her patients. After Alysha’s surgery, she’d come along in leaps and bounds, the fish oil Marty had recommended they try was working a treat.

  ‘I think you might even be able to go home tomorrow,’ Natalie told the little girl, who now looked bright and cheerful.

  ‘Really?’

  ‘If you have another good night, I don’t see why not. You’ve done such a wonderful job of getting better, I think we can let you keep getting better at home.’

  ‘Yay!’ Alysha clapped her hands and grinned at her mother.

  ‘But you have to promise to follow your special diet closely.’

  ‘I will, Dr Natalie. I promise I’ll be good.’

  ‘Good girl.’

  ‘And remember,’ Marty said as he clicked his fingers at Alysha, ‘you keep practising your clicking and when you come to see Dr Nat in her clinic, you come and show me.’

  ‘I will,’ Alysha said, her eyes sparkling brightly as she looked up at Marty. Natalie sighed and shook her head. Was every single female, regardless of age, susceptible to his charms?

  ‘All right, Dr Charming. Let’s move on to the next patient,’ Natalie said, after smiling at Alysha.

  Troy, the toddler who’d been suffering from gastroenteritis, had been discharged two days previously and Laura, the twelve-year-old girl Richard had operated on, had also made a good recovery and been discharged. Sometimes they had patients for weeks and months and at other times either overnight or for a few days, but at all times, seeing her patients slowly getting better was what she loved most about her job. Children often healed a lot faster than adults and their heartfelt thanks, the
ir drawings, their cuddles were all so special to her she sometimes didn’t want them to go.

  When they came to three-year-old Glen, Natalie’s heart twisted in pain when she saw the bruises on his body. He was very small for his age and was still wearing a nappy. He also looked a little undernourished and for a moment she found it hard to put on a brave face.

  ‘Hey, buddy,’ Marty said, lowering the side of the cot and sitting down on the mattress. ‘How are you doing this morning? Feeling better?’

  Glen sat up and looked solemnly at Marty. ‘Better.’ He was gripping one of the soft toys the ward kept to help children through the scary ordeal of being away from their homes. The toys were all bought new and donated to the ward so if a child became attached to the toy, he or she could take it home. It appeared Glen was now very attached to the blue teddy bear he held close to his body.

  Marty glanced over his shoulder. ‘Do we know where his mother is?’

  ‘She and her husband are with the social worker now,’ Sister informed him.

  Marty nodded his thanks and turned his attention back to Glen. ‘How’s Mr Bear today?’

  ‘Not good. He got a sore back.’

  ‘Does he? Dear me. Let me see.’ Marty held out his hands for the bear and, in an act of total trust, Glen handed the toy over. Marty looked thoughtfully at the bear. ‘I think you’re right, Dr Glen.’ At the name, the little boy smiled.

  ‘I not doctor. I Glen.’

  ‘Oh. Silly me. Well, Glen, what should we do about teddy’s back?’

  Glen tapped one finger on his chin as though thinking and Natalie’s heart filled with joy, watching the action. ‘I tink we put bandage on it.’

  ‘Excellent suggestion. Sister?’

  ‘One bandage, Doctor,’ Sister replied, and placed one in his hand. Marty had Glen hold the teddy very still while he bandaged the blue, furry back.

  ‘How’s that?’

  ‘Not all better yet.’

  ‘Oh? Why not?’

  ‘Gotta have a kiss.’

  ‘A kiss? You’re absolutely right. Who needs to kiss teddy better?’