by Lucy Clark
Julia agreed. ‘I think part of her problem with firing staff and being awful to the nurses is that she’s simply frustrated. I would be, too, if my business looked as though it would go down the drain because I was laid up in hospital through no fault of my own.’
‘Also, when I was talking to Mona, she asked about Aki Ishimaru. I told her the status and she said after she’d finished with Bianca, she’d stop by and talk to him as well, agreeing that the more people he spoke to in his native language, the quicker his recovery should be. Unfortunately, he’s still not well enough to be transferred back to Japan. His asthma could flare up at any time and his progress, as you know, has been very slow.’
‘I have this calming sensation that once Mona becomes involved with both of these patients, they’ll pick right up.’
‘You’re probably right. You’ve known her longer than I have.’ They both spoke to Bianca, who was delighted at the prospect of someone—a stranger—willing to help her out. She also expressed her extreme gratitude to Zac for helping her. Julia was again bemused at the effect he had on women! She supposed it was because he was a nice, caring man. It was that simple.
After obtaining a promise from Bianca that she would be nice and co-operative when Mona arrived in the morning, Julia let Zac go and see Lucas by himself. She didn’t want another argument or to exacerbate Lucas’s condition. When Zac returned, he told her that Lucas had responded well to the second course of antibiotics and was being discharged.
‘Good. Let’s see how Aki is doing.’
He was quiet and unresponsive. Julia’s concerns increased. There had to be something else wrong for him to be listless like this. They checked his chart which showed a very slight improvement which was better than nothing. They read the nursing report which stated that Aki had been more settled this evening than previously and that the extra visits from both the translator and Beatrice, might be the contributing factors.
Zac walked Julia out to her car, saying that it was hospital policy that all female staff be walked to their cars either by Security or a trusted male colleague after dark.
‘Another one of Jeffrey’s rules,’ he added. ‘And I can’t say I blame him.’
‘It’s second nature to me,’ she told him as she put her bag and briefcase into her car. ‘The same rule applied at the hospital in Perth.’
He nodded and held the driver’s door open for her while she climbed in. He closed the door and waited for her to wind down the window. Leaning down, he smiled at her, their faces now quite close together.
‘Goodnight, Julia.’ His tone was husky, his gaze filled with desire. Julia swallowed, knowing her gaze reciprocated his feelings.
‘Night,’ she replied, and cleared her throat. Oh, kiss me, Zac. Just go ahead and do it, her mind silently screamed. Neither of them moved.
‘Drive safely,’ he whispered.
‘See you tomorrow.’
Still, neither of them moved. Her heart was pounding so wildly against her ribs she was certain he could hear it. Her lips parted as her breathing increased, her gaze flicking between his mesmerising blue eyes and his parted lips.
‘Bye.’ As though exerting superhuman effort, Zac stood and patted the roof of her car.
Julia closed her eyes for a brief second, trying to gather her wits. How was she supposed to drive a car after an intensely sensual and frustrating moment like that? She forced her sluggish brain to kick in as she reached out her hand and started the engine.
She smiled and waved as Zac stood in the parking lot, watching her leave. ‘Friendship,’ she mumbled as she drove carefully out of the hospital grounds and onto the road.
She didn’t sleep well that night and it had nothing to do with her bruised coccyx!
On Tuesday, her back was feeling even better. She had an awful bruise on her arm and back and a few on her legs, which she was discovering as they appeared. The anti-inflammatories were working well and she was sure she’d be able to handle the drive to Brisbane on the weekend to see Vanessa.
Mona was on the ward at the appointed time and both Zac and Julia welcomed her warmly. They took her through to see Bianca Hayden and introduced them. After a few minutes they left them alone, noting that Bianca did seem to be on her best behaviour.
‘I’ve asked Mona to page either one of us when she’s finished,’ Zac told her. ‘I’d like us to be there when she goes to see Aki Ishimaru.’
Julia nodded. ‘Good thinking.’ She sorted through some more paperwork and ate lunch before receiving a page. She glanced at the number—the ward. Mona must be ready so she locked her office before heading there.
When she arrived, Zac and Mona were talking quietly in the nurses’ station obviously waiting for her.
‘How did it go with Bianca?’ she asked, and Zac smiled.
‘Bianca is now the happiest I’ve ever seen her and is actually looking relaxed.’
‘Marvellous Mona strikes again,’ Julia said with a smile, and Mona laughed.
‘You’re both flattering me and you know you shouldn’t.’ She hesitated for a moment before acquiescing. ‘But if you insist upon it, don’t let me stop you.’
They all laughed. ‘I presume Zac’s briefed you on Aki’s situation?’ Julia asked.
‘Yes.’ Mona sobered. ‘What I’d like you to do, Julia, is to take me over there and after a minute or two have your pager go off so it doesn’t look quite like a set-up. Zac, you stay here and page her.’
‘Why can’t I go over, too?’ he asked.
‘My hunch,’ Mona said softly and both Zac and Julia leaned forward a little so they could hear her, ‘is that Aki thinks he’s lost face.’
Julia frowned. ‘It wasn’t his fault he was injured.’
‘Still,’ Mona continued, ‘if a man is there, it would make him feel all the more awkward. Then again, he probably doesn’t want to be surrounded by females either.’ She shook her head. ‘We’re just going to have to do the best we can. Pull the curtains around us as well, to ensure a bit of privacy for him. I know the other patients might not be able to understand what we’re talking about but hopefully it will help Aki to relax a little while we talk.’
Zac bent down and kissed Mona’s cheek. ‘You’ve missed your calling in life,’ he told her.
‘On the contrary,’ Julia said. ‘How do you think Jeffrey’s risen to his current position as director without the help and support of his beautiful wife?’
‘I’m beginning to think that it’s not Jeffrey who’s always right, but Mona.’
The woman in question smiled at them both before inclining her head in Aki’s direction. ‘Let’s go, Julia.’
Everything went according to plan. Julia pulled the curtain around them and left Mona to do the introductions in Japanese. She translated Aki’s replies for Julia, which stated that he was happy with his treatment and very grateful. Soon Julia’s pager sounded and she excused herself, returning to the nurses’ station to wait with Zac.
After ten minutes, with no sign of Mona coming out, Julia consulted the clock on the wall. ‘I’ve waited as long as I can,’ she told him. ‘I’m going to be late for my elective operating list if I don’t leave now.’
‘Go. I’ll call through to Theatre if there’s any dramatic breakthrough.’
‘There won’t be,’ Julia prophesied. ‘Mona would never push him that far, that soon. She’ll establish a rapport with Aki before anything concrete comes out but, on the bright side, it’s one more person for Aki to be conversing with in his own language.’
‘True.’
‘Just make sure you catch up with me after Theatre and let me know what happens.’
‘Will do,’ he said. ‘Have fun in Theatre.’
‘Gee, thanks.’ She smiled at him before leaving the ward.
Her operating session went off without complications. Her one and only patient was the man who’d been admitted in the early hours of the previous Saturday morning and required knee reconstruction. It was a long and drawn-out
process, which required her constant concentration and drained her energy. Her back felt stiff and sore afterwards but there was nothing much she could do except rest it.
Returning to her office, she forced herself to look on the optimistic side. Her patient would make a complete recovery and she was very much looking forward to the debrief Zac was supposed to give her on Aki’s meeting with Mona.
‘Things went well,’ he told her after finding her in her office. ‘You were right about Mona wanting to build up a level of trust. I’ve just been down to review him and he’s more settled than he’s been in a long time.’
‘She’s a miracle-worker,’ Julia agreed.
‘I’ll say and what’s more, Bianca Hayden is being nice to the nursing staff.’
Julia laughed. ‘Wonders will never cease.’ She winced as she shifted in her chair and Zac’s mirth faded.
‘How’s your back?’
‘Sore,’ she admitted, and shrugged. ‘It’s just from operating this afternoon. I’ll head home now, have something to eat and take the anti-inflammatories.’ She started to tidy up.
‘Good idea. I’ll walk you to your car,’ he stated.
Julia stopped and glared at him. He had to be joking! She didn’t think she could handle a repeat of last night’s performance when he’d come so close to kissing her, only to leave her high and dry. She had been addicted to him years ago and now seemed to be no different. She was hooked on his kisses, his arms around her and the smouldering look of desire in his eyes.
‘Don’t worry about it, Zac. I’ll get one of the security guards to walk me.’
He looked at her for a long moment, a flash of desire visible in the blue depths of his eyes before it was quickly veiled. Her heart picked up the familiar irregular rhythm it developed whenever he looked at her like that.
‘Right. Good idea,’ he agreed as though he, too, was having a difficult time controlling himself.
On Saturday morning, Julia was outside, packing her car, ready for the trip to Brisbane. Cassandra had opted to stay at home, thereby having a relaxing weekend all to herself.
‘See how some bad things can turn out to be for the best?’
‘What do you mean, Mum?’ Julia asked as she carried another suitcase out to her car.
‘Well if you hadn’t bruised your coccyx, then Zac probably wouldn’t have offered to drive you to Brisbane this weekend. He would have just given you the address and met you there.’
‘Hmm,’ Julia replied, and headed back inside. ‘Edward,’ she called. ‘Honey, it’s time to go.’ She picked up another bag. ‘Even though I feel fine, it is nice that we’re all going together and it’s just as well we’re taking my car,’ she added. ‘There’s no way we’d have squished all of this stuff into Zac’s Jaguar.’
As she headed outside again, Zac pulled up. Julia looked over her shoulder at her mother. ‘Take Edward to the toilet, please? I don’t want to keep Zac waiting.’
‘Righty-ho,’ Cassandra answered, and Julia continued on her way.
Zac walked up the driveway with a small overnight bag in his hand. ‘Did I say we were going for a week? I meant to say weekend. How much stuff have you got in there?’ he asked, peering into the boot of her car.
Julia hoisted the last bag in and looked at Zac. ‘When you travel with children, it doesn’t matter whether you’re going for one night or one month—you still pack the same amount of stuff. Put your bag in and I’ll get this closed.’
He did as she suggested and she closed the boot. ‘Now, I just need some things for him to play with in the car as we’re travelling and we’re set.’
‘Is all of that stuff really for Edward?’ he asked sceptically.
‘No.’ Julia shook her head and smiled, heading back inside. ‘Edward?’ she called again from the door as she picked up a bag of cars and trains for him to play with for the hour-long drive to Vanessa’s house.
‘Tumming, Mummy,’ he called, and she could hear him running through the house towards her. ‘I’m so escited,’ he said, jumping up and down to prove it.
‘Me, too,’ she told him, and scooped him up. ‘Give Grandma a kiss goodbye.’
‘Bye, Gr’ma,’ he said, and wrapped his arms around her mother’s neck. When he’d finished, Julia followed suit.
‘Have a nice relaxing and peaceful time,’ she told her mother.
‘You, too, if that’s at all possible with the dashing Dr Carmichael right beside you,’ her mother whispered. They all walked out to the car.
Zac greeted Cassandra and handed over the keys to his Jag. ‘What? Really?’ the older woman said in astonishment. ‘You’re trusting me to drive it?’
‘If you trust yourself,’ he said with a smile. ‘After all, you’ve effectively been left without a car.’
‘I had planned on doing a lot of walking this weekend.’
‘Now you don’t have to,’ he replied. Julia buckled Edward into his seat, listening to the exchange between the other two adults.
‘Well, thank you, Zac. I’ll park it in the garage directly you’re gone and shall take very good care of it.’
‘I’m sure you will.’ He gave her a nod and walked around to the driver’s seat. Soon they were off, driving through the already busy streets towards the motorway. They listened to some music and talked over old times while Edward played quietly in the back with his toys.
‘He’s very good,’ Zac commented as he indicated to exit the motorway.
‘Thank you,’ Julia responded proudly. ‘He always has been.’
‘Was it difficult? I mean, giving birth to him without having your husband there for support?’ he asked quietly, glancing in the rear-view mirror to ensure Edward hadn’t heard.
Julia shrugged. ‘Mum was there. Mona and Jeffrey were pacing up and down in the waiting room. They’re all the family we need.’ Julia glanced back at her son who was completely engrossed with what he was doing. She sighed. ‘I think I’ve mentioned before that Ian has absolutely no interest in Edward whatsoever, and he doesn’t pay maintenance.’
‘That’s a bit harsh, isn’t it?’
‘Are you criti—?’
‘Steady on, Jules. I’m not having a go at you, I’m having a go at him. How dare he leave you in the lurch like that? Treat you the way he did. It’s not what marriage is about.’
Julia laughed ironically. ‘Oh, and I’d suppose you’d know? You’ve shied away from marriage all of your life, Zac, but at least you’re open and honest about it.’
He was silent for a while and she heard him grinding his teeth. ‘You’re angry. What have I said?’ she asked quietly.
‘It’s nothing,’ he said, and turned a corner.
‘No. It’s not nothing, Zac. What’s wrong?’
He slowed the car before pulling into a driveway and cutting the engine. Julia looked briefly up at the large house in front of them before returning her attention to the man sitting beside her. ‘Zac?’ she pleaded as he ran a hand through his hair. Angry and frustrated. Something was definitely wrong.
The car was silent except for the truck noises that Edward was making in the back, totally engrossed in his own little world. With every passing second Julia could feel Zac withdrawing from her, and her anxiety began to increase.
‘I know about marriage, Julia.’ His tone was emotionless, his features now bland. ‘Because I’ve been married.’
CHAPTER EIGHT
JULIA felt her jaw drop open but there was no way she could have stopped it. She also knew her expression radiated complete amazement and shock. ‘You…you were married? The man who swore he’d never enter the state of matrimony?’
Zac’s answer was to pull the keys from the ignition and open the door. Julia reached out for his arm but he was too quick for her.
‘We here, Mum? We here?’ Edward asked from the back.
‘Yes, darling. We’re here. Undo your seat belt and pack up your toys,’ she instructed as she watched Zac walk up the path towards his sister’s front door.
She clenched her jaw and shook her head. All this time they’d spent together during the past weeks and he hadn’t thought to volunteer the information at all.
Julia took her seat belt off and climbed out of the car, resisting the urge to slam the door shut. Instead, she waited patiently for her son whilst seething inside with building anger towards Zac.
Ever since she’d arrived back in town two weeks ago, he’d made her feel guilty for having a son. For wanting a commitment. Ten years ago, they’d parted ways because Zac hadn’t wanted to get married or have a family and now he was telling her that he’d been married! That was rich!
The confession had brought with it several questions that Julia wanted answers to. The top of the list was who? Who had been the woman he’d married? Where was she now? How long had they been divorced?
Another thought dawned. So that’s what he’d meant last week when he’d said he wouldn’t go through it again. Pennies were starting to drop, but she still felt very hurt and betrayed that he hadn’t said anything sooner.
Her entire level of trust in Zac was now questionable. She took a deep breath and escorted Edward up the path towards the door where Zac was standing, pressing the doorbell again.
‘They’re probably out the back in the pool,’ he said, not meeting her gaze. ‘The twins, Bobby and Wendy, love an early morning swim.’
‘And they’re almost seven?’ she asked, making sure she had everyone straight. She was starting to get nervous knots in her stomach as they continued to stand at the front door.
‘That’s right, and Travis is three, like Edward.’ Zac glanced down at Julia’s son, only to find the little boy looking right back up at him. Edward smiled and Zac’s gut twisted. He was cute, no doubt about that. He might not have his mother’s dark brown eyes but he certainly had a lot of her expressions. He was a good kid, too, and Zac wondered why he’d been surprised. He should have known that Julia would have everything in hand—she always had. Super-efficient, super-organised and super-sexy.
He looked away, trying to control his thoughts. ‘This is ridiculous,’ he said as he headed around the side of the house. ‘Come on,’ he urged impatiently when Julia didn’t move.
