Coming Home to Katoomba

by Lucy Clark

  'Good.' His tone was brisk.

  Who was this man? She turned the corner and walked into the tearoom. Where was the man who'd accompanied her from the admin building? Oliver Bowan was like a chameleon and she now wasn't so sure she liked him at all. 'First impressions can be deceptive,' she mumbled to herself.

  'Pardon?'

  'Nothing.' Staff were starting to arrive and once the team was assembled, Stephanie introduced Oliver and gave the debrief before stepping aside. True to his word, he started to give out jobs to staff members and within a few minutes they were all heading off to get changed into the bright orange retrieval suits, which were made with many different pockets, perfect for holding the equipment they needed. People gathered together what they thought they'd need and headed out to the waiting ambulances.

  Oliver climbed into one of the transport vehicles, noticing that Stephanie chose a different one to go in. She was angry with him. Although he'd known her for less than an hour, he knew she was angry. What he couldn't figure out was, why? He'd been surprised at how easily they'd jumped right into conversation from the instant they'd met. It was as though they were old friends who hadn't seen each other for years and had just picked up where they'd left off.

  He'd really enjoyed their friendly banter and for a brief moment he'd decided he wouldn't mind getting to know her better. When Lauren had apologised to Stephanie for ogling Stephen—whoever he was—Oliver had been surprised. Who was this Stephen and why should Lauren have apologised? He then realised Stephanie hadn't answered his question about her own relationship status. Was she involved with him? She'd certainly jumped to Stephen's defence when he'd questioned the other doctor's ability to cope with a large accident scene. If this Stephen bloke had worked in a war zone, he definitely knew how to handle trauma...but, then, so did he himself.

  This was his show now. Oliver breathed deeply at the thought, glad no one had questioned him regarding the briefing. Katoomba hospital Administration was relying on him to take the A and E and trauma unit and shape it into an efficient team. This was his unit and he would run it his way, making his own decisions, and no wacky, green-spiky-haired, crazy doctor was going to deter him from his job.

  The fact he found her extremely sexy had nothing to do with it. Nothing at all!

  CHAPTER TWO

  When they finally arrived at the scene, the police making a path for the emergency vehicles, Oliver started issuing orders left, right and centre.

  'I want at least two paramedics on the station platform to do triage.' He turned to a police officer. 'We're going to need a temporary base. Is there anywhere close that is large enough to be our casualty base? Once patients are ready to be moved, they can go there until the ambulances are available to either take them to Katoomba or, if they need to be transferred to Sydney, we can get that transportation organised.'

  'There's the health resort just down there.' The police officer pointed to a large building, dating from around the 1850s, which had been renovated to retain its old-world glory and charm.

  'Perfect. Get someone onto it.'

  Stephanie walked up to Oliver. 'I called Nic on the way .here and she said to start with the bus. She and Stephen are in the train.'

  'Right.' Oliver nodded.

  'Police rescue's here,' someone else told him.

  Oliver nodded and again set about giving people jobs. She had to admire the way he was handling the situation. For the new boy on the block, he certainly did know his stuff.

  Stephanie headed towards the bus, shocked at what she saw. It was lying on its side, jammed on the tracks between the station platforms. Some of the passengers had managed to push open the back emergency window and, with assistance, were starting to climb out.

  'Wait!' both Oliver and Stephanie called. Oliver turned and barked an order over his shoulder. One of the police rescue officers came over. 'Take over getting these people safely out. The last thing we need is people jumping from the bus and breaking their legs.'

  'I'm on it,' the police officer told him.

  Oliver then stopped a paramedic walking by. 'Everyone must be seen, no matter how insignificant their injuries might seem. I want notes' on every, single person.'

  'Will do.'

  Oliver came to Stephanie's side. 'With the passengers being evacuated through the back window, it'll be best if we can get in through the front door. That way, we don't hinder the evacuation procedure.' He paused thoughtfully. 'We're going to need abseiling ropes just to get inside.'

  She nodded. 'We'll have to be harnessed.' She sucked in a breath and looked around her, a worried frown on her face.

  'Something wrong?'

  'Just feeling a little...' She shrugged. 'I don't know, a little claustrophobic.'

  'That's not what I want to hear just before I send you into a tourist bus crowded with people.'

  Stephanie shook her head and reached for her phone. 'I'll be fine.'

  'Who are you calling?' he asked.

  'Nic.'

  'The other doctor with Stephen?'

  'Yes.'

  'Good. Let her know what's happening up here.'

  Stephanie nodded. 'See that guy over there?' She pointed up to the platform as she pressed a few buttons on her phone. 'That's David, head of police rescue. You can get harnesses and other equipment from him.' She paused, listening to the phone ring then said, 'Nic? Oliver wanted me to let you know the paramedics have taken over the triage on the station platform and the health resort down the road has agreed to act as a base for cases until we can get reinforcements here from Springwood. Is Stephen all right?' There was a warning tone in Stephanie's voice.

  Oliver couldn't be bothered listening. It was obvious Stephanie and her Stephen were so close she couldn't let him out of her sight. Hadn't she just checked on the man not that long ago? Oliver headed off towards David, pushing thoughts of Stephanie Brooks from his mind. He was there to work and he needed to get things moving.

  A minute later, Stephanie joined him and listened as David gave them both instructions. 'I know Stephanie's done this quite a few times before. I take it you're the same?' he asked Oliver.

  'Yes.' They both climbed into their harnesses and walked with David over to where they would enter the bus.

  'Right. Billy and Krystal need a few more minutes to finish setting up the Larkin frame. Let's run through things. We need to get hooked up to the winch ropes one at a time. I'll go first, then Steph, then you, Oliver. The winch ropes will support you as you climb up the bus and once we're ready to go inside, it'll lower you down.'

  Oliver looked at the Larkin frame—a large structure with a winch on it. 'That'll support us?'

  'Absolutely, mate. It's also the best way for us to get in and out—for now. So, once we're at the top of the bus, we'll open the doors and get you to your patients. Once you're in the bus, undo the winch rope and you'll be able to move about freely and attend the injured. Questions?' Both Stephanie and Oliver shook their heads. 'All righty, then. Let's get to work.'

  She'd known the police rescue officer for quite some time and although they'd gone out a few times, there was no spark and she was glad they'd been able to remain friends. She knew people thought she had an abundance of confidence and in her professional life she did, but, personally, getting close to a man was something she'd struggled with. She could flirt, she could laugh and enjoy herself, but letting someone inside her barriers was not something she found easy to do.

  'I hear you've finally managed to coax Stephen to the area,' David said conversationally as he hooked his D-clamp to the winch rope.

  'Yes.' Stephanie grinned and then sighed dramatically. 'And about time, too. I thought I might turn grey if he stayed in that war zone any longer.'

  David pointed to her head. 'Instead, you turned green, eh? Let's get a hard hat with a light on it in case those spikes cause any more damage.'

  'Oh, you're funny. Actually, Stephen's in the front carriage of the train, tending to a boy with a possible rupture to
his femoral artery. I've just organised equipment to be sent to him and Nic.'

  'That's good. Coax him to the Blue Mountains and send him to work.'

  Stephanie's smile broadened. 'Wouldn't have it any other way.'

  'Can we get this show on the road?' Oliver barked, sick and tired of hearing about Stephen. It was now obvious that Stephanie was involved with the man but it meant nothing to him. She obviously hadn't meant anything by her earlier flirting and he'd been a fool to read anything into it. If the woman was taken then so be it. He wasn't looking for any commitments anyway. With his daughter due to arrive in a few days, he had enough to worry about.

  'Certainly.' Stephanie's tone was brisk.

  'What about your claustrophobia?' Oliver asked.

  'There's no point going through all this if you're going to be useless once you're inside.'

  'Stephanie doesn't have claustrophobia,' David stated, calling for helmets on his walkie-talkie.

  'I felt a little...closed in before,' she explained to David. 'Stephen was jammed. I felt it.'

  David laughed.

  Oliver rolled his eyes.

  'I'm fine now,' she insisted.

  'Good,' Oliver snapped. 'Now, can we leave Stephen in the train and concentrate on the bus, please?'

  Again Stephanie frowned. 'Of course.' They both received their helmets and after Billy and Krystal had finished with the Larkin frame, they watched David scale the bus with minimal effort.

  'Winch rope ready for Stephanie.' David's voice came through Billy's radio.

  'Ready, Steph?' Billy asked.

  'As I'll ever be.' She waited until the winch rope was secure before starting her climb. She tried hard to follow the foot- and hand-holds David had used, but realised she was a little shorter than him so figured out her own.

  'You made it look so easy,' she grumbled when she was almost at the top.

  'Lie flat,' David told her as she came over the lip. He unhooked her rope and radioed down to Billy. Stephanie lay flat, as she was told, trying to see in through the tinted bus windows to the patients inside while they waited for Oliver. She glanced at her colleague, only to see him climb up as easily as David had.

  'Men,' she muttered.

  'Pardon?' Oliver glared at her.

  'Nothing,' she said sweetly, pasting on a smile.

  David found the emergency release for the door but it didn't work. 'Looks as though we'll have to do this the old-fashioned way.' A moment later, he'd pried open the doors and locked them in place. He hooked himself up to the winch rope and radioed to Billy and Krystal to start the winch. He went down first, leaving Stephanie and Oliver at the top.

  'Mentally running through scenarios?' she asked Oliver, who looked so serious he was almost frightening.

  'Yes. Goodness knows what we're going to find.'

  'I'm in,' David called. 'Hook your D-clamp to the winch rope and come on down, Steph.'

  'OK. I'm ready,' she said, and once more he radioed for the winch to go.

  She slowly descended, flicking on her helmet lamp. Outside, the strong stench of spilt fuel had dominated the air, with emergency crews working hard to ensure nothing exploded. Inside the bus, another smell dominated. As she made her way vertically into the horizontal bus, death seemed to surround her. She'd never been able to find the words to describe the smell and sometimes she couldn't actually smell anything, but it was here now and she schooled her features, pulling her professional mask into place.

  As well as the lights on their helmets, David was rigging up a temporary source of light which would help them see the devastation before them. Once she was down, it was Oliver's turn. Stephanie wasn't quite sure where to start but pulled out a pair of gloves from her retrieval suit. During her ambulance ride, she'd packed the pockets with several items such as gloves, bandages and a penlight torch.

  'Check the driver,' Oliver instructed, and Stephanie carefully made her way over to her first patient.

  'Can you hear me?' she called to the driver. He was still in his seat, his head hanging forward, blood trickling down the side of his face and around his ear. She placed her hand on his shoulder and squeezed firmly. 'Hello?'

  He moaned.

  'Help is here. Can you talk?' As she spoke, a medical kit was lowered through the forced-open doorway. 'My name is Stephanie. What's yours?'

  'Earl.'

  'Hey, Earl. We'll get you out of here soon.'

  'The passengers.'

  'We have people taking care of them. I'm just going to check you over to see what the damage is. Can you move your legs? Wiggle your toes?'

  'Yes.'

  'Good. We'll get you stabilised and then get you out of here.' She checked his pulse and didn't like the feel of it. She reached into the medical kit and unfolded the cervical collar. 'Earl, let's lean your head back a little so I can put this collar on. Then I'll take a good look at you.' She carefully fitted the collar, noting the amount of blood on his face. He had several lacerations that would require suturing. 'How are you doing, Earl?'

  He murmured something incoherent but at least he was responding to her. She applied gauze pads to his lacerations arid then bandaged his head, keeping them in place and applying the necessary pressure to control the flow of blood. Thankfully, the medical kit she'd been passed was set up for emergencies just like this and contained a bag of saline.

  'How are you doing, Steph?' Oliver called.

  'Five more minutes and I'm all yours.'

  'Now, there's an offer you can't refuse,' David joked from down the back of the bus.

  'You know what I mean,' she retorted. She inserted the cannula into Earl's arm and hooked the bag of saline over the edge of the front window visor. 'Earl? Earl, can you hear me?'

  Again, incoherent mumbling. She reached for the medical torch and checked his pupils. Both were reacting to light but one was slightly larger than the other. 'David, can we get Earl out and airlifted to Sydney...?'

  'I'll get that organised for you,' David called, and radioed out to his staff.

  One of the paramedics was just coming in through the door and Stephanie grabbed him and directed him to monitor Earl while she went to help Oliver.

  'What have we got?'

  Oliver turned, his face so close to hers she gasped. Even after the day he'd had, travelling and now this, she could still smell his underlying spicy scent. His breath was warm on her cheek as he spoke softly. 'Two people are dead but the woman trapped between them is alive. She's regained consciousness once and told me her name is Michelle. She doesn't know the people on either side of her are dead. It's going to take quite some time to cut them out as the seats have sandwiched them together. David's getting equipment organised now.'

  Stephanie slowly exhaled and shook her head. 'Michelle's injuries?'

  'She was having trouble breathing so I've requested oxygen. Hopefully, it'll be here soon.'

  'Her airway's not blocked?'

  'No. I think the problem is her chest but it's a little hard to get to it. Basically, we can give her oxygen and something for the pain, but until she's free there's not much we can do.'

  'Obs?'

  'Have you got a portable sphygmo in your kit?'

  Stephanie checked and came up trumps, pulling it out and wrapping the cuff around Michelle's free arm. 'Michelle?' Stephanie called. 'My name is Stephanie and I'm just going to check your blood pressure.'

  A groan came from the woman. 'Hang in there, Michelle,' Oliver said as he checked her pupils again, letting her know what he was doing. 'I'm going to give you something for the pain. Do you know if you're allergic to anything?'

  'Pethidine,' Michelle murmured.

  'OK. Thanks.' Oliver checked through the medical kit.

  'BP is ninety over forty.'

  'Let's get a bag of saline up and going.'

  'Do you have one in your kit?' Stephanie asked. 'I used mine for the bus driver.'

  'Yes. Here's one.' He pulled out the packets she needed and Stephanie opened them, pul
ling out the cannula and getting everything hooked together. 'Michelle?' Oliver called again, but this time received no reply. 'Michelle?' he called a little louder. 'Can you hear me, Michelle? We're going to put a drip in your hand and then we'll give you some morphine.'

  Oliver helped Stephanie, hooking the saline bag onto the bus's overhead handrail. Once that was done, he drew up an injection of morphine and administered it, flushing it through. David came to check on them. 'How much longer?' Oliver asked.

  'We're getting the equipment winched in now. Billy's overseeing that. We have two more patients down the back who need your attention. Is she stable?' He pointed to Michelle.

  'As stable as we can get her. Her name is Michelle,' Stephanie said.

  'Does she have any idea...?' David spoke softly and pointed to the people on either side of her.

  'No.'

  'Going to tell her?'

  'Not just yet. Her body has enough to deal with,' Oliver replied. 'The morphine should help her relax a little so she'll be drowsy.'

  'Do her obs in two more minutes,' Stephanie suggested, as she gathered up her medical kit. Oliver did the same. 'The two down in the corner?' she asked, pointing.

  'Yes.' A call came over David's radio, informing him they were bringing in a stretcher to winch Earl out. The police rescue staff had popped out the front windscreen to enable them to get stretchers in and out more easily.

  'Good. Make sure they do his obs before they move him and keep a close watch on his pupils,' Stephanie demanded.

  'Will do,' David said, and they left him to organise his staff as well as monitor Michelle.

  Stephanie and Oliver clambered their way over seats and debris towards the two people at the back.

  'You take one, I'll take the other,' Oliver said from behind her.

  'Acknowledged.' Stephanie finally reached her patient. 'Hi, I'm Stephanie.'

  'Troy,' the man said, a grimace on his face.

  'Where does it hurt?'

  'My left leg. I can't move it.'

  Stephanie carefully shifted down. 'Foot? Ankle? Thigh? Whereabouts is the most pain?'

  'Around my knee.'

  Stephanie pulled on a fresh pair of gloves and tentatively touched the area. Troy winced. 'Really bad, eh? Sorry. If you can bear with me for a bit longer, I'll try not to hurt you too much.' She lifted the lower part of his leg and gently extended it. 'How much pain?'