Coming Home to Katoomba

by Lucy Clark

  After receiving David's blessing they headed off. As they descended, Stephanie pulled on her pair of heavy-duty gloves so she was ready when they came to the next section.

  'So, is your brother doing anything that's going to hinder the rescue operation today? He's not trapped somewhere? Playing with matches? Nothing like that?'

  'I don't know. I don't think so or, should I say, I don't feel so.'

  'Thank goodness for that.' The path was becoming a little steeper now and when David had said it was disused, he'd meant overgrown. Glad of the heavy-duty overalls, Oliver pulled on his gloves to help fend off the coarse bushes and not risk cutting his hands. 'So, tell me, what did Lauren mean when she said "a girl like you"? It has me intrigued.'

  'I thought it didn't bother you.'

  'It doesn't. It's just something I'd like clarified and, besides, we have the time.'

  'Perfect climbing-down-the-hill conversation, eh?'

  'Something like that.'

  Stephanie concentrated on where she was putting her feet, and as she was in front she was also trying to make sure she didn't accidentally whack Oliver with the branches she was holding back to clear the path. 'The phrase, "a girl like you" can have so many different connotations.'

  'Exactly, which is why I'm asking.'

  'Well, let's break it down a little. Lauren is a very good nurse but a determined flirt.'

  'Agreed. I've hardly set foot in the place and she's already asked me out.'

  'Is that why you told her about our...living arrangements?'

  'She was inviting herself around for dinner tonight. She wanted to cook for me.' His tone was incredulous and then he shuddered. 'As I said, she's from the same mould as my ex-wife, and I'm definitely not going down that track again.'

  'OK. So if Lauren is a flirt, what do you think she would mean by her comment?'

  'Someone different to her?'

  'Exactly.'

  'But I already knew that.' Oliver groaned as though disappointed he hadn't found out any new information.

  'Look, there's the rope. Thank goodness. How David calls this a path is beyond me.'

  'Do you know how to hook the harness to the rope?'

  'Yes. Do you?'

  'Yes.'

  'Hmm. A man of hidden talents, eh?'

  'A woman of hidden talents. Hey, is that what Lauren meant?'

  'Oh, give it a rest.'

  'Tell me what she really meant and stop avoiding the issue.'

  Stephanie had hooked herself to the rope and held it firmly in position as she turned her back on the steeper part of the mountain, preparing to go down. 'In Lauren's world, the phrase means I haven't had much experience with men.'

  'Really?' His eyebrows were raised in surprise and, without wanting to say any more, Stephanie began her descent. She heard Oliver call in on the walkie-talkie that they were at the rope and heading down. She presumed one of David's men would be at the base, waiting for them.

  When the sections allowed, she gave a few little jumps, covering more distance, but for the most part, the area was quite dense and therefore required all her concentration.

  Sure enough, when she reached the ground, one of David's men, Billy, was there to greet her. 'Hi, Steph,' he said. 'Where's your partner in crime?'

  'On his way.'

  'Good. Once he's down they'll be sending the stretchers down via pulley so I need to re-rig this rope.'

  'He shouldn't be far.'

  He wasn't. Oliver touched down and unhooked his rope.

  'I'll let David know you're -down,' Billy said. 'Walk about two hundred metres along the path in that direction...' he pointed '...and you can't miss them. Two of our staff are keeping the patients company.'

  'Thanks, Billy.'

  As they headed off, Oliver walked behind her. 'So what does that mean?'

  'What?' she asked as she pulled off her gloves and stowed them in a pocket.

  'That you haven't had much experience with men.' Oliver followed suit with his own gloves.

  'It means just that.'

  'You've never had a broken engagement? Steady boyfriend for years and years?'

  'Nope. I've had a few boyfriends—all one at a time,' she added with an impish grin.

  'Good. Good to hear that.'

  'But none of them stuck.'

  'Stuck?'

  'You know, gelled.'

  'Why? Are you too picky? Too fussy?'

  'You'd better believe it. No second best for me.'

  'Is that a warning?

  Stephanie merely smiled. 'Besides, if I feel like hanging out with a man, I have Stephen, remember.'

  'That's right. The twin brother. I guess any man worthy of you must first receive your brother's blessing?'

  'Of course. What about you? Do you have any siblings?'

  'Yes. I have one brother. We don't talk, are completely opposite, so naturally we have nothing in common.' He paused. 'Well, maybe, except for Nadele.'

  'Your ex-wife?'

  'She told me the day before I left to come to Australia that she was seeing Augustus.'

  'I presume that's your brother. Does that bother you?'

  'No. In fact, they're perfect for each other. You see, Augustus doesn't like children, can't tolerate them.'

  'Ah. So if Nadele gets together with Augustus, you have a better chance of getting Kasey away from her mother's influence?'

  'Wow. You're not just a pretty face, Dr Brooks.'

  Stephanie turned and smiled at him. 'Why, thank you.' As she wasn't looking where she was going, she stumbled and Oliver quickly put out a hand to stop her from falling. They both stopped, their bodies close, their breaths mingling. The contact was sudden and unexpected, yet both of them reacted as though they'd been starving for it. The moment continued to hold as they gazed into each other's eyes. The timely hissing from the walkie-talkie brought them both back to reality with a thud.

  'Hmm.' Oliver frowned as they started off again, pulling the radio from his pocket and answering David's call. 'We should be almost there,' he said. 'Is there a problem?'

  'One of the patients has lost consciousness.'

  'OK. The path isn't too bad here so we'll step it up.'

  'Safety first,' David reminded him.

  They picked up the pace and continued along the path, glad when it became wide enough for them to walk side by side. Stephanie had been conscious of Oliver walking behind her and although she knew the orange retrieval suit wasn't very flattering, she couldn't help feeling his gaze roving over her from time to time.

  Finally they heard the police rescue staff in the distance and both pulled out their medi-kits ready for action.

  'I'll take the unconscious patient, you do triage on the other one.'

  'Understood.' Stephanie had her medi-kit open so the instant she knelt by her patient she was able to pull on a pair of gloves. 'Hi, I'm Stephanie.'

  'Inga.'

  'Where does it hurt?'

  'My arm, my leg. I think I twisted my ankle. Is Utta all right?' She gestured to her friend.

  'He's being looked after.' Stephanie felt Inga's ankle and wasn't surprised when her patient gave a yelp of pain. 'Anywhere else?'

  'No, but I feel sore everywhere. My backside hurts.'

  'OK.' Stephanie picked up the medical torch and checked Inga's eyes, but both pupils were reacting normally. Next, she unfolded the cervical collar from the kit and placed it around Inga's neck. 'How about your head? Does it hurt anywhere?'

  'I think I bumped it.'

  'Where?'

  Inga showed her the spot and although Stephanie could feel a lump forming, there was no blood.

  'Steph,' came Oliver's call.

  'I'll be back in a moment, Inga.' Stephanie stood and walked the few steps to where Oliver was tending to Utta. She knelt down.

  'His left arm feels broken and he has a possible dislocated shoulder.'

  'That's probably what took the brunt of the fall.'

  'Left pupil is a little sluggish and
there's a crack at the base of his skull.'

  Stephanie checked Utta's pupils. 'Probably what's caused the loss of consciousness. Utta?' she called. 'Utta, can you hear me?' She took the pulse in his fractured arm, making sure there was still a steady flow of blood. It was weak but it was there. Carotid pulse was a little stronger, which gave them both a positive indication.

  'Utta?' Inga said, but Stephanie blocked out the other woman's panicked calls.

  'We'll need to get him out a.s.a.p. Do you have a sphygmo in your kit?'

  'No. Want me to get Arnold to send one down?'

  'Yes. Utta's going to go into shock if we're not careful.'

  'Give me the walkie-talkie.' Stephanie took the radio from him and called up their request. 'You think he's going to be stable enough to move?'

  'I want his BP checked before I make that call.'

  'Right. I'll give Inga pain meds so I can splint her ankle, then at least she'll be ready for transfer.' She returned her attention to Inga. 'Are you allergic to any medications?'

  'Utta? How's Utta?'

  'Utta is unconscious at the moment, Inga. He hit his head a bit harder than you did. We're monitoring him as best we can and. hopefully soon we'll have you both out of here.' Once they'd arrived, both police rescue men had gone to do the next part of their job—one to help with the stretchers and the other to prepare the area from where the stretchers would be winched to the top.

  'I want to give you something to take away the pain, but I need to know if you're allergic to anything.'

  'No. Not that I know of.'

  'Have you had morphine before?'

  'Yes.'

  'Good.' Stephanie drew up the injection and administered it. 'That should help.' She checked Inga's eyes and pulse again. 'Good,' she repeated. 'OK. We'll just let the morphine take effect.'

  She turned to Oliver who had just finished bandaging Utta's head. 'Bleeding under control?'

  'Yes. Left pupil still a little sluggish. Right one is fine.'

  'Pulses?'

  'No change.'

  Stephanie returned her attention to splinting Inga's ankle and once she'd finished, they heard the sounds of people heading in their direction. 'Hallelujah,' she said as a larger emergency medi-kit was carried into view by one of their police rescue colleagues.

  Stephanie took Utta's BP with the sphygmomanometer. 'We need to move him, now. Get the stretcher.'

  Working together as a team, they successfully transferred Utta to the stretcher, all of them rather pleased when their patient groaned in pain. 'Hello, there,' Oliver said with a smile. 'Utta? Can you hear me?'

  Another groan. 'Good. We're about to take you out of here so hang in. Steph, you stay with Inga and I'll head up with Utta.' Their gazes locked for a moment and both acknowledged the growing awareness between them, but then Oliver smiled and said a little more tenderly, 'See you up top and remember—be safe.'

  She returned his smile. 'Yes, boss.'

  'The other stretcher was on its way down when we left to bring this one here, so Billy and Krystal should be along with it in another five minutes,' her colleague said.

  'Great. Thanks.' Stephanie watched them head off before taking Inga's vitals again, glad to have the sphygmo to check her patient's blood pressure. 'How are you feeling?'

  'Foolish.' Tears glistened in Inga's eyes and she shut them tight.

  'Hey. You'll both be fine.'

  'The mist just came from nowhere.'

  'It does that and has caught many an unsuspecting tourist unawares. Are you in any pain?'

  'No.'

  'Good. Shouldn't be too much longer and you'll be following Utta out of here.'

  Inga sniffed. 'He will be all right, won't he?'

  'He's regained consciousness so that's a good sign.' At this information Inga seemed to relax and, thankfully, Billy and Krystal appeared soon after. 'All right, Inga, let's get you organised and on your way out of here.' Stephanie checked her patient's vital signs before they moved her, and when she was settled and all the equipment had been accounted for and packed away, they headed off to the extraction point.

  As they walked along, they encountered more mist and Stephanie was grateful for the helmet on her head, complete with light. She followed Billy, with Krystal bringing up the rear, and when they stopped for a break she checked Inga again, wrapping the space blanket more securely around her. 'The last thing we want is you getting cold,' she told Inga with a smile. 'Not much longer and we'll have you out of here.'

  Unfortunately, it was a bit longer than anticipated as they needed to wait for the mist to thin a little before they could winch the stretcher out. Utta's stretcher had made it to the top just after the mist had rolled in.

  Oliver was still at the bottom, having let the police rescue staff escort the stretcher up. 'They know more about that than I do, and Utta was as stable as I could get him,' he told Stephanie as they sat down to wait.

  Finally the call came down to say they were ready to begin, and Billy and Krystal escorted the stretcher up.

  'It won't be long.' Billy grinned at them as the winches started. 'I promise we won't forget you.'

  'You'd better not, Billy. I know where you live, remember,' Stephanie retorted good-naturedly, and although she wouldn't admit it to any of her colleagues, she was more than happy to be left alone with Oliver.

  When the rescue party was out of sight and the natural sounds around them returned, they resumed their waiting positions, Stephanie sitting on a small rock opposite Oliver.

  'You know, annoying as it is that we can't move, it's really very pretty here.' He looked around him at the slowly lifting mist.

  Stephanie was happy he seemed to find an affinity with this place, with these mountains. 'When you lived in Sydney, did you come up here much?'

  'I remember coming up here on a school excursion and I'm pretty sure we visited the Three Sisters, but about the only thing I can recall about that trip was that the girls' school came along, too.'

  Stephanie smiled. 'Chasing girls rather than looking at the sights?'

  'Something like that.' Oliver's gaze filtered with hers. 'Now, though, I'm more than happy to do both. Chase the girl and look at the sights.'

  Stephanie's smile slowly disappeared and her lips parted. His gaze said he liked looking at her, even though she was dressed in an orange suit. Her heart rate increased and she marvelled at the way she was a sucker for his smooth-talking lines.

  'Well, if you said things like that and looked at the girls back then the way you're looking at me, it's no wonder you remember little about that trip.'

  His face was serious as he said, 'I'm not feeding you lines, Steph. I'm a good twenty-odd years older than the boy who was here all that time ago. How can you doubt that I find you attractive? That I think you're not only intelligent but beautiful as well?'

  A nervous laugh escaped her lips. 'In an orange suit and green hair. Don't you think they clash?'

  'On some people maybe, but not you. You carry it off with finesse.'

  'It's so easy to believe everything you say while we're down here, in this little bubble of white, but don't forget I'm still a girl with little dating experience.'

  'I think you do yourself a great injustice. It's not the amount of experience I care about but how sincere you are, and perhaps that's one of the things which makes you unique from the Laurens of this world. You are sincere and in my life that's been a rare commodity and is something I value highly when I find it.'

  He didn't move from where he was sitting but somehow she found herself beside him, unaware she'd moved. He didn't speak, he didn't make a move to touch her. Instead, he merely looked at her and she at him.

  'I'm scared of you,' she whispered.

  'Surely you don't mean that.'

  'I'm scared of how you make me feel and the fact that I don't even know you. You've been in my life less than forty-eight hours—'

  'And yet the time we've spent together has been intense and riddled with emotions.
'

  'Yes. See? You seem to know me so well.'

  'That's because I do. It's as though I've been waiting for you all my life.' As soon as he said the words, he shook his head and groaned. 'I can't believe I just said that.'

  Stephanie smiled, feeling her earlier apprehension float away with the mist. 'Pretty corny, Dr Bowan.'

  'Yes, but nevertheless it's the truth. As is the fact that I want to kiss you again.'

  She felt a wave of pleasure spread over her at his words, warming her through and through. 'When you say things like that, I find it hard to breathe.'

  He nodded, still not making a move. 'Hyperventilation isn't good, Dr Brooks.'

  She kept wondering why he didn't make any effort to touch her. He was saying all the right things but not following through on them. Then it dawned on her. He wanted her to make the move, to let him know this really was what she wanted. She'd met him head on that morning but, still, he'd initiated the kiss. Now it was her turn, but she'd always let the man lead before.

  'Oliver.' She reached and caressed his rough cheek with her fingertips. 'I feel so vulnerable.'

  'So do I.'

  'I don't know if this is a good idea or not.'

  'Neither do I.'

  Her tongue came out to wet her lips and his gaze eagerly followed the action. Drawing on the yearning that seemed to have tripled in an instant, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  It was as though a conspiracy was in place and any time he wanted to kiss this amazing woman, a buzzer or phone would go off. This time was no different, with the walkie-talkie choosing that moment to hiss with static as a message was relayed.

  The noise startled Stephanie, causing her to jump, effectively breaking their kiss. Oliver stood and pulled out the radio as David spoke.

  'The patients are on their way to the hospital and the winches are on their way down to you. Make sure all equipment is secure and harnessed to you.'

  'Will do.'

  'Call when you're ready to come up, and keep the channel open while you're on the winch.'

  'Copy that.' Oliver replaced the walkie-talkie in his pocket and looked down at Steph. 'Interrupted again.' He smiled and shook his head. 'I can't seem to cut a break.'

  . She laughed, amazed at how comfortable she felt after such an intense moment. It was as though he knew she needed a sense of normalcy, and humour was good at providing that.