A Special Kind Of Family

by Marion Lennox

  This was one smart little boy. And brave. He stared up at Dom, and Erin saw recognition; she saw the moment when he decided to trust.

  He breathed on. All by himself. His chest rose and fell. Rose and fell.

  He’d live.

  She felt tears well behind her eyes. Unprofessional? Maybe. She didn’t care.

  ‘Here’s your mum and dad,’ Dom said, keeping his voice calm and prosaic, still holding Jamie tight. He raised his voice a notch, talking to the woman behind him. ‘Casey, Jamie’s breathing again. Your crying is scaring him. Rob, can you tell your son he’s going to be fine?’

  It was a command, no matter how softly spoken, and Jamie’s bravery must be inherited. Jamie’s parents were themselves again in moments.

  Casey brushed tears fiercely away from her face. She knelt beside Jamie and took his hand.

  ‘No cuddling yet,’ Dom said, but he was smiling. ‘Let’s keep Jamie nice and still until his breathing’s settled. You injected the adrenaline pen at home okay? Great. I know, it didn’t work as well as we hoped, but it gave us time. Erin, can you prepare a syringe with light sedation?’

  ‘Are you a nurse?’ Casey asked her, her eyes not leaving her son’s face.

  ‘This is Dr Carmody,’ Dom said, answering for her. ‘She’s not like the doctors you’ve met before, eh? Wellingtons must be the latest fashion for lady doctors. Do you reckon they’ll take over from white coats? They’re about as sexy, don’t you think?’

  It was light banter, Erin thought. Dom was talking them all down from horror.

  Herself included.

  She was used to emergencies. Emergencies were what she did for a living. But even in her city emergency department, a case such as this, where a child had come so close to death, would shake her to the core.

  She still needed to be professional. She did not need to cry. She never cried at work. Why the sudden urge now?

  Emotions. Hormones. Her world was shifting.

  Stupid. Fanciful. Undeniable.

  Jamie breathed on while Erin administered light sedation. She did it without conferring but Dom watched her; watched the dose. She felt on trial. A new kid in school, desperate to please the big guy.

  Or not. It was a fanciful way of thinking. She was here to help, not to think about what Dom was thinking about her.

  Or to cry.

  Stupid, stupid, stupid.

  And then, at last, the ambulance arrived. Two skilled paramedics took over. They knew Dom well. She could see they respected him. As well they might, she thought.

  Jamie would need to spend the night in hospital, until the swelling subsided. ‘There’s no hospital here,’ Dom told her, regretful. ‘We have a small one but with only one doctor we had to close it. There’s a paediatrician in Campbelltown. Jamie will be in good hands.’

  They loaded Jamie into the ambulance. His mother went with him.

  His dad followed behind, driving the family car.

  Dom and Erin were left alone, standing on the verge of a country road, with the debris of an emergency around them.

  She still wanted to cry.

  ‘Let’s get you home,’ Dom said gently, and she made a last-ditch attempt to get herself together. And found suddenly there was a wad of tissues in her hand.

  ‘I’m n-not c-crying,’ she stammered. ‘I never cry.’

  ‘I can see that,’ he said, and he wasn’t smiling.

  ‘It’s just…’

  ‘You had a really big night last night.’ He paused. ‘Thank you,’ he said softly.

  ‘Thank…me?’

  ‘You know we only had seconds. The seconds you gave me here may well have made the difference. Thank you for being here.’

  ‘It’s my pleasure,’ Erin said, and subsided under her tissues, trying not to wail. ‘It’s all my pleasure.’

  Charles was waiting.

  They didn’t have to go into the house to find him. He was out on the road, standing beside his Porsche, looking angry.

  ‘Uh-oh,’ Erin said.

  ‘You want a medical defence?’ Dom pulled up behind the Porsche. He climbed out of the car before Erin could do the same.

  ‘We saved a life,’ he said, before Charles could speak. ‘Erin was great.’

  But Charles’s expression didn’t relax. Given time to think, to assess the crisis for what it was, he’d have offered to help himself. But being left behind to play nursery maid would have made him…well, like he was now.

  ‘Did Dulcie come?’ Dom asked.

  ‘Yes,’ he said shortly. ‘She’s in the house with the boys.’

  ‘Thank you for helping out,’ Dom said, and held out his hand.

  It wasn’t taken. Charles stared down at it like he didn’t know what Dom was offering.

  ‘I had to go, Charles,’ Erin said, then thought, Damn, that had sounded like pleading and why should she plead?

  ‘Of course you did,’ Charles said, obviously making an effort to sound pleasant. ‘So do we. Grab your things from the house, get rid of that footwear and we’ll leave.’

  ‘With Marilyn.’

  Charles’s attempt at a smile faded. ‘You can’t take the dog to my mother’s house.’

  ‘We won’t stay on. I’ll ask my parents to take us home.’

  ‘You think your parents would let you keep the dog?’

  ‘I’m not a kid.’

  ‘Hey, why don’t I go inside and make sure the kids are okay?’ Dom interjected, looking mildly interested and nothing else-and Erin fought off a need to grab his arm and say stay.

  She didn’t. She was a big kid. She almost felt grown up.

  ‘You’re okay?’ Dom asked, and that tiny gesture of caring suddenly had her feeling tears welling up again. What was wrong with her? She was turning into a wuss.

  She sniffed. Loudly. ‘I’m fine,’ she managed, and he cast her a doubtful look and then nodded and headed for the house.

  But when he reached the veranda he turned back. ‘I can find someone to drive you back to Melbourne if you want,’ he called.

  Erin didn’t answer. She couldn’t trust herself to speak.

  But Melbourne sounded good.

  Marilyn aside, she didn’t want to go placidly with Charles. She didn’t want her parents-and Charles’s parents-looking reproachfully at her, making her feel sorry for Charles, making her feel sorry for them.

  She’d had over twenty years of sorry. Surely that was enough. Sorry was doing her head in.

  ‘I mean it,’ Dom said, and went inside and closed the door.

  Erin closed her eyes. Actually…the way Dom was making her feel was doing her head in.

  ‘Erin, what the hell’s going on?’ Charles said. ‘You’re behaving like a child.’

  ‘I’m not.’

  ‘Don’t tell me-’

  ‘No, don’t tell me,’ she snapped. ‘Enough. I’m sorry you’ve all got the wrong idea. You’re my friend, Charles, but you’re not my lover. And while I love my parents-and I love your parents-and I even love you in a way, but not in the way you figure I should-I need to get on with my life. My life.’

  He was staring at her like she’d suddenly turned green and sprouted horns. She must have been really wimpy up until now, she thought. Why had it taken so long to stand on her own two feet?

  ‘It’s this guy, isn’t it?’ he demanded. ‘This is crazy.’

  ‘It’s not Dom. I only met him last night, and what I’m saying to you now has been coming for a while. Maybe it’s about twenty years overdue.’ She took a deep breath. ‘Okay. Thank you for coming to get me, but I’m not coming with you. I need to figure myself out first. I’ll ring Mum tonight. Meanwhile tell them I’m fine, but I was put up last night by a doctor who’s the sole medical professional for fifty miles. I’d like to repay him by helping out with his kids and with his practice over Easter. If he doesn’t want that, then I’ll go back to Melbourne.’

  ‘With him?’ He said him like he was referring to some sort of pond scum.

 
; ‘He…Dominic…offered to find someone to drive me to Melbourne. He didn’t offer to drive me himself. There’s nothing between us, Charles. How can there be?’ She took a deep breath. ‘But despite that…Dom’s been wonderful. He’s a…a…really wonderful doctor. I need to make the offer. If he wants me, I’m staying on.’

  When she came back inside Dom was sitting in the kitchen munching on another of Erin’s scones. The kids were waving goodbye to Dulcie from the back veranda. Dom glanced out the window and Charles’s Porsche was disappearing down the road. What the hell…?

  ‘He’s gone without you,’ he said, warily.

  ‘You said there was someone who could drive me to Melbourne.’ She hesitated. ‘That is, if you don’t want me to stay.’

  He’d been about to take a bite of his scone. He didn’t. ‘Um…If I don’t want you to stay?’

  ‘I sort of thought I might be useful,’ she said, sounding uncertain. ‘Seeing Tansy’s away. If there are more emergencies. If you want me to.’

  ‘Is this because of the dog?’

  She tilted her chin at that, a gesture he was starting to recognise. ‘I have friends in Melbourne who’d take her in. For a few days at least until I’m sorted. But I’m offering to stay here for Easter. Only if you can use me, though. I won’t stay unless I can be useful.’

  She wanted to stay for Easter?

  The thought took his breath away.

  There were all sorts of reactions Dom ought to be feeling.

  He ought to be furious she’d landed not only her dog but also herself in his care.

  He ought to be wary. Charles’s body language had been un-mistakeably possesive. There was no way he wanted to be landed in a domestic dispute and this had the makings of a doozy.

  He ought to be cautious about…well, about the way she was looking right now. She was a qualified doctor-a colleague-but she looked a waif. And then he thought, no. She was wearing torn jeans and a stained windcheater. She’d ditched his boots by the door and was wearing a pair of his too-big socks.

  What she looked was really extraordinarily beautiful, but there was no room in his life for what he was thinking right now.

  Except he was thinking it. What warm-blooded male could help but think it?

  ‘So you won’t kick me out?’ she asked, and her eyes warmed, just a little. As if she guessed his thought.

  How could she?

  ‘You cook a mean hot cross scone,’ he said, cautious.

  ‘I can do all sorts of neat tricks,’ she said. ‘Mind, I’m a bit restricted.’ She sat down and held up a socked foot. ‘I think my dressing’s coming off.’

  ‘I’ll re-dress it. Do you need a painkiller?’

  ‘Yes,’ she said promptly. ‘Painkiller first. Then dressing.’

  ‘You’re telling me how to practise medicine?’

  ‘I’m bossy,’ she retorted, recovering spirit. ‘You need to learn that about me. I plan to run a very efficient emergency department.’

  ‘Run?’

  ‘I accepted the top job last week.’ She tried not to sound cocky-and failed. He had to smile.

  ‘Where?’

  ‘Melbourne East Emergency.’

  ‘How old are you?’ he demanded, astonished, and it was her turn to grin.

  ‘How rude. Next you’ll be asking about my love life.’

  ‘I’m assuming your love life is currently driving off in a huff and a Porsche.’

  ‘How insightful. Driving off into the sunset.’ She sighed. ‘Don’t worry about it. I’m sure I’ll make a great spinster. I’d planned to keep cats but now…maybe it’s bulldogs.’

  ‘You’re serious?’

  ‘Serious?’

  ‘Your boyfriend’s angry?’

  ‘He is so not my boyfriend,’ she said, and glowered. ‘He sort of assumed he was-he assumed all sorts of things-and when I realised…’ She shrugged. ‘Sorry. This is not your problem.’

  ‘So…’ He wasn’t sure where this was going. ‘Your plan is?’

  ‘To help you,’ she said. ‘If you admit you need help. Which, seeing you’re male, might be difficult but if you try hard I’m thinking you might come round.’

  She smiled.

  Her smile was extraordinary.

  This woman’s life, whichever way he looked at it, was in turmoil. In the last twelve hours she’d almost died, she’d been thrown into someone else’s Easter, she’d gained a dog and she seemed to have lost a perfectly good boyfriend. And yet she could still smile.

  He was feeling…stunned, he thought. He was feeling like the wisest course was to get her out of here fast.

  ‘You have a house in Melbourne?’

  ‘I have a hospital apartment. On the fourth floor.’

  ‘So that means…’

  ‘I guess I have to find another place to live.’

  ‘You’re swapping Charles for Marilyn?’

  ‘Hey, I’m not living with Charles,’ she said. ‘I’m not even sleeping with him. He’s just assumed all sorts of things I wasn’t assuming. You know, I suspect my life’s been leading up to this moment for years. I’ve spent my life pleasing my parents, pleasing my family, pleasing Charles. Then, this week, two shocks. A proposal of marriage. A near-death car crash. It’s enough to give any girl an epiphany.’

  ‘An epiphany,’ he said faintly.

  ‘Yep. Um…You know that painkiller?’

  ‘Your foot really does hurt?’

  ‘My foot really does hurt.’

  Excellent. When in doubt, revert to priorities. Triage. Sore foot.

  ‘Okay, painkillers,’ he said, rising. ‘You want me to carry you to the surgery?’

  ‘Nope,’ she said. ‘No more of that, thank you very much. If I’m to be stuck here for Easter, I intend to be independent.’

  ‘Fine,’ he said, and had to suppress a jab of disappointment. Lifting Erin last night had been…an epiphany?

  It wasn’t anything of the sort, he told himself. It was simply because he was a male and she was a female and he’d been alone too damned long. Of course his body would react like…like it really wanted to get to know Erin better.

  ‘No,’ she said, and he blinked.

  ‘Pardon?’

  ‘Um…’ She blushed suddenly and he stared down at her, fascinated.

  ‘No, what?’ he repeated, and she blushed some more.

  ‘I didn’t…I mean I was probably mistaken in what you were thinking. But if I’m not…’ she said, fighting for recovery and becoming suddenly astringent. ‘If I’m not then definitely no. Let’s get back to basics. Do you want me?’

  Did he want her? Yes and yes and yes.

  ‘And enough of that, too,’ she said astringently. ‘You know very well what I meant. Do you want me as kid sitter, dog minder and medical associate over Easter?’ ‘Yes,’ he said. And he wasn’t saying a word more. This woman saw too much.

  ‘Then painkillers followed by lunch,’ she said. ‘And then the boys and I might like to try making another batch of hot cross buns. This time with yeast. While you go and do your doctoring, wherever you do your doctoring.’

  ‘I’ve told the locals I can’t come out at Easter.’

  ‘Then do your doctoring in your surgery,’ she told him. ‘Or paperwork or something. The boys and I will be in the kitchen. You’re free to do as you like.’

  ‘And if I want to be in the kitchen?’

  ‘That’s your choice,’ she said, suddenly prim. ‘But I’m offering you freedom to get your work done. It’s my thanks for having me and Marilyn to stay. If you want to throw a gift horse in the mouth…’

  ‘I believe that’s look.’

  ‘Sorry?’

  ‘You don’t throw gift horses,’ he said, and suddenly she was pink again. He liked it, he decided. He really, really liked it.

  ‘Whatever,’ she said, sounding suddenly breathless. ‘Same difference. All I’m saying, Dr Spencer, is that you’re free to do what you want. Treat me as your cook and child companion for Easte
r and get on with your life.’

  ‘Yes, ma’am,’ he managed, and put a hand down to help her up.

  She stared at it, appearing to consider. Then she slowly shook her head.

  ‘Nope,’ she said. ‘While we’re on platitudes…I don’t intend to jump out of any frying pan into the fire.’ Martin and Nathan were back at the door, looking hopeful. ‘Boys, can you help me up?’

  She turned her gaze away from his, she waited until the little boys gave her a hand apiece and she let them haul her to her feet.

  While Dom looked on, feeling…jealous?

  Ridiculous.

  But jealous all the same.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  E VER since Tansy had told him she needed to take this time off, Dom had been dreading Easter. Normally the boys would be at school, and there’d be other kids’ mothers he could call on to help. But Easter…nearly everyone was away or busy. He had Dulcie next door but Dulcie had her brother and sister-in-law visiting. She could come in for a real emergency but otherwise he was on his own.

  Not only was he alone but the boys were bored. Their school friends were away. He didn’t have time to spend with them and these kids were high maintenance.

  But then came Erin. After he re-dressed her foot she settled into the kitchen. She downloaded hot cross bun recipes from the internet, discussed their merits with the boys, tried to figure why his might have failed-consensus was he’d warmed the dough in a too-hot oven-and then decreed she and the boys would try a recipe apiece. Luckily Tansy kept the pantry well stocked-when she saw it her face lit up.

  ‘Ingredients. Yay!’

  So they made three versions of bun, all of which worked. They decided-to Martin’s delight-that Martin’s was best, Erin’s was second and Nathan’s third-but they all ran rings round Dom’s, no question.

  He agreed, not even bothering to be offended. He and the boys were filled to the rim with bun. They squeezed a little soup in for dinner. They checked and rechecked Marilyn. The boys chattered to Erin like an old friend. She had them entranced and he didn’t blame them.

  He was close to entranced himself.

  He should go out to Erin’s wrecked car and fetch her belongings. He’d found her a toothbrush and comb-as an emergency foster-carer he always had necessities on hand-but she needed more. A change of clothes would be good. But the house was full of the smell of cooking and the sound of laughter and it seemed such…well, such a home that he wanted to stay.