Intensive Care: Escape to the Country

by Nicki Edwards

  “Hmm. I’d say you’re into softer arrangements – more pastels, less show-off factor.”

  She felt the familiar flush of embarrassment rise to her cheeks yet again. What the heck was it about this guy? It was as though he could read her thoughts. She didn’t reply because he was exactly right.

  “Well, anyway, I hope for your sake they’re not guilt flowers.” He handed them back to her and she placed them carefully across the backseat.

  “Well, thanks. Um, it was nice meeting you.”

  “Nice meeting you too, love.”

  Kate worked hard to stifle the smile of appreciation that was forming as she watched him stride off toward wherever he had parked his car. She admired his long, denim-clad legs and the way his T-shirt hugged the shape of his body as it stretched across his broad shoulders. He was hot! And that accent! She had to close her eyes and shake her head to clear the image of him.

  What was she thinking? She had a boyfriend!

  Chapter 2

  Half an hour later Kate slammed the apartment door closed behind her with her foot and tossed her bag on the leather couch. Although it was only just after four in the afternoon, the light that filtered into the room through the gaps in the curtains wasn’t enough for her to see clearly. She flicked on the light switch and surveyed the disorder that was her apartment. At least her chocolate brown Burmese cat Matilda greeted her enthusiastically, rubbing herself around her ankles, vying for her undivided attention.

  Before Kate could scoop her up, Matilda stalked off toward the kitchen, meowing for food. Kate wondered whether Marcus had remembered to feed her before he’d left for work that morning. Probably not. She turned on another light in the small galley kitchen and groaned at the sight before her. Dumping the roses on the table, she looked around, wondering where to begin sorting out the mess.

  For the past few months Marcus had been so busy at work that it seemed to Kate he never did anything to help out around the apartment. She already knew without looking that dishes from the previous night would still be sitting on the kitchen bench and the rubbish bin would be overflowing. She had given up wondering if he even knew they owned a dishwasher.

  When they had first moved in together, he had been a complete neat freak, but recently Kate had noticed he’d given up all evidence of domestication. Or maybe it was just that he now expected her to clean up after him. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know which it was. Maybe the flowers were guilt flowers after all. His way of saying sorry for being so preoccupied with work.

  There was no way she could relax when the place needed some serious tidying up. She started by picking up her bag from where she had thrown it and placing it on the big metal hook beside the front door. Flinging back the heavy curtains, she allowed the muted light to enter the room. The tall buildings either side of the apartment cast a shadow over the windows and Kate was once again reminded of how much she missed having natural sunlight and windows that opened, allowing fresh air into the rooms.

  Kate remembered how excited she had initially been about moving into an inner city apartment with Marcus almost three years earlier. The novelty hadn’t taken long to wear off for Kate. If it wasn’t for the fact that they lived quite close to the harbor and she could make use of the numerous running tracks that weaved their way through the city parks and gardens, Kate would have hated living there. On the other hand, Marcus loved it. Over time Kate had tried to raise the topic of one day moving out of the city and buying their own place in the suburbs, but Marcus always changed the subject.

  She grabbed the remote control from the floor and picked up the bright floral scatter cushions he’d dumped on the carpet. From the moment Kate had bought the cushions he had never liked them, declaring them to be too tacky. She was certain he threw them off the couch just to irritate her.

  She caught sight of a framed photo of the two of them together and her annoyance at Marcus dissipated instantly as she picked it up. She smiled fondly at the memory. The photo had been taken the previous year when they’d gone to the Melbourne Cup. They’d enjoyed a romantic weekend away and lapped up the luxury of the corporate box, all paid for by Marcus’s boss. Marcus had lavished her with a day spa treatment and new designer clothes. He had introduced her to each of his colleagues as “one of the managers at the Royal Sydney Hospital” instead of just “a nurse,” the way he usually did. She had felt like she was walking on a cloud all weekend. The trip away had been wonderful, and although Kate had hoped he would propose, and was disappointed when he didn’t, she still had an enjoyable time.

  Even as Kate looked at the photo her heart flipped, the way it did each time she saw Marcus. She felt the familiar burst of love for him. He was dressed in a tailor-made charcoal-colored suit, pale blue shirt and matching tie that complemented the silky dress she was wearing. For once she was glad she’d taken the extra effort to dress up.

  Marcus was an incredibly attractive man who always turned heads wherever he went. His clean-shaven face and clear skin made him look more like a model than the typical Aussie “boy next door.” Kate sometimes had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming – he really was her boyfriend.

  They had met at a party while he was finishing his law degree and she was still surprised that he had seen anything in her. He was the smooth-talking charmer who would later make a formidable opponent in court. She was the awkward girl who just wanted to look after people and make them feel better. In hindsight, it was amazing their two worlds had collided. In the early days of their relationship she had felt like a gangly foal beside him – always awkward, tripping over her own feet and mouth. Over time, she gradually felt less uncomfortable and out of place in his world.

  In the photo his thick dark hair was combed up high and brushed over to one side, the part perfectly even, the sides evenly trimmed every couple of weeks. Kate often teased him that he spent more time and money on his hair than she did. His expensive sunglasses were affixed to his face and Kate wished she could see his expression. Just one look in his dark brown eyes and she could always tell what he was thinking.

  She looked intently at the photo again, her eyes going immediately to her belly. Did she still look pregnant in the photo? No. Her figure looked unchanged. Slim legs and hips, small breasts, toned arms. She pushed the thought aside and sighed. Whenever her job involved looking after children or babies, all the unwanted painful memories came flooding back, reminding her of her loss.

  If only the trip had done what Marcus wanted – taken away my pain.

  Once again the edges of the wound she thought she had so carefully stitched up began to separate. Before it could unravel any further she stuffed the memories back into the deep part of her heart where they belonged. This was one secret she had to keep hidden forever.

  She put the photo back and looked around the living area, once again dismayed at the untidiness. All thoughts about Marcus and the baby evaporated quickly as she began cleaning up after him. She scooped up magazines and books, picked up an empty beer bottle that sat as a lone sentinel beside the recliner he had sat in the night before watching television and straightened up the black leather couch cushions.

  When they had purchased the couch, Kate had wanted one with soft oversized cushions that molded to her shape. She had seen a picture in the IKEA catalog. Marcus, however, didn’t “do” IKEA, so instead they had bought an expensive black leather suite with stainless steel legs. Kate found it so uncomfortable that she rarely ever sat down to watch television. She thought the bright cushions might soften the harshness of the leather. Although she knew they didn’t work with the sleek look Marcus was trying to achieve in their apartment, she had boldly purchased them anyway.

  Noticing one of the black leather cushions had the zip facing the incorrect way, Kate flipped it over, and as she did, she glanced down and saw Marcus’s phone lying on the seat. Kate frowned in disbelief. Surely he hasn’t forgotten it. Marcus didn’t even go to the bathroom without his phone.

  The
n again, lately he had been so busy with some big court case, it wasn’t all that surprising that his phone had been left behind. He had certainly appeared sidetracked and preoccupied last time she’d seen him. At least she knew he would have his iPad and laptop with him, so he would have been contactable by his clients all day. Even so, Kate knew he was probably going frantic wondering where he had left it. She grimaced, imagining his annoyance.

  Just as she was deliberating as to the best way to get in contact with him, his phone vibrated. That’s odd. Marcus almost never had his phone on silent in case he missed an important call and Kate had never known him to turn the vibrate function on. It vibrated again and Kate glanced at it to see who was messaging him. It was a text from his PA. She swiped her finger across the screen and typed in the four digits of his pin code. She would quickly reply and let Cindy know she had his phone.

  As the message from Cindy was displayed on the small screen, Kate glanced at it, barely reading the words, scrolling to the bottom of the message so that she could format her reply. All of a sudden the individual words formed a sentence and began to make sense to her tired brain. Scrolling back up to the top, Kate read the words again more slowly. Her hand shook, blurring the letters in front of her.

  Marcus, I just want to say a huge thank you for letting me stay over the other night. I’m sorry I was so upset when I arrived but I just needed a shoulder to cry on and you’re always there for me asking if I’m OK. I went home from your place and told Jack it’s over. He packed his stuff up and left straight away. When are you going to talk to Kate? Do you want to catch up again tonight before you go home to work things through and make some more plans for the future? I’m free around six. Give me a call and let me know what suits. Love ya. Cindy xxx

  Kate dropped the phone as shock hit her like a physical blow. Cindy had stayed over? When? Kate had recently done four night shifts. It must have been then. She bent and picked up the phone, reading the words again, not wanting to believe what she was seeing. Was her boyfriend having an affair? Was he about to leave her? Her head began to spin and she felt like she was about to be sick. She tried to swallow but her mouth was dry. Emotions encircled her, wrapping themselves tightly around her chest, threatening to crush her.

  Without pausing, Kate pulled her own phone from the pocket of her scrubs and called her boss and friend, Melissa Bennett. Still feeling sick, but with anger rising within her, Kate began to pace the floor like a caged animal. Melissa finally answered.

  “Mel, it’s me.” Kate knew her voice was trembling and she felt the hot sting of tears already threatening to fall.

  “Kate, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” Melissa’s words fell over each other in her concern.

  “Marcus is having an affair.”

  The words spilled out before Kate even knew what she was going to say. On the other end of the phone there was a sharp intake of breath and an expletive.

  “What? How do you know? Are you sure?”

  “I found a message on his phone. He’s having an affair with his secretary!” Kate spat the words out in anger then stopped and let out a small cry. Her voice rose in pitch. “I mean seriously, Mel, could he be any more stereotypical? Corporate lawyer falls for stunningly beautiful personal assistant?” She knew she sounded sarcastic. Tears ran down her cheeks and she sniffed and blew her nose. “He even sent me flowers today at work! Two dozen long-stemmed red roses! And I don’t even like roses!”

  Kate swore, something she rarely did, remembering the guy in the lift. He’d suggested they were “guilt flowers.” How right he was. The tears were falling in earnest now, but Kate made no effort to wipe them away. She could taste their saltiness on her tongue as she licked her lips to try to bring moisture to her dry mouth. Surely this wasn’t happening to her. Suddenly drained of all energy, it was all she could do to remain standing upright.

  On the other end of the phone Melissa let out another expletive. “What if it’s a mistake, Kate? Are you sure you read the text correctly?”

  “There’s no mistake. She stayed over one night when I was on night duty and then split up with her boyfriend the next day. I’d say it’s pretty obvious.”

  “He’s such a scumbag. I cannot believe he would do this to you.”

  Kate sniffed again. “I know.”

  “So, what did he say when you asked him about it?”

  “I haven’t spoken to him.”

  “What do you mean?” Kate heard the incredulity in Melissa’s voice.

  “I haven’t actually even seen him.”

  “So he has no idea that you know?”

  “None,” Kate answered.

  “So what are you going to do now?”

  “I have absolutely no clue.”

  Kate hit the end button on the phone, promptly bursting into tears as she sank down on the thick gray carpeted floor. Clutching a cushion to her chest, she sobbed until there were no more tears left.

  In an instant everything about her life had changed and she had no idea what she was going to do.

  Chapter 3

  Kate knew some tough decisions needed to be made, but first she needed to talk to someone who would offer her a voice of reason. And maybe some advice.

  Kate dialed the number from memory.

  “Hello. Elizabeth Kennedy speaking.”

  “Hi Mum.”

  “Oh Katie darling. Hello!” Instantly the formal tone was dropped and Kate pictured her mum settling onto one of the stools near the kitchen bench to chat. “It’s lovely to hear from you. What are you up to?” Without waiting for Kate’s reply, Elizabeth kept speaking. “Are you and Marcus still planning to come down and visit this weekend? I haven’t seen you in the longest time. You’re both always so busy. If Marcus really can’t take time off from work why don’t you just come on your own?”

  “Mum!” Kate interrupted Elizabeth, knowing she had to get the words out. She swallowed the hard lump that had formed in her throat again and told herself she was not going to cry. “If it’s okay with you and Dad I’m going to come down tonight to stay for a few days. Would that be alright?”

  “Of course you can. That would be lovely, but what about work?”

  “I’m taking some time off.”

  “What’s wrong, Kathryn? Are you sick?” Elizabeth’s tone expressed her alarm and Kate scowled at the use of her formal name, which her mum always used when she was worried.

  “Oh Mum.” Kate couldn’t hold herself together any longer and the words rushed out like a broken dam. “I just found out Marcus is having an affair.”

  “Oh Katie. No! Are you sure? Of course you can come home. You can stay as long as you need. Oh darling. Are you okay? Of course you’re not. I’m going to call Daddy right now and he can come up and get you.”

  “No, Mum. It’s okay. Please don’t call Dad. He will only worry and I don’t want him driving up here now. He’ll only get stuck in rush hour traffic. I’m going to pack some stuff up then I’ll just drive down and be at your place late tonight. I’ll tell Dad then.”

  “Darling, why don’t I catch the train up myself and I can help you pack a few things up and then we can drive back together?”

  “Oh, could you?”

  Kate knew her voice sounded like that of a child, but she also knew her mum was the perfect person to hold her and comfort her right now. At that moment she was grateful for the strong bond she had with her parents. Kate hung up, promising to meet her at the station in an hour’s time.

  For a moment Kate sat on the edge of the kitchen chair, not knowing what else to do. Out of habit she opened the lid of her laptop and absentmindedly sipped a glass of Diet Coke as she waited for it to power on. She desperately wanted to post a comment on Facebook, telling the world what a creep Marcus had turned out to be, but that would be pointless. Marcus despised all forms of social media and would never read her words. Her sarcasm would be wasted. Plus she would have to deal with everyone’s pity and suggestions for how to get revenge. With a wave of emb
arrassment, she wondered how many of their friends already knew of Marcus and Cindy’s affair. Kate was painfully aware that most of her “friends” were really just the wives and girlfriends of Marcus’s work colleagues. Closing the laptop, Kate removed the power lead from the socket in the wall and placed everything in a carry bag.

  By the time she was ready to pick her mum up from the station she had come up with the first part of her plan. She was moving out, regardless of how much Marcus begged her to stay. She grabbed some cardboard boxes from the basement of the building, feeling energized at having made such a big decision on her own.

  It was time to start packing.

  *

  Kate collected Elizabeth and as she turned the corner of their street she looked up just in time to see a silver Audi pulling out of the underground car park of their apartment building. Crap! Thankfully the car roared past and she needn’t have worried – Marcus was looking straight ahead.

  When she stepped into their apartment, everything was as she had left it and she had a sense of déjà vu. Matilda was still meowing and Kate remembered she still hadn’t been fed. The only thing different was Marcus’s phone missing from the kitchen bench. In its place was a note. She rushed to pick it up and her eyes quickly scanned the familiar messy scrawl.

  Hope you had a good day at work. I’m working really late tonight so I won’t see you. Don’t wait up for me. Love you. M.

  No mention of his phone and no indication from the wording of his note that anything was any different than usual. Surely he would have been able to see that I had read his text message. Her eyebrows pulled together in confusion.

  How has it come to this? A sob caught in her throat. I loved him!

  Before they set about the task of packing, Elizabeth went into the little galley-style kitchen to boil the kettle. Kate sat at the table and watched her mum bustling around. Elizabeth was slim like Kate and it was obvious where Kate got her looks from. Her mother’s hair was a dark shade of blonde and styled in a short bob that framed her oval-shaped face. The silver hairs were always carefully concealed. She was dressed as beautifully as always and without looking, Kate knew she would be wearing her matching gold fob necklace and bracelet set.