by Lucy Clark
Maybelle cleared her throat and forced her mind back to the present, extracting her hand from his as though the touch had slightly burnt her. She quickly pushed her fingers through her short blonde curls and tried hard not to fidget. Fidgeting had always been a sure-fire sign she was uncomfortable in a situation, unsure how to proceed. Not a good first impression to make when starting a new job.
‘Pleased to meet you, Arthur.’ She took a small step back, needing to put some distance between them. She dragged in a deep breath in an effort to try to calm her senses, belatedly realising it was the wrong thing to do. Her senses were treated to the spicy, hypnotic scent she’d always equated with him. Any time she’d smelt that particular type of aftershave, she’d always thought of Arthur. Darn her smell receptors!
‘Ready to start work?’ He turned and gathered a few sets of case notes from the desk. ‘Come into my office and we can have a chat.’ He smiled at her then, an impersonal, polite smile that indicated he had no idea of her true identity. Good. This was a new beginning for her but what she hadn’t expected was to be immediately confronted with her past.
Maybelle followed Arthur to his office, the name plate on his door confirming his full name—Arthur Lewis—and that he was indeed the director of the ED. Now that she’d overcome her initial shock, a part of her was secretly delighted to see what twenty years had done to him.
He offered her a seat then sat behind the well-organised desk and put on a pair of wire-rimmed glasses. Maybelle couldn’t help the smile that touched her lips at seeing him wearing glasses. It made him look like his father.
‘Something funny?’ he asked, and it was then she realised he was watching her.
‘No. No. I like your glasses,’ she proffered.
‘Uh…thank you.’ His brow puckered a little as though he wasn’t quite sure how to respond. ‘Anyway, let me have a quick look over the paperwork, make sure everything is signed in the right places and that your security clearance is up to date.’
‘I used my identity badge to gain access to the ED so I’d say that’s a “yes”.’
‘Good.’ He finished looking over her papers, added his own signature to two pieces of paper and then took off his glasses. ‘We’ve had an issue with some of the staff having problems with their passes. The CEO is looking into the situation but between you and me the system does need an upgrade. However, if you have an issue where you can’t gain access or get stuck somewhere, just let me know.’
‘OK. Thanks for the heads-up.’
Arthur folded his hands together and looked at her intently. Maybelle tried to remain calm, tried not to do anything that might give away her true identity. Could he see it? Could he find some resemblance to the sixteen-year-old girl he’d once known?
She waited for Arthur to speak but instead he simply sat there, staring at her as though he really was seeing a ghost—and well he might be.
‘Have we met?’ The words seem to tumble out of his mouth before he could stop them.
Maybelle slowly shook her head. ‘I—uh—’
‘You just seem oddly familiar.’
She shrugged and forced a polite smile. ‘I guess I have one of those faces.’
He stared at her for another long moment, as though desperately trying to place her, before leaning back in his chair. ‘Anyway, do you have any questions about the ED? I’m presuming you’ve familiarised yourself with the hospital and departmental protocols?’
‘Absolutely, and everything seems straightforward.’
‘Good. Well, until you learn your way around, don’t be afraid to ask for help.’
‘Will do.’ She wasn’t sure whether to stand, whether to keep sitting until she was dismissed or whether he wanted to talk to her some more. Maybelle played with one of the curls by her ear, winding it around her ear, then realised what she was doing and forced her hands into her lap, clenching them tightly together.
The phone on Arthur’s desk rang and he quickly answered it. ‘Yes, Gemma.’ He paused then nodded once. ‘We’ll be right there.’ He put the phone down and stood in one swift motion.
‘Three ambulances on their way, re-routed here from the Royal Melbourne. They’re inundated and we’re empty.’ Maybelle stood and watched him walk to his office door and open it. ‘Well, Dr Freebourne, there’s nothing like throwing you in at the deep end. Let’s see how well you swim.’
‘You’ll be watching me closely, I take it?’ she asked as she preceded him through the door. Why had her voice sounded so intimate and soft as she’d spoken the words? ‘I mean with regard to how I handle the situation,’ she amended.
His answer was a small, deep chuckle that made goosebumps tingle up and down her spine. The same laugh…but richer. This new Arthur was already proving to be a distraction and right now she didn’t need any of those, especially if he was going to be monitoring the way she performed her job.
‘I knew what you meant, Maybelle, but you can take it any way you like,’ he remarked as they strode to the nurses’ station, then he looked at her over his shoulder and winked before turning his attention to Gemma. ‘What’s going on?’ he asked the ward clerk. As Gemma spoke, Maybelle’s mind tried to decipher why he’d done that.
Why had he winked at her? What did it mean? Had he simply been teasing? He’d always been one to joke around but never to the point where it caused anyone pain. Given the way he’d been joking with his staff when she’d arrived, and the way everyone in the department seemed to be relaxed with each other, it seemed that Arthur Lewis was still the type of man to put people at ease with a touch of humour. Was that what the wink had meant? Did it mean that he’d be watching her from a professional point of view, evaluating her skills as an emergency specialist, or did it mean he was more than willing to watch her from a non-professional point of view?
Even the thought made her body warm with anticipation as her mind dredged up the memory of exactly what it had been like to be kissed by those luscious lips of his. She also couldn’t deny the effect that the wink had had on her. Arthur Lewis…winking at her in that easygoing manner of his, of teasing her, laughing with her. It hadn’t been the first time he’d ever winked at her and the action was having the same devastating effect on her equilibrium as it had in the past. Darn the man for being so incredibly handsome and making her feel all feminine. She needed to concentrate on her work, not on how he could still ignite her senses with one simple action.
When Arthur started briefing the staff on the present situation, Maybelle was relieved when her mind clicked over into professional mode. Concentrating on the impending arrival of the patients, of what was expected of her, of who she would be working with, was definitely a welcome diversion from reflecting on how Arthur Lewis made her feel.
‘There’s been a bad accident on the freeway where a semi-trailer jack-knifed across the road, collecting several cars in its wake. From the reports, there are still several people trapped in their cars and the emergency service teams are doing their best to get them out. The Royal Melbourne ED is backed up with patients from other accidents from the morning commute, hence why we’re getting the overload.’
‘Do we know what the semi-trailer was carrying?’ Maybelle interjected. ‘What cargo? Was it a tanker with chemicals or fuel inside, or was it transporting animals?’ She spread her hands wide. Arthur looked over at Gemma, who quickly flicked through the notes she’d taken.
‘It was a tanker. Petrol tanker.’
‘Good question, Maybelle,’ Arthur pointed out, and she could have sworn there was an impressed quirk to his eyebrow. ‘This means the possibility of burn injuries as well as the general car-related injuries such as whiplash, fractures, bruises and concussion.’
Arthur continued with his briefing, breaking people up into treatment teams and giving specific instructions.
‘Maybelle, as you’re fully trained in emergency medicine, you take treatment room two. I’ll be in treatment room one. We’ll work tag team. Larissa, you take triage. Kate,
you organise the non-life-threatening patients as they arrive,’ he went on, indicating to two of the nurses who had been part of the enthralled group when Maybelle had arrived. ‘Gemma’s called through to Emergency Theatres to have them prepare and the wards are making room. Surgical staff are being called in and registrars from the various departments are about to be notified of the situation.’
The sound of ambulance sirens could be heard in the distance and Arthur nodded to his team, his gaze focusing on Maybelle last of all. ‘Let’s treat these patients.’ The phone on the desk started ringing and Gemma quickly answered it. With the briefing done and patients needing their attention, everyone started to go about their assigned tasks.
‘Maybelle,’ Arthur said. ‘You’re with me. Ambulance bays, stat.’ With that, he took off his white coat and grabbed a disposable protective gown from a box, handing another one to Maybelle.
She had the tapes tied in place over her practical trousers and light knit jumper as the first ambulance pulled into the bay. Arthur opened the rear doors as the orderlies helped the paramedics get the stretcher. ‘Your patient, Maybelle. Do the Victory proud,’ he stated, and she could feel him watching her intently as she turned her attention to the paramedic, ready for the handover.
If there was one thing Maybelle had become good at over the years, it was compartmentalising her thoughts and emotions, and right now, whether Arthur was assessing her or not, she had a life to save.
CHAPTER TWO
EACH OF THE three ambulances had two patients in them and so where the Victory ED had previously been vacant, it was now bustling with activity. The nurses were doing their jobs, Larissa doing triage and Kate taking care of the non-life-threatening cases. Maybelle could hear Arthur in treatment room one speaking clearly and directly to the staff members who were assisting him. His voice was deep, melodic and calming. Even though she didn’t know her way around the Victory’s ED, she certainly knew her way around procedure.
‘Patient is a Mr Houston Bird, sixty-two years old,’ the paramedic stated as Mr Bird was wheeled into treatment room two. Maybelle and the nursing staff hooked Mr Bird up to their equipment, taking his blood pressure and measuring his oxygen saturation.
‘He was trapped in his car, both legs crushed beneath the steering wheel. Firefighters cut him out. Right foot is worse than the left. BP was dropping in the ambulance but after a plasma infusion it stabilised. Wound to the head, signs of whiplash and a bruise from the seatbelt.’
‘Analgesics?’
‘Only the green whistle.’
‘Methoxyflurane?’
‘No, mythelallium. It’s a new compound that does the same as methoxyflurane but costs the government less.’
‘Thanks. Hello, Mr Bird,’ Maybelle said firmly to the man lying before her. A large bruise was forming on his forehead where he’d obviously hit it. ‘I’m Dr Maybelle Freebourne. Can you hear me?’
‘Of course I can, you silly woman. You’re standing right next to me. I hit my head. I’m not deaf.’
At Mr Bird’s clear response, Maybelle couldn’t help but smile. ‘That’s good news.’ Having not only a response but a response with chastisement was a good sign, especially when dealing with a patient who could have a possible concussion. She’d be ordering scans of his head to ensure there was no internal bleeding and as she used her penlight torch to check his pupils, Maybelle was pleased to note they were equal and reacting to light.
The nurse, whose badge indicated her name was Cici, was cutting the clothes off Mr Bird whilst an intern was removing the temporary bandages the paramedics had put around Mr Bird’s feet. From the look of them, the fourth and fifth metatarsals on the right foot would require amputation. The left foot wasn’t as bad but might possibly require amputation of the little toe.
‘Clean and debride the wounds,’ she told the intern. ‘And can we get an orthopaedic registrar here to assess Mr Bird, please?’ she added as the paramedics left the room, the handover complete. ‘Cross, type and match.’ Another nurse entered the room to help Cici and Maybelle address her patient. ‘Mr Bird, have you ever been to Victory Hospital before?’
‘No. No. Never before. No. I’m never sick. I’m OK. I don’t know what all the fuss is about.’ Mr Bird tried to shake his head as he spoke but his neck was supported by a brace, which made his efforts more cumbersome.
‘Try and keep your head still until we can get some X-rays of your spine to check you haven’t done any damage. Are you taking any medications you didn’t tell the paramedic about?’
‘What?’ Mr Bird looked at her as though she was crazy. ‘It’s nine-thirty in the morning. The only medication I’ve had is my fish-oil tablet and a cup of coffee with my breakfast. How long is this going to take? I have to get to work.’
Maybelle looked across at the staff opposite her, all of them sharing a concerned look.
‘Mr Bird, do you remember the accident?’
‘Of course I do.’ Mr Bird closed his eyes as though trying to think. ‘I was driving to work—I own the company so it’s imperative I get there—’ He broke off, his body starting to shake and twitch.
‘Mr Bird?’ Maybelle looked at the read-outs from the equipment. She took the oximeter clip off Mr Bird’s finger just in case he started to thrash around. The last thing they wanted when a patient was twitching in such a way was for the patient to hurt themselves so it was best they weren’t connected to machinery.
‘Seizure?’ Cici asked. No sooner had the nurse said the word than the shaking stopped. Maybelle clipped the oximeter back and noted the change in readings.
‘Push fluids. We don’t want him going into shock.’
‘That I get there before the rest of my staff,’ Mr Bird continued as though there had been nothing wrong. It appeared he was completely unaware he’d even had a seizure. Maybelle once again checked his pupils. They were still equal and reacting to light.
‘Do you remember the emergency services crews being at the accident site?’ she asked her patient. There was clearly something not right. Did Mr Bird have an internal injury? She checked his reflexes and palpated his stomach. At the touch, he moaned with pain. She’d thought his seizure might have been caused by shock but with the whack to his head she couldn’t rule out something more sinister.
‘They were…’ Mr Bird stopped and frowned as though it was increasingly difficult for him to remember. He moaned again but this time the sound was more guttural.
‘It’s OK. You don’t need to remember right now,’ she told him gently. She needed to get him some more analgesics as well as adding a few more scans and tests to the list. ‘Are you allergic to anything?’
‘No.’ Thought seemed difficult for him. Cici was monitoring him closely, listening to his heart and checking his blood pressure. She reported the findings. Something was definitely not right.
‘Mr Bird? Can you hear me?’
‘Of course I can,’ he growled, his answer laced with repressed pain.
‘Are you sure you’re not allergic to anything?’ As she asked the question, Maybelle thought back to the report from the paramedic. Mr Bird had been given a plasma infusion and the green whistle. That was it as far as medications went.
‘Ugh.’ He clenched his teeth. ‘Uh…yes. I’m allergic to garlic but you’re hardly going to serve me a meal right now.’ Again his frustration was coming out in his tone and she didn’t blame him.
‘He’s sweating,’ Cici told her as she grabbed a piece of paper towel and wetted it before placing it on Mr Bird’s head.
‘He might vomit,’ Maybelle stated. ‘Do his vitals again. I need to go and check something.’ While Cici took Mr Bird’s vital signs once more, noting the differences, the intern finished cleaning Mr Bird’s feet and placing another temporary bandage on them.
Maybelle rushed out to Gemma’s desk, wanting the ward clerk to look something up on the computer, but the other woman wasn’t there. She needed the computer but as there had been no time to log her into the sys
tem, she wasn’t quite sure what to do next.
‘Something wrong?’ It was Arthur who spoke from just behind her.
‘I need the computer.’ There was agitation in her tone. ‘I need to look up the new medicine in the green whistle.’
‘Mythelallium?’
‘Yes. They still use methoxyflurane in Sydney so I was unfamiliar with the new green whistle drug and I don’t know…’ As she spoke, Arthur sat down in the chair and quickly logged into the computer, typing the name of the drug into the system. ‘Something isn’t right. My patient had a small seizure and then moaned when I palpated his abdomen.’
‘Any known allergies?’
‘Garlic.’
Arthur raised his eyebrows as the compound breakdown of mythelallium came up on screen. ‘The breakdown for mythelallium is…’
Maybelle leaned towards the computer, her shoulder touching his, but it was the words on the screen that interested her more. Arthur was rattling off a list of drugs and the second to last one was allium sativum.’
‘Otherwise known as garlic?’ she queried, and a moment later, after he’d opened another screen to check the information, they had their answer. There was a garlic synthesised compound in mythelallium.
‘He’s vomiting,’ she heard Cici call from the treatment room.
‘I need to get him an antiemetic.’
‘I’ll get it,’ Arthur said as Maybelle rushed back to her patient.
‘Mr Bird,’ she said as Cici helped Mr Bird to get cleaned up. ‘Mr Bird, can you hear me?’
‘Yes, yes.’ His voice was much weaker than before and when Maybelle looked at the readings of his pulse, heart rate and oxygen sats, she noted they’d spiked.
‘Mr Bird, the medication you were given in the ambulance contains a synthesised garlic compound, which means you’re having an allergic reaction to the drug.’ Arthur came into the room with the antiemetic and double-checked it with Maybelle before administering it. ‘This medication should help counteract the reaction and help us to stabilise you.’
