When they walked into Maternity two of the room buzzer lights were on and the nursery was lined with bassinets in which most of the tiny occupants were crying. Mothers with their babies in their arms, crowded around the sink as they waited for weighings and baths.
Noah frowned. ‘Where are all the staff?’
Cate almost snorted. ‘Both midwives are doing fifty things at once.’ She felt like saying, Can you see anywhere to save money here? But she didn’t. Well done. What control, Cate. She patted herself on the back then moved away from him to punch some numbers into the phone.
‘Hi. It’s Cate Forrest here. Can you send Trudy over to Maternity to help in the nursery for an hour, please? Yes, they’re snowed under.’ She smiled into the phone and he realised he hadn’t seen her smile before. It lit her face with a sweetness that warmed the ice around his heart. She had a smile that reached the corners of the room and shone up the walls. Noah wondered what it would feel like to have that wattage directed solely at him. It would be a smile worth waiting for. He blinked and refocused on the ward around him.
‘Thanks,’ she said to whoever was on the phone. ‘I owe you one.’
One of the midwives came out of the birthing unit and grinned at Cate. ‘Two new admissions, both in established labour, right on bathtime, and four babies are waiting for discharge weighings.’
‘Trudy is coming over for the nursery. Have you guys had lunch?’
Noah nodded at the mothers who walked past as Cate rearranged staff. He listened to her acknowledge the good job the midwives were doing with the workload and then she proceeded to address several of the mothers by their first names and enquire about their other children. She seemed to know and have one of those smiles for everyone. Except him.
But, then, he guessed she was a people person. He wondered if he still had that knack after two years in administration. Had he lost the knack of emergency surgery, too? Noah squashed that last thought down ruthlessly, and the guilt that rose with it.
Cate caught him studying her and excused herself from the mother she was speaking to. She moved across to his side with the light of battle in her eye. ‘Do you advocate breastfeeding, Dr Masters?’
Under attack, Noah looked around at the mothers watching him. ‘If at all possible, of course I do,’ he said cautiously.
‘So you’d agree it’s important that first-time mums in particular have access to help for at least the first few days after the baby is born to establish lactation? Especially if you believe that breastfeeding is best for babies.’
A glimmer of light appeared and Noah narrowed his eyes. Before he could ask if this had to do with his suggestion to shorten postnatal stays, she continued.
‘Were you aware that, unlike larger hospitals, Riverbank clients don’t have access to early discharge follow-up by midwives? Only overworked early childhood nurses?’
Her blue eyes bored into his and he had to admire her passion, if not her subtlety.
‘No, I wasn’t aware of that.’ He was going to continue but Cate cut him off.
‘Or that we have some of the best long-term breastfeeding rates in New South Wales?’ She looked justifiably proud about that.
She was like a steamroller and from one steamroller to another he couldn’t help admiring her—but a public hallway was unfair. ‘No. I wasn’t aware of that either, Sister Forrest,’ he replied sardonically. He didn’t understand why he wasn’t more annoyed with her. Perhaps it was the obvious undeniable passion she had for her work.
‘Pity!’ She’d scored her point and was ready to change the subject. ‘Seen enough?’
Before he could answer, her pager went off and she was thinking of something else. ‘I’m off to Accident and Emergency, Dr Masters.’
He knew she wanted to get rid of him but he wasn’t going to be shaken off that easily. ‘I’ll tag along, then.’
He lengthened his stride to keep up with her, which was quite a startling change from usually having to slow his pace for women. He found himself smiling again—Cate Forrest was certainly different.
Thunder rumbled outside and Noah shook his head as he glanced out of the window to see the sheets of rain falling even harder. ‘This is some storm.’
Cate paused and followed his gaze out of the window. ‘It’s more than a storm.’
Noah frowned. ‘Meaning?’
‘My father says we’re in for a flood—and when a farmer predicts a disaster, it’s a definite worry.’
Farmers predicting weather. He’d heard of that but he didn’t believe in it. ‘So how often does it flood around here?’
Cate turned from the window and started walking again. ‘Nineteen sixty-three was a big flood but 1949 was the biggest in recent history. That flood washed right through the centre of town, killed six people and left others stranded on the roofs that didn’t wash away. The locals still talk about that one.’
Her pager shrilled and she glanced down and muttered, ‘Outside call.’ Then picked up the pace again.
‘The staff with creek crossings can have problems getting in when it’s like this. That will be the first of those who can’t get in.’ She smiled sweetly at him. ‘They get flooded-in leave.’
He frowned. ‘Can’t you make them stay in town before they get flooded so the hospital will be staffed properly?’
Cate raised her own sardonic eyebrow. ‘Perhaps if that was a permanent rule, we could have our hospital staffed properly at normal times?’
He flicked a questioning glance across at her until he realised she was baiting him—again.
A small frown marred her forehead and he realised that he had only a fraction of her attention. Another thing he wasn’t used to. ‘I’ll leave you to it, Sister Forrest. I can see you have your hands full.’
For the first time she smiled at him, and he couldn’t help but smile back. As he turned down the opposite corridor towards his car, he acknowledged wryly that all he had to do was leave her and she’d smile.
CHAPTER TWO
AFTER work, Cate tried to concentrate on the road home to her parents’ farm in the torrential rain, but it required more attention than she wanted to give. She knew she needed to be less fixated on scoring against Noah Masters and more focused on the rising river and her father’s cattle.
Compartmentalising had never been a problem with men before. Even during her engagement she’d been able to parcel Brett up in to one part of her life while she carried on with something else. So why did thoughts of Noah Masters not stay where she told them to? She grimaced. Maybe he was too big.
She couldn’t help the image of Noah popping so clearly into her memory. And she couldn’t help the awareness of her attraction to him—something she’d been fighting all day—from stealing her concentration.
Cate’s utility rattled over the cattle-grid and the sheets of rain made it hard to make out the figure sitting in the wheelchair on the verandah. She waved anyway as she drove past and parked in the garage. Shaking rain off as she came, Cate hurried up the verandah steps to drop a kiss on her father’s leathery cheek. ‘Hi, Dad.’ William Forrest was another big man and her heart ached to see him confined to the wheelchair. Oddly, he’d adapted to being paralysed better than his family had.
‘Hello, love. River’s rising,’ he said, and they both turned to look towards the bottom paddock river flat. The thickened brown snake of the river was spreading slowly across the lowest areas. ‘Your mother’s trip to town yesterday was in good time. We’ve enough supplies for a month.’
‘Hopefully the rain won’t last a month.’ Cate grinned wryly at her father and laid her hand on his shoulder. ‘I’ll change after my coffee and move the cattle up to the house paddock.’
His bushy white eyebrows drew together. ‘I thought the fence had snapped up in the house paddock?’
‘I fixed it yesterday before I went to work but the gate’s only just hanging on.’
He put his hand over hers and gripped it as if to say, Hear me out. ‘The farm is t
oo much for you and your mother. I’ve asked your brother to come home.’
Cate tried not to feel that she’d failed him. Her father shouldn’t have had to do that. ‘Oh, Dad, there’s no point worrying Ben! We can manage. I’ll fix the gate this evening.’
William was still very much the head of the family and knew how to be firm. ‘It’s too much. You’re a fine daughter and as good as any man on the farm. But you have your own life. And I’ll need him for the flood, if it comes.’ There was no doubt her father believed they were in for a big flood.
Cate turned away and tried not to think about the changes that Ben’s return would make. Her brother had left home without a backward glance as soon as he’d turned eighteen. He had chosen to work in the Northern Territory on another man’s property, leaving her parents to manage with only her. Cate was really proud that she and her mother had managed. They still could—but it was her father’s choice. This day couldn’t get worse.
‘That’s good, Dad.’ The words nearly stuck in her throat. She’d worry about Ben coming home when, and if, he actually did. For the moment there were things to do before the next two days’ shifts at the hospital and she was looking forward to some activity for the restlessness that had been eating at her since she’d driven away from the hospital. She left her father watching the rain.
‘How were your shifts, darling?’ Cate’s mother set two coffees on the kitchen table and sat down to listen. Leanore was a tall woman, though not as statuesque as her daughter, and her hair was more silver than blonde.
Cate’s thoughts flew to the regional CEO, and strangely she was reluctant to discuss Noah Masters with her mother. She stared down at the cup cradled in her hands. ‘Busy.’
Not one to avoid discussing awkward subjects, Leanore went straight to the family issues. ‘Your father and I are looking forward to Ben’s return. It will be wonderful to see him. Are you upset your father asked him to come home?’
Cate couldn’t help the tinge of censure in her voice. ‘If he stays long enough.’
‘Now, Cate. It’s been a hard couple of years but Ben is a man now and he wants to come home. He’ll be better for the time away. He was too young to take over the huge job that you’ve done and too old to take orders from his big sister.’
She patted Cate’s hand.
‘Your father rose above his disabilities and is still the man of my dreams. We have our life and you have yours. We know you’ve carried the lion’s share of the workload for a long time now. You deserve a break. Sit back and let Ben and your father do the worrying without you. Live a little.’
Leanore pushed a plate of home-made biscuits towards her daughter. ‘So tell me some good news from the hospital.’
Cate tried to brighten up. ‘My friends Michelle and Leif had a lovely baby boy early this morning. He was nearly a Caesarean but beat the doctor to the theatre.’ A soft smile crossed her face. ‘He’s gorgeous.’
She blinked and refocused on her mother. ‘And poor Mr Beamish broke his hip on his cattle-grid and I’m dreading the new regional CEO will step into his job until they get someone else.’ She glared at the tablecloth. ‘I hope it’s soon,’ slipped out.
‘Poor Mr Beamish. I went to school with his wife.’ Leanore tilted her head. ‘A new regional CEO? What’s he like?’
Cate stirred her coffee vigorously and the coffee spun dangerously around in her cup. ‘Taller than Dad, looks like he works out, but he’s a human logarithm and very much the city boy.’ She glared at her coffee. ‘He’s domineering and annoyingly sure of himself.’
Cate’s mother took the spoon from her daughter and set it in the saucer with a clink. ‘Interesting.’ She smiled to herself. ‘He seems to have made a big impression on you. But the last part is a harsh indictment. I imagine the man would have responsibilities that call for most of those qualities. Does he have a name?’
‘Noah Masters.’ Cate shrugged and took a few sips of her drink before she set it down. ‘I don’t want to talk about that man. Thanks for the coffee, Mum. I have to fix the gate in the top paddock and move the cattle.’
‘Do you want me to come?’ Leanore started to untie her apron, still with a small smile on her face.
‘No. Thanks.’ Cate thought she may as well do this last job before Ben came home. ‘I need to get out and I’ll call if I need help.’ She slipped the family mobile phone onto her belt. It was her father’s decree that anyone in the paddocks carry it in case they needed help. Three years ago he’d lain all day with a broken back when the branch of a tree had fallen and crushed his vertebrae. With the farm work falling to Cate and Leanore now that Ben had gone, he could keep in contact with them from the house. Cate would have carried anything to get out of the house and burn off some energy.
Wednesday 7 March
When Cate arrived at work that afternoon, she’d packed a case with enough clothes for a week. Her father had predicted she wouldn’t get home for a while.
‘Noah Masters had better watch out!’ Cate dropped the report of the regional hospitals’ meeting, which she’d taken home to study, down on the desk. It hit with a clap similar to the thunder outside.
She impaled her drover’s oilskin on the old-fashioned hatstand as if she were hanging Noah Masters out to dry on it.
‘And happy Wednesday to you, too, Cate.’ Diminutive Amber Wright stood up to flick the door shut behind her friend for some privacy. The nursing supervisor of the previous shift at Riverbank Hospital shook her head. ‘You’re like a whirlwind some days, Cate. You make me dizzy.’
Cate dried her hands on the damp scarf she pulled from around her neck and hung that up, too. ‘Maybe the weather makes me mad.’
‘Yeah, right.’ Amber had her head in her hands.
Cate tucked her handbag away. ‘That good, is it?’ said Cate as Amber lifted her head. Her friend nodded.
‘Ten staff called in flood-bound and we’re still five down without replacements, but it could have been worse. Most are flooded in while some are banking on staying home so they don’t get flooded out of their own homes.’ Amber sighed.
‘Plus, I have to be at preschool in twenty minutes and barely have time to fill you in on what’s happening on the wards.’
Cate looked up quickly. ‘That’s a bit early. Cindy’s not sick or anything, is she?’
‘No. I have a meeting with the teacher.’ Amber looked at her watch and Cate interpreted her frown. Amber really couldn’t afford to upset the teacher at the preschool Cindy attended most days while her single mother worked.
Cate picked up her pen. ‘Heaven forbid that you keep the teacher waiting. Come on. Fire away and we’ll get you out of here on time.’
Amber shuffled the papers and pushed her glasses back up her nose. ‘I’ve had orders to encourage the doctors to discharge as many as they can to lighten the load, but most of the people who could go don’t have the support at home, and home care is a bit iffy should the highway be cut off.’
Cate leaned forward but her voice was soft. ‘So whose orders were they?’ As if she didn’t have an inkling.
‘Noah Masters.’
‘I’m just about sick of his directives. I found out he’s a doctor of medicine, and has only been involved in the corporate side for two years. Apparently he’s shooting up the administrative totem pole at a great rate of knots.’ She screwed up her nose. ‘How could a doctor leave medicine and become a number-cruncher?’
‘Excuse me?’ Amber pulled a face. ‘You only work half your time as a midwife and the other half in administration.’
Cate sniffed. ‘Totally different. I need the quick shifts. An afternoon shift followed by a morning shift lets me work on the farm. If there weren’t enough midwives I’d go back to full-time midwifery like a shot.’
Cate watched as Amber punched the last of the entries for staff changes into the computer. ‘The office part of this job is a pain but as for shift co-ordination…’ Cate shrugged ‘…I believe I can make a difference if I ensure that
everything runs smoothly.’
‘It’s true. The place runs like a watch when you’re on shift.’ Amber shot her an urchin grin. ‘But you also like being boss. Hell, I was on your tennis team and we had to win or else. One day you’re going to meet a man that won’t let you boss him around. Maybe it’s Noah Masters.’
Cate’s laugh sounded more like a snort. ‘Somehow I don’t see that as prophetic.’ She folded her arms and glared at her friend. ‘And as for tennis, what’s wrong with being champions three years running?’
Amber laughed out loud. ‘I rest my case,’ she said. Cate acknowledged the hit with a wry smile.
Amber went on. ‘Our regional CEO is officially filling in for Mr Beamish.’ She looked at Cate. ‘He said to call him Noah, which made me laugh a bit as we’ve probably got a flood on, but he doesn’t seem too bad.’
‘The man’s a walking calculator!’ Cate stood up and paced the room.
Amber looked up with interest. ‘Then he’s a well-packaged calculator.’ She shrugged. ‘I’d almost welcome his slippers under my bed if I wasn’t off men.’ She raised a quizzical eyebrow at Cate. ‘Struck a few sparks yesterday, did you?’
That was the last thing Cate wanted Amber to think. ‘No.’ The word came out louder than she’d intended and Cate fought not to blush. ‘It’s not a matter of liking or disliking. The guy is a threat to Riverbank—and if he had his way our hospital would be downgraded to cottage hospital status.’
Amber blew a raspberry. ‘You don’t know that.’
Cate didn’t meet Amber’s eyes. ‘Well, I don’t want to find out the hard way. Can we leave Noah Masters, please?’ Cate sat down. ‘What else is happening here today?’
Cate couldn’t mind Amber’s teasing. She couldn’t remember a time when Amber hadn’t been in her life. They’d shared rag dolls and horse blankets since kindergarten. Experience told Cate that something else was bothering her friend.
Amber smiled but Cate still felt she was stalling, which wasn’t like her. ‘Let’s get you home. Is something wrong, Amber?’
All amusement left Amber’s face and she sighed. ‘I’ll start with the bad news.’ She put her hand out to cover Cate’s. ‘Iris Dwyer is our critical patient and her friends are with her in the palliative care room, but her son hasn’t arrived yet.’
Emergency in Maternity Page 2
