by Katie Dowe
*****
He watched her for the evening. She looked different from the woman he had seen wearing the lab coat and the one he had seen at the tree lot. This woman looked aloof and incredibly beautiful. He saw her laughing at something the guy who seemed to be hovering around her said. Probably a fellow doctor but he did not like the way he kept touching her. At one point he saw her talking to an older man and he realized that he was her father. He read the body language and knew that there was no love lost there. She seemed to belong and not belong if that made any sense.
“Darling, how about a dance?” Elaine purred as she slid her hand through his arm.
“Why not?” He took her hand and led her onto the dance floor his gaze following Savannah. She was engaged in conversation but she seemed far removed as if she had no interest in what was happening.
“Your sister is still at your place?”
He shook his head and forced himself to look down at the slender attractive woman in his arms. Elaine Ferguson was five years his senior but one could never tell just by looking at her. She had been married two times already and it was rumored that with her ego, a husband did not stand a chance.
“Yes,” he said briefly.
“A pity,” she drawled as she ran her hands up the lapels of his jacket. “I am having my apartment redecorated and I am staying at the Tremaine’s, how about coming over later tonight?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Elaine.”
“Darling, we were good together in the past. We can be good together again.”
“No,” he told her firmly. “We should not go back.”
“Are you seeing someone?” she asked with a pout.
“No. My sister and my niece are going through a difficult time. I want to be there for them.”
“A pity. If you change your mind, give me a call.”
Gavin knew that there was no chance in hell he would be doing that!
*****
“Your father has told me so much about you, Savannah!” the petite middle-aged brunette gushed as she clung to Simon Myles’ arm. Savannah had wanted to leave without being introduced but it was not to be.
“Has he?” Savannah glanced up at her father’s and turned her attention back to the woman. “And what do you do?”
“I am a pharmaceutical rep,” Carissa said with a laugh. “I went to his practice trying to sell him some products and he told me he did not need anything. I persisted and the next thing I know we were having coffee inside his office and then going out to dinner.”
“How nice,” Savannah said politely.
“I was thinking that the three of us could have dinner next weekend,” Carissa continued.
“I am not sure of my schedule-”
“I know you doctors!” the woman interrupted swiftly. “I could work around it. I make a mean pot roast.”
“It would be nice, Savannah,” her father said quietly, his expression pleading.
“I will let you know,” she said, forcing a smile.
“That’s good enough. Simon gave me your number so I hope you don’t mind me calling you. I would really like to get to know you better.”
Savannah stared at the genuine expression on the woman’s face and for a fleeting moment she found herself warming to her. But she had learnt that with her father there was no guarantee that the relationship would last! “I don’t mind,” she said with a polite smile. “If you would excuse me?” She escaped before they could say anything else.
Savannah looked around for Calvin but she saw him deep in conversation with several other doctors from their hospital and decided to make her escape. She went to get her coat and was on her way to the front door when he came towards her.
“Leaving so soon?”
She spun around to see him standing there. He was very hard to miss! He was wearing a black tuxedo and his dark hair was brushed severely back from his face. His slate grey eyes wandered over her body making her feel naked and vulnerable. “I have to be in early in the morning.”
“The dedicated doctor.” He came towards her lazily and stopped just in front of her. “I put two and two together and realized that Simon Myles was your father and that he has a practice in our building. You are not interested in going into practice with him?”
“No,” she said stiffly, wondering what that had to do with him.
“My niece talks about you a lot.” He just stopped himself from touching her even though he wanted to. She seemed skittish and he was sure she would head on out the door the minute he did so. “Let me walk you out.”
She opened her mouth to tell him no and then nodded.
They stood there in the cold and waited for the valet to bring the car around. “I had no idea that you knew Fabian,” he commented.
“How could you?” she asked him coolly, willing the valet to come at that moment. She did not feel comfortable standing next to him; he was making her too aware.
“What are some of the things you want to happen at the hospital? In terms of the pediatric ward?”
She turned to face him, her expression at last animated. “I was going to call you and let you know my ideas but since you brought it up I might as well tell you now. Parents do not get to stay the entire night with their sick children especially the ones who are terminally ill. We need places for the parents to stay as well. Even though the prognoses are depressing and seem hopeless, we find that when the parents are there then the children tend to draw comfort for that and also a recreational area where they are able just to have fun and forget how sick they are.”
Gavin felt the stirring deep inside him at the look on her face. She had passion, he had to give her that, and when she was not being cool and aloof, there was a fire within her that he was sure was lit from within.
“Aren’t you afraid of being burnt out?” he asked her softly. The car had come around and the valet was alighting and very soon she would be gone.
“I care and there is nothing wrong with that.” She gave the valet a small smile as she accepted the keys. “I hope you take those things into consideration, Mr. Parker.” She had gone back to being cool and aloof and Gavin felt himself regretting it.
“We will be in touch.” He watched her drive away before going back into the lobby, his pleasure depleting.
Chapter 4
The hospital was abuzz with the news! The hospital was getting a new pediatric wing with all the works including a recreational area and a place where parents could stay. It was a lot more than Paula Laughlin had expected!
“Have you heard?” Pamela asked as soon as Savannah had taken off her coat. The snowing was coming down rapidly outside and covering everything in its sight. Pamela told her.
“That’s great!”
“Hmm.” Pamela looked at her speculatively. “It was only just supposed to be a plain and simple structure and now it is becoming this big deal. What did you do? Charm the man with your looks?”
“I have no idea what you are referring to,” Savannah told her carelessly as she reached for her chart. “I have patients to see.”
“You can run but you cannot hide, honey,” Pamela called after her as she hurried to the pediatric ward.
“Doctor Myles, in here,” Paula Laughlin called out to her as she was walking towards one of the wards.
The administrator closed the door as soon as she came inside. “I suppose you have heard the news?”
“About the new wing?”
“Yes.” The woman’s eyes searched hers for a moment. “I understand we have you to thank for the additional perks.”
“I just said my piece and Mr. Parker listened,” she said modestly.
“We are very pleased that you did. It is going to mean so much to these children here.”
“It will.”
“Okay, my dear, I will let you go and do your rounds.”
*****
“I swear that this thing gets harder and harder each day,” Calvin said dramatically as he swigged his flavored
water. “I am there standing next to the patient and trying to determine if we should open up his airwaves so he can breathe! It’s a two second time span and I found myself sweating as I thought about it with the dragon standing right there looking at me and expecting me to do the right thing! I saw my residency slipping away from me.”
“What did you do?” Savannah asked him in amusement as she sipped her hot chocolate. It had been a very busy morning and she had not had time to eat lunch. It was after three and it was the first time she was putting something to her mouth.
“I ran out of there!” He laughed at the look on her face. “I opened up his mouth and pushed the tube down just in time. He started breathing again and I felt my knees buckling. How do you do it?”
“Do what?”
“Not make mistakes?”
“I do my homework. When I leave here I go to the medical library and do my research. I knew I wanted to specialize when I was in medical school and I am willing to make the sacrifice. These children and parents are depending on me to try and make them better and I don’t think about how much they are counting on me I just go ahead and do what I am supposed to do.”
“No wonder you are refusing to go out with me,” Calvin murmured.
“You think that’s why I will not go out with you?” Savannah asked, lifting tapered brows as she looked at him. “You have been with half the nurses and several doctors who should know better. I am not going to join the group.”
“You would be special,” he said hopefully.
“Of course,” Savannah said mildly. Suddenly her pager went off and she looked at it. “Duty calls.”
“I am not giving up,” Calvin called after her but she had already hurried away.
*****
“Are you sure you are going to be okay?” Gavin asked his sister as she came back into the living room and sat next to him.
“We will be okay.” She accepted the glass of wine he handed her. “The place is more than we expected. Thanks.”
“No problem.” He massaged the feet she had propped onto his lap. He had arranged to have the place furnished and had hired someone who specialized in children’s rooms to decorate the one assigned to his niece. She had been entranced by it and had just now managed to go to bed, plain tuckered out.
“You do so much for us,” she murmured as she leaned her head back.
“It’s my pleasure. How is work?”
“I am managing. I have actually gotten back in the swing of things. I was afraid I would not have been able to.”
“You are a smart woman so of course you would pick up. How is Otis?”
She lifted her head and looked at him. “He is still chomping at the mouth but he decided to sign the papers. And he makes sure to talk to Gabby every evening when she is home from school.”
“And you?”
“What about me?”
“How are you?”
“I am slowly moving on.” She placed her glass on the table. “It is hard. I have been out of the dating scene for a very long time. I actually thought that I was where I wanted to be and my family was solid.” She looked at him. “I still love him, Gavin.”
“I know,” he said softly as he squeezed her foot. “That sort of thing takes time to go away.”
“I lie in bed when Gabby is sleeping and I think about the times we had together and wonder if it was all a lie.”
“I don’t think so, at least not all of it. Give yourself a break, sis.”
*****
“He is crashing!” Savannah shouted as she started to apply pressure to his chest. “Come on, Tommy, please breathe!” She pushed at his thin chest frantically, her heart thudding inside her chest.
“Stand clear for compressions!” another doctor called out.
“Clear!” Savannah stepped back as the doctor applied the shock to his frail chest. She looked at the monitor and realized that the numbers were dangerously down and slipping away.
“We are losing him!” she cried out as she started at his chest again. She was still pushing at him even when the monitor stopped pinging.
“Dr. Myles, he is gone!” the doctor said softly. “Time of death: 16:05.” He snapped off his gloves. “I will tell the mother.”
Savannah was unaware that the nurses and doctors had filed out of the room as she stood there looking down at him. She pulled the sheets over his painfully thin body lovingly, her fingers briefly touching his still warm cheek. He had been so upbeat and cheerful, telling her and his mother about the stories he had read. She had told them about the new wing and he had been so excited. She knew he had not had long with them but she had hoped.
“My baby!” His mother came into the room sobbing and she stepped back to allow her to go to him.
“I am so sorry.” Savannah fought the tears as the woman bent over her son and hugged him to her.
“You were the one who made it bearable. You cared,” she whispered as she turned to look at Savannah. “He loved you.” She turned back to her lifeless son. “Could I have a minute alone with him?”
“Of course.” Savannah walked out of the room swiftly and closed the doors behind her. She pulled off her stethoscope and shoved it into the pocket of her lab coat and ran towards one of the on call rooms closing the door behind her. She sank down onto the cot and buried her face into her hands, her body shaking as she gave in to tears for a life gone too soon!
*****
Savannah sat in her car in the hospital parking lot, her expression pensive. Pamela had advised her to go on home. “You are suffering from grief, honey, so you are no use to anyone right now,” the woman had told her sympathetically. “I want to tell you that it is a bad idea to get so emotionally attached to the patients but who am I kidding?”
So she had finished her rounds and had made her exit only she found that the last place she wanted to be was at her apartment. She jumped slightly at the knock on her window. It was Gavin Parker! She had heard some talk about him coming by to meet with the board of the hospital but had thought nothing of it. She pressed the button and the glass came down. “Are you okay?” he asked as he peered in at her. It had started to get dark even though it was only six. But the long winter evening had started.
“Yes.” She forced a smile. “I am heading out.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am.” To her horror, she started crying again right in front of him!
Without saying anything he came around and slid into the passenger seat closing the door behind him. He hesitated a moment and then pulled her into his arms. Savannah welcomed the warmth of his arms and turned her face into his expensive dark green jacket, her body totally swamped by grief.
He waited her out, not saying anything as she sobbed into his chest. He just held her and he could feel the intense pain radiating from her and it did something to him.
She lifted her head and rubbed her hands across her wet cheeks. “I am sorry,” she muttered as she stared at anywhere but at him.
He opened the door and came around. “Move over.”
“What?”
“You are in no position to drive. I am taking you home.”
“What about your car?”
“My driver took me here and he can pick me up.”
She hesitated a little and then did as he asked. “Where to?”
She told him and leaned back against the rest and closed her eyes.
“Want to talk about it?”
She shook her head no and kept her eyes closed. She must have dozed off a little because when she opened her eyes he was parked in the car park of her apartment.
“Oh!” She looked around and then at him. “Thanks.”
“You are welcome.” He inclined his head briefly. “Are you going to be okay?”
“I will probably drink myself to sleep,” she said with a faint smile as she looked at him. “Would you like to come up and wait for your ride?”
His eyes narrowed a little bit and he was about to say no but he nodded. �
�I think I might.”
They did not exchange a word as they went into the building. She waved to the guard on duty and he gave Gavin a curious look. She had never brought a male up to her apartment before. In the elevator going up she stayed as far away as possible. She moved past him as the doors opened and she went swiftly to open the door, letting him pass her. “Would you care for a drink?” she asked as she hung up her coat and took his.
He nodded as he followed her to the kitchen. “Cute place.”
She pulled out a bottle of wine and two glasses. “I like it.” Her kitchen was small and serviceable, which suited her fine because she was hardly at home anyway to use it. She handed him the glass and he took it, his fingers brushing hers and causing her to shiver a little.
“Do you always get emotionally attached to your patients?” he asked her as he sipped his wine. It was too fruity for his taste but it left a pleasant sensation on his tongue.
“Is something wrong with that?” she asked him defensively. She was still wearing her scrubs and a black sweater underneath it. Her hair was combed back into a chignon which showed up the curves of her cheeks. She was really beautiful, he thought, but coolly detached except when it came to her patients.
“It is going to wear you out.”
“Is that your medical opinion?” she asked him sarcastically.
“I am just using commonsense here. I told you I know a lot of doctors.”
“What do you suggest I do? Not care at all?”
“That would make you a lousy doctor,” he told her mildly. “I suggest you stop trying to behave as if you can save them all. You can’t. Chances are if they are terminally ill they will die or even if they were not terminally ill they might die. You have to be realistic.”
“Easy for you to say,” she told him grimly. “He was just a little boy who had his whole life ahead of him.”
“And I suspect he was in a lot of pain,” he said shrewdly.
She looked away making him realize that he was right.
