The water was warming. He stepped into the shower again and tipped his face under the water, let it stream down his body. He needed to cleanse away the smells of the ED, then he needed Jodi’s arms around him.
*
Jodi was curled up in a chair beside Jamie’s bed when she saw Lucas walk in. ‘It’s two in the morning. Why aren’t you at home?’
Mitch appeared behind him, looking dreadful. Not just exhausted but hollowed out. Despair oozed out of him as he met Jodi’s gaze.
A trembling started deep inside her. ‘No.’ Her head swung from side to side. ‘No.’ She wasn’t ready. Hadn’t prepared for this enough. ‘No.’
‘Jodi?’ Mitch lifted her into his arms and held her tight. ‘It’s all right, sweetheart. Everything’s going to be fine.’
She’d never be ready. Jamie needed a new kidney to survive. She’d signed the papers, understood the consequences and risks, wanted it for him. But she wasn’t ready for her boy to go under the knife. To have such major surgery. ‘He’s too little. Too frail.’
‘He’s tough. He’s a Hawke. He’s a Maitland.’ Mitch spoke with conviction. With tenderness and understanding.
She shifted in his arms, looked for Lucas. ‘Tell me.’
Lucas was sitting on the end of Jamie’s bed, watching her. ‘There’s been an accident in Nelson. Two people died and one is an organ donor. The retrieval crew are on their way down there. We’ll know more in a couple of hours. But, Jodi, you have to prepare yourself. It could be a match.’
Under her hands she felt Mitch’s chest rising and falling far too rapidly. ‘Mitch?’
His chest rose high and stuck there. Then as his lungs slowly let the air out he said, loudly and clearly, ‘Lucas, phone Max and get him and his team in here. He’d be coming to do the op anyway. But he’ll be taking one of my kidneys for Jamie. It’s time to do it. We were only waiting for one more counselling session. I don’t see the point. I’m ready.’
Lucas nodded. ‘Fair enough. Your kidney is a far better option for our lad here anyway. It’s a go, then. I’ll go and make some calls.’ He stood up and looked from Jamie to Mitch to her. ‘Jodi, you’re going to have the hardest job of all of us. You have to sit around waiting.’
For both my men. She wanted to shout at the world for letting this happen in the first place. She wanted to cry and fold into Mitch for his strength. She wanted to pick Jamie up out of his bed and run.
Instead she straightened her spine and looked first at Mitch and then Lucas. ‘Think what I’ve got. Mitch and Jamie. How can I not be okay? I’ll be like a soccer mum, cheering and encouraging from the sidelines.’ Gulp. At least she’d got that out without a quaver in her voice to give her away. Her stomach turned over, wanting to reject the meal she’d eaten hours ago. No way. Not now. She sucked her belly in against her backbone. She was strong. And today she’d just have to be even stronger.
‘I’ll be back when I know more.’ Lucas headed for the door, turned back. ‘Mitch, nil by mouth from now on, eh?’
Mitch nodded slowly and sank down on a chair, pulling Jodi with him. The reality was hitting home. This time tomorrow he’d have one kidney and Jamie would be on the road to a full recovery. ‘It’s happening.’
‘Faster than you’d thought.’ Jodi brushed a lock of hair behind his ear. Love radiated from her eyes. Love for him.
‘Better that way. The decision’s been made, nothing to wait for. It’s not as though I need to listen to that counsellor spouting on about what my emotions are going to be doing. I get it. Time to get on with the whole damned process.’ So stop raving and give Jodi your undivided attention. Support her.
Under his hands he could feel the occasional tremor rock through her body. But she sat straight, not melding into him. There was confidence in her face, that earlier fear long gone. Amazingly brave. Because she really would go through hell when he and Jamie were wheeled away to Theatre.
Mitch wrapped his arms around her and dropped his chin on the top of her head, smelt the lavender of her shampoo, remembered the night he’d woken up to find her in his office. She’d brought him so much. She’d given him a life worth living. How did he thank her for that? A lifetime together, cherishing her, would not be enough.
‘One step at a time, boyo.’
‘What are you talking about?’ Jodi mumbled against his neck.
‘Thinking that our wedding will have to wait a few days.’
She sat so she could meet his gaze full on. ‘We could try to get a special licence, if that’s what you want.’
He shook his head. ‘I think we’ve got enough to deal with.’
‘Mitch, we’re a family now. A piece of paper isn’t going to change that.’ She kissed her finger tip, placed it on his lips. ‘I love you. More than you can imagine.’
He kissed her finger and tapped it on her lips. ‘And I love you. We’ve got each other, and our son. We’re as married as anyone who has said their vows.’
His mouth covered hers to give her a kiss full of love. A kiss that would get them through what lay ahead. A kiss that sealed them together. For ever.
*
Max stood in the doorway, watching Mitch holding Jodi, understanding, in his role of transplant surgeon, what they were all about to go through. The time had come.
His heart swelled—for Jamie, Jodi and Mitch.
And for himself.
How he’d manage it he didn’t know, but he swore that once Jamie was out of danger, he would talk to Mitch.
Really talk to him. About the lives they’d both lived after they’d been separated. And hopefully one day in the not-too-distant future, he might be able to meet Mitch at The Shed for a friendly drink.
*