‘Your mummy’s going to fight for everything you need, baby.’ Her hands slid across her stomach, gently trying to feel the wee dot growing in there. As if. Hard to believe that something so small could create so much havoc.
Her stomach rolled uncomfortably. The first warning.
On the bedside table her phone rang. The screen read Conor. This early? Before work? Couldn’t be good. ‘Hello?’
‘Just checking you were awake. Not sure if you set the alarm before you dropped into unconsciousness last night.’ That Irishness surrounded her, warmed her, and tightened her stomach further.
‘I didn’t, but it seems I woke at my usual time anyway.’ Her feet swung over the edge of the bed.
‘You want me to pick you up this morning?’
That was getting too friendly. Her stomach lurched, another warning it wasn’t going to play nice for much longer. ‘I’ll catch the bus as per normal. See you later.’
But he hadn’t finished. ‘Thought we could do breakfast at the Grafton Café, talk a bit about things so the day won’t be too rocky, if you get my gist.’
No, no, no. Rolling her head from side to side, she dug deep to control her roiling stomach. ‘I’ve got a couple of things to do before I leave for work.’ Like throw up, for one. ‘I’ll see you there.’
‘You can’t avoid me, Tamara.’ A thread of annoyance tightened that brogue.
‘I’m not. It’s just I don’t do so well with breakfast at the moment. See you at work.’ Got to run. ‘Bye.’ She threw herself out of bed and down the short hall to the bathroom. That had been far too close.
* * *
Tamara rushed into the department a little before seven thirty, knowing she looked dishevelled. ‘Sorry I’m late,’ she gasped as she struggled to get her breath back after running from the bus stop.
‘Where have you been?’ Conor asked. ‘I was getting worried.’
‘You don’t need to keep track of me all the time because of—’ Quiet. Lots of ears around here. ‘I got busy with things and lost track of time.’
‘You’re never late.’ A furrow formed between his eyes. ‘You’ve been crying.’
Not crying crying. ‘Soap in my eyes.’ Her life had done an abrupt turn. Of course there’d be the occasional tear.
Conor’s delectable lips didn’t look so tempting when they pressed together tightly. Neither were his eyes the light, sparkling blue of a kingfisher any more. He ground out, ‘Try again.’
The ambulance bay buzzer saved her from answering. ‘I’ll get that.’ She raced away before someone else could take the case and leave her to deal with Conor’s questions.
‘Morning.’ Kelli bounced alongside her. ‘Did I sleep well last night, or what? The only good thing to come out of that bus accident.’
‘I had the best sleep in for ever,’ Tamara agreed. Not that she’d felt that flash since baby had had its say first thing.
‘Conor’s got a glare going on this morning.’ Kelli nodded back at the department hub. ‘Any idea what’s brought that on?’
Tamara blanched, and tripped over her own feet. ‘Why ask me?’
‘Just wondering if something’s going on between the two of you.’
‘You’ve got an overactive imagination, Kelli Watts.’
‘You’re overreacting to a simple statement, Tamara Washington.’ Kelli grinned. ‘The man’s hot, and you’re single.’
‘I’m still getting over my last mistake,’ Tamara snapped.
Kelli’s hands went up in submission. ‘I’m sorry for teasing you, but sometimes you need to let go of the past enough to have some fun at least. Who better to get back in the saddle with than a gorgeous Irish doctor who’s not hanging around for ever?’
Couldn’t argue with that. So she didn’t. But Kelli still had to be shut down in a hurry. Just knowing all about what had gone down with Peter didn’t give her the right to interfere. ‘The thing is, I don’t want to get back in the saddle. That leads to complications and I’ve had my share of those.’
And I have another, bigger one under my waistband right now.
‘You know what, girlfriend? Not all men are devious, manipulative, nasty pieces of work like your ex.’ Kelli’s words were followed with a quick hug.
‘Yet you avoid Mac like the plague.’ Tamara was certain her friend was halfway to being in love with the night-shift specialist.
‘Low blow.’ Kelli stepped back. ‘But you’re forgiven since you are very wrong.’
They reached the ambulance line. ‘Who’s this?’ Tamara asked the ambulance officer standing with the stretcher.
‘Cassandra Wright, thirty-three. The car she was a passenger in was involved in a nose-to-tail car accident on the southern motorway,’ they were told. ‘The driver’s in a second ambulance about to arrive.’
‘Hello, Cassandra. I’m Tamara, and this is Kelli. We’re nurses. I hear you had an argument with the windscreen.’
The woman was wearing a neck brace, and blood covered most of her face from abrasions to her forehead and chin. ‘Stupid of me not to put my seat belt on.’
Definitely. ‘We’ll take you through to ED so one of the doctors can examine you,’ Tamara told her. ‘Have you got a headache?’
‘A blinder,’ Cassandra acknowledged.
‘Any numbness, pins and needles?’
‘No.’ She shook her head, then winced. ‘Ouch. I can turn my head either way. That’s got to be good.’
‘We’ll be cautious until the doctor’s seen you.’ The neck brace was standard with any head injuries, and hopefully it wouldn’t be needed for much longer.
In a cubicle it was all hands to the blanket as they transferred Cassandra onto a bed. Then Tamara began attaching leads from the heart monitor to the pads already stuck on the woman’s chest. ‘We’re off to a busy start.’ At least that’d keep Conor from slipping under her skin and turning her into a nervous wreck.
‘Welcome to the A team, Cassandra.’ Conor strode in, taking up space and air in the cubicle. ‘After yesterday we can handle anything,’ he said in a quiet aside to Tamara and Kelli.
The buzzer went again. ‘That’ll be Cassandra’s friend,’ Tamara muttered. ‘I’ll bring her in.’ Kelli could work with Conor and she’d go with another doctor. Fingers crossed. She needed distance from Conor while coming to terms with his new role in her life.
Tamara reached her next patient, grateful for the distraction. She was told, ‘Suspected concussion, fractured left wrist, and upper arm pain where she hit the steering wheel. Obs are good.’
From then on they were busy, but after yesterday no one was complaining about the steady stream of patients with mid-level urgency.
At five past ten Tamara looked up from typing obs into a patient’s file on the computer and said to Kelli, ‘Take a break while you can.’ Having got over its morning petulance, her stomach was rumbling with hunger.
Conor leaned over the counter. ‘I shouted Danish pastries for everyone. After yesterday we deserve a treat.’
‘I’m out of here.’ Kelli grinned and headed away as the desk phone rang.
‘That’s good of you,’ Tamara sighed as her stomach sat up to attention. ‘I love Danish pastries.’
‘I’ve noticed.’ Conor dropped some ambulance patient notes into the ‘finished’ basket.
He hadn’t bought them especially for her, had he? She studied him and got a shrug in return. ‘Thanks. I—’ The phone continued ringing. ‘I’ll be there in a minute.’ Hopefully.
The first tummy-tightening smile of the day appeared. ‘I’ll save you two.’
By the time Tamara had dealt with the haematology tech about a CBC result the department was quiet. As was the crammed kitchen space when she walked in.