Fragile (4 page)

I smiled at his stumble at trying to say cerebral cortex, “Yeah an artery opened up but we got it.”

“Anyway, the reason I called is because you were gone when I got up this morning and I was wondering how you got to work.”

“I caught a taxi. I had a surgery early and it was still dark when I left. Aiden knew though. We had quite the conversation.”

“A taxi in the dark?” I didn’t know what to make of his tone so I waited for him to try and explain himself. “I should have given you the keys to the other car. I didn’t think that you would need to get up before me.”

“The taxi was fine.” I assured him. “Taxi’s are how I’ve been getting around the city this past month.”

“What time are you off tonight?”

“Whenever, I don’t have any more surgeries for the day. I just need to do the rounds.” I told him, drinking the last mouthful of my coffee.

“Will two hours be enough time for you to finish up?”

“Yeah, I’ll be done by then. I do, however, need your address, so I know where to go.” I stood up and walked over to the bin and dumped the cup in it.

“I’ll pick you up.”

After two long hours my shift was over and Rick was waiting for me, “You got plans tonight?” Dr. Hunter stood beside me at the front of the hospital.

“Yeah, I do. What’s up?”

“A few of us are heading to a local bar...” he stopped and I jumped when a hand touched my waist, “and I was wondering if you were going to join us again.” Dr. Hunter finished his sentence, eyeing up Rick.

“Not tonight. I’m beat and just want to head to bed.”

“That’s cool, next time then. You two have fun.” We watched Dr. Hunter walk off before Rick spoke.

“Does pretty boy ask you out often?” Rick grabbed my bag from my shoulder and held it in his hands, his eyes on something behind me before they found mine again.

“His name is Dr. Hunter, and no he was not asking me out. Every now and then a few of us go to a bar and drink the day away. They’re going tonight and asked if I wanted to go to.” We walked away from the hospital and into the car park. “Plus it’s none of your business if Dr. Hunter and I go out. We share an apartment temporarily not a life.” I knew I sounded like a bitch but I didn’t care and Rick didn’t notice.

“Ah ha, so do you go?” We reached his car and he opened the passenger side door as if I had said nothing about him minding his own business. He waited for me to get in before he closed the door and opened up the back door, putting my bag in then heading around to the driver’s side and starting the car. “So, Lu, do you go out with the other doctors?”

“Sometimes, and it’s nurses too.” I was getting a bit pissed that he had completely ignored my mind your own business remark. Somewhere along the way home my phone started to ring, pulling it out of my pocket I saw Mather’s name flash across the screen, I silenced it and put it back in my pocket.

When I moved out here, I made a pact with my phone. I wouldn’t answer it unless it was work or a number that flashed across the screen. If a name flashed across the screen, I’d pressed the ignore button, the only people programmed into my phone were family and friends from Perth anyway and I wasn’t ready to face that life again.

When I looked up from the screen Rick was watching me, “Your Dad?”

“No.” I didn’t want to have this conversation, especially with Rick. I would have preferred never to have the conversation. “Eyes on the road.”

Without another word, Rick drove back to the apartment and I took note of where we were so I knew how to get back when Rick didn’t pick me up.

LUCY

“Yes, I spoke to her.” I’d made it halfway down the steps when I heard Rick’s voice. I tried to retrace my way back up but Aiden caught me, which got Rick’s attention. He waved me down as he spoke on the phone. “Yes, we had dinner and all her limbs are intact.” Rick handed over a beer and got one for himself before sitting down next to me at the kitchen table. “Lucy said that she’ll call when she’s ready. Tell Ray that she’s fine, happy, healthy, and alive.” I turned my head up at the mention of my Dad’s name. “I’ll tell her.” He put the phone down on the table and I waited for him to tell what that was all about. “It was Mather calling you in the car.” I nodded to Rick’s whisper.

“She called you?” I reached down and patted Aiden. I wanted to distract myself from the anger and the uneasy feeling that Rick was only letting me stay here because his mother had insisted on it. “She wants me to ask you to call Ray. I told her that you’ll call when you’re ready.”

“Did she ask you to let me stay here?” I needed to know.

“No she doesn’t know you’re here.”

“I would prefer it to stay that way. I’ll get out of your hair soon, promise.”

“You can stay as long as you want. There’s no rush.” Rick’s voice was sincere and his eyes told me that it really was ok. I hoped it was though I wasn’t able to read people as well as I would like to, if I was I wouldn’t have gotten caught up with Luke in the first place.

We ordered dinner and watched a movie, I was about to call it a night when my phone started to ring. “Dr. Jackson.”

“Dr. Jackson, it’s Brooks. Mrs. Adams has started to bleed again.”

“I’m not on call tonight. Dr. Barns is.”

“He’s in surgery right now and unable to get out.”

“Shit.” I took a deep breath and stood up as Rick stood up too. “I’ve been drinking, so you’ll have to do the work. I’ll be there talking you through it.”

“Oh...Ok, Dr.”

“Prep her. I’m on my way.” Brook hung up, and I grabbed my bag from the kitchen bench.

“I’ll drive you.” Rick stood there with his keys in his hands.

“Can you drive?”

“I’ve only had a beer. I’m fine.” He opened the front door, and I followed him out to the car.

When I reached the hospital Mrs. Adam’s was waiting for me in the operating room as were a handful of operating staff and Dr. Brooks.

“Alright everybody, Brooks is doing this surgery under my supervision.” When I looked over to her she looked scared. “You’ve got this Brooks, just breathe and use a steady hand,” with a nod she started making orders.

The surgery went smoothly and Dr. Brooks performed it amazingly. “Great work, Dr. Brooks.” I turned to face her in the hallway outside the OR but she was staring into space, her face void of all emotion.

“Brooks.” I touched her shoulder, “You alright?”

“You know when they say it’s not brain surgery?”

“Yeah...”

“That was brain surgery.” Her back slacked against the wall and she started to laugh nervously.

“Yes, it was, and you were a rock star in there.” I nudged her shoulder and she smiled. She started to laugh louder before she pushed off the wall and raised her hand for a high five. I left Brooks and figured that since I was already there that I would check on my patients before calling it a night and going home – to Rick’s home. I couldn’t think of his place as my own, it wasn’t.

I caught a taxi back to Rick’s place, he had wanted to stay at the hospital, but I told him that it could take hours and that he should go home. After arguing with the stubborn man he left. When I walked through the front door I saw Rick asleep on the couch. His face looked so gentle when it was relaxed.

I knelt down and lightly touched his bare chest thinking as beautiful as he was there he wouldn’t get a good night rest on the couch. “Rick,” I whispered. He immediately opened his eyes and captured my hand in his. “I thought you might prefer your bed to the couch. What are you doing down here anyway?”

“I was waiting for you to call so that I could come and get you.” He sat up on the couch with my hand still firmly held in his.

“It’s late and I thought that you would be asleep.”

“You should have called me. I don’t like you catching taxis in the dark. It’s not safe.” He stood and we went upstairs. “What time do you have to be there tomorrow?”

“Before nine but I’m on call tomorrow night so I won’t be coming back until the following day.”

We said goodnight and went into our separate rooms. The next morning I stretched across the bed that felt too good to be true. I made a mental note to get one of my own when I moved out of Rick’s and into my own place. On that thought, I really needed to start looking,
seriously looking
for somewhere to live.

“Morning.” Rick’s voice came from the kitchen. “What would you like for breakfast?” He opened the fridge.

“Morning and whatever you’re doing. I’m not picky.” He looked over to me and smiled, “What?” I asked, sitting down on one of the stools tucked under the kitchen bench.

“Nothing… Coffee?” He moved down the bench to an expensive looking coffee machine.

“Yes, please.” A cup of the most fabulous smelling coffee was slid in front of me. The sound of the kitchen came to life with food sizzling on the stove and the toaster popping. The smell was divine.

“Are you allergic to anything?”

“Nope.” I brought my coffee up to my nose and smelled it with my eyes closed. It was easily the best smelling coffee ever. When I opened my eyes again Rick was staring at me.

“I want you to take the Audi.” Rick started placing food in front of me and then sat on the stool next to me. “You can’t keep catching taxis and I have another car I can use.”

“That’s not necessary, Rick. The taxis are fine and I’ll get my own car soon.”

“I’ll make it easy for you. I’m not taking no for an answer.”

“Rick...” I started, debating in my head what my chances were at winning this argument, they weren’t good. “Damn it fine, but it’s only temporary.”

“Smart girl. Do you have any washing you need to do?”

“Yeah, I’ll go to the laundry mat tomorrow and deal with it.” I started to eat my breakfast. It tasted just as good as it looked and smelled. “I have a laundry, Lu. Use that, or leave it out and I’ll do it tonight. I have a few loads to do myself.”

“You’re washing my clothes now?” I teased with a smile.

“Yes,” he said seriously. “Leave them on your bed and I’ll wash them for you.”

“That’s really not necessary.”

“Just stop arguing with everything and do it, ok?” I shrugged my shoulders and went back to eating breakfast. After we’d finished, I got up and started to clean.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Yes, I do. You cooked, so it’s only fair.” I moved the sponge out of his reach as he tried to make a grab for it. He shook his head and gave in, walking upstairs and walking back down as I was finishing up.

“Car key.” He held two keys up, “House key.”

I took them out of his hand and put them in my pocket, “Thank you. I’ll look after your car.”

“It’s insured, so don’t worry about it. You just get to work safely.”

We walked out to the cars where Rick opened the driver’s door of the Audi. Getting in behind the wheel I ran my hands over the wheel feeling nervous. It was an expensive car and I’d hate to have an accident and wreck it. I took a deep breath before I started the car up and turned to look at Rick who was still standing at the door.

“Have a good day at work Lu,” he said before he closed the car door and took a step back.

I put the car into reverse and backed out of the spot before putting it in drive and pulling onto the road. Driving to work for the first time since moving to the city felt like a kind of freedom. I loved to drive back at Perth, it gave me time to reflect on the day and unwind between leaving the hospital and arriving home. I missed driving. I was definitely going to look at getting my own car soon. I just needed to find the time to do it. Finding a parking spot at the hospital wasn’t as bad as I had thought. Feeling pretty good about the day so far, I took my enthusiasm and went to check on Mrs. Adams.

“I heard that you got called in last night,” Dr. Hunter stood beside me.

“Yeah, Mrs. Adams had a bleeder. Brooks was good at catching it before it got too bad.”

“Brooks is lucky to have a teacher like you. We’re all lucky you’re here. You’re very good, Dr. Jackson.”

“Thank you, Dr. Hunter.” The remainder of my shift was pretty good. I was looking over the scans of a stroke patient when my phone started vibrating signalling a text.

Do they do brain transplants?

I smiled at Rick’s text, wondering where he was going with this.

No, are you offering to be the guinea pig in the first attempted one?

It didn’t take long for him to reply.

Not me, but I have a few people who I think will be ideal candidates.

I immediately text back.

I’m intrigued, who?

I stood by the nurse’s station, biting my finger nail as I awaited his reply.

A few men giving a presentation, though now that I think about it they need personality transplants too, do they do those? *Fingers crossed*

I laughed as I typed, not caring that the nurses at the station were watching me.

Unfortunately, no, but it gives me an idea for a study.