Top-Notch Men!: In Her Boss's Special Care

‘Tommy is doing as well as can be expected, Kate,’ Allegra reassured her, hoping that by saying the words it would someone make it true.

‘Serena …’ Kate’s lips moved again but then she groaned and slipped back into unconsciousness.

Allegra stroked the woman’s thin hands, using the massage technique she had been taught, separating each finger, stretching them gently, lengthening the tendons to release built-up pressure. She turned over Kate’s hand palm upwards and froze when she saw a series of tiny, nick-like, whitened scars on the underside of the wrist. She reached for Kate’s other arm and found the same bizarre pattern carved on the other wrist.

‘She’s a fruit cake,’ Ruth Tilley, the nurse assigned to the isolation room, muttered under her breath, but even so it was more than obvious that the police officer had heard every word.

Allegra frowned as she turned to face the nurse. ‘Please, keep your personal opinions to yourself. If you feel uncomfortable nursing this patient, I suggest you ask to be transferred.’

The nurse gave an insolent sniff and moved to check the monitors, making a note of Kate’s BP, pulse and sats. ‘I know how to do my job, no matter how horrible the patient is. Anyway, I’ve nursed much worse than her.’

‘I would prefer you to speak appropriately and professionally at all times in this room,’ Allegra insisted. ‘Kate Lowe is unconscious but may well be able to hear everything you say.’

‘I don’t care if she does,’ Ruth said. ‘She’s tried to do herself in numerous times. If she recovers, she’ll only do it again. I’ve seen it all before. These sorts of people are nothing but trouble for their families. They put them through hell, keeping everyone on tenterhooks, wondering when the next attempt is going to happen and whether it will be successful.’

Allegra tightened her mouth as she saw the look the police officer gave the nurse, as if he was in silent agreement.

‘Excuse me,’ she said as she brushed past to leave. ‘I have other patients to see.’

Once outside Kate’s room Allegra expelled a frustrated breath, her hands clenching at her sides to keep control. She walked towards the office of ICTU where Louise was sitting, looking over the night shift notes.

‘Uh-oh,’ Louise said as she looked up. ‘I don’t like the look of your aura right now. I can practically see sparks of anger zapping off the top of your head. Has the dishy director got under your skin again?’

‘Surprising as it may seem, no. It’s not Joel this time—it’s one of the nurses.’

‘So we’re on first-name terms, are we?’ Louise asked with a playful smile.

Allegra ignored her friend’s teasing look. ‘I want Ruth Tilley removed from Kate Lowe’s room immediately.’

Louise frowned. ‘But why? Ruth is one of the most experienced ICTU nurses we have here.’

‘I don’t care how experienced she is, I don’t like her attitude,’ Allegra said. ‘Has Joel Addison arrived yet?’

Louise’s frown deepened. ‘You’re going to ask him to move her?’

‘No,’ she said, as she straightened her spine. ‘I’m not going to ask him—I’m going to tell him.’

‘I think he’s headed down to Gaile Donovan’s room. He’s waiting for Harry Upton,’ Louise said. ‘The husband’s been there all night. Joel came in early to discuss her treatment options with Harry.’ Joel looked up from Gaile Donovan’s notes as Allegra entered the small private room where the patient was being closely monitored. ‘Have you seen Harry come in yet?’ he asked, without so much as offering a simple greeting.

‘Good morning to you, too, Dr Addison,’ Allegra said with an arch look.

He frowned and resumed looking at the notes. ‘Sorry,’ he said a little gruffly. ‘I hadn’t noticed it was even morning. I came in before the sun was up.’

Allegra felt annoyed with herself for being so petty when it was clear Joel had bigger concerns on his mind, such as the patient lying between them. But before she could offer an apology, Harry Upton came in.

‘Morning, Allegra, Joel. How were things overnight with Gaile Donovan?’

‘She’s been stable, Harry,’ Joel answered. ‘Certainly no more bleeding, but Allegra was right about the ARDS. We did a chest X-ray this morning and there is a virtual white-out of most of both lung fields.’

Allegra checked the ventilator readings and reported, ‘Her ventilation pressures are high and she’s needing 40 per cent oxygen.’

‘What about coagulopathy?’ Harry asked. ‘At some stage in the next 48 hours I’m going to have to remove the pelvic packs. How are we placed timing-wise?’

‘She’s stable at the moment and we’ve got her on broad-spectrum antibiotic cover,’ Joel said. ‘My advice would be to leave things alone the full 48 hours. Coags are better than they were, but PT is still prolonged and her platelets are low. We can work at improving those and hope her chest improves, before subjecting her to the potential of another hypovolaemic insult.’ He turned his gaze towards Allegra. ‘Do you agree, Allegra?’

‘Yes.’ Allegra was momentarily taken aback by the dark shadows beneath his eyes. He looked like she felt—tired, defeated, and a little out of his depth. It made him seem less of an enemy and she felt something that had been previously hard and closed off inside her begin to soften a little. She suddenly became aware of both Harry’s and Joel’s expectant gazes trained on her. ‘Um … yes, I would prefer not to have to reanaesthetise her until we see how the lung function pans out.’

Joel shifted his gaze and checked the obs with the attending nurse, Jayne Stephens. He listened to Gaile’s chest but there was very little in terms of air entry, and a lot of crackles and crepitations. He knew Gaile was in for a rough ride but he had seen such patients recover with adequate ICU support—the key was to avoid sepsis and maintain organ support and brain oxygenation.

‘We should go and have a chat with her husband,’ he suggested, once he’d finished his checks. ‘He’s been here all night. I sent him out to the conference room a few minutes ago to stretch his legs.’

Harry’s beeper went off and he grimaced as he looked at the screen. ‘Sorry, guys, I’ve got a surgical tutorial with the trainees and I’m already ten minutes late. You know what these young folk are like—if we don’t turn up on the dot they think we’ve cancelled and go off and have a latte instead.’

Joel smiled at the older surgeon. ‘Can’t say I blame them. I could do with a double-strength latte myself right now.’ He turned to Allegra once Harry had left, his easy smile replaced by a little frown. ‘Do you want to come with me to talk to Neil Donovan or is a coffee more preferable?’

‘I was coming to see you anyway about another matter,’ she said. ‘After we’ve spoken with Mr Donovan, perhaps you could fit me into your busy schedule.’

He gave her an unreadable look as he held the door for her. ‘I’ll see what I can do.’

They moved from the unit past the security guard to the conference room along the corridor, where Neil Donovan was sitting with his head in his hands. He looked up as they came in, the dread on his face clawing at Allegra’s already overstretched emotions.

‘How are you holding up?’ Joel asked.

‘I’m just hoping she’s going to be OK,’ Neil said, his eyes red and weary beyond description. ‘The girls and I just couldn’t go on if …’ His voice trailed off and Allegra swallowed against the lump in her throat.

‘She’s been stable overnight, Neil,’ Joel informed him, closing the small distance to place a reassuring hand on his shoulder. ‘That’s positive. She’s getting the best talent this hospital has.’

‘I know …’ Neil said, not bothering to disguise the track of tears moving down his unshaven cheeks. ‘I just hope it’s enough. I’m not a religious man but I’ve been praying all night for a miracle.’

Joel glanced briefly in Allegra’s direction. ‘Miracles are hard to arrange, Neil. Maybe they happen—certainly some people believe in them. Try to hold onto hope. There’s still a decent chance she can pull through. We’ll explore every feasible option.’

‘Can I go back to her now?’ Neil asked.

‘Of course you can.’ Joel smiled warmly. ‘Who’s looking after the girls for you?’

‘I left them with my mother, although they weren’t too happy about it,’ Neil said.

‘If they want to be here with their mother, that’s where they should be,’ Joel said. ‘If there’s anything you want any of us to do, just let us know.’

‘Thank you, Dr Addison. You, too, Dr Tallis,’ he said. ‘I don’t know how you doctors deal with this stuff day in and day out. It must really get to you after a while.’

‘We’re trained to cope with it,’ Joel said. ‘Mind you, it’s totally different when you’re on the other side. I haven’t as yet been a patient myself, but I’ve had plenty of practice at being a patient’s relative. It’s a tough call. You’re doing a great job, Neil. Your ongoing support is just what your wife needs right now.’

Neil Donovan gave them both a tired smile and, thanking them again, left to be with his wife back in the unit.

‘He’s certainly a very different kettle of fish to our friend Mr Lowe,’ Allegra couldn’t help commenting as the door closed on his exit.

Joel turned and looked down at her, his nostrils instinctively flaring so he could take in more of her light perfume. It reminded him of freshly cut spring flowers warmed by the sun, heady and evocative without being too overpowering. He wanted to haul her into his arms and kiss her deeply so he could carry the sweet tantalising taste of her throughout the long, arduous day ahead. His groin tightened at the thought of slipping his tongue inside her mouth to curl around hers, the palms of his hands sliding under her clothes to cover her breasts to feel their softness crowned with her hardened nipples.