Healing Tides

“Dr. GloryAnn Cranbrook. Elizabeth Wisdom sent me.”

“About time.” He didn’t bother with introductions but strode down the hall and out a door without a second glance.

“I’m Leilani Maku.” The nurse offered a harried smile. “Welcome to Agapé, Doctor. Do you want me to—”

“Go. I’ll follow.” Glory grabbed a white coat off a hanger.

The driver had already left. Her luggage was still in the car but the helicopter’s rasping rotors told her there was no time to think about that now.

She hurried after the others, pushing through the door they’d left from. It led to a hallway, which in turn led to a helipad on one side, an emergency ward on the other. She pushed open the outside door and stepped into the night. Dr. Steele was already halfway across the tarmac.

Glory hurried forward.

“What’s been done, Leilani?”

His nurse checked her paperwork.

“The fax says they’ve been typed and matched. I’ve got a clean room set up for initial assessment. If we need more help, Dr. Sanguri is visiting his mother. He’s in the village but he can be here in ten minutes.”

“He’s an ob-gyn!” Dr. Steele exploded as he waited for the helicopter to land. “He’ll be no help.”

“He’s the only doctor near enough to pitch in immediately.”

“I’m here.” Glory stepped forward.

Leilani smiled, thanked her. Dr. Steele surveyed her from head to foot, his ice-blue eyes cold as any Arctic wind.

“I hope you can follow directions.”

Welcome to Hawaii.

Jared Steele had one hand on the door the moment the helicopter touched down.

“Hey, Doc.” A young pilot with a British accent jumped out, helped an accompanying nurse free two stretchers strapped inside. “Meet my friends, Tony and Joseph. Hang on, boys. Nurse Leilani will have you tucked up before you can say Bob’s your uncle.”

The lilt of his British accent lit up the boys’ eyes. Or maybe it was his quick smile.

“What happened?” Dr. Steele surveyed his patients.

“They were at an international kids’ event on Maui. Somebody thought it would be fun to douse their campfire with gasoline. The trip here didn’t do them any good.”

One glance at Dr. Steele’s face told Glory he saw what she did—the first child didn’t have much time.

“Leilani,” he ordered, “get another IV in if you can. Now.”

Leilani waved over attendants, who transferred the boy onto the waiting gurney. They hurried inside.

The second boy was wide-awake. Though he looked in pain, he managed to twist his head so he could watch the doctor who was studying his damaged face. Dr. Steele shook his head at the sacrilege, grabbed the edge of the stretcher and began to move.

“Clean room. Stat,” he ordered, his voice harsh.

The boy murmured something unintelligible. Dr. Steele glanced at the pilot who was trailing along beside him.

“I can’t understand him.”

“German. He wants to know if he’s going to die.”

“We’re all going to die.”

“That’s no answer.” The pilot’s lips pinched together in an angry line as the two men eased the front wheels of the rolling stretcher through the doors.

“Tell him whatever you like.” Dr. Steele glared at the pilot’s grip on his sleeve. “Don’t they teach you to move when you’re asked?”

“Yes, Doctor, they do. They also try to teach us a little human kindness. You should try that.”

“Finished?” They glared at each other like leashed pit bulls.

“Yeah, I am.”

“Then get out of my way.” Dr. Steele pushed the boy forward, his expression implacable.

Glory grabbed the exit door and held it open so the end of the bed wouldn’t jar. She followed doctor and patient to the clean room and began treatment automatically, wincing at the extent of the injury. No wonder Dr. Steele was angry.

“I need to see to the first fellow.” He rested a hand on the door. “Can you manage here?”

“Yes.” She glanced at him, recognized indecision on his face. “I’m fine. Go.”

The boy wept silently as Glory worked. The body’s ability to tolerate shock only lasted for so long. This one had just about maxed out.

“What did they give him?” she asked the nurse assisting her, mentally juggling protocols.

The nurse read from the chart that had accompanied the boy.

“Okay. Blood pressure’s still dropping. Let’s go about this in another way.” Glory issued new orders, kept one eye on the monitors and worked hard until the child’s vitals finally responded.

Working silently, she did what had to be done, but she couldn’t stop a tear from trickling down her face, over the mask she wore.

“Don’t move him for the next hour. Watch him and monitor everything. If nothing changes he can transfer to intensive care. Understand?” The nurse nodded. Glory stripped off her gloves and gown, stepped out of the room and headed for the first patient. “Anything I can do here?” she asked.

Dr. Steele looked up, frowned. “The other one?”

“Stable. Help or not?” she asked, waiting for his nod before she plunged her hands into the gloves held ready. “Where do you want me?”

He worked frantically, blasting out orders in a terse monotone. She matched her efforts to his. If something didn’t happen fast enough he called her on it bluntly.

Glory admired his grit. Lesser doctors might have given up after one code blue, but after three Dr. Steele continued to drive all of them to extraordinary lengths to save the life on the table. Several hours later the boy was finally stable.

For now.