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“Did you get home all right last night?” he asked gravely.
“Yes, the taxi took me to the end of the street. How about you?”
“I live very near Michaelis’s taverna. A short walk. I asked Petros, my gardener, to collect your buggy this morning and see if he could mend it.”
Silence, the ticking of a clock in the background, the hum of the computer. Cathy cleared her throat. “Where would you like me to start work today?”
He picked up a file from his desk. “I’ve mapped out your duties, which will vary from day to day. All the information you should need is in here. Today we have an open clinic in Outpatients. I’ve alerted the midwife who’s working in the obstetrics section that you’ll be joining her shortly. She’ll be delighted to see you. Women doctors are always popular with our obstetric patients and at the moment one of our ladies is on maternity leave. Don’t worry, we’ve got plenty of medical staff at the moment so there’s plenty of back-up. It’s later in the tourist season that we begin to find ourselves short-staffed. April is a good month to start—apart from Easter.”
“What went wrong at Easter?”
For a moment she saw him relax his tight facial muscles and a hint of a smile appeared on his decidedly sexy lips. She felt a pang of interest once more. Something she shouldn’t be feeling as she listened to Dr Karavolis explaining the workings of the hospital.
“What didn’t go wrong?” He stretched out his long legs in front of him as he visibly relaxed.
She couldn’t help noticing the expensive cut of his lightweight suit. The silk-lined jacket was hung over the back of his desk chair and the trousers he was wearing were just tight enough to make him look sexy even though the suit was of a formal design.
She waited for him to elaborate. “Easter celebrations on Ceres last more than a week. Fireworks are set off at every opportunity, and as you know they can cause havoc. Our casualty department was dealing with injuries on a round-the-clock basis.”
He stood up, possibly to signify that it was time to start work. She clutched her file as she moved towards the door.
“I’ll come along to see you during the course of the morning,” he said as he reached ahead of her to open the door.
She smiled up at him as he held the door open. “Thank you…er…Thank you.”
Her hesitation was because she’d no idea what she should call him when they were on duty so she moved swiftly away, back towards Reception.
She could feel a quickening of her pulse rate. Was he going to have this effect on her when they were actually working together? If so, she’d have to get a grip on her emotions.
Yannis remained with the door open, watching Cathy walking away. He’d managed to maintain a professional attitude, which he intended to maintain while on duty. But he had no idea how he was going to handle off-duty situations. He could, of course, make sure that he didn’t meet up with her again in an off-duty situation. But having experienced the warmth of an evening spent with Cathy and Rose, he didn’t think that was an option. He would just have to be careful when he was with them and not allow the situation to get out of hand.
He closed the door and returned to his computer, staring at the list of surgical operations he had to schedule. It was a long time since he’d felt emotionally confused like this and it was playing havoc with his concentration.
Yannis’s decision to be careful came almost at the same time as Cathy got a similar idea firmly fixed in her mind. She was now following the sign above the corridor directing her to Outpatients. Having found the obstetrics section, she was immediately introduced to the midwife in charge.
Sister Maria welcomed her warmly as she went into the treatment room and explained the case history of the patient she was looking after. Cathy smiled down at the patient as she listened.
“Ariadne is a model patient,” Maria said in Greek.
The patient smiled. “Only if you say so, Sister.”
Cathy looked down at Ariadne. “I hope you don’t mind me coming in halfway through the examination. I’m Cathy Meredith, very new here, but I spent a lot of time in Obstetrics when I was working in an English hospital.”
“Your Greek is very good, Doctor.”
“I’ve spent a lot of time over here and I have Greek cousins who made fun of me so much when I was a child that I had no option but to pick up as much Greek as I could.”
Maria and Ariadne laughed and there was a good, friendly feel between all of them. Cathy always liked to break the ice when she was working. Tense patients were more difficult to take care of.
A young nurse came hurrying into the room, requesting the immediate attention of Sister Maria in the next cubicle. Maria excused herself.
“These are Ariadne’s notes, Cathy, and she understands everything that’s going on. She used to be a nurse before she started her family.”
“Would you like to tell me about your family, Ariadne?” Cathy asked, glancing briefly at the notes.
“These twins will be numbers four and five in the family,” Ariadne said, unable to hide the pride she was feeling as she patted her sizeable bump. “We intended to have four children but we were both delighted when I found out we were expecting twins. The more the merrier, my husband says. He wheeled me into hospital and then he went to do some shopping for me. He’ll be back soon. I’m not allowed to drive any more and I have to use a wheelchair outside home.”
Cathy glanced briefly at the case notes again. “Ariadne, tell me about the day you discovered you had symphysis pubis. It says in the notes that it was a sudden realisation. What actually happened?”
“I’d had a busy day, got the children to bed, cooked supper and then sat at the table with my husband, who’d just got back from a business meeting. He told me to sit still and let him wait on me during the meal. I suppose I was probably sitting for about half an hour. Then, as I stood up and tried to take a step I felt my pelvic bones split open. It was excrutiating. Thank goodness, Demetrius was with me! He got me straight into hospital and they gave me strong painkillers.”
“It’s a condition that’s not uncommon in women carrying more than one baby, Ariadne,” Cathy said in a sympathetic tone. “Especially among those who’ve had a number of births in a short period of time like you have with your first three children. So, I see you were referred to our orthopaedic specialist, who made the diagnosis.”
“It was such a relief to find out what was happening. I felt as if somebody had put a sword inside me. I will recover, won’t I, Cathy?”
“Yes, you will. Your ligaments, which stretch naturally during pregnancy and childbirth, have become too loose to hold the pelvis together. But you were given steroid injections, which tighten everything up, weren’t you? And I expect you were told to rest.”
“I didn’t move! I don’t go out any more except for my hospital appointment once a week. My mother lives nearby and my husband tries to work from home as much as possible.”
“Well, you seem to be doing all the right things. I see your twins are due in July.”
“It can’t come quick enough for any of us! I’ve been told I’ll be delivered by Caesarean section.”
“Yes. A natural birth would put too much strain on the pelvis. But the policy here at Ceres hospital is for operations of this nature to be transferred to the larger hospital on Rhodes. Minor operations are scheduled in for our hospital but most major ones are taken care of in Rhodes.”
“I’ve already discussed this with Dr Karavolis and requested that I have the Caesarean here, Cathy. I know it’s serious but he’s going to make an exception in my case. Because I’m a trained nurse and I know the risks, I also know the qualifications Dr Karavolis has in surgery and I’m sure I’ll be safe in his hands. This hospital is equipped with everything required, including an excellent surgical team. The specialist I’ve been seeing over on Rhodes has also agreed to this because he knows just how desperately I want my twins to be born on my beloved island.”
Cathy smiled as she secretly admired her patient’s positive attitude to her condition. “In that case, I’ll try to be with you at the birth.”
“Thank you. I’d like that very much.”
Sister Maria arrived back, saying she was going to take Ariadne for her scan.
Maria handed Cathy another set of case notes referring to the patient in the next cubicle. Cathy moved on, scanning the notes as she went. Tatiana, her next patient, was being treated by weekly injections of a new anti-miscarriage drug.
Before giving the injection Cathy asked her patient if she’d had any side effects.
Tatiana smiled. “Nothing at all to worry about. I was so pleased when the doctor suggested he would like to try this new drug. I’ve had three miscarriages and I’m so anxious not to lose this one.”
After giving the injection, Cathy turned round to put the kidney dish back on her trolley.
Yannis was standing in the doorway, watching her. “How are you getting on?”
No smile, no sign that they were anything but medical colleagues. Exactly how it should be, Cathy thought, ignoring the confused feelings inside her.
“Fine!”
“I’d like to take you up to Theatre before I start on my list. I may not have time to show you around before I need you to assist me some time in the near future so I’ve told Sister Maria I’d like to take you away from Outpatients for a short time.”
He moved into the cubicle and smiled down at the patient. “Looks like you’re going to be fourth time lucky with this baby, Tatiana. I had a word with your obstetrician over on Rhodes after your last appointment there and he’s very pleased with your progress.”
Tatiana beamed up at the handsome doctor. “I won’t have to go over to Rhodes for the birth, will I? I’d much prefer to be here.”
“Unless some complication develops, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be delivered here.”
“My husband’s already planning the celebration. You’re invited, of course, Dr Yannis. You were the one who suggested I should go over to Rhodes and see this doctor who specialises in women who’ve miscarried. I understand that he’s also a friend of yours.”
“Yes, he was at medical school with me…a long time ago.” Yannis swung round. “Must go. Take care of yourself and that precious baby, Tatiana.”
Cathy increased her speed to keep in step with Yannis as they went down the corridor together. His face was solemn again, but she was glad she’d noticed the easy, friendly manner he adopted with the patients.
Tatiana had been obviously delighted to see him. Patients and staff alike seemed to regard him as a heart-throb, from what Tanya had told her before she’d gone off to Australia. But Yannis seemed totally oblivious to the effect he had on the opposite sex.
“I thought it would be a good idea for you to familiarise yourself with our operating theatres before you’re called on to work there. I’ve checked up on your CV and found you’ve had considerable experience in surgery.”
“Yes, I was fortunate to have a lot of experience in my early career. I toyed with the idea of specialising at one point but decided to gain wider experience so that I could possibly train as a GP after I’d settled down and had a family.”
He turned to look down at Cathy, realising for the first time that he was walking too quickly—as often happened when he was nervous. And he was nervous now. Cathy had that effect on him. He’d no idea why—well, he had, but now wasn’t a good time to dwell on it.
“So you always intended to settle down and have a family?” He slowed his pace to a halt so that he could take a proper look at the attractive woman beside him.
She smiled up at him, relieved that he’d called a halt. “I never actually made any firm decisions about anything in my early career. Things just sort of happened and I went along with the flow. I always wanted to be a doctor but…what kind?” She spread out her hands in front of him. “That changed as I went along, always becoming enthusiastic about the project I was on at the moment and…”
“That’s good! To be enthusiastic about your job, I mean.”
He couldn’t help admiring the way her clear blue eyes shone when she found a subject that interested her.
“Not unless you end up as a kind of jack of all trades, master of none.”
“I think you underestimate your career progress so far,” he said quietly as he decided he really should make the effort to move on.
“You’ve got a wealth of experience, which will come in useful in a hospital like ours. Here on the island we have a certain amount of autonomy. In emergencies we have to take decisions whether to operate on a dangerously ill patient or to have him or her transferred over to the bigger hospital in Rhodes. If time is against us or if, due to adverse weather conditions, the helicopter ambulance is grounded, we have to go ahead with the necessary surgery here.”
A couple of nurses had just passed by, giving them inquisitive glances. He didn’t want to give any cause for tongues to start wagging. “As far as I can see, you’ve steered a steady course since you qualified, gaining a great deal of valuable experience. And this was to achieve your aim to become a GP, you say?”
“I figured it would make sense if I were to find my life partner and settle down to have a large family.”
“Your life partner?” His brown eyes were searing into hers. She held her breath, mesmerised by being the centre of his attention. “Do you believe there is a designated person who is meant to be your life partner, your soul-mate?”
Oh, heavens! She wished she hadn’t started opening up to him like this.
“Possibly,” she said softly, her eyes searching his face. “At least, I did when I was much younger, before I became… disillusioned.”
“Oh, you must never become disillusioned about love,” he said in a husky, deeply sensual voice.
Looking down at Cathy now, he was trying hard to remind himself that he’d already experienced what it was like to have a soul-mate. His hand moved as if by someone else and gently touched her face, her skin so soft, her expression so vulnerable.
“You’ve just been unlucky,” he finished off quietly. “But don’t give up hope.” He put his hand under her elbow. “We’d better get on. I’m expected to in Theatre shortly.”
As they walked along together again, he was telling himself that he would like to see Cathy settled with a life partner. It would suit her. She was obviously a devoted and competent mother, running a career and parenthood at the same time with no help from a partner. He swallowed hard. How ironic it was that he’d lost his partner and his unborn child and here was a young woman with a child and no man to love her.
He was bound to Maroula even though she wasn’t there. And Cathy, with her unfortunate, if mysterious, experiences in the past making her wary of forming another liaison certainly wouldn’t want to take on a grieving widower.
They were reaching the surgical suite. He gave Cathy a whistle-stop tour of Theatre number three which he knew to be empty. It would be easier to look around without having staff members there.
She was nodding. “It’s very well equipped!”
He smiled. “Oh, yes, we’re equipped for general surgery and most specialist procedures.”
A nurse pushed open one of the swing doors. “We’re ready for you now, Dr Yannis.”
“Is the anaesthetist here?”
“Yes, he’s waiting for your instructions.” She paused. “I’m afraid your assistant hasn’t arrived yet. The morning boat from Rhodes is late due to the high wind that blew up during the night. Sister is trying to arrange for someone to take his place but—’
“Tell Sister not to worry. I’m sure Dr Meredith would assist me, wouldn’t you?” He turned to Cathy. “They’re well staffed in Outpatients this morning. You’d be more use up here in Theatre. What do you say?”
“If that’s where you’d like me to work,” she said evenly.
“Just for the first operation. It’s an appendectomy so shouldn’t take long. The patient has been having tests to check why she experiences occasional pain in the area of the appendix. After studying the results of the tests and scans, my conclusion is that it would be best to remove it. I put her first on the list and set the wheels in motion after you called in to see me this morning.”
He turned to look at the young nurse. “You’re sure our patient has been fully prepped? She’s been starved long enough, hasn’t she?”
“Yes, sir. She’s had nothing to eat since midnight, hoping that you would decide to operate this morning.”
“Excellent!”
Cathy scrubbed up at the next sink to Yannis. She held her hands out. A nurse was waiting with a sterile gown to Velcro down her back. Gloves were peeled over her hands. Yannis glanced down approvingly. “Let’s go.”
She followed behind, noting that Theatre one was exactly like the one she’d just checked out. The surgical team looked alert and focused. Yannis raised an eyebrow above his mask as he looked across the inert figure towards Cathy.
“Scalpel, Cathy.”
As she handed him the required instrument she was feeling relieved that he’d chosen to call her Cathy. He’d already introduced her as Dr Cathy Meredith to the assembled team. But it made her feel special, that she was some kind of friend with the surgeon. A kind of friend; that was a good description that she should try to remember if she could.
For the next half-hour she was totally committed to the task in hand. Yannis quickly cut through the patient’s abdominal muscles to expose the angry-looking appendix. Yes, the patient would certainly feel much better when that infected organ was disposed of. Yannis was checking other organs in the vicinity.
“It’s just the appendix that’s infected,” he told the assembled team. “No other organ has been affected. Have the biopsies checked out, Sister. Let me know the results as soon as you get them back from the lab. I took a biopsy of this ovary as a precaution. It looks healthy enough but it’s in very close proximity to the infected area.”
The swing doors opened as a young, harassed-looking young man already swathed in surgical gown and mask arrived.
“Ah, Nikolas! Good of you to join us! Problem with the boat, I hear… Thank you, Cathy. You were a great help. You are free to go back to Outpatients now. I’ll see you later.”
Cathy smiled at the young man as she went out. From the greenish colour of his skin above the mask it looked as if he wasn’t such a good sailor. “Sure you don’t want me to take over for the morning, Nikolas?” she whispered as they passed each other.
“Better keep in with the boss,” he muttered. “I’m new here and—”
“So am I.” She pulled down her mask and smiled at the new recruit, who looked terrified of the ordeal ahead.
