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Toni’s heart almost juddered to a stop. Surely he hadn’t …? She looked helplessly at the blooms in the florist’s basket, with the chirpy little red hearts dancing from the wicker handle. Oh, lord … There had to be dozens of roses, all colours, and the perfume was divine.
‘They’re old-fashioned garden roses,’ Liz said knowledgeably. ‘My granddad grows beauties like these. They must have cost a fortune.’
‘Who are they for?’ Toni hoped no one but her could hear the little catch in her voice.
‘Apparently, they’re for the whole staff of the A and E.’ Liz held out the card. ‘See?’
Oh, for heaven’s sake. Toni stifled a groan. It seemed as though Riccardi was tearing around like a head stockman, mending fences all over the place.
‘Someone must think we’re pretty, damned hot,’ Ed joked. ‘The dream team!’ He did a high five with Harmony.
‘Could be from the Mayor,’ Justin said. ‘Remember, Joe operated on that infected ingrown toenail just before he left on leave?’
Liz snorted. ‘Bit of an extravagant thank you for an ingrown toenail! Toni.’ She turned to her friend. ‘Any ideas?’
Plenty, Toni thought, her heart returning slowly to its rightful place. But none she could voice here. ‘Perhaps, we’ll never know.’ She sidestepped the question deftly. ‘But we should get them in water for a start.’ She turned to one of their AINs. ‘Job for you, Sam?’
‘But there are heaps!’ The youngster looked dismayed. ‘What shall I do with them all?’
‘We could send some up to Midwifery,’ Toni suggested.
‘No,’ Liz dismissed. ‘They always have plenty.’
‘I’m about to take my break,’ Ed said cheerfully. ‘Why don’t I bike some over to the aged-care home? Give the oldies a buzz?’
‘Seniors, Ed,’ Toni reminded him, and then gave one of her megawatt smiles. ‘But I think that’s a wonderful idea. Are we all agreed?’
There was a chorus of approval.
‘The roses were from him, weren’t they?’ Liz demanded, when she and Toni had a minute on their own.
‘Probably.’ Toni had given up the fight to try to remain neutral.
‘The atmosphere in the place has lightened a hundred per cent since the flowers arrived,’ Liz said. ‘What on earth did you say to him?’
‘Probably far too much.’ But he’d given back as much as he’d got. In fact, they’d matched strikes like a couple of jousting combatants. Toni smothered a reminiscent smile. She’d enjoyed it, jousting with Rafe Riccardi. She wondered if he’d felt the same …
‘But it was such a nice gesture!’ Liz shook her head in quiet amazement. ‘You must have worked a small miracle on His Grumpiness.’ She chuckled.
‘I’m sure Rafe will be more sociable when he’s caught up on sleep,’ Toni responded, and wondered why she was going to bat for him. ‘Are you coming to the dinner do?’ She changed conversation lanes deftly.
‘You bet. It’s the first night out we’ve had in weeks. Mum is babysitting Lulu and William, and Matt’s promised to leave the studios early. Or I’ll kill him,’ Liz added calmly.
Toni smiled. Liz’s husband worked as a producer at the local radio station. ‘You’re so lucky, Lizzie. Two sweet kids and a husband who comes home to you at night.’
Liz rolled her eyes. ‘What about you? Are you bringing someone?’
‘No.’ Toni was definite. ‘I aim to stay for the dinner and then take off.’
‘Not staying for the slow dancing?’ Liz waggled her brows suggestively.
‘That’s all right for young lovers and you old married folk,’ Toni dismissed. ‘If I want to get up close and personal with a bloke, I’d rather challenge him to a game of tennis.’
Liz flipped some files into an out-tray. ‘You’re such a romantic!’
Toni showed Liz the tip of her tongue. ‘You’d be surprised what you can learn about someone’s character in a sporting context—especially if they’re losing. I believe the tickets have sold really well. Half the town seems to be going along.’
‘Well, the raffle prizes are exceptional,’ Liz said chattily. ‘A couple of the motor dealers have combined and donated a new car. And the winery’s putting up six cases of their finest. The council’s come good as well and contributed a luxury weekend for two at the Gold Coast.’
‘Then let’s hope folk are feeling generous and buy zillions of tickets,’ Toni endorsed. ‘That way we might just make enough to get our scanner.’
‘It’s quiet at the moment.’ Liz checked the department with a practised eye. ‘Mind if I take the early lunch? I want to get a shampoo and blow-wave.’
‘Go.’ Toni flapped a hand. ‘And thanks for jinxing us. I bet every man and his dog will come trailing in now.’
‘Well, you’ll cope with the men.’ Liz chuckled. ‘Just send the dogs along to the vet. See you.’ She grabbed her bag and took off.
Toni leaned on the counter, allowing herself a few moments of respite. Through the big plate-glass doors at the entrance she could see the gardens the groundsman, Kenny, had such pride in. In Australia, February was the hottest month on the calendar, yet he managed to nurture the plants along and now there were riotous splashes of colour everywhere.
Toni thought on. She was glad she lived in a country town in so many ways. But what was Rafe doing here? she wondered. And would they ever get close enough for him to confide in her?
Beside Toni, the emergency phone rang, bringing her back to reality with a snap. Replacing the receiver a few seconds later, she took off at speed towards Rafe’s office. She hoped he was there.
He was, looking up in query as she popped her head in.
‘Possible arrest coming into Resus. ETA six minutes.’
He was on his feet immediately and they were moving swiftly to the resus area. ‘Do we have a name?’ he asked.
‘It’s Carol McKay. She manages the dress shop in town. Cardiac history. The paramedics have given anginine with nil effect.’
‘We’ll have to wing it, then.’ Rafe’s voice was clipped. ‘And hope we come up with the right answers. What about family? Anyone to be notified?’
‘She’s a widow. Son works at the school. I’ll chase it up.’
‘Delegate to someone else,’ Rafe was firm. ‘I want you scrubbed and ready to catheterise. If our patient is overloaded, we don’t have time to mess about. Harmony?’ He rounded on the young RN. ‘I want you involved here, please.’
Harmony’s eyes went wide. ‘Yes, Doctor.’
‘And as soon as our patient hits the deck, I need the monitor leads on pronto.’
‘If the patient arrests, you’re number three, Harmony.’ Toni was scrubbing furiously.
‘Three?’ Harmony looked agitatedly from one to the other.
‘You’ll write what drugs are being given on the whiteboard,’ Toni said calmly. ‘And help with the IV fluids where necessary. You’ll be fine.’ She sent out a brief encouraging smile to the nurse.
‘Right.’ Harmony seemed spurred on by Toni’s confidence and began to get the intubation tray ready.
And then it was time for action.
The ambulance reversed into the bay, its doors already opening.
‘Be good, team.’ Rafe’s words snapped out and Carol McKay was wheeled rapidly into Resus.
The paramedic relayed what treatment they’d given, adding, ‘She’s not looking great, Doc.’
Rafe wasted no time in supposition. They had a life to save here. His hands moved like lightning, securing a tourniquet and IV in seconds. ‘Give me sixty of Lasix,’ he barked. ‘IDC in now, please, Toni. Let’s make a dent in that fluid.’
Toni’s hands were deft and sure. In seconds the indwelling catheter was in situ.
‘Good work,’ Rafe murmured, as the crippling fluid began draining away. ‘OK, let’s clamp at eight hundred mil. Sixty of Lasix, please.’
Harmony passed the dose. ‘That’s one-twenty so far, Doctor.’
‘Adjust the oxygen to full now, please. Carol?’ Rafe leaned closer to his patient. ‘Can you hear me? You’re in hospital. Did you forget to take your medication today?’
Carol’s eyes fluttered open. ‘Mmm,’ she murmured. ‘Sorry …’
‘That’s OK,’ Rafe spoke gently. ‘So long as we know, we can treat you. Try to relax now and breathe into the mask. How’s the BP doing, Antonia?’
‘One-sixty over a hundred. Pulse a hundred and ten, resps thirty.’
Rafe acknowledged her call with a swift nod. So far so good but his gut feeling was telling him they weren’t out of the woods yet.
Toni began to sponge Carol’s forehead. She still looked very unwell, very clammy … Alarm ripped through Toni and automatically she felt for a pulse. Nothing. She hit the arrest button. There was a flurry outside and Justin appeared.
‘Will you intubate, please, Justin?’ Rafe was professional and calm. ‘And I need adrenaline ten here.’
Harmony slapped the prepared dose into his hand.
‘And another ten. Any pulse?’
‘No.’ Toni felt her nerves pull tightly.
‘Let’s defib, then, please.’
‘Charging.’ Toni’s teeth clenched on her lower lip.
‘All clear.’ Rafe discharged the paddles.
All gazes swung to the monitor.
‘Damn all …’ Rafe spat the words from between clenched teeth. ‘Let’s go again. Clear.’
This time the trace bleeped, faded and then staggered into a rhythm. ‘Yes …’ Rafe’s relief was controlled. ‘We’ve got her. Thanks, everyone.’
‘You did really well today, Harmony.’ Toni was fulsome in her praise for the younger woman.
‘Oh—thanks, Toni.’ Harmony gave a pleased smile.
They were putting the resus room back to rights, Carol McKay having been transferred to the hospital’s small IC unit. ‘I’ve had a few doubts about working in A and E,’ she confessed, stuffing the used linen into a laundry bin.
‘Well, it’s not for everyone,’ Toni agreed. ‘Is there an area you’d prefer?’
Harmony bit her lip. ‘It’s difficult to know when I’ve only just begun my nursing. We were sheltered from quite a bit in our training. It’s different when you’re actually part of the team.’
‘Well, never be afraid to ask,’ Toni counselled. ‘You’re newly graduated. You’re not expected to know everything. I think we’re about finished in here.’ She did a quick inventory. ‘Anything you want to debrief about before we go?’
Harmony hesitated. ‘Will we be transferring Carol on?’
‘Not at this stage. Rafe is presently calling her cardiologist in Sydney. We’ll know a bit more later.’
‘I … guess she won’t be able to open her shop for a while?’
‘Not sure,’ Toni said. ‘She may have someone who could stand in for her. Carol has great stock. Have you bought anything there?’
‘I actually bought a dress for the Valentine dance.’ Harmony made a small face. ‘Carol was having it altered it for me. I was supposed to pick it up after work today.’
Toni was sympathetic to the younger woman’s obvious disappointment. ‘Have you something else you could wear?’
‘Nothing new.’ Harmony shrugged dispiritedly. ‘I so wanted this dress, Toni.’ Her cheeks went pink. ‘Justin’s asked me to go with him.’
Dating a doctor. Toni gave an inward wry smile. She’d done a bit of that in her time. And it had been fun—until she’d met Dr Alex Nicol. He’d come as a relieving MO to St Vincent’s in Sydney, where she’d been working in A and E. And she’d fallen for him, beguiled by his Geordie accent, his craggy looks, his sense of humour. He’d told her he was separated and getting divorced and she’d believed him. But then it turned out, he hadn’t been truthful …
Toni stifled the unproductive trip into past. It was water under the Harbour bridge. Gone. Like Alex had gone back to England. To his wife.
‘Hey, guys.’ Amy popped her head in. ‘Need a hand to clear up?’
‘We’re about done, thanks, Amy.’ Toni jerked back to the present, refolding the blanket she’d been holding.
‘What’s up?’ Amy had caught her air of introspection. ‘Carol will be all right, won’t she?’
‘Should be,’ Toni said. ‘But with Carol away from her shop, Harmony has a bit of a dilemma about her dress for tonight.’
Amy was all attention. ‘What’s happened, Harms?’
Harmony explained her difficulty.
‘I could lend you something.’ Amy gave the junior a quick assessing look. ‘We’re about the same size. And I got some amazing clothes recently when Leo and I were over in Singapore. Why don’t we hook up after work and go back to mine? If you like something, it’s yours. OK?’
‘Are you kidding me?’ Harmony’s blue eyes widened in happy disbelief. ‘That would so be totally awesome. I love your style, Amy!’
‘Oh, thanks.’ Harmony dimpled a smile. ‘Deal, then?’
‘Deal.’
Laughing, the two walked off together, heads turned towards each other, eagerly discussing the celebrations for the night ahead.
