Emergency: Wife Lost And Found Part 6

Girlfriends had come and gone, pointing out that Pauline did nothing bar empty the dishwasher, shuffle the mess, watch pay TV and make inroads into his whisky-all true. Only not once in the five years she had been with him had James had to think about buying toothpaste, or even a toothbrush, had to iron his shirt, or wonder if there was anything to eat.

Pauline took care of that.

Her chatter drove him crazy-the Irish loved to tell a tale and Pauline certainly could-but, then, the time her knee had played up, to his surprise, he'd missed her moaning.

Whatever dinner she made at home-and her cooking was fabulous-was divided and plated for James and placed in his fridge. If she treated herself and her husband to a chocolate bar, she treated James too. It would be there waiting for him on the kitchen bench when he came home at two a.m., and after a Sat.u.r.day night in Emergency, being insulted or dealing with a suicide, well, that chocolate bar was welcome, but more the sentiment behind it-especially when it was accompanied by one of her notes. 'An Englishman walked into a bar...' Somehow, Pauline made James feel as if he had come home, and if she hired a movie and liked it, well, it was there waiting, too, on those nights he couldn't wind down from work and sleep.

A couple of years ago Pauline had taken a month off to go on a cruise with her husband, and James had fast realised that whatever she didn't do, she made up for with what she did do. She was talking about going on another cruise next year and James was already not looking forward to it.

'What sort of guest?' Pauline asked, wiping down the bench and working out her excuses, because if his mother was coming again, then her knee was suddenly hurting.

'Her name's Lorna.' The awkwardness in his voice made her look up, her dishcloth pausing in midswipe as James elaborated. 'My ex-wife.'

She'd known something was up. Her best friend, May, had been dropping hints like a semaph.o.r.e signaller for well over a week now, but never in her wildest dreams would Pauline have guessed there had once been a Mrs Morrell.

'Your ex-wife, you say?' Pauline stopped cleaning the bench and started loading bread into the toaster-pulling ham and cheese out of the fridge and taking a long time to find the jar of capers. 'I never knew you'd been married.' She said to a dozen eggs. She came out of the fridge with a smile on her face. 'Well, fancy that!'

'It was ages ago,' James said, flicking open the paper and pretending to read it. 'She's been in a car accident and isn't well enough yet to travel home.'

'And where's home?'

'Scotland.' James answered. 'Fife.'

'She's a Fifer.'

'No,' James said tartly, 'she's from Glasgow, but now she's in Fife. She'll only be here for a few days, but she'll need to stay in my room.'

'Your room?'

James looked up from the horoscope he was reading. 'She's sick-I've got an en suite. Can you freshen up the place and make me up a bed in the spare room? Lorna's a bit...'

'A bit what?' Pauline pushed.

'Fussy.' James said, then added. 'Your phone's bleeping.'

It was too!

A message from May.

Half day 2morrow-coffee in morning?

Can't. Pauline texted back. Pauline texted back. Have to work-guest arriving. Have to work-guest arriving.

Need a hand?

Pauline thought of James's shower that she hadn't visited in a while, the sheets that needed washing and changing, the ex-wife who was about to descend, and as James bit into his toasted sandwich, Pauline hit the send b.u.t.ton.

Please.

May and Pauline had been friends for years. Even though they had grown up near each other, they had only met in London when Pauline had been an orderly on a gynaecology ward and May had been a staff nurse. They had struck up an instant friendship that had easily grown, given how well their husbands got on too.

It had only dawned on Pauline in mid-interview, when James had been telling her about his rather erratic hours, that he was the the 'lovely Dr James' that May sometimes mentioned. Some sixth sense had told her to keep quiet, that if her prospective boss knew that her best friend happened to work alongside him, then she wouldn't get the job. 'lovely Dr James' that May sometimes mentioned. Some sixth sense had told her to keep quiet, that if her prospective boss knew that her best friend happened to work alongside him, then she wouldn't get the job.

And she wanted it.

An ex-wife was very different from a new girlfriend.

With as much gusto as if his mother were were coming, she changed sheets, sorted out the linen cupboard, wiped down the cutlery drawer and cleaned the fridge. In fact, she was kneeling on a rolled-up piece of towel, trying to coax a bit of jelly from last Christmas to melt, when May arrived, bunches of flowers in hand. coming, she changed sheets, sorted out the linen cupboard, wiped down the cutlery drawer and cleaned the fridge. In fact, she was kneeling on a rolled-up piece of towel, trying to coax a bit of jelly from last Christmas to melt, when May arrived, bunches of flowers in hand.

'If James comes home suddenly...' Pauline fretted, but May shook her head.

'The place is steaming-he won't be home for hours yet. Let's get to work.'

'We'll be sailing on the seven seas this time next year,' May reminded her as she sprayed the shower and Pauline took down the screen to soak it. 'Just think about that.'

Chapter Nine

PATIENTS often didn't realise just how ill they were when they're in hospital. often didn't realise just how ill they were when they're in hospital.

It's only when they went back into the real world and met the million and one things that made it real that they suddenly realised how poorly or sore they really were. And for Lorna the realisation came as she stood up in the wheelchair at the collection point and tried to lower herself into James's rather low sports car. Even putting on her seat belt herself was impossible. She couldn't twist to get it and neither could she easily twist to clip it-two simple manoeuvres that she'd never really given a thought to until now.

'I'll do it.'

He leant carefully over her and it was, for Lorna, their first contact, his big shoulders so close, his hair in her face. He smelt different but the same, so big and strong and efficient and gentle.

'Ouch!' Tears stung her eyes and she felt like the biggest baby in the world, but as he leant back and released the seat belt the pressure was unbearable.

'G.o.d, Lorna, I'm sorry.' He pulled at the belt and held it loose, unclipped it again and looked at her with concerned eyes. 'Just wait there.'

He darted into Emergency and came back with a pillow, which she held on her chest as he again went through the rigmarole of clipping her in.

And that was before she'd even got out of the hospital. Everything on the five-minute journey to his home was daunting, the winter sun too bright, the sound of a siren as fire engines raced towards them on the other side of the road made her sweat. Her memory of the accident had returned now. Not that she'd told anyone, but she could remember well the loss of control, the screech of the tyres, the slam of metal as she'd hit a tree. Now even going at twenty miles an hour in the busy London traffic felt way too fast.

'Nearly there.' James glanced over but she wished he wouldn't. She wanted him to keep his eyes on the road.

He had a lovely town house in Islington and he held her arm as slowly she climbed the steps, utterly exhausted by the time she got inside.

'It's lovely!' Lorna blinked at the gleaming furniture, the flowers in the vases. It was nothing like she was used to from James!

'I've got a surprise for you!' He waited till she'd lowered herself onto the chair.

'A surprise?'

He held up a bag and then opened it, pulled out pyjamas and dressing gown in soft pinks and greens, slippers, leggings and fluffy socks and lots of nice nice things. things.

'You shouldn't have.'

'I didn't.' James said. 'It's from May. The pyjamas are new, but the dressing gown and other things are her daughter's. She's off travelling for a year.'

'That's so kind of her.'

'She's a lovely woman,' James said, 'thoughtful, you know. Anyway-' his face was deadpan as he spoke, just the same way it used to be when he joked with her '-I couldn't have let you move in here wearing those. They truly are the most disgusting pyjamas I've ever seen and they keep getting worse.'

'It was a pack of three,' Lorna said glumly. 'Orange, pink and baby pooh green. I like to think my mother just has no taste, but I'm sure the fact James Morrell was there sent her searching the shops for the ugliest sleepwear in history, to stop him from fancying me.'

'Well, good for Betty.' James grinned. 'Because it worked!'

'I'll put them on when Ellie comes round.' Lorna carried on the joke. 'Just in case she's worried that your ex is here!'

He didn't say anything-he certainly wasn't going to tell her they'd broken up. That would would have her worried, would stop the easygoing banter that was starting to come. Lorna knew his rules, knew he would never so much as look at another woman while he was already with one. There was just no need to confuse things. When Lorna admitted she was tired, he helped her up the stairs and took her into the master bedroom. He had upped Pauline's hours and insisted the room have the biggest spring clean of its life since Monday. have her worried, would stop the easygoing banter that was starting to come. Lorna knew his rules, knew he would never so much as look at another woman while he was already with one. There was just no need to confuse things. When Lorna admitted she was tired, he helped her up the stairs and took her into the master bedroom. He had upped Pauline's hours and insisted the room have the biggest spring clean of its life since Monday.

'I can't take your room.'

'It's got its own toilet and shower,' James said, 'and a nice view of the street so you don't get too bored!'

'Way better than the hospital generator,' Lorna agreed.

'Do you want a shower?'

'No thanks.' She shook her head. 'I just want to sleep.'

'Go for it, then.' He pulled the curtains and the room was bathed in lovely darkness, so dark he had to turn on the side-light. 'I bought decent curtains, this room gets the sun and it's h.e.l.l trying to get to sleep in a bright room after working all night.' Suddenly it was awkward, so he headed for the door. 'Have a nice rest.'

She did, slid into bed and slept for a solid four hours, only waking again because she started coughing and the painkillers had worn off. She was relieved that James had stayed home for her first day here. She heard his footsteps on the stairs, a knock on the door. He must have been dozing himself, because his face had that lovely sort of crumpled look to it, and his hair was sticking up at the side.

'Here,' he said, giving her a drink of water and her lunchtime medicines. 'I'll get you some lunch.'

'I'm not hungry.'

'I wasn't asking if you were. I'm making lunch and you'll eat it whether you want it or not.'

'You have to be nice to me, remember.' Lorna smiled. 'Because I'm sick.'

Oh, and he had to bite his tongue. He was about to remind her that he'd always been nice to her, sick or not, that he'd always tried to do the right thing by her.

Only he'd also promised her that he wouldn't go over the past.

Chapter Ten

'I NEED NEED to listen to your chest.' to listen to your chest.'

James loved his job, but at times the system frustrated him. Lorna had dozed after lunch and slept most of the evening, eating some of the chicken soup he'd brought for her and drinking a gla.s.s of water as per his instructions. She promptly went back to sleep, only to wake after midnight, coughing and crying and coughing some more. This patient should not have been sent home, aside from the fact that her home was a six-hour drive away, it was too soon for a layperson to be expected to look after her. Worse, James thought as he leant her forward and listened to her chest, was the idea of her lying in a hotel room, coughing and in pain, with no one to look after her. No, this patient should be in a hospital bed, James said to himself as, embarra.s.sed for her, he helped Lorna with her b.u.t.tons and listened to the front of her chest.

The bruising was was appalling. He had been slightly taken aback by the strength of her a.n.a.lgesics, but, hey, seeing the bruising, he accepted it now. appalling. He had been slightly taken aback by the strength of her a.n.a.lgesics, but, hey, seeing the bruising, he accepted it now.

No wonder she'd sobbed when he'd put on the seat belt. Lorna was the toughest woman he knew, and for just a flash, a little flash, he remembered that first night home after her operation. Lorna had been in pain, but had lain quietly beside him and not once acknowledged it. How he'd wished that she had.

'A few creps...' He pulled off his stethoscope. He'd checked her temp and it was on the high side of normal, but James was sure it had recently been otherwise. Despite her urgent coughing, regular deep breathing was proving difficult, which meant, given the noise he had heard on her chest, that a chest infection was brewing.

'You ought to be re-admitted.' He saw her anguished look. 'Okay, we'll start you on some antibiotics, but if things don't turn around quickly, you'll have to go back for a chest X-ray. You need to do more deep breathing and coughing.'

'I can't stop stop coughing!' coughing!'

James headed over to work. It was a trip he was used to making in the middle of the night and he smiled when he saw May.

'Did we call you in?' May asked.

'Nope. I'm here for myself, well, Lorna actually. She's recuperating at my place for a few days before she goes back to Scotland.' He chatted as he wrote out a script and gave it to May. The emergency department carried a supply of drugs that could be dispensed at night, and May found a bottle of antibiotics while James took a vial and a needle and syringe.

'I'll give her an IM shot and then hopefully she'll be okay on oral. How long are you on nights for?'

'A couple of weeks. All the senior staff are having to pitch in,' May tutted. 'I know it's not the time or place, but we are so short of medical staff, there's too much falling on the nurses.'

'We're interviewing,' James said. 'There are more ads in the papers this week. That's all we can do at the moment.'

'Well, tell Lorna to hurry up and get well.'

'I'm hardly going to work with my ex-wife, May.' He grinned as she walked with him through the department.

'Well, she's staying with you, so you clearly get on and Ellie can't mind. She's a nice girl, Ellie.'

'She is.'

'It was nice to meet her.'

Driving home, there was a certain disquiet in James as he realised for the second time that day he had chosen to let people think Ellie and he were still an item. It was easier, James consoled himself, far, far easier than letting May get ideas. And as for Lorna...walking back into the house, he still hadn't come up with an answer to that one.