The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (057) Nursing Angel

 

When they got to the hospital, she parked in a staff bay and walked him inside and was greeted by Nurse Kevin Holland

“I thought it was your day off” he said

“It is, but we had a collision” Cath replied

“What! A car crash?” Kevin exclaimed

“No, Sleds” she replied sheepishly

“Blimey Cath it’s busy enough here today without you creating more casualties” he said and laughed.

 

After booking him in they sat in the waiting area, which was quite stuffy, so she slipped her coat off.

“You don’t have to stay” he said, “it was good of you to bring in the first place.”

“I’m your designated driver” she replied, “So I’m staying.”

So, he watched her remove her woolly hat, releasing the mass of honey-coloured curls beneath it, and then watched them tumble onto her shoulders.

“Do you want me to undress you?” she asked as she stood in front of him and he just looked at her, then she blushed and added “You know what I mean.”

“Yes please”

So, she released the sling and gingerly extricated his arm, then she relocated the sling, before pulling the coat off his other arm.

“Thank you for that” Paul said and pulled his hat off, and it was her turn to marvel at his unruly jet-black locks.

 

They were only seated for about ten minutes and Kevin returned and took them into a cubicle, and Kevin went through the basics, ten minutes after that he was taken to x-ray and she was left holding his coat which smelt of him, which she breathed in deeply

“God, he smells good”

 

When he returned, she asked.

“What did you mean when you said “Yes, I remember” when I told you my name”

“We were at school together you were in the year below” he explained

“And you remember me?” she asked with surprise

“Of course, you're stil... the same”

“I don't remember you though” she said with a frown

“Thats because I'm not the same, I was a short chubster,” he explained “then when I got taller and slimmer, I got really bad acne”   

“Oh dear”

“You went out with someone in my year, I seem to remember” he said “Barry Kane,”

“Don’t remind me, what a waste of a summer he was” Cath said

Just at that moment Dr. Deborah Woodward pulled the curtain aside.

“Hello, I’m Dr. Woodward” she said, “I have good news and bad news.”

“Ok, let’s get the bad news out of the way first” he said.

“Well, I can confirm Cath was correct, your wrist is broken” she said.

 ”To be precise you have a distal radius fracture”

“And what’s the good news?” He asked

“Well, it’s a stable fracture so we can do it under local anaesthesia” she replied and then turned to Cath

“I know it’s your day off, but to speed things up would you mind doing the Entonox?”

“Of course, no problem”

“Thank you” the doctor said

“Ok sit tight and we'll take you to the plaster room as soon as people stop falling over and crashing sledges” Deborah said wryly 

 

After his arm had been set in plaster when they were left alone while he was still spaced out, she asked

“Remind me again why you remembered me from school?” 

You said I was still...?

“Drop dead gorgeous” he replied

“Good answer” she muttered to herself

 

Darkness had fallen by the time they left the hospital and after getting in the Landrover Paul said disappointedly

“I'm a bit disappointed with the colour my cousin got a choice of colours when he broke his arm”

“And how old was your cousin?” Cath asked

“8”

“Well there’s your answer” she said matter-of-factly, “You’re not 8 and if you were, you would be short and chubby”

“Thats very cruel” he said as she roared with laughter

The temperature had dropped making the roads quite treacherous, so it was a long slow drive down to Longlake Farm, but the time passed in good, humoured conversation.

 

“I can’t thank you enough for this” he said as she pulled up outside the farmhouse.

“Nonsense” she said and got out and walked around to the passenger side where she opened the door, and stood waiting as Paul tried to unfasten his seat belt,

“Let me help” she said and leant in to assist him and she smelt his cologne up close and personal, and he smelt good enough to eat.

So, after releasing the catch she looked at him before impulsively kissed him slowly and deliberately

“Is that better?” she asked

“Much better” he replied and kissed her back.

 

After helping Paul to the front door, she left him in the safe hands of his family before leaving Longlake Farm, Cath drove carefully back to Spaniards Creek and parked outside Cliff Haven then she knocked on the front door.

 

Molly and Danny were cuddled up on the sofa watching TV when they heard the knock and Danny got up to see who it was.

“Hello,” he said “come in out of the cold”

“Thanks” Cath replied

“Molly! it’s our Nursing Angel” he called

“How’s the patient?” she asked

“He’s fine, it was broken”

“Anything else happen?” Molly asked

“Well, when I was undoing his seat belt I....” she began

“You what?” Danny asked

“I kissed him without warning”

“Good choice, it worked for me” Molly said triumphantly

“And?” Danny persisted

“He kissed me back” Cath said

“That’s the clincher” Danny retorted

“There was also a bit of clinching” she admitted

“Excellent” Molly said

 

Cath Burley stayed at Cliff Haven for about 45 minutes before she walked the short distance to her parents’ house for a long-awaited meal, after which she spent an hour exchanging texts with Paul before she settled down for the night, because she was on an early shift the next morning.

At precisely the same time up at Bellevue Hospital Dr. Deborah Woodward was getting into bed in the on-call room. Because as a result of the snow she was having to work a double shift, as her relief was stranded on the mainland.