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was about as helpful as suggesting she ring Josh if there were any problems. There was as much chance of Linda resiting an IV as Josh leaving his wife’s side.

      ‘How were Lachlan’s family?’ Carrie asked.

      ‘Upset, relieved—the usual. I said they could pop in for two minutes before we transfer him.’

      But Carrie wasn’t having any of it. ‘You know the rules. They’ll have to wait until he’s transferred to the ward, like every other family has to. Just because his father’s a consultant here—’

      ‘His father’s not the only consultant here,’ Jeremy reminded her. ‘If you’re so against staff having the occasional perk, like seeing their critically ill son in the recovery room, maybe it’s just as well you work in the operating room, Carrie. Your personality wouldn’t go down too well with a conscious patient.’

      Alice watched as Carrie’s shoulders stiffened, two spots of colour burning on her angry, taut cheeks. And though Alice knew Carrie had been out of line, the way she had addressed Jeremy, she actually felt sorry for her. Jeremy might have been a consultant, but he had by all accounts been more to her than that, and from her reaction towards him it wasn’t all over where Carrie was concerned.

      ‘Any news on Josh?’

      Alice shook her head as she made her way over to Fi, who was coming out from handover. ‘Not yet. I suppose he’s got a million relatives and friends to ring before he gets around to letting us know.’

      Fi shrugged. ‘Dianne’s probably still in labour. Looks like it’s going to be a long hard night for womankind tonight. I suppose you’re covering for Josh as well as your own work?’

      ‘Linda’s going to help out,’ Alice said without much enthusiasm.

      ‘Like I said, it’s going to be a long hard night.’

      Alice wasn’t given to moaning about her colleagues, but Fi’s inference was so spot on that Alice couldn’t help but give a small smile. ‘I bought some doughnuts,’ she said holding out a brown paper bag, which Fi accepted with a laugh.

      ‘Then what have I got to moan about? I’d better start doing the drugs. How about you? Do you need anything?’

      Alice shook her head. ‘I’m pretty much up to date. I’ve got a couple of bloods to do at eleven so I’ll be back then. I’m going to head down to A and E—there’s a couple of patients Linda wants to admit that need to be clerked before they can be sent up to the ward, and then...’ Her voice trailed off as Jeremy and Linda walked through the ward doors.

      ‘Bit late for a ward round,’ Fi muttered.

      ‘How’s Lachlan Scott doing?’ Jeremy enquired.

      ‘His temperature’s come down and his obs are stable,’ Alice answered. ‘I just left him.’

      ‘Good. We’re just going to have a quick look before I head off.’

      ‘Sure.’

      But though Linda headed off to the HDU section, Jeremy just stood there. ‘Er, I was wondering if I could have a word?’

      ‘I’ll get on with the drugs,’ Fi said cheerfully, but Jeremy shook his head. ‘With both of you, please. Fi, do you mind if we go into your office?’ Not waiting for an answer, he led the way. Fi and Alice followed, a worried look passing between the two women. There must be a problem on the ward they didn’t know about. ‘Sit down, please.’

      Alice felt as if she were being hauled into the headmaster’s office for a telling-off, but when she finally looked up at Jeremy she realised that he wasn’t angry.

      ‘I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news.’

      Alice swallowed nervously.

      ‘What?’ Fi asked bluntly.

      ‘It would seem that Dianne’s labour wasn’t very straightforward.’

      Alice felt a cold shiver run down her spine.

      ‘Apparently, the first twin, a little boy, was delivered successfully, but there were problems getting the second twin out.’

      ‘Shoulder dystocia?’ Fi asked, her voice shaky, referring to a condition in labour where a baby’s shoulders have difficulty negotiating the bony pelvis.

      Jeremy shook his head. ‘No, Josh wasn’t very clear on the telephone but it would seem the second twin just didn’t descend at all. They had to use forceps, but they couldn’t get a grip. They made a number of attempts...’

      Alice winced at the thought, and Jeremy shot her a look.

      ‘Sorry, you probably don’t need to hear all the details.’

      But Alice shook her head fiercely ‘No, tell me. I’m all right.’

      ‘Well,’ he continued tentatively, ‘it would seem by the time they delivered the second twin, another little boy, he wasn’t breathing and there was no output. He had to be resuscitated. Apparently it was rather lengthy, though they did get him back. Anyway, the upshot is that the baby’s pretty sick. He’s on PICU. He’s bruised and battered from the forceps and he’s got some breathing difficulties.’

      ‘Poor Josh,’ Alice whispered, almost to herself. ‘And poor Dianne,’ she added. Although she had never met Dianne, her heart went out to this woman and the pain she must be feeling.

      ‘Obviously Josh will be taking some time off, which is going to mean more work for you, Alice.’

      ‘I’ll be fine,’ she said, her grey eyes brimming with tears. ‘It kind of puts things into perspective, doesn’t it?’

      Jeremy gave a brief nod. He wasn’t going to be drawn into a deep discussion, but she could tell from his eyes that this news had shaken him, too.

      It was a rather subdued group that made their way quietly out of the office. Linda was breaking the news rather less tactfully to the anaesthetic registrar.

      ‘Which is just great. We’ve got the consultant just back from sick leave, the reg on annual leave, the resident on paternity leave and the intern about to go on maternity leave. I’m carrying the lot of them.’

      ‘That’s what I like about you, Linda,’ Jeremy said dryly, as the anaesthetic reg signalled a desperate look at Linda to stop. ‘Your sense of team spirit.’ And without a backward glance he made his way across to Lachlan Scott, leaving Linda spluttering her excuses to his departing back.

      Blinking back tears, Alice made her way down to A and E. How could it all have gone so terribly wrong? She remembered Josh’s excited face just this morning. Oh, she knew things went wrong, that there were no guarantees of a perfect healthy baby, but why did it have to happen? And why to Josh and Dianne? It just wasn’t fair.

      A and E was busy, but wasn’t it always?

      ‘Hi, Alice.’ Fay, the Unit Manager greeted her.

      ‘Hi, Fay. I didn’t expect to see you. How come you’re on nights?’

      ‘Don’t ask.’ Fay rolled her eyes. ‘Given the fact that it’s me who does the roster, I guess I’ve only got myself to blame. Anyway, it might be chaotic down here, but from a surgical point of view it’s not too bad. There’s just two for you to clerk in. Linda’s seen them and ordered a few tests, but most can wait for the morning. As soon as you’re done I can shift them up to the ward and free up a couple of trolleys.’

      Which was an extremely nice way of saying ‘get on with it’.

      So she did, or at least she tried to, but no sooner had she clerked the first patient and was about to start with the second one than the sound of her pager signalled the end of her introduction to the patient.

      ‘I’m sorry, Mr West, I’ll just have to answer this. I’ll be back to clerk you, hopefully soon.’

      ‘No

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