‘All noted.’ Toni swept out.
She made her way back to the nurses’ station, the busyness of the morning enveloping her. But an hour later, she was on her way upstairs to the children’s ward. Amy needed a break.
She popped her head in, turning to speak to Jennifer on the desk. ‘Michael Yates, Jen?’
The senior nurse flapped a hand. ‘Right down the end in the cot. The reg arrived a while ago to check him over. He’s gorgeous, isn’t he?’
‘Michael?’
Jennifer rolled her eyes. ‘Riccardi.’
Toni wasn’t about to go there. She still hadn’t made up her mind about anything to do with Rafe Riccardi. ‘He probably is,’ she flannelled instead. ‘If you go for tall, dark, bloody-minded men.’
‘Oh, my stars, Toni Morell!’ A teasing smile curved Jen’s mouth. ‘You fancy him!’
Toni clicked her tongue exasperatedly and skipped away, drawing to an abrupt stop when she saw Rafe and Amy, their heads together in obvious earnest conversation. She watched as Amy’s dark little head came back and she laughed at something Rafe said. And then he touched the nurse briefly on the shoulder before exiting from the door at the far end of the ward.
‘Well, ten out of ten,’ Toni murmured, feeling a tiny flicker of satisfaction. Rafe had obviously taken their talk to heart and made the effort to smooth things over with Amy. He’d kept his word. And that, as far as Toni was concerned, had earned him a large tick of approval.
Oh, heck! Impatiently, she swept her hair up from the nape of her neck and let it fall back. Surely she wasn’t actually beginning to like the man?
She walked briskly along the ward to Michael’s cot. ‘Everything OK?’ she asked softly.
‘Still a bit out of it, I think.’ Amy was sitting by the cot, stroking the toddler’s chubby little arm.
‘That’s understandable.’ Toni ran her eye over the chart. Pain relief had been administered and the child was being kept hydrated. There was little more they could do now than to monitor Michael’s neuro responses. If nothing untoward presented, Rafe would probably allow Lisa to take her son home. ‘He’ll probably drop off to sleep soon.’ Toni bent and touched a finger to the baby-soft cheek. ‘But, Amy, if for any reason you have to take him out of the cot, be sure to carry him, won’t you? We don’t want him falling.’
‘I have nursed in Kids before, Toni,’ Amy said with a wry little smile. ‘I’ll take great care of Michael.’
‘Of course you will.’ Toni made a face. ‘Sorry. I’m a bit distracted this morning.’
Amy chuckled. ‘The new reg would distract anyone.’
Toni held back a cryptic comment. Not Amy too. ‘Mel is coming up to relieve you shortly. It’s time for your break. Make sure you take it, please.’
There was a flurry around the station when Toni returned to Casualty. ‘What’s going on?’
‘These amazing roses just arrived!’ Harmony’s blonde ponytail jiggled as her head tipped from side to side in excitement.
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.’
