bet on it. Mum’s just bought a massive stainless steel vacuum flask; you’ll be supping on her Irish broth for weeks yet.’ When Meg didn’t laugh Kathy continued tentatively. ‘A bit nervous, huh?’
Meg nodded. ‘A bit,’ she admitted. ‘It doesn’t help that everyone thinks I fell asleep at the wheel.’
‘It will be old news soon. They’ll soon find something else to talk about.’
‘I just wish I could remember what happened.’
‘You will.’
Meg fiddled with her spoon. ‘I feel as if I’ve been away for months, not just a couple of weeks. I’m more nervous than when I first started there.’
‘Once you’ve been there a couple of hours you’ll soon be back in the swing of things. They seem a nice bunch of girls; you should try to get to know them better. That Jess was lovely to us while you were sleeping.’
‘Oh, Jess is nice. She can be a bit overbearing, but it’s all well meant. She’s probably the one I’m closest to, but a night out with Jess isn’t going to do my social life wonders—it would be like going out with Mum.’
‘What about the rest of them?’ Kathy asked.
‘They all seem nice enough,’ Meg replied. ‘But I don’t really know them. I mean, we chat about work and what we did on our days off, but apart from Jess I don’t really know much about any of them.’
‘And whose fault is that?’ Kathy said gently. ‘Look, Meg, I know you’ve had it tough recently, but it’s really time to move on, let the world in a bit.’
Meg nodded. ‘I know it is.’
Kathy put a hand up to her sister’s forehead, an incredulous look on her face. ‘Quick—call a doctor! The girl must be delirious. You’re not actually agreeing with me, are you?’
Meg grinned as she pushed Kathy’s hand away. ‘For once I am. Bloody Vince.’
‘Absolutely,’ Kathy agreed, grinning broadly. ‘That’s more like it. There’s a whole world out there full of gorgeous single men.’
‘Hold on a moment,’ Meg said quickly. ‘A relationship’s the last thing I want at the moment. I’m talking about resuming a social life, nothing else. I mean it,’ she added as Kathy gave her a questioning look.
‘I believe you,’ Kathy said, but just as Meg started to relax a meddling look flashed across her sister’s face. ‘But if there was anyone you wanted me to add to the party list, you know you’d only have to ask?’
For a nanosecond Meg’s mind involuntarily flashed to Flynn—the Flynn who had sat with her in the car, not the jackbooted doctor who had visited her in the obs ward—but resolutely she pushed all thought of him away. That was one path she definitely wasn’t heading down—and anyway, the last person she wanted to help with her love life was her little sister; a girl had to have some pride! ‘I’m quite capable of sorting out my own social life, thank you very much.’
Kathy grinned, not in the slightest bit bothered by Meg’s haughty tones. ‘Okay, okay, it was only a suggestion.’ Picking up the last of Meg’s bread, she popped it into her mouth. ‘At least it’s a start.’
* * *
A small start, perhaps, but to Meg it felt monumental. This time when she pulled on her uniform and clipped on her badges she forced a smile as she made her way out to the department, utterly determined that when someone suggested heading off to the bar after work, or a house party next weekend, instead of murmuring her usual excuses she would smile warmly and agree to go.
‘Morning, Meg, welcome back.’
‘Good morning, Carla, how are you?’
Unless it was Carla.
Meg quickly made a sub-clause in her self-imposed contract. A students’ bash with cheap wine and even cheaper comments from the medical and nursing students she could do without. She wasn’t that desperate.
Yet.
‘Fine.’ Carla flicked her long blonde fringe out of her eyes and Meg watched as it promptly fell back over them, tempted to tell her to take a bandage from the trolley and tie the shaggy mess back. But, in the spirit of it being her first day back, Meg said nothing. Jess could sort Carla out later.
‘Where are you working this morning?’
‘I’m in the cubicles at the moment, but Jess said that if anything comes into resus I’m to go in.’
Meg heard the nervous note in the young student’s voice. ‘You’ll be fine. No one will expect you to do anything, you’re just there to observe, and when you’re feeling up to it you can join in.’
‘Thanks. Will you be in there?’
Meg was saved from answering as Jess appeared, crisp and fresh in her white linen blouse. ‘How about it, Meg? Do you fancy starting back in the deep end? We’re a bit low on numbers this morning, and I’m supposed to be going to an occupational health and safety lecture at ten. I can’t believe it’s been two years since my last.’
‘No problem,’ Meg answered, before turning to give Carla a reassuring smile. ‘Dr Campbell is really nice to work with in resus.’
‘Except he’s on two weeks’ annual leave.’ Jess rolled her eyes. ‘Flynn’s on this morning. If it’s quiet he wants to lecture the students and the grad nurses in CPR—or BLS, as it’s called now. Why do they have to keep changing things? And when does this place ever stay quiet?’ she asked, but as usual didn’t bother to wait for an answer. ‘I’ve told him Annie is off having her arm stitched back on, but he still wants to go ahead.’
‘What happened to Annie?’ Meg asked. Annie, the plastic doll the staff practised their lifesaving skills on, was a popular member of the staff, and the concern in Meg’s voice was genuine.
‘My lips are sealed,’ Jess said dramatically, which meant she was pausing for breath before she continued. ‘Let’s just hope that next time our dear Dr Kelsey tries to show the new interns how to reduce a dislocated shoulder, he’ll leave poor Annie alone. The man doesn’t know his own strength.’ Tutting away, Jess turned her attention to Carla. ‘In my day—and, I hasten to add it wasn’t that long ago—we wore hats, and with good reason. Now, go and do something about that blessed fringe of yours or I’ll make you wear a theatre cap for the rest of your rotation.’
As she bustled off Carla rolled her eyes and turned to Meg. ‘She talks as if she trained during the Second World War; just how old is Jess?’
‘Fifty-something,’ Meg mumbled.
‘Oh, well, I guess that explains it,’ Carla replied, accepting the bandage Meg offered her and managing to still look gorgeous with a massive white bow on the top of her head.
‘Which means she’s got a lot of experience,’ Meg said pointedly, annoyed at Carla’s surly comments. ‘I know first-hand what a good nurse she is—and not just from a professional point of view. Jess is the first person you want to see when you’re coming through those doors on a stretcher. Tying up your
