have him up in Theatre.’
He sauntered out, whistling, and Kathleen met Michael Barrington’s eyes. They were like chips of blue ice, his lips compressed into a thin line.
‘Call me if you need me in Theatre—but I’d just as soon Tim Mayhew did it—I don’t trust myself near that bastard.’
And he turned on his heel and stalked away, his limp almost imperceptible.
Jack raised an eyebrow. ‘What’s eating him?’
‘He’s a bloody cripple,’ she said succinctly.
‘What?’
‘He has an artificial leg. He went to assist at a passenger train derailment last year and got trapped in the wreckage. We had to amputate part of his leg to free him.’
‘Ah …’
Just then their patient moaned and opened his eyes. Kathleen was there instantly.
‘Steven? It’s all right, you’re in hospital. Can you hear me?’
He licked his lips and nodded slightly. ‘Messed it up, didn’t I?’ His voice was a mere thread. ‘I thought it would be quick,’ he went on painfully. ‘Let me go—please, let me go. You don’t know what this is all about.’
She squeezed his hand. ‘Do you want to tell me?’
‘Danny,’ he whispered. ‘My fault … gave Danny—HIV.’
‘Oh, Christ,’ someone muttered behind her. Kathleen closed her eyes. The room was a bloodbath, all of them were covered, and their patient was HIV positive.
Great. Oh, well, it had happened before, doubtless it would happen again. As far as she was aware, no one had cut themselves or pricked themselves with a needle.
Behind her she could hear Jack calmly telling everyone to go and shower and change and come back in full barrier gear.
She could see blood on Jack’s cheek and on his arm above the gloves. God knows where it was on her.
Steve groaned again, and the nurse in her took over.
‘YOUR parents are here, Steven. They’re waiting to see you. Do you feel up to it?’
His mouth twisted in a bitter little smile. ‘You mean I’m going to feel better?’ he whispered.
It wasn’t really a question. Kathleen lifted her head and met Jack’s eyes pleadingly. He nodded.
It was time to be honest.
‘You’ve got severe chest and abdominal injuries, as well as the injuries to your legs.’
‘Will I die?’
She was struck by how blue his eyes were as they bored into her own—blue and clear, like the sky. What a bloody waste.
‘I’m afraid it’s quite likely.’
‘Don’t be—afraid. It’s OK, really. It’s what I want …’
His eyes flickered closed, and he licked his lips. ‘Love a drink.’
‘I’ll get you some iced water.’
She found a nurse and sent her for it, and then held the cup and dabbed his lips with a swab dipped in the water.
‘Thanks.’ His voice was weaker. Kathleen didn’t think they could afford to wait any longer.
She met Jack’s eyes, and he nodded. ‘I’ll get them.’
‘Thanks.’
As he moved past her, she took a clean swab and wiped his cheek.
‘You could change your coat first.’
He glanced down and gave a short, humourless grunt of laughter. ‘Yes, I think you’re right. Put a blanket over him.’
He was only gone a minute, and when he returned, it was with a couple in their fifties who were holding hands as if they were desperately hanging on to reality.
They were obviously shocked by his condition and lost for words, but he shocked them further with his.
‘Never been what you wanted—I’m sorry. Never meant to hurt you,’ he whispered.
Kathleen swallowed a lump in her throat, Ben coughed discreetly and Jack busied himself at the X-ray box.
The phone on the wall rang softly, and Kathleen answered it.
Theatre’s ready for him,’ she said quietly.
Jack nodded and took a step towards Steve where he lay surrounded by his family, and then everything seemed to happen at once.
The monitor shrilled, Steve moaned, his mother gasped, and everybody leapt into action.
‘Pressure’s dropped right away,’ Kath said quietly.
‘Damn, he’s arrested,’ Jack muttered, and flung the covers off his chest.
Kath snatched up an airway and tipped back his head. ‘Ben, come and bag him while I get the drugs.’
She handed the airbag to the registrar while Jack pressed rhythmically on the patient’s sternum. ‘What do you want, IV adrenalin, calcium and atropine?’
Jack nodded. ‘And adrenalin into the heart. Let’s not mess about.’
Someone suggested to his parents that they should leave, but no one had time to show them out.
She handed Jack the syringe with the long needle, and he slid it neatly between the ribs and into the heart while Kath injected the other drugs into the giving set in his arm.
‘OK, let’s check the monitor.’
They glared at the screen, willing the line to flutter into life, but the trace remained persistently flat.
‘Come on, damn it!’ Jack muttered and thumped his chest again. ‘Now!’
Nothing.
‘Try again?’ Kath said quietly.
Jack let his breath out on a sigh and shook his head. ‘His aorta’s gone. It’s pointless. Damn, damn, damn …’
He removed his hands, stripped off his gloves and stepped back, only then noticing the stricken parents still standing near the door. He lifted his hands helplessly.
‘I’m sorry—we did everything we could.’
‘Oh, thank God it’s over,’ his mother said unsteadily, and then the tears overflowed and ran down her pale cheeks.
Kathleen carefully covered the shattered body with the blanket, but left his face
