They were familiar but he didn’t know why. “And you are?”
“Stacey Ryder, your new clinical nurse specialist. I thought I’d stand in today and see your technique. It makes it easier to sound confident in front of the family when I’ve seen the doctor in action.”
Normally Cody would have met his replacement nurse before she started. Instead he had trusted the personnel department to handle it. His regular nurse would be out for a month, taking care of her aging mother after a surgery. He had just vetted this new one on paper, seeing she came with the highest recommendations. However, her straightforward approach hadn’t been noted.
There were suppressed murmurs behind the masks of his team members. Were they as shocked by her boldness as he? As a rule, the people he worked with didn’t use such an imperious tone with him.
Cody caught and held her attention. “You’re welcome to stay but don’t get in the way.”
“Understood, Doctor.”
Giving her a curt nod, he crisply announced, “Let’s get this tennis player back on the court.”
“Yes, sir,” Stacey Ryder quipped with a note of humor in her voice as if she had given him a mental salute. He narrowed his eyes. She didn’t blink.
Dismissing her, Cody looked at the knee, making sure it was the one he’d written his initials on. The patient’s leg already had a tourniquet in place and was secured to the table in a padded leg holder. Cody made a small incision to prepare for the diagnostic camera that would give him a view of the joint. He located the damaged meniscus and probed it with a tiny metal hook.
“This is going to be a pretty extensive repair. I hope no one has early lunch plans. Shaver.”
The surgical nurse handed the instrument to him. He trimmed the edges of the tear. “This isn’t going to be enough.”
“Why not?” his new clinical nurse asked.
“Because I’m not pleased with the blood flow.”
She looked at him. “So, what’re you going to do?”
He glared back at her. “Ms. Ryder, I don’t usually teach procedure during my operations.”
“I’m sure you don’t but I’d like to know enough to help the families understand and also save you time when you talk to them.”
Cody couldn’t fault her logic. “I’m going to make the lining bleed and then suture it together. First I need to make another incision to work through to do that.” As he did so, blood oozed into the field, making his visibility poor. Without him having to ask, Stacey used already prepared gauzes on forceps to wipe it away.
“We need to get that under control before I continue,” he stated. “I’m ready to suture.”
His surgical nurse handed him the equipment required.
“Nurse Ryder, I need you to keep the area clear while I work.”
“Yes, sir.” She replaced the gauze and dabbed the area.
Cody watched. “Good.” He worked the thread into a neat stitch.
“Doctor, since you seem to have improved your tying skills since this morning, I’m going to speak to the family now. They must be anxious.”
Cody frowned at her. Her eyes snapped with humor. That second he realized why he recognized those eyes. She was referring to his inability to tie Lizzy’s bow. They would have a talk about her OR decorum later. His voice tight with disapproval, he said, “Please tell the family I’ll be out to see them in soon.”
“Yes, sir.” She quietly left.
For some reason the room suddenly felt cooler.
* * *
Stacey was still sitting with the family when Dr. Brennan strolled into the waiting room with a smile on his face. She had to admit it was a nice one. For a while there, she hadn’t been sure if he knew how to form one. It was so congenial she was sure if he turned it on her, her stomach would flutter. Stacey wrinkled her nose. Why would she think that?
Had she overstepped in the OR when she’d teased him about “tying” his stitches? By the steely look in his eye she might well have. Sometimes her humor was misplaced. She was so used to working in laid-back, often difficult conditions where levity was required. This wasn’t one of those situations. In fact, this was the nicest, most upscale medical facility she’d ever been in.
When the director of the World Travel Nursing Agency had told her about her next assignment, she’d shared with Stacey information about the fabulous care given at the Maple Island Clinic. It turned out it was true, right down to the beautiful island and the top-notch physicians.
Dr. Brennan certainly knew his stuff. She’d seen enough good and bad surgeries on her journeys to recognize a surgeon with exceptional skills. Not just the abilities acquired through training and experience, but that special touch inherent in someone devoted to his patients’ welfare. Did that quality extend to other areas of his life?
He’d been great with his daughter, despite his charming ineptness with her bow. It probably came more from being in a hurry rather than incompetence. Something about Dr. Brennan’s manner made her believe he worked hard at being confident and competent in every aspect of his life. She also had the idea he was driven to keep any weakness or flaws well concealed.
“Here’s Dr. Brennan now,” Stacey said to the middle-aged mother of their patient seated beside her. Releasing her hand, Stacey stood. “I’m sure he can tell you more.”
Dr. Brennan had pulled a long white lab coat over his scrubs. His thick chestnut hair was still mussed from removing his surgical cap. She guessed he’d only run a hand through it because a lock hung over his forehead. The effect gave him a less polished look than he’d had that morning in front of the day care. Deciding she liked this version better, Stacey stepped out of his way.
He sat on the edge of the chair she had vacated and turned to the mother. “Your son’s doing very well and is in Recovery right now. He’ll be in some pain, but I promise we’re handling it. You’ll be able to see him in about an hour.”
“Oh, Dr. Brennan. Thank you for taking care of him. Do you think this’ll get him back on the tennis court?”
He nodded. “I have complete confidence it will. Now, why don’t you go get something to eat and meet him in his room?” He turned to Stacey. “Nurse, would you please direct his family to the room where Mr. Washington will be?”
Stacey wasn’t sure where that would be, but she’d find out somehow. She wasn’t about to make her ignorance of that detail obvious to him so she answered with confidence. “I’ll be glad to.”
His attention returned to Mrs. Washington and he placed a hand on her shoulder. “If you need anything, will you let me or Nurse—”
“Please make it Stacey.” She looked at the woman with warmth before giving Dr. Brennan a pointed stare.
A thin smile curved his lips and he nodded once before leaving the way he’d come.
Stacey
