Page 39 of Prognosis Temporary

‘Just be there, for June, okay? If you think he’s close to the edge, leave the house with her and ring for an ambulance... Don’t engage him, okay?’

It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him she knew what she was doing but Callie could hear tension in his voice and guessed that this had to be hard for him. That he’d probably faced this situation not only professionally but personally.

‘Of course,’ she murmured reassuringly then ended the call.

When Callie arrived at the Jessop’s she was greeted by Frank’s wife as if she was a floatation device and June was drowning. A small bird of a woman in her seventies, she looked frantic and had obviously been crying.

‘Are you okay?’ Callie asked, surreptitiously running her gaze all over June to check she hadn’t been harmed. ‘Has he hurt you?’

‘No, no, no,’ June dismissed. ‘He hasn’t...he never would. I just...’ She pressed her hand to her mouth. ‘I haven’t seen him like this in a long time.’

Callie reached for June’s hands and smiled. ‘It’s okay now. I’m here and Sebastian’s on his way.’

‘Thank you,’ June whispered. ‘Thank you.’

Callie smiled again and squeezed the woman’s hand. ‘I might just pop in and check on him, okay?’

June nodded. ‘Would you, please? I’m so worried.’

Callie’s heart went out to June. Her love for her husband, even in his disturbed state, was inspirational. ‘Of course.’

Callie followed June into the front lounge room. Frank was sitting on one of the chairs, the leather cracked and worn, staring at the floor. He was rocking slightly and muttering to himself.

An image of Andy rose in her mind and she quashed it.

‘Hello, Frank. Do you remember me?’ Callie approached slowly and stopped a few feet away. ‘Callie Douglas? One of the nurses from Jambalyn.’

Frank looked up at her, still rocking. He frowned and it was as if he was looking straight through her before he returned his gaze to the floor.

‘Okay. Well, I’m going to have a cup of tea with June while we wait for Sebastian. Can I get you one?’

Frank curled his lip at her. ‘No tea,’ he barked. ‘No shrink.’

Callie nodded. ‘Okay. I’ll just be out in the kitchen with June.’

June burst into tears when Callie reached the kitchen and she put her arm around the older woman, ushering her to the table. She busied herself making tea while keeping one ear on the occasional mutterings from the lounge.

She kept up a constant stream of inane chatter. She should have been trying to establish the events that had led to this breakdown but June seemed too raw and Callie knew she’d have to go over it enough times today as it was.

Sebastian arrived within twenty minutes and she greeted him at the door. He looked tall and capable and commanding coming up the path and her heart skipped a beat or two. She filled him in on her appraisal of Frank and the situation as they walked to the kitchen.

He sat down next to June and put his arm around her shoulders, murmuring to her in a low voice, asking the questions Callie hadn’t and telling her everything was going to be okay then he stood.

‘I’ll go and say hi,’ he said.

––––––––

Two hours later theywere driving in silence back to Jambalyn, Callie navigating the heavy traffic while a grim-faced Sebastian stared out his window. The scene in the Jessop house played over and over in her mind. He’d been so damn brave.

Braver than that day on the bridge in his bulletproof vest. Braver than that night confronting an arrogant fool in a restaurant. Braver than baring his soul as he presented an important paper with a deep personal connection in front of hundreds of colleagues.

Remembering Sebastian holding a distraught man who was at the end of his tether, brought a king-size lump to Callie’s throat as she pulled up at a red light. She glanced at him. He looked exhausted, the lines around his eyes and mouth more pronounced, his usually erect frame slightly less so.

It was the first time she’d seen him looking every one of his forty years.

But more than that, he looked...alone and she couldn’t bear it. Not when she was right here beside him. She slid her hand onto his thigh and gave a gentle squeeze. ‘Tough day for you.’

Sebastian rubbed a hand across his eyes giving her a half smile as he covered her hand. ‘Tougher for Frank.’

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