Page 9 of Prognosis Do Over

CHAPTER TWO

WILL watched her go, completely dumbfounded. That was twice today she had utterly shocked him. His head rejected the information instantly, but one look at the faces of the others in the nurses’ station and he knew it was true.

‘Lydia?’

She nodded. ‘Jan and Martin died in a light plane crash just over five months ago.’

‘Oh, God, how terrible,’ he said, remembering all the good times he and Lou had had with Jan and Martin. Remembering how close Lou had been to her big sister. And how the couple had doted on Candy. ‘Why didn’t somebody tell me?’

‘Maybe if you’d bothered to check on her at any time during the last year you may have found out,’ Lydia chided.

He looked at Lydia and knew he deserved the criticism. He had deliberately avoided any contact, believing it was best for both of them. And poor Lou had gone through this all alone.

No, not alone, he thought, as he looked at her fiercely loyal staff. But still... If he’d only known, he could have.

Could have what? Rung? Sent her some flowers? A sympathy card?

How trite.

He could have come back and comforted her. Gone to the funeral at least.

Leaving the station, he headed for her office. He knocked on her door and didn’t wait for her to reply, opening it straight away. Empty. He thumped his hand against the door in frustration. He needed to talk to her about it. To let her know how very, very sorry he was. She might have dropped the bombshell calmly, but he knew her well enough — or at least he had — to know it hid a whole heap of anguish.

Will looked at his watch. He was due at Human Resources five minutes ago. But he was coming back this afternoon, for an in-service with Lynne on the computer system. He was torn between what he had to do and what he needed to do, but her disappearing act left him with little choice. Talking with Lou was just going to have to wait until then.

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A couple of hours later, after sorting out payroll and rostering issues and lunching with Harold, the Medical Director, Will walked back onto Ward Two. He tried Lou’s office first. Damn it! Not there. He entered the nurses’ station and found Lynne waiting for him, so he sat down with her, completely distracted, while she tried to impart the intricacies of the computer system.

He toyed with the idea of pumping Lynne for information about Lou. There probably wasn’t anything the ward clerk didn’t know about the goings-on at the hospital, and he’d bet his last cent that Lynne knew all there was to know about Jan and Martin. But he restrained himself. Lynne was good at her job, but he abhorred gossip — had been on the nasty end of it, thanks to Delvine — and he would not encourage her.

Will was passing time waiting for Lou’s return, performing some dummy tasks Lynne had set him, when Pete entered the nurses’ station with an inconsolable child. It was a little boy who looked about five, and he was sobbing broken-heartedly.

‘Oh, my,’ said Will, looking up, pleased for any respite from the screen. ‘What do we have here?’ he asked.

‘Josh’s mum has just left to go and pick up his sister from school. He’s a little upset,’ Pete said, sitting on the chair next to Will.

Will raised his eyebrows at Pete’s understatement. The kid looked as if he’d lost a million bucks. ‘Oh, dear,’ said Will. ‘Never mind, mate. She’ll be back soon.’

Josh buried his head in Pete’s shoulder and sobbed louder.

‘So, Pete? Does Josh like magic?’ Will asked, raising his voice a notch and winking at Pete.

‘Ah, no, Will. I don’t think so.’

Josh’s cries started to wane, and he peeked out at Will.

‘Are you sure? Because you do know I’m a magician and a doctor, right?’

‘Really?’ said Pete, fake incredulity dripping from his words. ‘I didn’t know you were a magician as well, Dr Galligher.’

Josh’s sobs were slowly quieting. Lou peeked her head around the corner. She had heard Pete and Will’s efforts to placate the child from halfway down the corridor.

‘Sure.’ Will nodded. ‘In my spare time I’m Captain Incredible.’

Josh’s crying had stopped, and he watched the two men’s magic discussion solemnly. A lump rose in Lou’s throat. Will was so good with kids. His doctoring method was incredibly unique. He was the kind of doctor who really understood how kids ticked.

Maybe it was having a child of his own? But he always had a magic trick up his sleeve, and a dozen different jokes on the tip of his tongue. And it worked — his patients loved him.

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