Emergency Response by Nicki Edwards

Author:Nicki Edwards [Nicki Edwards]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781760301521
Publisher: Momentum
Published: 2015-08-23T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Mackenzie’s heart was heavy. She hated celebrating her birthday. She’d wanted to turn thirty-six without fanfare, but Nathan had surprised her by picking her up from work and bringing her back to his place for dinner. After making and devouring gourmet homemade pizzas, they cleaned up the kitchen and Nathan made coffee.

Nathan handed her cup to her before sinking into the couch. “I get the impression this hasn’t been the happiest of birthdays for you.”

She hesitated with the cup halfway to her lips. “I’m sorry, Nathan. I don’t want to appear ungrateful. Dinner was beautiful and it was so sweet of you spoiling me like this.” Mackenzie fingered the small opal pendant that now hung around her neck. She hadn’t expected a gift and was surprised by his generosity.

“But …”

“No buts.” She leaned back against the cushions. “Don’t mind me. Every year I get like this. My friends call it the birthday doldrums.” She forced a smile. “I just don’t like getting old.”

“You’re not old!”

She shrugged and willed herself not to cry. “Most people my age have been married for years and already have kids. My biological clock ticks loudly, especially on my birthday.” A flush burned across her cheeks. Staring down at her entwined fingers she mumbled, “I’m sorry. You’d think at my age I’d be old enough to control my emotions and not be so uptight about being single.”

“So what made you go into nursing?”

Like a swinging boom on a yacht, Nathan’s question almost hit her in the side of the head. She was so unprepared for the innocent enquiry that it made her totally forget about her birthday.

Mackenzie’s mum had been gone for nearly eighteen years, but for some reason Nathan’s question made the pain feel as fresh as though it was the day before. Mackenzie closed her eyes to stop the tears from falling and as she did, the memories instantly rushed up to greet her. The sound of her mum’s voice, never raised, the sweet fruity smell of her perfume.

“I decided to become a nurse after my mum died,” she answered softly.

Nathan looked at her in stunned silence. She rarely, if ever, talked about her personal life, but Nathan made her feel comfortable, as though she’d known him forever. She also knew if their relationship was going to deepen, it was time to trust him with her family secrets.

Nathan leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “Oh Mackenzie, I’m sorry, I didn’t know your mother was – um – had passed away. Was she a nurse too?”

“No.” It came out barely more than a whisper.

“What happened? Cancer?”

She shook her head.

He looked at her expectantly, eyebrows raised, the gold in his brown eyes more noticeable than ever.

She sucked in a deep breath. “I guess I should start at the beginning.” Tucking her legs underneath her, she searched for a more comfortable position on the couch. “I grew up in a little town in the middle of New South Wales called Willandara. You’ll be lucky to find it on any map, but basically it’s in the middle of the state, two hours west of Dubbo.

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