Reunited...in Paris! by Sue MacKay

Author:Sue MacKay
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2015-02-14T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

‘THIS IS LA DAME DE LA COEUR,’ Marc Dupont told a tiny girl made to look even smaller by the big bed she lay in.

Marc had heard about her talk at the conference, and after checking John’s obs had invited Tori to visit the children’s ward with him. Since she’d canned the idea of sightseeing, she was happy to oblige.

‘Maelee, say hello to the doctor.’

The pale child glanced back and forth between Tori and her specialist. Her laboured breathing spoke of heart disease. ‘Bonjour,’ she finally wheezed.

‘Bonjour, Maelee.’ Tori shifted closer to the bed and crouched down so she wasn’t towering over the girl. ‘I am from another country far away, New Zealand.’

From Maelee’s bewildered expression her pronunciation wasn’t even close.

Tori tried again. ‘I look after sick girls and boys back at my home.’

Thankfully Marc interpreted her diabolical accent and Maelee’s eyes lit up. ‘You want to see me?’

With Marc’s help Tori chatted to the little girl and gained her confidence. ‘How old are you, Maelee?’

‘Six.’

Six. Too young to be dealing with this. ‘What do you like doing when you’re at home?’ What would her child have liked to do at this age? She or he would’ve been six now, too. Would they have pestered me for a horse, like I did my mum?

‘Computer games.’ She paused to get her breathing under control. ‘But I want to ride my bike, like my friends can.’

You poor wee pet. Pulling out her phone, Tori showed Maelee a picture of Dean Cox. ‘This boy has a sore heart, too.’

‘But he’s laughing and waving.’

‘That’s because we’ve made him better. He was going home when that photo was taken.’

Maelee stared at Dean. ‘I like him. I want to go home.’

Tori knew the child was having surgery for a faulty aortic valve in the morning. ‘You need to get better first. That’s what Dean had to do.’ Then she asked, ‘Can I listen to your heart, Maelee?’

‘Oui.’ Maelee instantly hauled up her pyjama top and exposed her skinny chest. ‘It’s going bang-bang-bang.’

Taking the stethoscope Marc handed her, Tori listened to the erratic beating of the girl’s heart. Meeting the specialist’s eyes, she nodded. This was a very sick child, and after surgery tomorrow she’d be spending the next few days in the intensive care unit where John was currently laid up.

Gently pulling Maelee’s top down, Tori asked, ‘Can I tell Dean about you? I’m sure he’d like to send you a message.’

Maelee nodded, and Tori typed a quick message to Dean about the little French girl.

The brief message had hardly gone and Dean was answering.

Hi, Heart Lady. Why are you in a hospital? Aren’t you coming home?

He should be sound asleep at this hour. Dean’s mother would be growling at her for disturbing her son. It would be after midnight back in New Zealand. Her smile turned to worry. Was Dean having sleep issues again? Before she’d operated he’d always been exhausted and yet unable to sleep well. She replied.

Of course I’m coming home.

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