Reclaiming Her Army Doc Husband by Sue MacKay

Author:Sue MacKay
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-03-12T19:18:36+00:00

* * *

Relief soared when Cole gingerly stepped out of the dinghy on the other side of the flood waters and heard a woman in dark blue overalls say to him, ‘You Cole Halliday? I’m Bridget Ford, emergency doctor for the rescue services. I understand we’ve got a stat two patient?’

He’d get to spend the rest of the night with Vicki. ‘I’m Cole. The seriously injured patient is ten-year-old Lucas. He was unconscious when the crew got to him, and there’s been no change in the time I’ve spent with him. Suspected internal bleeding in the abdominal area. Fractured leg, and possibly ribs. Trauma to the skull.’ Relief was still running through him. For Lucas and the medical help he desperately needed, and for himself because he wasn’t flying to the hospital. Vicki’s softening towards him had started a flutter in his chest that hadn’t abated throughout the short ride in the boat watching over Lucas.

‘Right, load and go,’ Bridget said. ‘We’ve got a stretcher ready at the back of the chopper. Bringing it to the boat meant getting it soaked and the boy already has enough to deal with.’

Cole held up a hand. ‘There’s also a second boy, Lucas’s brother, Toby. He checks out fine, but I want him to go to hospital anyway.’

‘We’ll find room,’ Bridget agreed.

Cole slung Toby onto his back and reached for one end of the makeshift stretcher in the boat. ‘Ready, Merv?’

‘Yes. On a count of three.’

Within moments Lucas was at the back of the rescue chopper and being swiftly but carefully transferred, and Cole waited until Bridget was ready to take Toby. Then he stepped back, letting the rescue medics take over and do their job. ‘Good luck,’ he called. Now he could return to Vicki. He’d be sharing her with a woman in labour desperate to get to her sons, but at least he’d be with her. His steps were jaunty as he turned back to the boat.

‘Cole?’ Bridget called. ‘I’ve got a message for someone I think is with your lot. Karen?’

‘Yes.’ He nodded. ‘The boys’ mother. She’s in labour.’

‘Then you’d better pass this on.’

He listened carefully, nodded, and felt the familiar guilt kick in. ‘That’s great news.’ News that Vicki would’ve wanted to hear the night she’d miscarried.

‘You notice the rain’s down to a drizzle?’ Merv asked as they climbed back into the boat. He revved the motor and aimed for the lawn in front of the house they were using.

Cole looked up and laughed as his vision blurred with water. ‘That was dumb.’ He blinked the rain out of his eyes. ‘But I think you’re right. How long will it take for this new river to go down?’

‘If we don’t get another deluge I reckon less than twenty-four hours.’

‘Now all we have left to do is get Karen out of here.’ Cole looked around and was shocked to realise that the sky was lightening. The night was over. What a night it had been. Nothing like he’d expected when leaving Sydney yesterday.

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