Look Back at Me (Fleckney Fields Series, Book 1)

Good Catch

Rhys tilted on one side and threw a quick look behind Viola.

"Rhys, she's a woman. It sometimes manifests in women differently," Viola started speaking quickly, preparing for an argument. She'd had quite a few similar conversations during her work in A&E. There wouldn't be any hackneyed chest pain, or a left arm going numb - but she knew she was right. "You have to trust me–" she started again.

"I trust you," he interrupted. "Are we not telling her what's going on then?" he asked, meeting Viola's eyes.

"No need to frighten her," Viola said. "But she'll start resisting, and I need you to back me up on that."

He nodded shortly and walked up to Nana.

"Ah, Rhys," the old woman said. Viola noticed how much raspier Mable's voice was. "I'm just– sitting down for a moment, dear."

Rhys threw Viola a quick look, and she nodded.

"Come, Nana," he said softly, supported the woman under her elbows, and lifted her onto her feet. "I think we need to have you checked. You don't look well."

"What– Nonsense, I–" Nana's words suddenly slurred, and she started leaning into Rhys.

He quickly picked her up in his arms, and Viola grabbed the keys out of his hand. Without talking, they quickly walked to the car. Viola unlocked his truck, and he carefully put Mable in the backseat.

"I'll drive," Viola said, jumping into the driver's spot and adjusting the seat.

Once again, against her expectations, he didn't argue. He sat with Nana, supporting her. Viola could see in the rear-view mirror how pale he was. She maneuvered his truck out onto the Hall's driveway.

"How are you feeling, Nana?" he asked.

Viola could hear Mable answer something quietly.

"She's not making any sense," he said to Viola, his voice rising.

"It's alright," Viola said, digging her foot into the accelerator pedal. "She might be a bit disoriented. Do you have water in the car? I grabbed aspirin from the Hall's first aid kit while we waited for you. She needs to take it."

She saw Rhys move. Thankfully, he always had a water bottle in his truck, and Viola heard him coaxing Nana to take the pills.

"Call 999," Viola told him. "Tell them we'll be in Abernathy General in under twenty minutes."

They were outside Fleckney already, and Viola sped up even more. Rhys was talking to the operator, and then asked Viola for details. She quickly reported the signs she'd noticed: Nana's stiff jaw movements when she'd been talking to Viola and ignoring Niklas; the way she held her torso, as if there was pain in the upper body and shoulders; and her nausea, all of which were the rarely discussed symptoms of a female heart attack. Rhys hung up, and immediately dialled John. Viola heard Nana protest weakly. At least, the woman was conscious.

Rhys' truck obeyed like a massive well-trained beast, and Viola took a confident turn into the hospital parking lot. There were two nurses with a gurney there, waiting for them. Rhys pushed the door open, took Nana out, and put her down on the stretcher. He lingered for a second, and Viola pulled him by his sleeve. He took a stumbling step backwards, giving access to the nurses. A young doctor ran out of the sliding doors - Amanda Jenkins, Viola seemed to recall the name - and they rolled the gurney inside. Rhys stood in the middle of the lot, his right arm hanging limply along his body, his eyes fixed on the doors of the hospital.

"Come, Rhys," Viola said, patting his back.

She needed to move his truck. He startled and looked at her as if he'd forgotten she was there.