Perfect Illusion

Chapter 4: Holding On

She was becoming more and more aware that people were avoiding her on the ward. She'd already been through bullying allegations before and certainly didn't need to have her name tarred again, especially since Michael had recently tainted the name 'Beauchamp' in the most extraordinary and criminal way possible. No, she had to protect her status and pull herself together. She'd already lost her secret lover, her job was the only thing she had, she couldn't lose that as well even at the expense of her mourning. Making more of an effort, she stared at herself in the bathroom mirror, her green scrubs making her complexion look even more washed out and exhausted than she really was. She had to suck it up and act chummy with everyone today, no matter how much it grated on her. Hearing voices approaching she blinked slowly, pushing herself away from the sink as she squeezed past the nurses entering.

"Ah, Mrs Beauchamp." She held back an eye-roll at the sound of Joseph's voice, turning to smile at him as convincingly as she could, judging by his expression, he could see straight through her facade, the bags under her eyes were concealed but still visible within close proximity.

"Mr Byrne, what can I help you with?"

"A patient recently admitted is requesting to be seen by you, and only you." His speech was stilted, it was almost a nervous thing but regardless it irritated her.

"Right." She turned and continued walking, inviting him to follow. "Tell them I'll be with them as soon as possible."

"Well, that's the thing you see." He stammered. "It's a child and I'm not sure we should leave them waiting? His Mother is quite...agitated to say the least." He winced at her irate sigh as she swung her stethoscope around her neck, catching sight of Sam as she turned back around around to face Joseph.

"Mr Strachan, whenever you're ready." Demanding him into action without actually having to ask him, he more or less threw his stuff down and was marching behind her within seconds.

"He hasn't been a patient here before but his Mother seems to know you fairly well." He guided the way as Connie and Sam followed, Sam was trying to straighten his tie and Connie was focussed on her watch as she tried to correct the time on it. "Here we are." He used the hand sanitiser on the end of the bed, his body language stiffening upon the tension he suddenly felt around him.

"Connie." The fatigued and heavily pregnant Mother addressed her coldly, causing Sam to glance to his side at Connie before looking at this woman and finally to Joseph, whose facial expression matched his own right now. Pure confusion and even a little bit of concern.

"Susan." She choked her name out, quickly licking her upper lip and glimpsing briefly at the child in the bed. Her throat felt like it had closed up. Stepping backwards, she held her hands out a fraction and shook her head. "I can't treat-"

"You will treat him. It's the least you can do, don't you think?" She snarled maliciously, her lip curling with each word spoken. Although he and Connie were at odds 70% of the time, Sam couldn't help but feel slightly protective of her. Almost the same way bees in a hive rush to the aid of their queen, this was a similar situation. He could see, even feel that Connie was beyond uncomfortable right now for whatever reason, and he wanted to diffuse the situation. From what he could gather about Connie, she was a known ball-breaker but this situation with her previous registrar passing away had caused her to become even more steely, he could only assume she was going through something deeply painful.

"My name is Sam Strachan, I'm Mrs Beauchamp's registrar-" He stepped forward, introducing himself whilst simultaneously shielding Connie from the angry stare of this woman, Connie winced knowing he'd just made the whole situation worse. With Sam concealing her, she blurred everything out around herself, reaching her hand up and massaging her forehead briefly she tried to calmly breathe away this light-headed feeling before quickly stepping back into the firing line upon hearing raised voices. Unbeknownst to her, Joseph had been monitoring her behaviour.