Language of Love

Chapter 2 - Lost Child

Abi had been in Bondi for 2 weeks and had fallen in love with the place. Each morning, she'd go out for a run and her feet always seemed to lead her down to the beach. A few mornings, she was even early enough to pass the lifeguards as they set out the flags for the day and noticed they often had camera crew with them.

Caitlin had forced her to sit and watch some episodes of Bondi Rescue. Abi had developed a huge respect for the job the lifeguards did. She'd seen a few rescues for real now, spending so much time on the beach.

Today, Abi had a day off and had had a rare lie in. She jogged down to the beach, but it was nearly noon and the heat meant she didn't fancy a run along the sand, so instead, she found a space to sunbake for a bit.

Feeling restless, she pulled her shorts on, packed up her things, slung her bag over her shoulder, and went for a stroll along the waters edge. When Caitlinn was with her, she would always spot the lifeguards, and Abi had found it was becoming an unconscious habit to notice where they were on the beach.

She was walking by one of the rhinos now and saw a handsome blonde lifeguard, radio in hand, facing an Asian lady who was clearly distressed and making lots of hand gestures.
"Have you lost someone?" The lifeguard asked."A child?"
The woman responded in Chinese, but the lifeguard clearly didn't understand. He sighed, and the woman looked even more distressed.
Abi approached them.
"She says she's lost her daughter. Hasn't seen her for 15 minutes."
The lifeguard turned to her with a look of relief.
"Thanks." He said. "Could you ask her for a description and where she last saw her daughter?"
Abi spoke to the woman in Mandarin and the woman replied, sobbing. Abi hugged her and reassured her that the lifeguards would help now they understood.
She turned back to the lifeguard who had been waiting patiently, eyes scanning the water.
"She's 7, dark hair in a plait and wearing a purple swimsuit. She saw her last by the waters edge somewhere down there." Abi indicated towards the South end of the beach.
The lifeguard instantly lifted his radio.
"Troy to all lifeguards. We have a missing 7 year old girl, Chinese, dark hair in a plait, purple swimsuit. Missing for 15 minutes, last seen near the water at South end."
The other lifeguards radio'd responses back.

Troy looked between the distressed mother and Abi.
"Would you mind helping with translation? I'll get mum on the rhino, and we can drive down and have a look for her."
"Sure." Abi quickly translated and helped the crying woman into the buggy before jumping onto the back herself.

The rhino made its way down towards the South End. Abi found herself searching the crowds for the little girl whilst intermittently muttering words of comfort to the woman in front of her. The lifeguard scanned the beach and water as he drove.
"Thanks for helping." He said,"Sorry to ruin your day at the beach."
"It's no trouble." Abi responded.
Then a voice came over the radio at the same time as Troy seemed to spot something, cursed and began driving faster.
"Bondi Central to Gonzo. Chappos got her mate, but he's signalled a resus. Harries' on his way down with the defib."
Abi thanked Caitlinn for forcing her to watch the show, so she had an idea of what was happening.
"Have they found her?" The mum asked Abi.
"What do you want me to tell her?" Abi asked the lifeguard. He sighed.
"She'll need to be prepared. We'll need to do CPR. A resus is bad."
"Okay." Abi replied shakily and carefully explained the situation to the mother. The woman began to keen and rock and Abi leant over her seat and hugged her tightly as Troy pulled to a stop and leapt from the rhino.

Abi watched as the young lifeguard raced to his colleagues side. The older man had lifted the girls limp form into his arms and was carrying her swiftly through the shallows to dry sand. The mother screeched, pushing Abi's hands away as she scrambled out of the rhino and ran towards her daughter. Abi chased after her and watched her fall to her knees in despair as the lifeguards began CPR on her small daughter. Abi fought off her own tears and gathered the distraught woman into her arms, muttering reassurances to her as the men worked on the tiny body.

A quad bike soon arrived and a third lifeguard with a defib joined them.
The mother reached for her daughter.
"Keep her back." Troy glanced at her and she could see he was also fighting tears. Abi pulled the woman's hands into her own and began to explain in Mandarin what the lifeguards were saying as they worked on the girl.

It felt like an eternity before Troy announced he could feel a faint pulse. Abi let out a shuddering sigh of relief as she relayed the information to the mother.
"Make room. Let the ambos through." Someone was shouting. It was only then that Abi took in the ring of death that had formed around them and the camera crew and other lifeguards that were stood nearby.

The girl was stabilised enough to move her and Abi continued translations between the paramedics and the mother. She slid into the rhino beside Troy as he slowly drove the girl back up the beach. His hands were trembling slightly as he drove.
Her hands were shaking too. He reached out and patted her hand gently before seeming embarrassed.
"Uh sorry. You did a great job comforting the mum."
"I thought you weren't going to get her back for a bit there."
"Yeah, me neither."
Abi turned to the paramedic walking alongside the rhino.
"Can I go with them to the hospital? I can translate for them."
"We'd really appreciate that." The paramedic responded.

They had pulled up to the tower and transported the girl to the ambulance. Abi was about to climb in the front when Troy approached her.
"If I give you my number could you let me know how she does?" He asked rubbing the back of his neck in awkward shyness.
Abi handed him her phone and he smiled nervously as he typed in his number.
"Thanks again." He said, giving her the cutest awkward wave as he walked back round the ambulance to join his colleagues.