Language of Love

Chapter 3 - Hospital Pick Up

Troy had tower duty that afternoon, and Reidy swapped out with Chappo to give him a chance to recover.
Harries landed heavily in a chair beside them.
"Helluva one that, hey?" He commented with a big sigh.
Chappo stayed uncharacteristically quiet and Troy subtly wiped a tear from his eye as he pretended to be focused on watching the water.
"You did good boys. Got her back yeah." Harries reassured.
"How'd I miss her?" Chappo muttered.
Harries clapped him on the back.
"It's heaving today. We can't see everyone no matter how hard we try. Always harder when it's a kid too. Good job we had Gonzo's beautiful translator, or we might have taken longer to find her." He squeezed both boys' shoulders before returning to the beach.

They watched the beach for a while in silence. Only speaking when they needed to communicate something to one of the boys down on the beach.

Troy found himself replaying the resus over and over in his mind. He was pretty sure the sound of the mother's keening would stick with him for life. And the haunted look of empathy in the kind girls eyes as she translated for them. He hadn't even gotten her name.

The end of the day eventually arrived and the team on shift gathered in the tower to wait for Hoppo to debrief. Troys phone rang. He answered but quickly slipped away into the medical bay. Harries raised an eyebrow at Chappo. They and Reidy moved closer to the railing to eavesdrop.

Troy had answered his phone to hear a vaguely familiar voice and immediately slipped away from the boys
"Hey, is that Troy? It's Abi...ummm I helped translate for the Chinese lady earlier today."
"Hey Abi. Thanks for phoning. How's the little girl?"
"She's stable and going to be okay. Her mum wanted me to pass her thanks onto you all. She's so grateful to you all for saving her daughter."
Troy could hear lots of background noise.
"Are you still at the hospital?"
"Yeah. They had trouble getting a translator and I really wanted to know how she was, so I stayed." She sounded exhausted.
"You okay? A resus is a lot, especially your first."
"Thanks. I'm a bit shaken, but okay. Going to find a way home in a bit."
"Ummmm... I finish here soon. I could come pick you up if you like? Perhaps grab something to eat?...it can help to talk about it."
"I'd like that."
"I can meet you by the main entrance. I'll be about 45 minutes."

Abi heard cheering and cat calls in the background.
"Go Gonz!"
"Didn't think the boy had the balls." filtered through the phone.
"Uhhhh, sorry about them." Troy said, sounding sheepish.
Abi laughed. "See you soon." She said as she hung up the phone.

Troy returned, red-faced, to the main area to a round of applause. He let them know the girl was okay. Hoppo debriefed, giving everyone the chance to talk. He finished off with, "I'd better let you all go. Gonz has a date!"
Troy dashed off to the Pavilion, followed by the sound of Harries wolf whistles.

Troy pulled up outside the hospitals main entrance and spotted the beautiful blonde translator instantly.

Abi heard someone call her name and saw Troy leaning out the window of a beat-up white truck. She opened the passenger door and slid into the seat.
"Hey." The lifeguard said, rubbing his hand over the back of his neck in the same awkward gesture he'd made when he'd asked for her number earlier.
"Thanks so much for this. You've had a rough day. I really appreciate you coming to get me."
"I'm not the one who ended up stuck in the hospital for hours looking after strangers." He replied as he pulled away from the hospital.
"But you did have to perform CPR on a child. That can't ever get easy."
Troy didn't respond immediately, staring out the windscreen, focusing on driving.
"That was my first resus on a child." He eventually said.
Abi reached over and placed her hand comfortingly on his upper arm.
"Sounds like talking about it could help both of us. Where are we going to eat?"
"There's a nice relaxed place near Bronte beach?"
"I'm trusting your local knowledge." She replied.

They made the rest of the journey in comfortable silence. Troy pulled up in Brontes beach car park and dashed round to open Abi's door.
Abi looked out at the beach.
"Not been to Bronte yet?" He asked.
She shook her head.
"That obvious I'm not a local?" She laughed.
"Your pommie accent kinda gives it away." He smiled as he gestured for her to follow him out the carpark to the street. "How do you know Chinese?"
"I learnt Mandarin from my neighbours when I was small. Discovered I've a knack for languages. It's why I'm here in Australia, I've got a 2 year working visa and a job at one of the Bondi language schools."
"Teaching Mandarin?"
"Yeah, and Russian, French and Italian as well as English."
"Wow! I dropped out of school in Year 10." Troy shrugged. "Tried my hand at plumbing but couldn't escape the call of the ocean and joined the lifeguards."
"Not doing well at school doesn't mean you're not smart. Just means you didn't suit the school system. Did you grow up on the beach?"
"Pretty much, here at Bronte. This is the place."
Troy rested his hand gently on her lower back and guided her into a small restaurant/cafe that overlooked the beach.

A waitress guided them to a table near the back. They talked comfortably as they looked through the menu and Abi couldn't help but keep sneaking glances at the handsome lifeguard across from her. During one of those glances, she caught him glancing back at her. They both blushed and laughed.

Abi wondered what he'd think if she ordered the double burger. She wasn't a girl to starve herself on salads but was sure he was used to stick thin beach babes. When the waiter came, she decided to just be herself and ordered what she wanted. Troy just smiled and ordered the same.

Once the food arrived, there was a lull in their conversation whilst they tucked in. Troy broke the silence. "You held up really well today. Are you sure you're okay?"
Abi hesitated before replying.
"Still a bit shaken, I guess. I mean, I know she's alright. I've just been talking to her. But, she was dead in your friends arms, wasn't she?...before you both got her back. And that poor mum. The noise she made!" Abi felt tears in her eyes.
Troy reached across and took her hand reassuringly.
"Don't think the mums cries will ever leave me." He said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "Chap and I were pretty cut up about it after. Resus's always hit me hard, but that one was really tough."
Abi entwined her fingers with his.
"You guys are pretty amazing to do that and then get on with the job. I couldn't do it."
"We all accept it's part of the job. And we support each other through it." Troy shrugged it off. "You were so calm looking after the mum. I feel bad that you got dragged into it."
"Don't. I'm really glad I was there. I can't imagine what it must be like to not understand what is being said during a time like that."
They lapsed back into silence as they finished their meal.
"Fancy showing me the beach after?"
"Sure. I'll just pay."
"Don't be silly. I'll pay my half."
"No. Let me. A thank you for your help today."
"You don't need to do that, but I'll let you get away with it so long as you let me pay next time."
Troy blushed and smiled as he rose to pay.
"Ummm... if you want a next time?" Abi blurted suddenly nervous.
He leant on the back of his chair and looked down at her.
"Definitely wanting a next time." He said before heading to the bar. Abi felt butterflies as she watched him pay.

They made their way to the beach as the sun began to set. Abi slipped her hand into Troy's as they stepped onto the sand and he smiled shyly at her.
"So you learnt to surf here?"
"Yeah. I was a determined little nipper." Troy laughed as he led her down the beach. "Couldn't keep me out of the water once I got on a board. Do you surf?"
"Never tried. I didn't grow up close to a beach, and beaches in England are nothing like this."
"I can teach you sometime if you like?"
"Hope you're a patient teacher." Abi giggled. They strolled on. 

Abis phone buzzed. Troy watched a small frown cross her face as she checked her message and typed out a reply.
"Everything okay?" He asked, gently nudging her shoulder. She leant into his arm and he resisted the urge to pull her even closer.
"Yeah. Just my flatmate checking in. I totally forgot to contact her and she's just worrying about me."
"I'll take you home. You've had a long afternoon. And I've got the starter shift tomorrow."

Troy dropped her off outside her apartment block. As she was about to open the door he called out to her.
"I finish at 2 tomorrow if you're free then?"
"I teach from 2 till late tomorrow."
"Lunch? My break should be about 11."
Abi smiled brightly. "I'll wait on the promenade by the tower." She gave him a wave and disappeared inside. Troy beamed as he drove away.