First Love...Only Love:

Chapter 5

'Did you hear? Nurse Julia Bale questioned, 'he's coming to our ward,' she whispered in Macy's ear in a state of near euphoria.

Macy looked up from the little girl she was nebulising. She did not need to ask who and neither could she explain why her own heart was in the same euphoric state as Nurse Julia's.

Macy observed bubbles forming in oxygen mask. 'Switch of the nebuliser for me please, Nurse Julia,' Macy requested with a calmness she was far from feeling.

'Did you hear what I just said?' Nurse Julia shrieked softly as she unplugged the nebuliser.'

'How does that feel sweetheart?' Macy smiled at the little girl.

'Much better, thank you,' the little girl coughed, clutching her chest.

'Lie down,' Macy adjusted the pillows. 'Nurse Julia will do another session this afternoon,' Macy smiled, scribbled into the chart and moved to her next patient.

Macy looked up into Nurse Julia's face. She was grinning like a Cheshire cat. 'I take it you're here to prep my patient for surgery Julia?' Macy folded her arms across her chest, her eyes narrowed questioningly at the nurse.

'You just spoil all the fun,' Julia glowered and began preparing the patient or surgery.

Macy knew exactly the moment Twain was in the vicinity. The hairs at the nape of her neck stood up. Her heart was beating out of control, butterflies were running riot in her tummy. As usual the Chief of Staff did not do his rounds alone. Today he had two interns with him. Macy was feeling Julia's adrennalin rush as her eyes met Twain's.

'Dr. Skye, good morning,' he smiled politely.

'Morning,' Macy murmured, her arms still folded as she looked at Twain curiously in her territory. She had received the handover status from the night shift staff. A teenager was brought in from outpatients in the early hours of the morning. He had bone fracture from knee injury trauma.

'Morning Dr. Crawford,' Nurse Julia smiled feverishly.

'Morning,' Twain winked at the young nurse, as he extracted the X-ray from the envelope.

With a trace of annoyance, Macy watched Julia blush profusely. Her eyes transferred on Twain. His eyes were studiously focused on the x-ray, he held up towards the light.

Macy moved closer to Twain's shoulder. 'Fracture to the patella?' she murmured, from behind him.

Twain nodded. 'And trauma to the cartilage. Do you see that?' He pointed to the under surface of the knee cap.'

Macy was no longer looking at the x-ray. Instead her eyes were admiring his slender well shaped fingers and clean well scrubbed nails.

Twain turned around, when Macy was too quiet.

'How did he sustain the injury?' She quickly asked.

'Fell of his motor bike.'

The patient was heavily sedated. His surgery had been successful, an incision over the front of the knee joint. The fractured ends of the bones were being held together with a combination of wire, pins and screws. It looked very painful indeed.

'Medication, Dr. Crawford?' Nurse Julia enquired.

Twain took the chart and scribbled a prescription.

Macy listened intently as Twain unhurriedly explained his prognosis to the two interns. She silently concurred with his analysis.

'You're a cardiologist,' Macy murmured.

Twain laughed as he took his stethoscope to the teenager's chest. Macy liked the sound of his laugh. She waited patiently until he finished listening to the boy's heart and lungs.