What Should Have Been

Part 80

The ED was quiet as Connie sat in her office tapping her pen against her desk. She was on enforced admin today after Charlie and Sam had spoken about how much she was pushing herself once again.

She was about to give up entirely when her pager went off. "Thank god..." Grabbing her stethoscope she left her office, Charlie's eyes instantly falling to her. "And you're doing what?" Holding her hands up in immediate surrender she stopped at the desk.

"Don't worry I'm not staying, Elliot's paged me I'm needed for a second opinion on Darwin." Charlie watched her as she smiled sweetly before Charlie gave in. "Fine but do not push it." She grinned turning around as she walked towards the lift heading up to her old stomping ground.

Standing in the lift alone she glanced to the blurry reflection. She was very clearly pregnant now and the sight was something she didn't recognise, despite having had Grace. Connie's face dropped as she placed a hand to her bump, being pregnant was never supposed to happen to her once, how had it happened again?

She would never regret having Grace, she was the best thing in her life and this baby was sure to join her but something continued to plague her thoughts. Looking away as the doors opened she strolled out with her head held high.

Connie walked the corridor as everyone went about their business. It was odd being in a department that she once had so much control over. "Ah Connie to what do we owe the pleasure?" Her eyes flickered up to the fiery red headed consultant now awaiting an answer. "Oh you know, some of us just have expertise that is requested from time to time."

Jac smirked as Connie continued walking past her towards the office she once spent all her days in. Knocking briefly she pushed it open coming face to face with Elliot. "Ah Connie, I wasn't expecting you so quickly-" "Clearly." She looked about at the mess that covered the office.

Connie waited expectantly for Elliot to give her some sort of information on the patient she was here to assist with but it didn't seem to register with him at first. Folding her arms against her chest she watched from the doorway as he bumbled about clearing up his mess. "Elliot?" "Yes?" "The patient..."

He quickly nodded, his eyes scanning his desk desperately before he reached for a folder. Connie came closer to the desk to take the file from him as she moved towards Sam's desk. Taking a seat behind the slightly tidier side of the room, she began to read through the documents with a level of high interest. She missed this side of her job, the passion she held for this world.

Elliot finished with cleaning his mess before sitting back behind his desk, watching Connie every now and then. "They had surgery five years ago?" "Yes, a huge success but something's playing about and I can't quite put my finger on it. I was hoping you could." She pushed her tongue into her cheek nodding as she continued to read.

She spent a while reading and asking questions before the office door opened. "Remind me to thank whoever convinced me this was a good career to follow." Connie raised a perfectly arched brow as Sam spoke in Elliot's direction, oblivious to her presence. "That would be me then, problem Mr Strachan?"

Sam's head snapped around hearing her voice as he looked back to Elliot who was hiding his amusement. "Urm, no... No-Why are you here?" "Hello to you too, and I'm not here for you so don't worry." He rolled his eyes before standing next to his desk with his arms folded against his chest. "What are you doing then?" "Elliot asked for a second opinion on one of his patients. Clearly I'm just more desirable to work with than you."

Connie forced a smile as she lifted her eyes which Sam matched before moving towards the sofa taking a seat. "Are you in theatre this afternoon?" "Yeah, triple bypass patient who won't leave me alone. Dropping his head backwards with a groan Connie smirked keeping her eyes down on the folder.

After a little while longer, Connie closed the folder standing up. "I think we should go and talk to this patient." Elliot nodded pushing his chair back as Sam lifted his head to look to Connie. "Take it easy." She tilted her head slightly with a roll of her eyes as Sam stood up, stopping before her. "I mean it." "Okay."

He shook his head before walking to the office door ahead of them. "Good luck in theatre." Sam nodded towards Elliot before glancing to Connie again. He smiled quickly before he was gone. "You two seem-" "Tense? Yeah, I know." Connie pulled open the office door ending the conversation immediately as they began walking towards the ward.

He kept pace with her as they walked the corridor with direction and conviction. "Has something happened?" "Can we not do this now, please." He nodded letting her walk ahead before they stopped at the side room where the patient was.

"Connie I have to stress why I asked you for the second opinion, it's a relative of another surgeon here." She looked to him with a nod before pushing the door open walking to the bed, oblivious to the eyes that were now on her.

Elliot stood beside the bed as the patient looked past him. "Connie Beauchamp... Aren't I the lucky one, they must have been desperate." She flicked her eyes up the page of notes to the patients name before internally kicking herself for not checking sooner.

Looking up to the patient she closed the folder clutching it to her chest. "Well you would know about desperation wouldn't you? Now I've advised Professor Hope on your treatment but he's asked I assist, as it's such a complex case. You'll be down for surgery this afternoon, providing we can fit you in." "Oh don't put yourself out, wouldn't want to upset Connie Beauchamp's little hierarchy of power."

Connie smirked pushing her tongue into her cheek as she glanced around. "For your information I no longer work on this department. Can we get her booked in now please?" A nurse nodded before disappearing from the room.

"Wow, I see you didn't change your ways. Know who the father is or was it just a passing stranger?" "My personal life is nothing to do with you." The patient scoffed with a smile as she looked back to Connie. "You get your claws in and take what you want don't you?" "You know what, your son had a mind of his own and could have made a totally different decision but he didn't."

Elliot had left the room sometime earlier and was returning now. The room was silent as both women attempted to keep a lid on their hatred for the other. "Theatre is free in a few hours." "Perfect." Elliot turned his focus to the woman in the bed. "Anyone we can call for you? A family member-" "No, my sons in America and I wouldn't want to bother him. He actually did something more with his life-" "You know what I think I'll leave you with Mr Hope."

Connie looked to him before passing over the folder. "I need a break." She spoke quietly as he nodded letting her walk to the door. "Connie?" Glancing back at hearing her voice she watched as she smiled. "Lovely to see you again-" "Shame I can't say the same Audrey."