Gentleman Sinner(46)
‘What’s going on?’ his son asks.
‘He’s having another heart attack.’ Just as I say that, Percy’s monitor alarms start going wild.
‘Shit,’ I whisper, dashing off to get the defibrillator, hearing Percy’s son shouting behind me, demanding to know what’s going on. ‘Pam!’ I yell, grabbing the cardiac-arrest trolley and wheeling it back to Percy’s room, Pam hot on my heels. ‘Percy’s arrested,’ I say urgently, unravelling the leads on the machine as Pam cuts up the centre of Percy’s gown, exposing his chest.
‘Tell me what’s going on,’ his son demands, close by my side. I turn and bump into him, dropping the wires. God damn it, he’s getting in my way. ‘Tell me!’
I’m fucking furious that he’s stopping me from doing my job. Be cool, Izzy. I quickly collect up the wires and connect them before I turn to him, my eyes blazing, my jaw ticking madly. But I speak calmly. ‘Your father’s heart needs a shock to reset it. You’re in our way. Please move.’
He snarls, but he doesn’t retaliate, so I return to the monitor of the machine. ‘Clear,’ I shout, checking that Pam is away before I press the shock button. Percy jolts, and Pam immediately starts CPR. ‘Nothing,’ I mumble, looking up to see Percy’s face, now as white as a sheet.
A burst of activity breaks out behind me, and we’re joined by the cardiac-arrest team. ‘Two rounds of compressions,’ I tell them as I step back, giving them room to take over CPR and the defibrillator. ‘Low pulse and one shock administered.’
They take over and work on Percy calmly and swiftly while I fill them in on his vital signs, and Pam tries to coax his son from the room. The man is having none of it, shouting and hollering until I’m forced to call security to remove him. They arrive quickly, escorting Percy’s son from the ward with his arm up his back as he continues to shout and holler. ‘I’ll have you fired!’ he yells, squirming to break free. ‘All of you!’
Adrenaline is racing through me as I wander out of the room, straightening out my dress and retying my hair. I meet Susan at the doorway, and she looks at me in question. ‘Heart attack,’ I mumble.
She sighs, linking arms with me and leading us away from the bay, leaving the arrest team to continue working on Percy. ‘Good work, Izzy,’ she says when we reach her office.
‘I only went to ask his son to leave,’ I say, dropping into a chair at Susan’s desk. ‘Welcome back, Izzy.’
Susan smiles a little as she takes up a seat opposite me and pulls some papers from a tray. ‘He was fine when I checked on him. Temperature average, heart rate steady.’
‘His son was a total arsehole.’ I shake my head, as shocked by his behaviour as I am by Percy’s fast decline. ‘God, this has been the longest day ever.’
Susan nods her agreement, looking down at her clock. ‘You can go home soon.’
‘One hour and counting,’ I say, just as Pam pokes her head around the door. The look on her face tells me everything, and my heart sinks. It’s moments like this that sometimes make me forget why I love my job. ‘Thanks, Pam,’ I say on a sigh as I drag myself up from the chair. I give Susan a sad smile. ‘I need tea. Can I get you a cup?’
‘Please.’ Susan points down at her desk. ‘I’ll get this paperwork done while I’m here.’
I nod and follow my feet to the hot drinks machine, making two cups and stirring extra sugar into mine. And as I head back to Susan’s office, Percy gets wheeled past, his old friendly face concealed by a white sheet. I lower my head in respect and say a silent prayer for Percy, feeling like a complete failure.
*
I drag my feet through the ward at the end of my shift, stopping to check on Mable before I leave. She’s dozing, but a quick check of her consultant’s notes tells me he isn’t happy with the X-ray, her broken hip bone showing no signs of repairing without the need for last-resort surgery. It’s just one more thing to feel glum about. I was so hoping she wouldn’t have to have such an invasive operation.
I plod on my way, struggling to keep myself upright after my first long and mentally challenging shift. If I could have slept for a week this morning, then now I feel like I could hibernate for the winter. My bed is calling the loudest it ever has. Pulling the collar of my coat up and rearranging my bag on my shoulder, I round the corner on to the main corridor of the hospital, my already slow steps slowing further when I see Theo walking towards me. The sight of him resurrects me a little, and I come to a gradual stop, as does Theo, a few empty metres between us. He’s suited in grey, his brown hair a sexy mess, his stubble short and covering his jaw evenly. His bright cobalt eyes dull a smidgen as he takes me in, a worried frown marring his perfect face. Jesus, I must look a fright. The last time he saw me I was dressed to the nines before he stripped me and made my world explode into a passion-induced haze. It’s quite a contrast.
His thick thighs spread a little in his standing position, his head cocked to the side.
‘Hey.’ I barely have the energy to even speak.
‘Hey,’ he whispers, his lips pouting in thought. ‘You okay?’
‘Tough shift,’ I tell him on a deep sigh. ‘You?’
‘Let’s not worry about me.’ He opens his arms, and I walk straight into them, keeping my hands in my pockets, despite knowing he’ll be fully prepared for my touch should I wrap my arms around him. But I don’t have the energy, no matter how happy I am to see him. His big arms encase me, holding me to his solid body, and it’s without question the most comforting place I’ve ever been. His unique scent, the warmth of his body, and the feel of his lips on the back of my head. It’s all so soothing. I don’t even have the strength to wonder how he makes me feel so at home, when in reality I’m in the strangest place I’ve ever been. ‘Let me look after you tonight,’ he says above me, his big hand stroking over my hair. ‘I’ll take you home to collect some things and you can stay with me.’