Chapter 6
Chapter Six
JADEN
Only a few cars trundle along the street in the light of the rising sun, their exhaust fumes scratching at my nose.
It’s way too quiet, so my headphones are on full volume. The bass pounds in my head along with the pain radiating from the gash.
The night was short, the party all the longer.
If this Nyla knew how I spent last night, she’d probably faint on the spot, as worried as she is about everything under the sun.
I, on the other hand, am only thinking about the fact that my shift is about to start and I desperately need the coffee in my hand.
On the way to the rescue center, I drain it at record speed.
It helps against the tiredness, but my headache gets worse.
Of course I don’t have any pills with me, but there are plenty of them at the station.
When the dark red flat-roofed building appears in front of me, my phone rings.
Mom.
I quickly reject the call and pick up my pace. I pass the ambulances lined up neatly in the parking lot and wave to my colleagues, who are busy restocking supplies and medications to be ready for today’s shift.
I take the headphones out of my ears, push open the glass door at the entrance, and walk straight over to Mia, who coordinates our runs.
‘What are you doing here?’ She adjusts her zebra-print glasses. ‘Shouldn’t you call in sick instead?’
‘I’m fine—it was just a scratch—but an ibuprofen would be great. Do you have one for me?’ Casually, I lean against her desk.
First she eyes me sceptically, but then she opens the top drawer of her desk and hands me a bottle of ibuprofen.
‘So, have you already reassigned Ray today, or can I ride with him?’ I ask, fishing out a pill. She shakes her head. ‘Or would you rather I stay here with you?’ I raise my eyebrows. ‘I’m sure we’d have a lot of fun.’
‘I’m sure.’ She laughs, then gives me a serious look. ‘Okay, I’ll assign you, but only if, for a change, you skip the heroics today,’ she says. ‘Do you promise me that?’
I shift my weight to the other leg. ‘Mia, Mia, have I ever promised you anything?’ She sighs meaningfully. ‘So why should I start today?’
‘Yeah, why indeed?’ My colleague props her chin in her hands and bats her fake eyelashes. ‘Good thing it’s me doing the assignments, then.’
She turns to her computer, her fingers gliding over the keyboard. I lean forward to get a clear view of the screen, where the shift schedule is open. I follow the mouse pointer.
It stops at Unit 5-8-1. Alex is assigned as driver; now Mia types my name into the field for the first paramedic and assigns Alex to another unit. ‘I thought I couldn’t staff the vehicle today, but…’
The mouse pointer darts to Unit 7-1-3.
Why are there four people assigned there? Before I can read the names, she deletes the fourth.
‘... o.k., this goes here and then I have to ...’
The name from before appears next to mine.
Dr. Moore.
‘A doctor?’ Now I’m the one sceptically furrowing my brow. ‘Why is a doctor coming along?’
‘Shhh, I need to concentrate.’ Mia moves more names around. ‘Paul is on call, he’s going with Laura, because that way ...’
Slowly I see where this is going.
‘Ohhh, this is perfect.’ With a satisfied expression, Mia rubs her hands together.
I look at the result. Vehicle 5-8-1, driver: Ray Brown, paramedics: Jaden Reynolds, Ray Brown. And in a field without further specification: Dr. Moore.
‘What’s with the doctor?’ I ask again.
Mia sinks back against the backrest of her chair, which gives a soft creak. ‘Weren’t you at the team meeting yesterday?’
‘Of course I was there.’ My head is pounding. Hopefully the pill will kick in soon. ‘At least physically, anyway.’
‘Where is this all going to end with you?’ She grabs a ballpoint pen and points it at me.
I raise my eyebrows. ‘That’s probably one of humanity’s great mysteries.’
The corners of her mouth twitch. ‘All right, there’s this new program the boss introduced yesterday. Doctors accompany the emergency services and vice versa. Apparently, it’s about getting to know each other’s ways of working better, broadening horizons and all that.’
‘Okay.’ No idea what I think about that, and it doesn’t really matter. ‘What could possibly go wrong.’
‘Oh, probably something.’ That mischievous grin on her lips bodes nothing good. ‘Because do you know what the best part is?’
‘What?’
The way she’s looking at me now, as if she’s on the verge of a major victory, does not appeal to me at all. ‘That it means you’ll be under medical supervision all day, which you—as we both know—desperately need.’
I laugh, well aware that she’s scored a point there. ‘The only thing I really desperately need is another coffee.’ Or two, then I’ll be wide awake for the whole shift. ‘And I’m going to get one now, do you want one too?’
Mia gives me a grateful nod. ‘A splash of oat milk…’
‘...and a sweetener tablet. Coming right up.’ On the way to the coffee machine, I shrug off my jacket. My head feels more or less okay as I step into the kitchen. Just a bit more caffeine and...
In mid-motion, I freeze.
What is she doing here?
She didn’t actually come to check whether I’m taking the prescribed antibiotics, did she? I certainly wouldn’t put it past her.
‘Hi.’ Nyla raises her hand in an almost apologetic gesture and straightens up on the stool. Her gaze lingers on my tattooed arms.
I wink at her and walk over to the coffee machine. ‘Someone must have been missing me.’
As I say the words, I realize she’s wearing a paramedic uniform, and although my head still isn’t fully clear, I understand what that means. She’s part of this exchange program.
‘I’m riding in vehicle 7-1-3 today.’ Am I imagining it, or is her voice trembling a little?
Is she scared? Of what? She’s a doctor; she’s surely seen a lot.
Whatever. ‘Want some coffee?’ I grab a mug from the counter and set it in the machine.
She points to the cup in her hand, which looks as if she brought it from home. ‘I’ve got herbal tea with me, thanks.’
Herbal tea? That suits her. Smiling, I switch on the coffee machine and take the oat milk out of the fridge.
All at once she’s beside me. ‘How are you today? Do you have a headache, are you dizzy, is your vision blurry?’ she asks with a caring expression and takes a sip of her tea.
I pour a dash of oat milk into Mia’s coffee. ‘All good.’
‘How was the night? Were you able to sleep?’ She looks at me searchingly. That probing gaze makes her elfin pretty face look tense, and I immediately feel the urge to change that.
‘I might have, if I hadn’t kept thinking about you.’ Curious about her reaction, I reach for the sweetener dispenser.
Is that relief shimmering in her eyes? ‘You thought about what I said?’
Said? Instead of answering, I mumble something vague and set the next cup in the coffee machine.
‘I’m very glad to hear that.’ A relieved smile spreads across her face.
Even though I have no idea why my non-answer is making her so cheerful, the corners of my mouth curl up all on their own.
‘Yeah, me too,’ I say, and I mean that smile, this moment.
The coffee machine beeps, Nyla steps back and turns the tea mug in her hands. On her wrist I spot a silver bracelet with tiny little charms.
‘I take that off at the start of my shift, don’t worry,’ she says when she notices that my gaze is lingering on the piece of jewelry.
There’s a suitcase and next to it, that could be a stethoscope. Or is it? Her hand sinks down, my gaze follows. Yes, a stethoscope, together with a seashell. And to the left of that … is the name tag on her uniform, which suddenly pushes itself into my field of vision.
It says Dr. Moore.