Chapter 14
CHAPTER 14
T he next morning was busy with surgery and consultation, so by the time my afternoon break came along, I was ready for a rest. I checked my watch and saw that Kyle had tried to call me several times. Alarmed that something might have happened to Kate, I called right away. There was really no reason for him to call me except if he had bad news.
“Kyle, I’m sorry I missed your calls. I was in surgery. What’s the matter? Are Kate and Sophie okay?”
“Not to worry,” Kyle said, his tone soft. For the next few moments, he filled me in on what was going on in Brooklyn.
“She saw one of your guys and called you?” I said with a laugh, relieved that my worst fears weren’t realized.
“Sadly, yes. You can believe that I sent the guy back into training. If she could tell he was watching her, he was obviously not doing the job right.”
“Thank God,” I said and heaved a heavy sigh of relief. “What did you tell her? Does she know I put security on her?”
“No, I didn’t say anything to her about the detail. It’s against my policy to do so. Instead, I just told my new team to use the red cup and pin that we usually use, so now it’s out in the open. No stealth required. I’ll leave it up to you to tell her.”
“Thanks,” I said and rubbed my forehead. “I’ll call her and let her know right away. I appreciate the head’s-up. I’ll be glad when she comes here and joins me.”
I ended the call and then finished my coffee, passing over in my mind just what I’d say to Kate. I wanted her to understand why, but I also wanted her to tell me herself about the photo with Carlton Page. She hadn’t so far, so I was trying to figure out a way for her to do just that when I got a call on my cell.
Sure enough, it was Kate.
I answered on the second ring.
“You’re not in surgery,” she said, her voice sounding surprised. “I took a chance and called anyway, although I know you’re usually up to your arms in it, so to speak.”
“Yes, I just got finished and am taking a break. What’s up? How is everyone?”
She hesitated for only a moment and then sighed. “We’re fine, but I wanted to call you and talk about something.”
“I’m all ears,” I said, keeping my voice neutral.
“I hired Kyle to provide a security detail until we leave.”
“I know,” I said and decided to come clean.
“You know?”
“Kyle just called me to let me know. He told me you saw one of his guys — who I hired to protect you and Sophie while I was out of town — and that you hired him, too.”
“What?” Kate laughed out loud at that. “You hired someone to watch us? I saw him?”
“Yes,” I said, smiling. I was relieved that she saw the humor in it. But I stopped there. I didn’t want to say anything about the Page One photo I’d been sent and that it was the reason I hired someone to protect her and Sophie. I wanted her to be the one to tell me about it.
“You’re so protective of us,” she said softly.
“It’s hard to be apart and not worry about you,” I replied. I wanted to tell her why, but figured I’d give her the chance to tell me about the photo.
When she didn’t, I kept quiet. We spoke about Kyle and the security arrangements for another couple of minutes, and then she said she had to go.
“Sophie and I will be flying out on Tuesday, so we’ll be there Wednesday night. I hate leaving Daddy, but he’s fine. I miss you and Sophie misses you too much to stay away any longer.”
“I miss you both, too,” I said, smiling, my heart warming despite my disappointment about her not telling me about the photo.
“We’ll call you later, when it’s bedtime. I love you.”
“I love you, too. Kiss Sophie for me. Say hello to Dad and Elaine for me.”
“I will.”
We ended the call, and I leaned back in my chair and rubbed my eyes.
She didn’t say anything about the photo. Why?
Was she too worried about it to tell me? She had to know I’d be jealous of seeing her with anyone, let alone someone young, handsome and wealthy like Carlton.
I sighed and glanced out the window. It was raining again, with sheets of it falling between the buildings. That was bad news for the state of the country’s water system. There had been more than enough rain for a year, let alone a month.
It was scary and made Michael’s job finding two — or more — new surgeons for the hospital even more important.
Later that afternoon, when I was finished rounds to check on my patients, I sat in the cafeteria and had something to eat. I read the paper and watched on the television on the wall across from me scenes of mayhem in the rivers outside of Nairobi. Now, the rains were hitting the city itself and I watched as the camera panned to a building that had collapsed at the edge of the city, rescue workers frantic to find survivors.
My cell rang, and I saw that it was Michael. “Can you come by my office? I have a huge favor to ask.”
“I’ll be right there,” I replied and grabbed my paper and tray.
“Thanks.”
I returned my tray to the racks at the side of the cafeteria and then made my way to Michael’s office. He was standing watching the flat screen in his office.
“Come in,” he said when he saw me pop my head inside. “Have you seen this?”
We watched the scenes of devastation on the outskirts of Nairobi. “Yes, I have. It’s a nightmare. Some of the older buildings just can’t withstand the heavy rain.”
“It’s once in a thousand-year rain,” Michael said, shaking his head. “They just don’t have the infrastructure to deal with this.
I watched in horror as the camera panned the streets with the building collapsed into the roads. Panicked rescue workers carried stretchers from the remains of the formerly-four story building.
“We’re going to be inundated with trauma patients,” Michael said, his voice low. “Can you put your skills to work and help out tonight?”
“Of course. I’ll do whatever I can to help.”
“Good. I just got word that they’re sending several trauma patients here with neurological issues so they can deal with the trauma. We’re already strapped for surgeons and trauma surgeons in particular. Every hand helps.”
“I’ll get scrubbed up,” I said and went to the door.
“I’ll join you in five,” Michael said. “I have to call to confirm that we have extra staff working in the OR. I feel bad about this, but I’m seriously considering calling Sam and asking her to come in for a few days to help deal with workload. We could use her hands tonight of all nights, but I wanted to speak with you first.”
That made me feel bad. “I’m sorry you had to do it because of me, but if you think we need her to deal with this, go ahead.”
He exhaled heavily. “I didn’t let her go because of you. I let her go because of her own bad choices. She is the problem, not you. Get that out of your mind. She got a job at the General. When they called for a reference, I didn’t want to give her a bad one so at least she has a job. Maybe she’ll realize she can’t sleep with her residents. She’s a very skilled neurosurgeon, and we need every hand we can get. I hope you don’t mind.”
I frowned. “Of course, I don’t mind. It’s an emergency. Will she mind? It’s because of me that she got fired.”
“No,” he said and made a slicing motion with his hand. “It’s because of her own bad choices.”
I nodded. She was a very good neurosurgeon. It was just too bad she showed bad decision-making skills when it came to her personal life…
Whatever the case, I still felt bad that she was let go because of our relationship and her inability to keep her sex life and work separate.
“You do what you have to do. If she’ll come back to help, I’ll put on my best fake-smile and work with her if I must. I’ll go now,” I said and pointed to the door. “Get scrubbed in. Do whatever you think the hospital needs. Don’t worry about me.”
“Thanks, Drake. I wanted to let you know before I called her.”
I nodded and left his office, heading back to my own before going down to the surgical suites to scrub in.
So, he was going to call Sam and ask her to scrub in with us until the worst of the crisis had passed…
If she agreed, she’d rub it in as much as she could. Of that, I was certain.
I did not look forward to working with her, but maybe we could keep our distance while she was at the hospital.
For both our sakes…
For the rest of the evening, I worked my butt off dealing with the neurosurgery patients from the General Hospital, spending time reviewing their charts and scans, then doing what I could to deal with their needs. When nine o’clock rolled around, I texted Kate to let her know I would be working late and would text her when I was able.
DRAKE: Flooding in Nairobi. Building collapse sent multiple patients to General, so they sent their neurosurgery patients to us. I’m working through the evening to deal with overload. Will text you when I’m able to Skype. Might not be until much later. Love you both. XOXO
It was while I was on my way back to my next patient in the OR that I saw Sam arrive, already in scrubs and reading a chart in the OR next to mine.
“Sam,” I said and nodded to her as I passed.
“Well, if it isn’t my favorite back-stabbing ex.”
I stopped abruptly. Something salty came to mind about us not being anything with enough substance to be considered exes beyond occasional fuck buddies, but I bit my own tongue and refused to respond in kind.
“So glad you were able to come help us out, given the emergency. Both Michael and I agree you’re a very talented neurosurgeon and we’re lucky to have you step up to the plate in a crisis.”
I gave her my biggest smile and then went into my OR. I caught sight of her expression of shock as I went through the door.
Yeah. I’m not stooping to your level…
Then I scrubbed in.
When my final patient of the evening was finished and was in the recovery room, I checked on my patients and then went to the break room for a much-needed bottle of water. I was exhausted but checked my cell and saw that Kate had texted me back.
KATE: I heard about the flooding and building collapses. So terrible. They’re lucky to have you there. Text me when you’re back at the hotel and we’ll have a quick goodnight Skype. Love you back. XOXOX
I smiled and checked my watch. It was nearing ten. There were no more emergency patients to deal with, so I could indeed go home. We were lucky Sam was willing to come back to help deal with the crisis.
Michael entered the break room just as I was messaging my driver to be outside to take me back to the hotel.
Michael came over to me, slapping me on the back. “How about we all go to your hotel and have a drink before heading home? I know it’s late, but I feel like we pulled off a miracle tonight, dealing with the crisis. We need a drink and I want to thank the staff who helped.”
I had planned on going right back to the hotel and to bed but felt I couldn’t turn Michael down.
“Of course,” I said and smiled. “A drink would be perfect way to end such a night.”
“Good. I’ve invited everyone to come, and I’ll buy the first round.”
I raised my eyebrows, wondering if that meant Sam as well, but didn’t want to ask directly.
“My limo is outside, waiting. We can go down together.”
“Good. I’ll grab my jacket and we can go. I’ve told the others where you’re staying, so they’ll meet us at your hotel.”
I nodded, pasting on that fake smile I mentioned earlier in our conversation. My only hope was that Sam was smart enough not to show up.
I was wrong to hope.
I went back to my own office to grab my jacket as well and met Michael at the elevator. Sam walked up while we were waiting.
“The Fairmont, is it?” She smiled. “I hear Michael is buying the first round.”
I smiled at her. “Yes. The Fairmont.”
In an awkward silence, we took the elevator to the main floor.
“See you there,” she said when we exited the elevator. Luckily, she took the hallway to the rear of the building where staff parking was located. Michael and I walked out front where my limo was parked, the driver standing at attention beside the rear passenger door.
“Here we are,” I said and nodded to the driver. “Get in first.”
Michael got inside and I followed. We drove off and I sighed, glad that at least Michael hadn’t invited Sam to drive to the hotel with us.
I did not look forward the rest of the night and decided I would have a single drink and then I’d leave the crew to party without me.
At least, that was the plan…