Violet
She set her shoulders back, went to head towards the stairs and felt a buzz in her back pocket. Pulling out her phone she could see that Dev had just sent her a message.
Enjoy your last night shift V. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do– other than save lives etc
And on the screen beneath was a message from Gus that must have arrived while she’d been cycling. How much agony she’d have saved herself if she’d read it in time.
Something’s come up, Sorry, can’t do supper, I’ll see you at work– we need to talk xx
Something’s come up. Hmmm.
* * *
She was halfway along the corridor to the surgical wards when she saw a familiar male figure striding confidently in her direction.
Ugh, the last person she wanted to see at the moment was Barney Snell.
Her eyes darted to the large windows lining the corridor hoping to find a recess to hide in or at least a trolley to fall over for some distraction, but no such luck.
‘Dr Winters.’ His voice was surprisingly gentle as he approached her. ‘Are you alright?’
Violet tried to give the sort of smile that said, of course, couldn’t be better, that’s why I’m here two hours early, dressed in an outfit that looked nice until it was soaked in sleety hail, with snot and mascara streaking my cheeks . Clearly, she wasn’t very convincing.
‘You’re shivering.’ He sounded genuinely concerned. ‘Were you caught in the downpour?’
She nodded, a watery smile on her face. ‘Yes– I was on my bike– I…’ She faltered, not sure of what else to say.
He reached out as if to touch her and then thought better of it, returning his hand to his side. ‘You look upset,’ he said. ‘Come with me. I’ll make you a coffee.’
‘Oh, no– I– I was going to see my friend. On the ward.’ She gestured along the corridor. ‘He’s an inpatient.’
Barney raised his eyebrows in recognition. ‘Ahh, yes– it’s Marvin Gillespie, isn’t it? Room three?’
Violet looked at him, surprised. ‘Yes, that’s him. I didn’t realise you knew– I didn’t think he was your patient?’
Barney smiled. ‘Don’t look so shocked. I do tend to take notice of who comes on and off my ward even if they don’t strictly belong to me.
’ He looked a little hurt. ‘I take an interest. A bit like you I guess– I seem to recall you being quite the vocal advocate for the gentleman on ward ten with the pancreatic tumour.’
‘Well yes, but…’
‘And your friend Marvin– he’s quite the celebrity amongst the surgical team.
It’s not every day we get a drag queen making a Lazarus-style recovery, feels like something out of a West End show– certainly the most glamorous thing the ward has seen for a while.
And the selection boxes went down pretty well too. ’
‘Oh!’ said Violet before she could stop herself. ‘They were from me.’ Her cheeks flushed pink. ‘Well– my parents anyway. My mum bought them for the ward staff. She’s a doctor. She knows how hard everyone’s working. And they were half price.’
‘Well– it was very kind of her, and much appreciated. Sealed your Marvin’s reputation as the nurses’ favourite. Although he’d already promised all of us free tickets to his show at Rainbow Punters anyway– so that position was as good as guaranteed.’
‘Had he?’ Violet was surprised to find herself laughing. ‘I didn’t know that. But that’s him all over– generous to a fault. That’ll be some night out, I imagine.’
Barney raised his eyebrows theatrically. ‘I know,’ he said. ‘Can’t wait to see Madame Marvellous.’
‘ Arse, ’ Violet interjected.
Barney looked confused. ‘Arse?’
‘Yes’ She laughed again. ‘It’s arse– Madame Marvel arse – his stage name. As in, “She has the most marvellous derrière.”’
‘Ahhh. I see. Clever. Like it.’
‘Anyway, he’s very grateful to everyone for all the care.
I know that. He says he’s never been so well looked after.
Which has pissed my housemate right off– Dev likes to think he’d make an amazing nurse.
’ Violet suddenly caught herself, what was she doing, standing here in the middle of the hospital discussing her private life and friendships with Barney Snell of all people?
He seemed to sense her moment of doubt and his expression returned to one of concern. ‘Enough about Madame Marvelarse,’ he said. ‘What’s going on with you? I’m not used to seeing you look quite so dejected, Dr Winters.’
She sighed. ‘I don’t really want to talk about it, Mr Snell.’
‘Understood,’ he said. ‘And it’s Barney. Please– call me Barney.’
She was momentarily tempted to withhold her first name but it was clear, even to her socially unaware brain, that some form of reciprocity was expected– and he was only being kind. ‘Violet,’ she said.
‘Violet.’ He beamed. ‘Pretty name.’ He held out his hand and she smiled wryly as she shook it.
‘You’re still cold.’ He held her hand a little longer than necessary, perhaps to demonstrate his point.
His fingers were pleasantly hot against her skin.
‘Come on– now we’ve dispensed with the extremely formal introductions let’s get you a drink, warm you up a bit, cheer you up a bit– and then we can get you back to see your friend without him worrying about you. ’
She paused, considering. Barney did have a point. She was being pretty selfish really going to visit Marv when she was still feeling a bit shell-shocked. He would worry, and that wouldn’t be good for his recovery. ‘Okay,’ she said. ‘I’ve not been to the surgeons’ coffee room before. Lead the way.’
As they walked back along the corridor Barney asked her about her hospital experience thus far– he gathered from her not knowing her way around the surgical department that she was starting out with the general medicine part of her foundation year.
‘Do you think you’ll go into surgery?’ he asked as she casually crashed into the clinical waste bins outside the operating theatre.
‘I imagine not,’ she said and he laughed. ‘Seriously though. It’s not just the fact that I’m clumsy. I haven’t got the smooth manner. I’d certainly never get any private work.’
‘You don’t have to be smooth to be a surgeon,’ he said, affronted. ‘I mean– I’m not.’
She gave him one of her special deeply sceptical looks and he laughed again. ‘You’re pretty funny, Violet.’
She snorted a little in disbelief.
‘You are,’ he said. ‘And I think you’ve got the right attitude for surgery, to be honest. You’re dedicated for one thing. You work hard– I mean, you’re two hours early for the night shift for a start.’
She didn’t have the heart to correct him.
‘I’d be happy to put you in touch with people, that’s all I’m saying– if you decide it’s a career path you’re interested in.
Some of it’s about who you know rather than what you know.
’ He gave a self-deprecating little laugh.
‘And I sort of make it my business to know the right people. I could help you out.’ He gestured to a door off the main surgical corridor.
‘The women’s changing rooms are in there.
You probably want to get out of those wet clothes– help yourself to scrubs.
’ He looked her up and down, his gaze lingering as it had on previous occasions.
‘There’ll be something your size I should think– you’re very slim, maybe go for the top shelf.
Most of the sets on the lower shelves are for the, uhm, shall we say, more amply proportioned ladies who form the bulk of our workforce– quite literally. ’
‘That’s not very appropriate,’ she said with a frown.
She thought she saw a flicker of irritation cross his face but it was so swiftly replaced by contrition that she could have been mistaken, she often was.
‘You’re absolutely right, Violet,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry. I’ll be through here when you’re done.’ He gestured to the kitchen door. ‘I’ll get the kettle on.’
She undressed quickly, not entirely comfortable within the echoey silence of the changing room.
Nobody else was around and she was aware that the kitchen was only next door so she hastily divested herself of the damp jeans and long-sleeved top, peeling them off her skin and doing her best to wring them out above the communal sink.
Her bra was also soaked through and starting to chafe so she slipped it off and ran it under the hand dryer for a moment hoping to at least dry the cups.
It wasn’t until she caught a glimpse of movement reflected in the mirror next to the dryer that she turned with a start.
Barney was standing just inside the partially opened door and she gave a little shriek of surprise.
‘Sorry,’ he said, deliberately averting his eyes from her naked torso.
‘God, sorry. I did knock. I just wanted to bring you this.’ He pointed to the steaming mug of coffee in his hands and placed it down on the bench, backing out of the room with his hand held up to shield her from view.
‘I am really sorry, Violet– I didn’t mean to– I thought you’d be dressed. ’
‘Don’t worry,’ she said. He really did appear to be agonised about having caught her virtually naked– and she wouldn’t have heard him knocking at the door with the hand-dryer on.
He’d probably just assumed he could come in.
Still, she kept her arms folded tightly across her body until the door had thudded shut and then raced to the wire shelving unit that housed the piles of clean green scrubs, pulling off the first set she could get her hands on and covering her body as quickly as possible, damp underwear and all.
‘Is it okay for me to wear the green ones?’ she asked when she arrived in the coffee room a moment later. ‘Are they not just for the surgical staff?’
He shrugged, clearly relieved that she’d chosen not to mention his unwelcome interruption. ‘I don’t think it matters,’ he said. ‘Besides, didn’t you say you’re doing surgery for your next block in a few months? You look the part already.’
He noticed that her mug was still full. ‘Do you not want the coffee?’
‘It’s just a bit strong. I’ll make myself another.’