Christmas On The Children's Ward

‘Good.’ Eden said. ‘Rose is going to go through tomorrow’s menu with her a bit later on and I’ll pass it all on to the night staff. Hopefully, if we all keep it up, she’ll be a different girl in a few days. Becky and I are both on another late shift tomorrow, which will make things easier when Rose comes in. How come you’re still here?’ she added.

‘I’m not.’ Picking up his briefcase, he gave a tired smile. ‘Unless my pager goes off between now and the car park. I’ll see you tomorrow.’

‘See, you, Nick.’ Eden smiled back. ‘Have a good night.’

‘I will if you don’t call!’

No doubt a thousand doctors were jokingly saying those exact words to a thousand nurses even as Nick spoke them, but for Eden they hurt like hell.

The hardest part of the entire day was about to ensue.

She kept a professional smile in place as he picked up his briefcase and walked out of the ward, wondering who he was on his way to see, wondering who was filling the long hours till she saw him again.

Wondering where the loyal man who had been engaged to Teaghan had disappeared to…

Maybe he felt her eyes on him, but for some reason as he reached the door he turned around, then walked back the length of the ward in long purposeful strides. Eden figured he must have forgotten to sign for something or was going to remind her about a patient.

‘I’ve been thinking about our mutual problem.’

‘Mutual problem?’ Eden frowned, shifting Justin on her knee into an upright position, his little face held between her thumb and finger as her other hand rubbed his back.

‘Christmas.’ Nick said with a note of exasperation, as if the conversation they had had a few hours ago should still be at the front of her mind.

‘I’ll sort something out,’ Eden said airily. ‘Though I have to admit I’m not particularly looking forward to ringing my parents tonight and telling them I’m not coming home.’

‘Will they be upset?’

‘Not upset.’ Eden shook her head. ‘Just sorry, I guess, and worried that I’ll be on my own.’

‘But you don’t have to be on your own,’ Nick said, and Eden just shrugged and turned her attention back to the babe in her arms, continuing to rub his back in an attempt to bring up the wind she was sure was there. ‘Why don’t you spend it with me and my family?’

Despite a very loud burp from a very little baby, Eden carried on rubbing his back, determinedly not looking at up as her cheeks started to colour, waiting for Nick to roar with laughter or make some wisecrack to show that he was joking, but when finally she did jerk her eyes up to look at him, she was shocked to see that his face was deadly serious.

‘It makes perfect sense,’ Nick insisted. ‘My sister’s kids are spending the day with their dad and they won’t be there till the evening so there won’t be any tantrums, and my mum’s an amazing cook so you can have the massive roast dinner you’re dreaming of. At least you can tell your parents when you ring them that you’re not going to be on your own.’

‘And what’s in it for you?’ Eden asked directly, her eyes narrowing as Nick blushed slightly.

‘I just don’t like the thought of you being on your own,’ Nick attempted, but Eden just slowly shook her head.

‘What’s in it for you, Nick?’ she asked again.

‘Well, if I hinted to Mum that we were seeing each other, I guess that would buy me a few months of grace.’

‘You mean get them off your back?’

‘Something like that. Think about it, Eden. It would be good for both of us and you’d have a great day, I can guarantee it.’

‘So why not ask one of your many admirers? I’m sure Tanya’s hoping for an invitation to meet your family.’

‘Exactly.’ Nick rolled his eyes. ‘I spoke to her last night and unfortunately you’re right—she was hoping…’ He gave an embarrassed shrug. ‘Suffice to say an invitation to Tanya to spend Christmas with me and my family could only confuse things, whereas with you and I…’ He gave another shrug. ‘Well, we’d both know that there was…’

‘Nothing in it,’ Eden finished for him as his voice trailed off. ‘Thanks but, no, thanks.’

‘Why not?’

Somehow she managed a smile as she placed a nappy over her shoulder and rested Justin against it as she stood up.

‘Playing your girlfriend for a day, just isn’t my idea of a fun Christmas,’ Eden said. Heading down the ward and coming to Justin’s room, she pushed the door open. ‘You’ll have to come up with someone else, Nick.’

‘Think about it,’ Nick said, but Eden shook her head.

‘’Night, Nick.’

As the door closed behind her, she placed Justin in his cot, soothing him gently as he struggled to open his heavy eyes. She listened to the sound of Nick’s footsteps going down the ward and felt the sting of a great salty tear as it rolled down her cheek.

Stupidly, she’d dreamed of that very moment.

Secretly dreamed of Nick asking her to be with him and his family, the thought of sharing Christmas with him a fantasy she’d harboured—only not like this.

Never like this.

CHAPTER THREE

‘SHE’LL never agree.’ Becky shook her head as Eden wrestled with six feet four of hulking pine tree, dragging the beast the length of the nurses’ station then levering it up to its full height. ‘Donna always has it on the far side of the nurses’ station.’

‘Where no one can see it,’ Eden retorted.

‘Where it doesn’t get in the way,’ Becky countered with a grin. ‘She’ll have a fit when she sees that you’ve moved it.’

‘Then she shouldn’t have asked me to sort out the Christmas decorations, “given that the ward’s so quiet”.’ Eden’s rather purse-lipped impression of her senior rapidly faded as Becky gave a quick cough and started shuffling a pile of papers in front of her. Eden sucked in her breath as Donna Adams arrived at the nurses’ station with a mountain of empty boxes. She was clearly not in the least impressed with what she was seeing.

‘What, may I ask, is the tree doing there, Sister?’

‘I thought it was more visible,’ Eden attempted. ‘That more of the children would be able to see it from their beds.’

‘It’s in the way,’ Donna clipped. ‘This is a hospital, Eden, not the local shopping centre. If, or rather when, there’s an emergency the staff have enough to deal with, without manoeuvring crash carts around a blessed tree.’

‘But there’s plenty of room.’ Eden stood firm, determined not to back down, determined for once in her life to stand up to Donna. ‘I’ve measured it. And, yes, this is a hospital, but it’s also a children’s ward—’

‘Nice tree!’ Nick announced, depositing a mug of coffee and smothering a yawn, clearly oblivious to the argument that was taking place. ‘When are the decorations going up?’

‘Once Sister Hadley moves it back to the other side of the nurses’ station,’ Donna said tartly, and as Nick’s eyes darted between the two women, Eden saw a twist of a smile on his lips as he picked up on the tension. ‘I was just explaining that the reason we keep it at the far side of the table is that in the event of an emergency we need to be able to manoeuvre the trolleys—’

‘There’s plenty of room,’ Nick broke in. ‘They’re not supermarket trolleys, Donna, we do have some control over them.’

‘But the patient files are kept there.’

‘Then move them,’ Nick responded. ‘It’s much better here—more of the kids can see it.’

Given that Nick was the consultant, the argument was effectively over, but Donna wasn’t particularly gracious in defeat, thrusting a pile of empty boxes in Eden’s direction. ‘You can wrap these for under the tree, and I do not want to come in tomorrow morning to mountains of tinsel and fake snow over all my windows and plastic Santas stuck to the wall. Could we try and aim for tasteful?’

‘Children and tasteful don’t exactly mix,’ Eden muttered, but only when Donna was safely halfway down the corridor and heading for home! ‘What is her problem?’

‘She just likes to remind everyone she’s the boss,’ Nick answered, scribbling furiously on some notes and not looking up as he spoke. ‘She’s a honey really.’

‘Only because you’re the real boss.’ Becky grinned, leaning over and peering down the corridor to make sure Donna really had left before rummaging in her wicker basket under the desk. She pulled out a container and shovelled a delectable-looking slice of cake on a paper towel and placed it beside Nick’s mug. ‘Here you go, Nick, have some chocolate cake with your coffee. ‘Eden?’ she offered, but Eden shook her head.

‘Not for me, thanks. I’d better get on with this tree, given that I’m going to be seeing so much of it.’

‘Oh, Eden, I am sorry about that, but it wasn’t just for me that I said no.’

‘I know,’ Eden admitted. ‘It’s hardly fair on Conner as you worked last year.’

‘It’s not just Conner who’d be upset.’ Becky let out a low sigh. ‘I don’t think Hamish would have taken it too well if I’d had to tell him that I was going to be working. Believe me, his tantrums lately are worse than anything Conner can pull off.’

Eden carried on listening to Becky’s woes as she climbed onto a footstool, unraveling a bundle of fairy lights as she did so. She felt horribly self-conscious all of a sudden, acutely aware of Nick just a few metres away. Not that he was paying any attention, Eden consoled herself, tugging down her dress with one hand as she reached up to the top of the tree with the other and started draping the lights—he was too wrapped up in his notes.

‘You should check them first.’ Nick’s voice caught her unawares and she swung around too quickly, embarrassed but grateful that, almost like a reflex action, he reached out his arm to steady her. ‘Careful, Eden,’ he warned, and Eden was grateful for the semi-darkness, which meant that Nick couldn’t see her blushing, which she was—furiously. His fingers tightened around her wrist. ‘Do you want me to do it?’

‘Do what?’ Eden blinked, her mind having wandered well away from the subject.

‘To check the lights for you,’ Nick explained patiently. ‘Before you go to all the trouble of decorating the tree, first you ought to plug them in to make sure they’re working.’

‘Oh, Nick!’ Eden simpered. ‘What on earth would we do without you?’

‘That’s why he’s a doctor,’ Becky said in a proud, village-idiot type of voice, and Nick started to realize he was being teased. ‘Because he’s so clever.’

‘I was only trying to help.’ Nick moaned, finally getting around to his coffee and cake. ‘I’ll keep my mouth shut next time.’

‘Please.’ Eden grinned, resuming the difficult task as Nick picked up his cake and eyed it greedily.

‘I’ve just realised that I’m starving.’

‘Well, enjoy.’ Becky smiled. ‘Eden didn’t want any so there’s another piece here if you fancy it.’

Quite simply, Eden couldn’t resist it. Still on the footstool, the fairy lights poised in her hand, she turned her head to watch Nick’s face as he took a bite of the moist chocolate sponge and Becky pushed the container holding Eden’s slice towards him. ‘Help yourself, Nick.’

It was sheer poetry in motion. Nick closed his eyes, just as one did when one was about to sink teeth into something divine. Eden watched as he took a very generous bite of the chocolate cake and then witnessed his eyes snapping open. The public school system had certainly done its job when they’d taught young Nicholas his manners because his moan of horror turned in an instant to a groan of approval.

‘What ingredients do you use, Becky,’ Eden asked innocently, turning her attention to the tree and smothering a smile, ‘to get it so moist?’

‘Tofu,’ Becky smiled. ‘Though I swear a good soy milk helps—none of that genetically engineered rubbish. And Hamish has found a store that does the most delectable vegan chocolate chips. I’m going to make one of those for Christmas—this was just a practice run. You will come,’ Becky checked, jumping up as a buzzer went off. ‘I’ll get it.’

‘What the hell is it?’ Nick choked, using the paper towel Becky had thoughtfully provided but for a reason she had never intended!

‘It’s awful, isn’t it?’ Eden giggled. ‘All her food’s the same. It looks fantastic, but when you taste it. Don’t!’ Eden yelped as Nick went to toss the rest of his cake in the waste-paper basket. ‘She’ll see. Use the sharps bin.’

‘I gather that you’ve done this before,’ Nick said in a loud whisper, shoving the remains into the sharps bin, which had a closed lid that hid the contents from sight.

‘Many times,’ Eden admitted.

‘You absolutely cannot go there for Christmas. It’s no wonder Conner and Hamish are throwing tantrums if that’s what Becky’s trying to feed them!’

‘What can I say to her?’ Eden giggled again. ‘She knows that I can’t get home and, given she was there when I found out, it’s not as if I can pretend I’ve got other plans.’

‘You could have,’ Nick reminded her, but thankfully her pager bleeped, giving Eden an excuse not to get into the uncomfortable topic. Glancing down at her neon yellow pager, the numbers displayed were instantly recognisable as Accident and Emergency. As Eden was the admitting nurse for the paediatric unit that evening and all admissions had to come through her in order to be allocated, it could only mean one thing—a new admission was on the way.

‘Eden Hadley, admitting nurse for Paeds,’ Eden said as she was connected, listening to an unfamiliar nursing sister and scribbling down an initial diagnosis as Nick looked on. ‘Chest infection or difficulty feeding.’ She shared a wry grin with Nick as Emergency attempted to shuffle their patient to the top of the list. ‘And he’s three years old. Have we had him before?’

An incredibly long wait ensued as the nurse attempted to locate the patient’s history, reeling off a long list of complaints until finally Eden halted her.

‘Ben!’

‘No,’ came a hesitant voice down the line. ‘The name I’ve got is Maxwell Benjamin Reece, he’s a three-year-old with Down’s syndrome. He’s also…’ The nurse lowered her voice and Eden rolled her eyes, finishing the sentence for her.

‘HIV positive. He’s familiar to the ward, but he goes by the name of Ben. Could you let the staff who are dealing with him know that, please? Who’s with him?’

The frantic scribbling on her notepad had stopped—Ben was familiar to anyone who worked on the paediatric unit and Eden didn’t need to write down his past history. She gave a frown as the emergency nurse cheerfully declared that he had come in accompanied by Lorna, a social worker. It became clear that, yet again, little Ben was a ward of the state, that he’d had a chest X-ray and that they wanted to send him up soon as they were getting pretty full. Maybe it would be better if he was in familiar surroundings.

‘Send him straight up,’ Eden said, replacing the phone in its cradle.

‘Ben?’ Nick checked.

‘Minus his new foster-parents.’ Eden ran a hand through her hair, pulling out her tie and collecting all the loose curls that had fallen out and replacing them, an automatic gesture she did ten, maybe twenty times a day,

‘What’s the diagnosis?’

‘They’re fumbling to get one.’ Eden gave a tight smile. ‘Why don’t they just admit that little Ben’s too much like hard work?’ Closing her eyes for a moment, she instantly regretted her words. It wasn’t for her to judge. Ben wasn’t just her favourite patient. Everyone, from cleaner to consultant, adored Ben, but, as cute as he was, he had been dealt more than his fair share in life. Genetic, social and hereditary problems seemed to have aligned when he had been conceived. ‘I’m just sick of seeing him passed around, Nick. It just doesn’t seem fair that one little boy should have to put up with so much.’

‘He’s happy,’ Nick said soothingly.

‘Is he?’ Eden wasn’t so sure. ‘He just doesn’t know any better, Nick. He’s never been given a chance.’

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