The Accidental Romeo. Carol Marinelli

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      Harry looked at Adam’s dark, serious eyes, so like his mum’s. And, like Jill, Adam never complained about Harry’s ridiculous work hours, which only served to make Harry feel worse. ‘Hey,’ Harry said. ‘Tonight we’re going to take those bruised bananas and make banana bread.’ It was completely off the top of his head. ‘So tomorrow you and Charlotte will have something nice waiting for breakfast that you can eat in the car if we’re in a hurry.’

      ‘Promise?’ Adam checked.

      ‘As much as I can promise,’ Harry said, because the very nature of his job meant that nothing could be guaranteed. ‘But if we don’t get to make it tonight then the bananas will be even blacker tomorrow and the banana bread even sweeter.’

      Finally, Adam smiled.

      ‘I hate banana bread!’ Charlotte, the louder of the two, had to have her say as Harry gave her a kiss goodbye.

      ‘I know.’ Harry smiled. ‘But you do like eating the frosting.’

      ‘Can I make the frosting?’ Charlotte was more easily cheered, though, unlike Adam and Jill, she did protest loudly whenever Harry was late picking them up or was called into work.

      ‘Yep,’ Harry said, and then, because he had to, he qualified again. ‘If I get home in time.’

      ‘Try,’ Charlotte said.

      It was all he seemed to be doing these days.

      He hugged them both and then, as good as gold, they headed off to join their little friends to start their very long day.

      Something had to give.

      Harry headed back towards the department and tried, for now, not to think about the unpalatable decision that he was coming to.

      As well as being an emergency consultant, Harry was also a renowned hand surgeon. He was reluctantly considering moving into the private sphere and focusing on his second love—hands. Emergency and single fatherhood, he had fast found out, simply didn’t mix.

      Harry had decided that he was going to take some annual leave while he made his decision. Once Juan was back from his honeymoon and Dr Cooper had started work and the department was adequately staffed, he could take some proper time off and work out what to do.

      He just needed to get through the next few weeks.

      Harry headed straight for the changing rooms and took the ten minutes Marnie had noted that he needed. he quickly shaved, combed his hair and added a tie, then walked back into the department, and the first person he saw was Marnie.

      ‘That’s better!’ Marnie commented, when others perhaps would not have.

      ‘Better?’

      ‘You’ve shaved, put on a tie…’

      ‘I don’t need a tie to be a consultant.’ Harry made light reference to her jacket comment to Lillian but still he bristled. She should see how Juan dressed some days, stomping about in Cuban-heeled boots, and, until recently, Juan’s black hair had been longer than shoulder length—imagine what she’d have had to say about that! Harry had always prided himself on his appearance and tried to look smart for work, and he really didn’t need a lecture today.

      Heading to her office, Marnie gave it a good wipe down with alcohol rubs and then, deciding it was too drab, she rang a local florist and asked for flowers to be delivered. Then she asked Cate Nicholls, who had been filling in after Christine had left, to bring her up to date with certain protocols and paperwork.

      ‘Most multi-trauma goes straight to the city, though it depends on transport availability, so we can get a sudden influx,’ Cate explained, but Marnie had gone through most of this at her interviews. The paperwork took a while—there were all the patient complaints and staff incident reports to go through.

      ‘They’re mainly about waiting times,’ Cate commented.

      ‘And cleanliness,’ Marnie observed, flicking through them. ‘Is there a protocol for cubicle preparation for the patients?’

      ‘Not one that’s written as such,’ Cate said.

      There soon would be! Still, Marnie moved on to the budget lists and all the stuff that Cate had loathed but which Marnie just loved to tackle.

      ‘I hope everything is up to date,’ Cate said. ‘If it’s not…’

      ‘I’ll just ask you,’ Marnie answered.

      ‘I won’t be around, though,’ Cate reminded her. ‘I’m going on annual leave next week.’

      ‘Of course, you’re getting married…are you going anywhere nice for your honeymoon?’

      ‘We’re getting married in Argentina,’ Cate answered. ‘Juan and I—’

      ‘You’re marrying Juan?’

      ‘That’s right.’

      ‘The new doctor?’ Marnie checked, and Cate nodded.

      ‘How long are you going to be away for?’

      ‘Three weeks.’

      Cate was still smiling. Perhaps, as most would be, she was waiting for congratulations—she just didn’t know Marnie, whose only interest at work was work. ‘Are you saying that Juan’s got three weeks off!’ Marnie exclaimed. ‘But he’s only just started.’

      By nine a.m. both Lillian and Cate had glimpsed what was to come.

      By midday the rest of the staff were starting to.

      ‘Are there four of her?’ Kelly, one of the nurses, grumbled as she sat on a stool beside Harry.

      ‘Sorry?’ Harry looked up from the notes he was writing. ‘Four of who?’

      ‘Marnie.’ Kelly sighed. ‘It seems that everywhere I go, there she is.’

      Harry grinned. Marnie certainly wasn’t hiding in the office, as Christine had—she darted in and out and wherever you looked it seemed that she was there.

      Harry had noticed and, as if to prove Kelly’s point, Marnie soon appeared.

      ‘Where are the nursing roster request forms kept?’ Marnie asked Kelly.

      ‘In here.’ Kelly opened a drawer and pulled out a large diary, which Marnie took.

      Then Marnie sat on a stool at a computer, quietly working her way through the rosters before disappearing.

      ‘See!’ Kelly said. ‘She’s everywhere…’ She launched into another moan but her voice trailed off as Marnie returned with not just a new diary but instructions.

      ‘From now on, all of the off-duty requests are to be written in the new diary, along with a reason for requesting that date,’ Marnie said, as she pinned up a laminated note stating the same. ‘If you would prefer to speak to me personally, rather than write СКАЧАТЬ