Read Online Dr. Campbell's Secret Son by Anne Fraser - Free Book Online
Authors: Anne Fraser
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I could be honest…’ He left the sentence unfinished.
Annie looked at him searchingly. She sensed that there was a great deal that Jamie wasn’t telling her, but the look in his eyes stopped her from asking. ‘If ever you need a friendly ear, Jamie, you know where to find me.’
On impulse Jamie put his arm around her and squeezed her shoulders. ‘Thanks, but at the moment there is nothing anyone can do to help.’
* * *
Sarah gazed lovingly at her son as he lay in his cot, his long eyelashes casting shadows on his fat pink cheeks as he drifted off to sleep for the night. Her heart felt as if it would burst with love and pride for Calum, and for the thousandth time since his birth she was glad she had made the right decision in having him. If only Jamie would allow himself to love Calum, she thought, he too could experience the wonder of their child.
Leaving the door of the bathroom open in case Calum woke up, Sarah had a quick shower. As she pulled on pyjama shorts and a camisole top, the doorbell rang. Belting up her short cotton dressing-gown, Sarah frowned as she tiptoed barefoot to the front door. Who on earth could be calling at this time of night? Keeping the chain on, she opened the door just enough to see who was standing there.
‘Jamie! What are you doing here?’ she asked, although from the sympathetic expression in his deep brown eyes she thought she knew.
‘Can I come in for a minute? I know you said to phone, but some news is better delivered in person,’ he said quietly.
Sarah unhooked the security chain and opened the door.
‘It’s Bill isn’t it?’ she stated. ‘He’s worse?’ She felt her heart begin to thud in her chest.
‘I’m so sorry, SJ, but he arrested just before ten. The ward phoned me. They did everything they could but they were unable to bring him around. He died a short while ago.’
Although Sarah had expected the news, it was still a shock. ‘Oh, no!’ she whispered. She was used to patients dying. She had to be, working as an A and E doctor. But Bill and his wife, and their bittersweet reunion with their estranged son, had crept under her skin. She had hoped against all odds that this was one story with a happy ending. She tried to blink away the tears blurring her vision.
Jamie stepped closer. ‘Everybody did everything they could. You did everything you could, and gave him precious extra time to spend with his family.’ Without knowing how it happened, Sarah found herself in Jamie’s arms. She smelled the leather of his jacket as she rested her head against his chest.
‘His poor wife, how will she cope?’ she mumbled into his chest. ‘They’d been married for fifty years. They were everything to each other. How does someone go on after their partner of so long leaves them?’
Jamie was a little taken aback by her reaction. He had always known that Sarah let herself become attached to patients. But she usually hid it well, only ever showing a professional, cool exterior. Perhaps motherhood had changed her, softened her? Jamie was unprepared for the surge of protectiveness he felt as he stroked her hair tenderly. As she started to pull away, he cupped her face, gently wiping away her spilt tears with his thumbs. ‘At least Mary still has her son and he’ll be of some comfort and support to her.’ Jamie soothed softly. ‘And Bill was able to make his peace before he died.’
Remembering what Mary had said about fathers and sons, Sarah longed to blurt out the words that raged in her heart as she searched Jamie’s eyes for some clue as to how he felt about her and Calum. Why couldn’t he love her? And their son? Exhaustion and emotion brought fresh tears welling up in her eyes once more. ‘Shh, it’s OK, SJ,’ Jamie said huskily, and before she knew it, he was kissing her salty, wet cheeks, tracing the tears tracks down her face and then finding her lips and tenderly covering her mouth with his own.
Sarah clung to him, breathing in his
Annie looked at him searchingly. She sensed that there was a great deal that Jamie wasn’t telling her, but the look in his eyes stopped her from asking. ‘If ever you need a friendly ear, Jamie, you know where to find me.’
On impulse Jamie put his arm around her and squeezed her shoulders. ‘Thanks, but at the moment there is nothing anyone can do to help.’
* * *
Sarah gazed lovingly at her son as he lay in his cot, his long eyelashes casting shadows on his fat pink cheeks as he drifted off to sleep for the night. Her heart felt as if it would burst with love and pride for Calum, and for the thousandth time since his birth she was glad she had made the right decision in having him. If only Jamie would allow himself to love Calum, she thought, he too could experience the wonder of their child.
Leaving the door of the bathroom open in case Calum woke up, Sarah had a quick shower. As she pulled on pyjama shorts and a camisole top, the doorbell rang. Belting up her short cotton dressing-gown, Sarah frowned as she tiptoed barefoot to the front door. Who on earth could be calling at this time of night? Keeping the chain on, she opened the door just enough to see who was standing there.
‘Jamie! What are you doing here?’ she asked, although from the sympathetic expression in his deep brown eyes she thought she knew.
‘Can I come in for a minute? I know you said to phone, but some news is better delivered in person,’ he said quietly.
Sarah unhooked the security chain and opened the door.
‘It’s Bill isn’t it?’ she stated. ‘He’s worse?’ She felt her heart begin to thud in her chest.
‘I’m so sorry, SJ, but he arrested just before ten. The ward phoned me. They did everything they could but they were unable to bring him around. He died a short while ago.’
Although Sarah had expected the news, it was still a shock. ‘Oh, no!’ she whispered. She was used to patients dying. She had to be, working as an A and E doctor. But Bill and his wife, and their bittersweet reunion with their estranged son, had crept under her skin. She had hoped against all odds that this was one story with a happy ending. She tried to blink away the tears blurring her vision.
Jamie stepped closer. ‘Everybody did everything they could. You did everything you could, and gave him precious extra time to spend with his family.’ Without knowing how it happened, Sarah found herself in Jamie’s arms. She smelled the leather of his jacket as she rested her head against his chest.
‘His poor wife, how will she cope?’ she mumbled into his chest. ‘They’d been married for fifty years. They were everything to each other. How does someone go on after their partner of so long leaves them?’
Jamie was a little taken aback by her reaction. He had always known that Sarah let herself become attached to patients. But she usually hid it well, only ever showing a professional, cool exterior. Perhaps motherhood had changed her, softened her? Jamie was unprepared for the surge of protectiveness he felt as he stroked her hair tenderly. As she started to pull away, he cupped her face, gently wiping away her spilt tears with his thumbs. ‘At least Mary still has her son and he’ll be of some comfort and support to her.’ Jamie soothed softly. ‘And Bill was able to make his peace before he died.’
Remembering what Mary had said about fathers and sons, Sarah longed to blurt out the words that raged in her heart as she searched Jamie’s eyes for some clue as to how he felt about her and Calum. Why couldn’t he love her? And their son? Exhaustion and emotion brought fresh tears welling up in her eyes once more. ‘Shh, it’s OK, SJ,’ Jamie said huskily, and before she knew it, he was kissing her salty, wet cheeks, tracing the tears tracks down her face and then finding her lips and tenderly covering her mouth with his own.
Sarah clung to him, breathing in his
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