Read Online In Jeopardy by Lynette McClenaghan - Free Book Online
Authors: Lynette McClenaghan
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a man who couldn’t be a more unsuitable marriage proposition. She believed, despite his aggressive streak, she could overcome this obstacle. Instead the relationship imploded, before ending violently.
Over their meal and despite the long separation, Christine muses on how alike Julian is to her: fiercely independent; and, she suspects, afflicted by stubborn pride, preferring to suffer rather than ask for help.
As a nurse she regularly deals with broken people. She isn’t aware that this has conditioned her stance of non-judgment and empathy towards others to the detriment of her own welfare. Julian, although conditioned by a different profession, shares her self-effacing manner.
Julian tells Christine that he disapproved of Richard the moment they met. What remained unsaid seemed to crystallise his view of Richard. Christine’s accounts of him over the phone and in greeting cards failed to wipe away Julian’s distrust and contempt for the man.
He couldn’t help revealing his disdain at Richard for treating his sister, or any woman the way he did.
He showered her with gifts, indulged her with extravagant treats, whisked her away to fabulous places then left her with a generous credit card to make her own fun. He has treated her little betterthan a pampered pet. A man can smell that type a mile off.
‘Now you are no longer a novelty to him he has discarded you with impunity. Is this how it is?’
‘Very candidly put – you’ve summed up the situation. Why didn’t you tell me this before?’
‘There wasn’t any point. You would have been deaf to advice, because you hung onto an idealised image.’
Julian asks questions he wouldn’t have dared to ask in the past. He offers Christine any assistance he can give her. She is touched and tells her brother he’s kind, but that she doesn’t want to burden him. She informs him that she has engaged a solicitor to attend these affairs.
During the next week they meet daily for dinner or lunch before Julian returns to Sydney then flies to Perth. He suggests that Christine come to Perth with him. She tells him this is too generous. She reasons that she has recently returned from Sydney, instigated legal action against Richard, and since she has accepted the responsibility as Charge Nurse of the ward she cannot abandon the hospital. He dismisses her reasons as minor obstacles that she can easily overcome.
He impresses on her that the hospital won’t object to her taking a long weekend off. He suggests she ask for the days off in exchange for her taking on extra shifts. She asks him if he has cleared a proposed visit with Diana. He counters that the matter won’t be a problem, he will attend to it and Diana will be delighted. After convincing Christine, he arranges her flight and insists on paying her fare.
When Julian returns to Sydney Christine has almost forgotten about Perth. She organises shifts, oversees and trains student nurses, fits in extra shifts to make up for time she will take off. These duties keep her in a rushed state. Days seamlessly merge into each other. She returns to the apartment wanting to collapse and sleep following the seven shifts she has worked this week.
Tim is in the living-room on the floor, suitcases open, personal effects litter the floor and he doesn’t hear her enter. He looks up, revealing a wide-eyed startled possum stare. She apologises for catching him unaware. Following an awkward silence he says, ‘Hi Christine. Your mail is buried under my stuff.’
He moves an armful of crumpled clothing to retrieve her stack. She walks away from him and her mail. ‘It can wait. I’m making a cup of tea. Do you want one?’
‘Thanks; white tea, two sugars.’
She drops into one of the armchairs, one of the few pieces of furniture that is bare and stares at nothingness, almost unaware of Tim’s presence. Her head bursts from the noise of the ward, being consumed by too many tasks and loose ends she has to tie up before taking four
Over their meal and despite the long separation, Christine muses on how alike Julian is to her: fiercely independent; and, she suspects, afflicted by stubborn pride, preferring to suffer rather than ask for help.
As a nurse she regularly deals with broken people. She isn’t aware that this has conditioned her stance of non-judgment and empathy towards others to the detriment of her own welfare. Julian, although conditioned by a different profession, shares her self-effacing manner.
Julian tells Christine that he disapproved of Richard the moment they met. What remained unsaid seemed to crystallise his view of Richard. Christine’s accounts of him over the phone and in greeting cards failed to wipe away Julian’s distrust and contempt for the man.
He couldn’t help revealing his disdain at Richard for treating his sister, or any woman the way he did.
He showered her with gifts, indulged her with extravagant treats, whisked her away to fabulous places then left her with a generous credit card to make her own fun. He has treated her little betterthan a pampered pet. A man can smell that type a mile off.
‘Now you are no longer a novelty to him he has discarded you with impunity. Is this how it is?’
‘Very candidly put – you’ve summed up the situation. Why didn’t you tell me this before?’
‘There wasn’t any point. You would have been deaf to advice, because you hung onto an idealised image.’
Julian asks questions he wouldn’t have dared to ask in the past. He offers Christine any assistance he can give her. She is touched and tells her brother he’s kind, but that she doesn’t want to burden him. She informs him that she has engaged a solicitor to attend these affairs.
During the next week they meet daily for dinner or lunch before Julian returns to Sydney then flies to Perth. He suggests that Christine come to Perth with him. She tells him this is too generous. She reasons that she has recently returned from Sydney, instigated legal action against Richard, and since she has accepted the responsibility as Charge Nurse of the ward she cannot abandon the hospital. He dismisses her reasons as minor obstacles that she can easily overcome.
He impresses on her that the hospital won’t object to her taking a long weekend off. He suggests she ask for the days off in exchange for her taking on extra shifts. She asks him if he has cleared a proposed visit with Diana. He counters that the matter won’t be a problem, he will attend to it and Diana will be delighted. After convincing Christine, he arranges her flight and insists on paying her fare.
When Julian returns to Sydney Christine has almost forgotten about Perth. She organises shifts, oversees and trains student nurses, fits in extra shifts to make up for time she will take off. These duties keep her in a rushed state. Days seamlessly merge into each other. She returns to the apartment wanting to collapse and sleep following the seven shifts she has worked this week.
Tim is in the living-room on the floor, suitcases open, personal effects litter the floor and he doesn’t hear her enter. He looks up, revealing a wide-eyed startled possum stare. She apologises for catching him unaware. Following an awkward silence he says, ‘Hi Christine. Your mail is buried under my stuff.’
He moves an armful of crumpled clothing to retrieve her stack. She walks away from him and her mail. ‘It can wait. I’m making a cup of tea. Do you want one?’
‘Thanks; white tea, two sugars.’
She drops into one of the armchairs, one of the few pieces of furniture that is bare and stares at nothingness, almost unaware of Tim’s presence. Her head bursts from the noise of the ward, being consumed by too many tasks and loose ends she has to tie up before taking four
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