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Authors: Alison Roberts
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belongedâalong with that unfortunate kiss.
âYou mean Ken?â Was he imagining any strain in her voice? âThe one with the spinal injury?â
âYeah.â
âThat was tricky,â she said. No. She sounded normal. Delighted to be discussing something professional. âThere was a bit more to worry about than there would have been getting him out of, say, a car crash. We knew we had to get him out of the seat and then up the aisle before we could keep him horizontal.â
âDid you use a KED?â
âAbsolutely. Couldnât have managed without one.â
âWhat level was the lesion?â
âReasonably high. Paresthesia in both hands.â
âDiaphragmatic breathing?â
âNo. And he didnât go into a significant level of neurogenic shock, fortunately.â
Mac was only half listening, vaguely irritated by the chatter without knowing why. He kept himself busy sorting an airway roll and putting endotracheal tubes into order by size, finding the guide wires and bite blocks to put back into their correct slots, but he found himself wishing some road-based pagers would sound.
Finally, they did.
âPriority three,â the paramedic said, clearly disappointed. âProbably a transfer. If you guys get something good happening while weâre out, youâll owe us a beer.â
A vaguely tense silence fell once they were alone inthe messroom again. Mac fiddled with the kit, making sure everything was perfectly aligned. He was simply too aware of their proximity, that was all. Too aware that the kiss had changed something. It had been a mistake on both sides and they were both doing their best to pretend it hadnât happened, but it had and now it was justâ¦there.
But they couldnât talk about it. If they did, it would be tantamount to admitting attraction and Mac didnât want that conversation. He didnât want to talk about it. He didnât want to think about it because if he did, he couldnât control the pull that came in its wake.
A pull towards something he really didnât want. Territory he was more than content to be exiled from. This pull was stronger than anything heâd come across in ten years of voluntary exile. And for the first time it felt like he was in a place he might not want to be in for much longer.
A lonely place.
He didnât like that feeling. It was a relief when Julia broke the silence.
âMac?â
He looked up. Hellâ¦there was a plea in her eyes. She wanted something from him and if she asked, it might take more strength than he had to refuse.
âMmm?â It was a noncommittal sound.
âDo you thinkâ¦if it stays this quietâ¦?â
She was hesitant. About to ask for something that might not be entirely professional? Macâs mouth went curiously dry.
âI was hopingâ¦â Juliaâs smile was mischievous ââ¦that we might be able to sneak out and go and visit Ken.â
Â
Mac was quiet again.
He was driving the late-model SUV that was the SERT teamâs road vehicle, having checked with Control that it was all right for them to head into the city to visit the hospital Ken had been admitted to. If necessary, they could head for the helipad or any other job at a momentâs notice.
This car had only the front seats. The back was packed with all the equipment they could need in an emergency but there was no stretcher. It was used as an advance vehicle to get to a major incident first, an area where no ambulance was available or as back-up for a serious case. An ambulance had to be dispatched as well for transporting any patients and sometimes, if the patient required treatment beyond the skill level of an available road crew, they would have to abandon this vehicle to travel to the hospital and then retrieve it later.
Julia was becoming increasingly aware of how quiet Mac was as she listened in on the radio traffic. The blips
âYou mean Ken?â Was he imagining any strain in her voice? âThe one with the spinal injury?â
âYeah.â
âThat was tricky,â she said. No. She sounded normal. Delighted to be discussing something professional. âThere was a bit more to worry about than there would have been getting him out of, say, a car crash. We knew we had to get him out of the seat and then up the aisle before we could keep him horizontal.â
âDid you use a KED?â
âAbsolutely. Couldnât have managed without one.â
âWhat level was the lesion?â
âReasonably high. Paresthesia in both hands.â
âDiaphragmatic breathing?â
âNo. And he didnât go into a significant level of neurogenic shock, fortunately.â
Mac was only half listening, vaguely irritated by the chatter without knowing why. He kept himself busy sorting an airway roll and putting endotracheal tubes into order by size, finding the guide wires and bite blocks to put back into their correct slots, but he found himself wishing some road-based pagers would sound.
Finally, they did.
âPriority three,â the paramedic said, clearly disappointed. âProbably a transfer. If you guys get something good happening while weâre out, youâll owe us a beer.â
A vaguely tense silence fell once they were alone inthe messroom again. Mac fiddled with the kit, making sure everything was perfectly aligned. He was simply too aware of their proximity, that was all. Too aware that the kiss had changed something. It had been a mistake on both sides and they were both doing their best to pretend it hadnât happened, but it had and now it was justâ¦there.
But they couldnât talk about it. If they did, it would be tantamount to admitting attraction and Mac didnât want that conversation. He didnât want to talk about it. He didnât want to think about it because if he did, he couldnât control the pull that came in its wake.
A pull towards something he really didnât want. Territory he was more than content to be exiled from. This pull was stronger than anything heâd come across in ten years of voluntary exile. And for the first time it felt like he was in a place he might not want to be in for much longer.
A lonely place.
He didnât like that feeling. It was a relief when Julia broke the silence.
âMac?â
He looked up. Hellâ¦there was a plea in her eyes. She wanted something from him and if she asked, it might take more strength than he had to refuse.
âMmm?â It was a noncommittal sound.
âDo you thinkâ¦if it stays this quietâ¦?â
She was hesitant. About to ask for something that might not be entirely professional? Macâs mouth went curiously dry.
âI was hopingâ¦â Juliaâs smile was mischievous ââ¦that we might be able to sneak out and go and visit Ken.â
Â
Mac was quiet again.
He was driving the late-model SUV that was the SERT teamâs road vehicle, having checked with Control that it was all right for them to head into the city to visit the hospital Ken had been admitted to. If necessary, they could head for the helipad or any other job at a momentâs notice.
This car had only the front seats. The back was packed with all the equipment they could need in an emergency but there was no stretcher. It was used as an advance vehicle to get to a major incident first, an area where no ambulance was available or as back-up for a serious case. An ambulance had to be dispatched as well for transporting any patients and sometimes, if the patient required treatment beyond the skill level of an available road crew, they would have to abandon this vehicle to travel to the hospital and then retrieve it later.
Julia was becoming increasingly aware of how quiet Mac was as she listened in on the radio traffic. The blips
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