‘Jim’s…Jim’s OK?’
‘Jim’s OK. It’s his plaster Dr Marriott is checking now.’
‘It’s checked.’ The strongly masculine voice came from the doorway, making the charge nurse twist around with a start. Luke was standing there, his stethoscope swinging from his fingers and his eyes on Nikki. ‘He needs a new sling, though, Sister,’ he said without taking his eyes from Nikki. ‘If you could.’
The charge nurse looked from Nikki to Luke and back again. She smiled broadly. ‘I was just taking Dr Russell’s obs,’ she said demurely. ‘But if you think my services are wanted elsewhere…’
‘I think your services are wanted elsewhere,’ Luke confirmed.
‘You won’t disturb my patient, will you, Doctor?’ the nurse grinned. Luke picked up the observation chart threateningly.
‘Get out of here, you insolent baggage,’ he smiled. ‘Dr Russell, I’m sorry to inform you that you have a very insubordinate staff.’
‘It’s hard to command respect when Andrea and I went to kindergarten together,’ Nikki whispered, and Luke crossed swiftly to the bed to take her hand. Behind him Andrea made her departure, still grinning.
‘Don’t you worry about that, my love,’ he said gently. ‘The staff’ll fall in line now I’m back working here. Together we’ll pull this place into shape.’ He smiled down at the bed in a way that made Nikki’s heart almost stop beating.
‘Together’…And Luke was looking at her as… as she had always dreamed a man would look at her.
Not just a man. Her Luke.
‘We…’ she whispered.
‘This medical service is damned inefficient,’ Luke complained with mock-severity. He sat on the bedside chair and possessed himself of her other hand. ‘Leaking roofs. Draughty corridors. Nurses wearing torn jeans and swearing their uniform blew out the window when I complain. A hospital kitchen with a living pot-plant wedged right through one wall. I like a bit more antiseptic and sparkle myself. A staff who say, “Yes, Doctor, no, Doctor, three bags full, Doctor.”’
‘You don’t stand a chance in a million,’ Nikki smiled. ‘But…but, Luke…’
‘Yes, my love?’ His eyes were twisting her in two. His eyes were making love to her all by themselves.
‘You’re not staying?’
Luke frowned. ‘Nikki, Whispering Palms is one of the few undamaged houses in the district. You don’t have any reason to leave.’
‘I…N-no.’
‘Well, there you go, then. You’re staying. I’m staying.’
‘Luke…’ Nikki looked helplessly up at him. Her head was spinning in a dizzy haze of light. ‘Luke, don’t…don’t say it…’
‘Don’t say it isn’t true,’ he finished for her. He nodded and his smile faded. His grip on her hands tightened. ‘I shouldn’t. But I can be happy here. There’s enough medicine to keep me content, and I can keep my journalism going as well. But whether I stay depends.’
‘Depends?’
‘On whether one crazy, courageous, beautiful girlwoman will find it in her heart to forgive me for walking away on the most precious gift I’ve ever received. On whether my heart…my life…my lovely Nikki will marry me.’
Nikki drew in her breath. ‘Luke…’
‘I know I left you,’ Luke said softly. ‘But, Nikki, I almost went out of my mind. I thought…I thought family was so damned important. My masculinity was such an issue that I couldn’t cope. And then…then I walked away and I realised you and Amy were my family already, whether you agreed to marry me or not. Because my heart is yours, Nikki Russell. For now and forever.’
Nikki took a long, shuddering breath. Tears of weakness and joy were sliding down her face and Luke swore as he bent to kiss them away.
‘You don’t have to say anything yet,’ he told her gently. ‘God, Nikki, I shouldn’t be saying this. But… but I thought I’d lost you. And I thought there was nothing as bad as that. The cancer. Infertility. Nothing. To lose my lovely Nikki…’ He shook his head and then kissed her lightly on the lips. ‘You need to sleep. We can talk about this later.’
‘Yes…’ It was a sleepy murmur. Nikki’s hand didn’t relinquish her grip, and her hand was not relinquished in turn. She was where she wanted to be for the rest of her life.
‘Nikki, love…’
‘Mmm?’
‘Nikki, before you sleep, can you do a wriggle for me? Test your fingers and toes.’
Nikki thought about this for a moment. It was sensible, and it didn’t interfere with her euphoric happiness. She tried.
‘Ouch,’ she said softly.
‘Where?’
‘I’ve got full movement,’ she told him sleepily. ‘But my lower back feels as though it’s been kicked by a horse.’
‘You’ve got a thumping bruise there,’ Luke told her. ‘It looks like just bruising, but maybe I’d better take an X- ray to make sure.’
Nikki’s eyes flew wide suddenly. ‘Luke…Luke, I haven’t been bleeding, have I?’
He frowned. ‘No. Apart from your head.’
She closed her eyes in thankfulness. ‘Thank God,’ she whispered.
‘Thank…’ Luke let her hands fall and he bent forward. ‘Nikki, what the hell…?’
She smiled faintly and her eyes opened again. This was right. There would never be a better time.
‘I was just thinking maybe you shouldn’t do that X-ray,’ she whispered.
‘Why not?’ Luke’s eyes were dark with anxiety.
‘Because pelvic X-rays on unborn babies are contraindicated.’
‘Unborn babies.’ Luke sat back hard in his chair. ‘You mean…My God, Nikki, you’re not pregnant?’
‘Only a little bit.’ She smiled shyly.
‘Only…’ He seized her hands again and his grip wasn’t gentle. ‘How far?’
‘You tell me,’ Nikki smiled. ‘Or don’t you remember?’
There was a long, long silence. Nikki watched as Luke’s face twisted. His eyes closed, as though in pain.
But when they opened there was no pain. There was joy. There was love. And there was peace.
‘My Nikki…’
He gathered her to him and held her close. Around them the insistent rain battered the roof and the wind whipped around the building searching for entry in the makeshift repairs.
Neither noticed. No storm could touch them where they were.
They had come home.
Marion Lennox
