“Well, no one needs that pier, do they, Lucas?” she shot him a cheeky smile as the men began lashing the wood together with rope.
He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. Words that wouldn’t make him sound like a moron eluded him while the need to fold her into his arms again and kiss away her doubts overtook any chance of sane thoughts.
Carefully, the temporary bridge was lowered onto the other side. Frankie reached out a foot to check the strength of the structure.
“No!”
Lucas reached out and took hold of Frankie’s arm. “If anyone is going over there, it should be me be.”
“That makes no sense, Lucas, you need to be here treating those I send over after I’ve triaged them. You’re wasted triaging when you could be treating.”
Again, she was right. Again, she left him tongue tied. And, again, she surprised him. He was the disaster zone veteran. She was the reality TV star. Scrub that. She was the former reality TV star turned fabulous nurse, turned woman he wanted to kiss until neither of them could think straight.
The earthquake, combined with the aftershock, were bad enough. Coupled together with Frankie, Lucas was fast losing his famed control. And there wasn’t a thing he could think to do to wrestle it back.
#
Frankie’s bravery almost deserted her half way across the rough bridge. She was already feeling slightly off-balance given she was carrying Victoria’s baby. The bridge had been her idea, this probably wasn’t the best time to let Lucas know she was horribly wary around heights.
She pulled back her shoulders. This was just like walking over a road, nothing to worry about, no need for the the fear that knotted her stomach. Perspiration ran down the centre of her back and beaded on her forehead. She focussed her gaze on an older man on the other side and tried to smile at him as she made her way over, aware her facial expression was likely more of a grimace.
He stepped forward and took her hand as she made it to the other side. “You a doctor, miss?”
“No, not a doctor. Lucas, on the other side, is the doctor. My job is to assess the patients and send over the ones most in need of him or the hospital.”
“You brought your baby to work with you?”
Frankie smiled down at the sleeping child. Despite her initial misgivings, she was becoming more confident about being able to carry out her duties. “Not my baby, a lady gave birth a couple of days ago. I’m taking care of it.”
“The mother didn’t make it?” The old man’s eyes were sad. “Seems my granddaughter was due to give birth soon. I don’t know if she’s made it either. So many people lost.”
“This mother made it, and I hope your granddaughter did too. The poor guy’s momma isn’t feeling so good right now, so I’m taking care of him for a while.”
“While you work.”
“Yes.” Frankie smiled at him. “So I don’t suppose you could help me out a bit, could you?”
“Thought you’d never ask, girly.”
A new alliance forged, Frankie began working with the man she learned was named Charles. Together, they assessed patients, and the men who’d helped with the bridge took the casualties over to Lucas on planks of wood that served as stretchers.
All around her, people worked to get those injured in the aftershock the help they needed while others worked to make the temporary bridge more secure. She had no idea how long they’d been there, but the baby she carried knew when it was time for his lunch.
He started with movements and snuffly little sounds that drew her attention downwards. When his eyes popped open and stared solemnly into her own, Frankie felt an answering twinge deep inside her. So this was what it was like to feel maternal—to put someone else’s needs above your own.
Charles soon had her sitting down in the shade of someone’s shattered house while Henry brought over a bag Hettie had prepared with supplies for the baby. Apologetically, she shrugged up at Charles. “I don’t know how to feed a baby. I don’t suppose...”
“You give me the little fella while you carry on with your work. These old legs could do with a rest.”
Frankie had no sooner handed over the child before Charles stiffened. The baby lay in the crook of his left elbow. His other arm shot out to his chest, a grimace of pain etched across his features.
“Charles, what is it? Your chest?” Frankie dropped the bag of baby supplies and sank to her knees.
Charles nodded, thrusting the baby back towards Frankie. “It feels like someone is sitting on my chest!”
“Lucas! I need you over here, right now!” Frankie screamed in desperation.