So this is going to be a short series (4 chapters) because I had some ideas but they didn't all fit together properly... Please review and let me know what you think about this, thanks! Apologies for any typos/mistakes. Laura xx
Chapter 1 – Old introductions
Connie was sitting in her office completing some paperwork when her phone began to ring. She looked at it and noticed there was no number. "Hello Connie Beauchamp." She wasn't prepared for what she heard next but it didn't matter. "Hello I'm a nurse from St James hospital. We have a Sam Strachan here and you're down as his next of kin contact. He was involved in a car accident however is in a stable condition." Connie froze not sure how to answer that. Last she knew he was in America, how had he ended up here again, and why was she his next contact?
Connie finished on the phone and had arranged for Sam to be transferred to Holby. They were quiet and had no major traumas, so it would be easier for them to do this awkward meeting here. She asked Noel to come and get her as soon as he arrived, not giving him any reason as to why.
Sam was in the ambulance being driven to Holby when he woke up. "Morning sunshine, I'm Dixie and I'm a paramedic. You were involved in a car accident and were treated at St James. You're being transferred to Holby, bosses orders apparently." Sam had no clue what she was really on about, but was ready to just sleep again when they came to a stop. They got him out of the back and wheeled him into the hospital. "Noel, this is the transfer from St James. I'll go to the side room, let Mrs Beauchamp know." Bollocks. The penny dropped and he knew exactly why he was here.
Connie was sitting in the office she shared with the clinical lead Zoe Hanna when Noel came to her office. "Your transfer is here, Dixie took him to the side room by resus." She nodded and thanked him as she got up and prepared herself for this.
Opening the door she saw he was asleep. Connie walked in and read through his notes which had been bought with him from St James. "Jesus Christ Sam what did you do this time?" She hadn't noticed that he was awake and didn't expect his response. "In my defence it wasn't my fault this time." She looked up and saw him looking towards her. "Not quite how I saw me telling you I was back again either."
Connie stood at the end of the bed looking at him. "Why are you here Sam, and why am I still your next of kin?" He closed his eyes as the pain in his temple increased, that had been happening a lot recently. "I had work here, so I'm back for a while. Lucy is on her way out too, it could be for a bit longer than we originally thought out here." Lucy was Sam's girlfriend, and Connie had no interest in how 'great' she was. Grace had told her all about the times they'd met when she was over there. Connie wanted to be happy for them, but it seemed like they had the perfect little family going when Grace was there, and it was hard to accept that.
"Why'd you transfer me here if you just wanted to find that out. Couldn't you have phoned?" Connie turned her back and went to walk out on Sam when he spoke again. "Answer me one question Connie. Why didn't you answer any of my calls the last few months?" She shrugged, "I figured if it was that important and to do with Grace you'd have gotten a message to me somehow."
That was it, Connie left the room then and acted as though she had never met Sam in her life. She went about her day again, and left Sam to be treated by the other nurses in the hospital. Stranger things had happened, and having him around for a bit wouldn't be one of them.
"Connie, I've got to get home it's Louis-" "Go Charlie, don't worry. Make sure he's okay, call me if you need anything at all." Charlie nodded and left the hospital. It was almost the end of Connie's day anyway, so she went to her office to get her bags. She saw a note left on her desk as she was picking up some files. Connie, I'm around for the next few months still yet. Please, if you get a chance call me. She put the paper in the bin and let the office for the night.