Chapter Three – Arrangements
Zoe walked into the base and couldn't help but to smile at DJ's cheerful voice as he greeted her. "Hello, DJ," she returned and curiously glanced down the corridor in search for Chris. "Is she here?"
"You're in luck, she returned from the hospital just a minute before you arrived," he said with a bright smile.
Zoe nodded her thanks and headed for the doctor's office.
Chris jumped as the door opened where she sat behind her desk, her head in her hands. "Oh, Zoe," she said and let out a long breath. "You scared me."
"Sorry," she said sheepishly and absentmindedly began to fiddle with a button on her shirt.
"No, I am the one who's sorry," Chris returned apologetically. "Have you had anything to eat?"
"I'm fine, don't you worry about me," Zoe reasoned. "There has been enough of worrying around the town lately."
Chris smiled at her. "You know, for someone so young you're very bright."
"That's what Violet said to me yesterday," Zoe admitted. "Look, I'll have to ask you something. Maybe I'm not so bright after all."
Chris frowned as the young woman sat down in the chair next to her.
"I'm curious. When Emma radioed in and told you about Sam's condition, she said he couldn't get up and that he couldn't breathe properly. It could have meant a number of things. How did you know what it was?"
"I didn't, not at the time," she admitted. "It wasn't until after I'd talked to Geoff properly that I understood the severity of the situation.
"So you and Kate lied to Violet when she got upset?" Zoe stated, looking intently on Chris.
"It is of no good to anyone to assume the worst," she reasoned softly.
"But he could have died couldn't he?" Zoe asked in a straight forward manner.
Chris sighed. "Yes," she returned somberly. "Have you been to see him?"
Zoe shook her head. "I didn't want to intrude. Emma was slumbering at his bedside."
"Okay. Let's cheer up. Why don't we grab a bite over at the Majestic before we head home and turn in?" Chris suggested lightly.
OOOOOO
"Good morning!" Geoff said joyfully as he walked into the base.
"Well, doc. You look human again," DJ quipped cheerfully as he cast a quick glance at the watch.
"I feel like a human, DJ," he returned. "I've finally got some undisturbed sleep."
"Good," Chris said with a cunning smile as she came out of her office. "Then you're in good shape to argue with Baxter."
Geoff frowned. "Why would I want to argue with George?" he asked.
"Because we have a clinic this afternoon but no pilot to fly our airplane," she explained, then added. "And because he's up to something."
Geoff sighed. "There is not much more I can do. I mean I've put in a request for a relief pilot," he reasoned.
The two of them glanced toward the door as it opened and a cheerful Sr. Wellings walked in, carrying two bags of equipment. "Good, there you are," Kate said with a dazzling smile. "I need a volunteer for the Warara Station clinic."
"It takes hours to drive out there," Geoff complained miserably.
"No pilot, remember?" Chris said smartly.
"If we leave now we might be able to get home tomorrow afternoon," Kate returned, enjoying the moment.
"I thought you cancelled it?" he said in surprise, focusing on Chris.
She retrieved her medical bag and made a face. "Sorry," she said smugly and hollered over her shoulder; "Tell George I said hello!"
"I'm not going to talk to George!" he hollered back as the door closed behind his colleagues.
OOOOOO
"There you are," Hurtle said in relief as he finally found his niece bent over an old piece of machinery. "I've been looking for you."
"Not hard enough obviously," she returned sarcastically as she glanced up to face him. "I've been here the whole morning.
"Yeah," he said with a frown. "About that. Why are you here?"
"Because I work here," she returned testily.
"Hey," Hurtle said softly. "I may not be good at feelings and such but I'm not insensitive. "Why don't you take a break and go visit Sam for a while?" he suggested.
Emma slammed the hyper spanner down on the bench and took a deep breath. "No thanks," she mumbled.
"What's the matter? Hurtle asked in annoyance. "He can't have said something. The last I heard he was hooked up to a respirator."
"It's not Sam," Emma admitted sadly. "It's me."
"Oh," Hurtle made a face as he reached up with his hand to scratch the back of his head.
"I can't stand to watch him, flat on his back, not able to even breathe on his own," she complained miserably. "He looks so fragile, it's not Sam."
"Emma, he could have been blown to pieces," he reasoned.
"You are not helping," she returned.
He reached up with his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Sorry. I suppose-" he trailed off and sighed. "-what I am trying to say is that it might take some time before he's back to normal."
"It will never go back to what it was, Hurtle," Emma mused dejectedly.
OOOOOO
"Hi sarge," DJ greeted cheerfully as the policeman walked through the door.
Sgt. Jack Carruthers nodded as he took off his hat and glanced around the immediate area. "Hi, DJ. Where is everybody?" he asked curiously.
"Everywhere," DJ threw out his hands theatrically. "Impossible to keep tabs on them nowadays. "Except for fly-boy, he won't be going anywhere for a while."
Jack sighed. He had been looking for Chris but the mention of Sam got him in a somber mood. "How is he? And not some smooth talk DJ. How is he really doing?" the policeman asked.
"He's holding on and he is getting better. Doc says, actually both docs says, that they think he'll be able to breathe without the respirator tomorrow," DJ said with a grin.
Jack let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "Thank goodness for that," he said. "I might pop over there later and say hello."
"You do that. I am sure he will appreciate it, even though he's heavily dosed up on medications," the radio operator said kindly. "Oh and if you're looking for Chris I was to pass on the message that she'll return tomorrow afternoon. She and Kate took the car to the Warara Station clinic."
"That'll take ages," Jack complained. "What about the relief pilot? When is he coming?"
DJ made a face. "Pilots, you know how it is, can't find one anywhere when you need them," he replied lightly. "My hope stands to Debbie for the moment but she's halfway to Sydney as we speak."
"Can't George push a little from his direction?" Jack asked curiously. "I mean sometimes politicians-" he trailed off at DJ's look.
"You know George don't you?" DJ asked a little sarcastically. "He doesn't do anything that doesn't suit him. In fact Chris even believes that he's disapproved of several relief pilots that head office has recommended."
"What?" Jack asked in disbelief as he crossed his arms over his chest. "He can't do that!"
"He sees it as his chance to handpick a senior pilot with similar views on certain things. That way he might be able to have a closer ally in town and at the local RFDS office," he let on.
"That's a little far-fetched DJ, even for George, isn't it?" Jack asked.
"I hope so, Jack. I really do," he returned much more subdued and thoughtful than usual.
OOOOOO
Vic Buckley sighed and stopped mopping the floor to reach up and swipe his forehead clean of perspiration.
"Come on, Vic," Nancy said. The guests won't wait forever to eat their breakfast."
"Oh, they won't mind, Nance. They were up late and probably just went to bed. Everything has been a little crazy lately."
The door suddenly opened and Violet Carnegie strode in. "Oh, Nancy. I'm so glad I caught you," she began.
"How did you get in?" Vic asked brusquely as he cleaned the swab.
She turned to him and gave him a poignant stare. "Is that how you welcome respected town members nowadays?" she questioned indignantly.
"Violet," Nancy said, trying to soothe things over. "We just didn't realize the door was open that's all."
Vic made face behind her back.
Violet harrumphed and stole him a glance over her shoulder and refocused on Nancy. "Oh, Nancy. I'm so glad everything is returning to normal. I've been to see Sam. He looks much better today but I am still worried."
"I'm sure he'll be on his feet in no time Violet," Nancy said softly. "But I have a feeling he won't like sitting still and do nothing though."
"I know Nance and that's what breaks my heart, to see him like that with all the machines," she complained worriedly.
"I wasn't aware there were more than one," Vic butted in as he listened in behind them.
Violet glared at him.
"Keep going, Vic," Nancy said through clenched teeth yet with a smile plastered on her face.
"Where was I?" Violet said in confusion and then brightened. "Yes. I've spoken to the people at the base and they're so happy with the food and everything. I'm so glad that I managed to organize everything considering the accident."
The smile faltered on Nancy's face as she thought back on how much she and Vic had done during the night. They'd been cooking food, kept the bar open longer than usual, served people in the middle of the night and aided with food boxes for those who was going to the rescue. "Yes," she finally managed in a flat voice.
Oblivious to the hurt she'd caused her friend, Violet continued. "And now that he's still in the hospital, it's so quiet back home. No one to talk to and no one to cook for," she complained. "The food they serve the patients, you should see it. He needs proper food as soon as possible or he would lose weight."
Vic rolled his eyes but said nothing.
"And I have to watch him so that he doesn't overdo anything when he gets back home," she added.
"Seems like you have your work cut out for you, Violet," Vic replied sarcastically. "Is there anything I can give you? A drink perhaps?
"No, I've got to rush. I have to plan for the next delivery to the shop. The souvenirs are running low so I need to get over to the base and talk to Doctor Standish about it," she trailed off and made a face. "And the garage, the place needs some painting. It makes the overall impression on the main street a little…rough," she said. "I'll see you later."
Vic looked up in the ceiling and sighed as soon as the door closed behind the woman. "Maybe I should call ahead and give Hurtle a little warning," he mused.
"She sounds like she's running the whole town," Nancy said dejectedly. "Like the rest of us are just puppets on a string that don't know what to do without her."
"Don't let her get to you, Nance," Vic said kindly. "Like young Zoe said. She's got no one else. She really doesn't mean to brag."
"I guess you're right," Nancy returned with a warm smile. "Poor Sam. She's going to fuss over him twenty-four hours a day."
"He'll need help to get away from her. We better pop over there from time to time and let him out," Vic said with finality.
OOOOOO
To be continued
/Thank you for reading and reviewing the previous chapter ;)
