Chapter 3

Lofty stood outside Connie's door and knocked lightly waiting for an invitation to go inside. She saw him through the glass and motioned for him to come in. She put the folder she was reading to one side before looking back at Lofty.

"Nurse Chiltern, what can I do for you?"

"Well I erm, I was…"

"Get on with it Nurse, I'm busy."

"Right, yeah sorry."

"Well?"

"It's about the complaint against Dr Keogh."

"The one you filed."

"Well actually no, Jacob was the one to make the complaint not me."

"What do you mean it wasn't you, it's your signature on the form?"

"I didn't want to make a complaint; Jacob insisted…he said that Dr Keogh shouldn't be allowed to talk that way to the nurses and he…"

"Well he has a point."

"Dylan didn't mean it, he was stressed out, I get that now."

"What are you saying Ben."

I'm saying that I don't want to go ahead with the complaint. I want to bin it."

"You wan to drop the complaint."

"Yes."

"You're absolutely sure?"

"Dylan's going through a tough time right now; he didn't mean the things he said. I don't want to add any more stress to him. I just want to forget about it."

"Very well, if you're absolutely sure?"

"I am."

"Fine, the matters dropped…get back to work."

Lofty nodded before turning to leave.

"Ben."

"Yeah."

"Thank you."

"You're…welcome."

He gave a quick smiled before closing the door behind him, he walked over to reception to see Robyn and Louise talking, Robyn turning to him when he came up beside her.

"Hey, what were you doing in there….what did you do?"

"I didn't do anything."

"Like we believe that." Louise smirked.

"I went to ask her to tell her I wanted to drop the compliant against Dylan."

"You what….you idiot, what did you do that for."

They all stopped talking and turned when they heard the break room door opening and Miriam and Dylan stepped out, Miriam's hand on Dylan's arm as she escorted him out of the ED.

"I did it because a complaint is the last thing he needs right now." Lofty finally spoke.

"He had no right to talk to you like that though."

"Robyn it doesn't matter, the guy's going though a lot right now…how about we show him some support for once."

"What, like he does for us you mean."

"He does, in his own way. Oh forget it, it's dropped and that's an end to it. I better go and see to my patients."

They waited for Lofty to leave before Robyn spoke again.

"He's gone soft he has."

"That Miriam woman is certainly making herself at home, rumour has it that Mrs Beauchamp's offered her a job here."

"No way."

"Yeah."

"What's she like, I haven't met her."

"Okay I guess, a know it all I reckon."

"Just what we need." Robyn said, rolling her eyes as she walked away.

Miriam pulled up at the end of the road of the canal, switching off the engine and turning to Dylan.

"Now, we're going to go inside and grab what you need and you're coming home with me."

"What, no I can't."

"Dylan you can't stay here right now, you need someone to take care of you and I'm sure as hell not staying on a boat, you know I get sea sick."

"But Dervla, what if she comes back and I'm not here…she might run away again, I might never see her again and I…."

"Dylan listen to me, Dervla will be fine. Now I'll talk to your neighbour and get him to contact either you or me if Dervla comes back, we'll get some posters made up and …"

"I've already done that, it hasn't done any good."

"Then we'll make more."

"And my so called neighbour hates me."

"They hate you."

"With a passion."

"Mmmm, why does that not surprise me."

"I thought you were supposed to be cheering me up."

"You know, if you made more of an effort with people…you'd make a lot more friends than you have."

"Friends are over rated."

"We all need someone Dylan, come on. I'll butter up your neighbour and you pack a bag, deal."

He looked up and saw the caring eyes looking back at him, determination radiating from her."

"Deal."

"That's a boy, come on."

They walked along the canal towards the houseboat, Dylan's neighbour sitting out on their deck.

"Oh great."

"What, is that your neighbour."

"The one and only."

"What's her name?"

"Samantha."

"Samantha, you're joking."

"I wish I was."

"So that's why you don't get on, she reminds you of your wife."

"Ex wife."

"Sorry, ex wife."

They walked past the blonde on the neighbouring boat, Miriam offering a smile her way.

"Good afternoon." Miriam said."

"Hi, hello Dylan."

"Oh, hello. Miriam, I'll just pack a bag."

Dylan went inside his boat while Miriam stayed outside, watching Samantha."

"I'm Miriam by the way."

"Samantha." She smiled, coming down to join Miriam.

"Have you always lived on a boat?"

"Most of my life, it was my fathers…he died a few years back."

"Oh I'm sorry."

"It's fine, so you're a friend of Dylan's?"

"Yes, I was his mentor in medical school."

"Oh, tell me…has he always so…rude."

"He take a while to get use too, he's never been much of a people person."

"But he's a doctor."

"Ironic isn't it."

"Is he…alright, I've seen him walking up and down the canal quite a lot recently."

"His dog has gone missing."

"Oh, oh I am sorry; she's such a lovely dog….friendlier than her master."

"I know Dylan can be a lot to handle at the best of times but he's had a lot to deal with recently with his work now Dervla is missing, it's hit him a bit hard."

"He's not ill or anything."

"No no, nothing like that…just very stressed. He needs a break so I've invited him to stay with me for a while. The thing is he's concerned in case Dervla comes home so I was wondering if I give you my number, that perhaps you could call me if she shows up, perhaps take her in until I can get here to collect her. I know if would certainly help Dylan's state of mind right now."

"Of course, absolutely."She smiled.

"Wonderful."

Miriam quickly jotted down her mobile and home phone number and passed it to Samantha.

"If you can't get a hold of me on these numbers then phone the hospital as I shall probably be there, I've been offered a job there so, I'll be near by."

"Sure thing."

They stopped talking when Dylan stepped out of the boat and over to Miriam and Samantha.

"Well I'm ready, shall we?"

"Of course, it was nice to meet you Samantha."

"Yeah you do, oh and Dylan."

"Yes." He said a little abruptly.

"Dylan." Miriam warned.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry about your dog, if she shows up I'll be sure to call you or Miriam immediately."

"Thank you, thank you." He said before turning and walking away.

"Thanks again Samantha, I'll be in touch."

Samantha smiled as she watched them walk back towards their car, Miriam's arm in Dylan's.

To Be Continued…