Here is the new chapter,
someone will definitely hate me now.
Mac avoided Phryne`s eyes, that meant nothing good for her. "Luck was not his middle name," said Mac.
"Mac, what are you trying to tell me?" Of course Phryne knew what Mac wanted to suggest, but she did not want to believe it.
"Dot is busy all day with her little son, he's still too small to know what happened, maybe it's better that way,"
"What exactly happened to Hugh?" and Phryne sat down on a bench in front of Jack's room. She winced because the pain shot back into her body, Mac leaned against the wall and looked at Phryne.
"Where's the pain, the back?" Mac asked.
"It's nothing," said Phryne.
" Phryne! "
"I have unexplained back pain, certainly because of all the stress."
"Let me see, I'm a doctor," Mac said, so Phryne could not say no.
In Mac`s office.
"Phryne, I always say, sex is healthy but ..."
"What!" Phryne interrupted Mac and tried to look over her shoulder. "What do you see?" Mac touched Phryne's spine and again, she winced.
"Your back feels ... have you worked temporarily in mining?"
"No!" and Phryne turned around.
"Because," Mac began, taking two glasses from her desk. "Such a back can only be the result from something falling on your back, maybe from a faded lover. Do you have a dispute with someone?"
"Mac! "
"How long have you this kind of back pain?" Mac asked, handing Phryne a glass of Scotch.
"Since that ominous night, on the ship, I had a blackout," and Phryne rested her hands on her hips. "I was found on deck shortly after ..."
"Sex ...?"
"Mac! Not everything revolved around sex," Phryne was feeling a little uncomfortable right now, how could she tell Mac when she did not even understand it herself.
"Phryne, I am your oldest friend, I know you're hiding something from me. Spit it out! "
"Tell me everything about Hugh," Phryne tried changing the conversation and Mac nodded, grinning.
"Ok, the short version," said Mac and put her glass on the desk. "Jack repeated your name when he was rescued over and over again, the rescuer was not a paramedic, he would not have cared about what Jack said,"
There was a pause and Mac just stared at Phryne. "It was Dot, desperately looking for Hugh," Phryne gasped.
"Dot must hate me!"
"No, I would not say that. She hates the situation she's in right now, I'm sure she does not hate you personally."
"Where is Hugh?"
"You don't want to see him," Mac said quickly,
"Mac, did you forget who you're talking to? I've seen every kind of injury in my life,"
"Yes, but you didn't know anybody personally, that is a big difference. Phryne, Dot has an appointment with me in 5 minutes,"
A knock on the door signalled Mac that Dot was on time, a quick glance at Phryne and Mac opened the door. Phryne swallowed as Dot entered the office dressed in black with a small boy in her arms and looked at Mac and ignored Phryne.
"I have Hugh's wedding ring for you," Mac said, putting the ring in Dot's palm.
"My condolences," Phryne said next to the desk and Dot looked at Phryne unemotionally and Hugh's little boy looked up to Phryne.
"Hi, I'm George Collins and who are you?" He asked in a cute voice.
"George," said Dot, "What did I tell you yesterday about strangers?" George looked over his shoulder.
"Sorry Mommy," George said, and broke off the conversation.
"Dot," Phryne began. "I'm not made of air, talk to me!" Dot had never written in her letters that she has a little boy.
"What is there to talk about," said Dot. "Your stupid freedom has been more important to you than a man who adores you. Do you have any idea how many women want that from a man? No, you do not, because you do not let the men get any closer to you. "
"That's enough Dot," Mac said angrily.
"No, Mac," said Phryne, "I want to hear that!"
"What are the reasons to take a boy's father and let another live, when you keep in mind that the other man is a coward," Dot looked at Phryne with cold eyes.
"Many nights I wished my husband were alive instead of Jack. But my priest told me it was God's will and I should trust in God, but that's not the worst, the worst is ... " Dot looked at her little boy.
"That I found Jack, while I was looking for my husband under the rubble, just with my hands,as I freed his body from all the debris, he whispered your name over and over again. My husband was later found dead, maybe he would have survived if I had not helped Jack. "
" Dot," Phryne said.
"No, I do not want to hear anything, I have heard enough, My husband is dead, what do you want to tell me."
" That I'm sorry I was not there when it happened," Phryne said and Dot began to sob. "Do you want to talk about it, Mac can take care of George," and Dot looked at her little son with tears in her eyes.
"Go play with Auntie Mac, like yesterday," and hugged her little boy.
"Ok mom," George said, leaving the office with Mac.
"Be nice to each other," Mac said and closed the door.
"I should have been here," Phryne said, pulling Dot into a hug.
" No, it's ok " Dot said.
" Why aunt Mac? " Phryne asked.
"George's first words were Mama and Mac. George was born ill, that's why Dr. Mac was more often than we would have wanted at our home. "
The conversation with Dot was surprisingly quiet. There were more tears than words and Dot also apologized for her angry words, although everything was true, what she said.
"Miss," said Dot, wiping the tears from her cheek. It's good that you returned, after the the explosion, "
"Why?" asked Phryne and frowned.
"We both know, where the inspector is, there you are, too," with that everything was said.
"Does Jack know about the thing with Hugh?" Phryne asked.
"No, he was unconscious at the time and after that no one told him,"
The door to Jack's room opened slowly with a small boy standing in the doorway.
"Do you know where my dad is?" Little George asked.
