Chapter 4
A few hours later...
Our shift finally comes to an end at 7 o'clock in the evening- I am exhausted.
"You alright?" Max asks as I make my way out of the locker room after getting changed.
I yawn. "Yeah, just tired."
He takes my hand. "How about a takeaway pizza, a bath, and bed?"
"That does sound good- but earlier, Cara offered to buy us both a drink at Albie's, it's everyone here's local." I reply.
"That's kind- but I only want to stay for a couple, I don't want you to get too worn out." He says, slightly worriedly.
"I'll be fine Max, I'm not made of glass." I reassure him- although I do like it when he's protective of me- not that he knows that, of course!
"Ready?" Cara asks as we exit the ward.
"Yeah, I think so." I say, looking up at Max.
"I think so too." Max says, smiling back at me.
The three of us chat before we're joined by Raf, he's also going to the pub.
"How did you find today?" Raf asks me.
"It was okay, it was nice being in charge, actually. Being in charge of a ward rather than an entire department is a lot less stressful!" I respond.
"Good good." He smiles, then falls into step next to Cara.
"They look like they're getting on well." Says Max.
"She told me that she's been through a hard time with her ex, stop matchmaking! Although I do agree." I reply.
"Oh, okay." Max says.
"Exactly."I nod.
His hand squeezes mine. "I love you you know."
"I love you too." I smile as we wait for the lift.
"We could always use the stairs, you know." Cara laughs.
"Cut us some slack! We've been on our feet all day!" says Fletch, who's just joined us.
"Exactly!" I pipe up.
"Alright, I was only joking." Cara scowls.
"We know." I reply. "Fletch, have you seen Morven?"
"Yeah, she's just talking to Serena- she wants to make sure that there's no trouble with Diggers tomorrow."
"Diggers?" I frown.
" It's a nickname, Arthur Digby?" Cara prompts.
"Oh yeah!" I realise as the lift comes a stop.
We all make our way through Pulses, the cafe, and out to the carpark. There's only one thing wrong: it's tipping it down with rain.
Without further ado, I shove my bag into Max's arms and pull my coat up over my head in order to protect my hair and make up.
I laugh as I see that Cara's done the same, her bag has been shoved into Fletch's arms. "Women!" he sighs.
"Oi, you men don't understand!" Says Cara as we all make our way to the warmth of the pub.
"All that palaver for your hair!" Max sighs when we eventually enter Alibie's.
"Be quiet otherwise you're not getting a drink! Zoe, what're you having?" Cara asks.
"Red wine, please." I respond.
"And you?" the nurse asks Max.
"Beer please." He asks sweetly. "To make up for it, I'll buy us all some snacks."
"Stop the flirting, you're mine." I whisper into his ear.
"And don't I know it" he grins.
"Good." I smile.
Morven enters the pub.
"Hello, is everything sorted with Serena?" I ask.
She nods. "Thankfully, and she says to thank you for your input."
"That's high praise!" Fletch chips in. "Zoe, you must have impressed her."
"I hope so- she's alright when you keep on the right side of her." I agree as I spot my husband returning with various packets of crisps, nuts, and sweets.
Morven puts her coat down and goes to the bar to chat with Cara- they seem to be really close friends.
I sit down next to Max, who has finished doling out the snacks to everyone. He's bought me our favourite snack- a curly wurly chocolate, of course!
I sip my wine and snuggle into Max, closing my eyes and relaxing against him. He kisses my forehead. "You're really tired, aren't you?"
I nod. "Today has really taken it out of me."
"We'll go home soon, don't you worry." He smiles.
We chat with Cara and Raf, Fletch and Morven are talking amongst themselves.
"There's no one from Keller here, otherwise I'd point them out to you both." Cara muses.
"Any from Darwin?" I ask- the world famous cardiothoracic ward is the one which I'm most nervous about working on.
"Yeah, see the two women talking to the younger brunette? They're the Effanga sisters, they're talking to Zosia March." Raf explains.
"Adele and Mo- they're lovely, but if you try to cross them then good luck! Adele is a HCA, but she's in training to be a nurse- she's actually working on Keller now, dopey!" Cara teases Raf.
"Oh, I didn't know that." Raf nods.
"Er, is Jac Naylor here?" I ask. I've heard of the Clinical Lead but I actually don't know what she looks like.
"She's in America, touring the Hertzig procedure." Fletch informs me.
"Ah okay, I won't cross paths with her then?"
Fletch nods. "I don't think that you'd get on well!"
"Hmm." I nod. I've heard that Ms Naylor isn't the most delicate of people and she apparently can be quite short with patients- I'm the polar opposite!
Max and I stay for a while longer, but then we say our goodbyes and exit the pub.
"I've had a nice time this evening." i comment as we make our way to the car.
"Yeah, all of the team seem to be all right." Max says.
"Hmm." I nod. "You know the adoption meeting? Well, it's too late to call the centre now, how about tomorrow, we could arrange one. It's our day off, isn't it?"
"It is." Max smiles. "Are you sure about this Zoe, definitely?"
"Yeah I am." I nod. "We're taking the plunge."