Part Ten.
Upon entering the department, the three of them were immediately greeted by a harassed looking Baz.
"If you three are finished sorting out your differences, would you mind doing some work please!"
"OK"
"Sorry… but you were the one who convinced me to sort it out."
"Richard, just get on with it, will you. I'll be in rhesus if anyone wants me."
"What the hell is rong with Baz today?" George's voice sounded behind her, but she apparently didn't hear.
"Err Baz and Charley split up."
George turned around to look at Mark who had spoken.
"What? But I thought they were perfectly fine together. Is Charley ok?"
"Err well; he says he's fine, but…"
To save any more speculation, Richard decided it would probably be better to knock the conversation on the head, before anyone else got upset.
"Maybe we should just leave it, ey?"
Turning back to cubicles, he examined the patients still waiting to be treated.
"George, you take that one in fore, suspected Gastro Enteritis, and I'll take the fractured ankle in 10."
"Oh, thanks a lot, Richard!"
"No Problem! Oh, and Mark, can you see to the bloke in 15, He's had about 10 pints too many, and he's completely out of it. And while you're at it, you might want to give him a sedative by accident, it might shut him up."
Holding back laughter, they headed in different directions.
Pulling back the Curtin to cubicle 15, Mark was given 5 seconds to look at the patient, before he was covered in Vomit.
"Oh, grate!" Pulling open the Curtin again he shouted for Sam.
"Oy! Sam?"
"What!"
"Can you deal with this while I go and get cleaned up? Run routine bloods, glucose U's and E's, LFT's, you know the rest. And then come and find me, preferably after he's stopped puking everywhere. Oh, and get George or Richard to write him up for an anti ametic, if his stomach will take it."
"Ok. Oh, Mark! I hate you! He's already puked up on me twice today!"
"Rather you than me then, Have fun! Richard, I hate you!"
At the same time as Mark was walking to the staffroom, George was dealing with a chronic case of Gastro Enteritis.
"So I'll just write you up for antibiotics, and speak to the medical team, and see if we can't get you admitted for a night or to, until this clears up abit."
Exiting the cubicle, she picked up a pen and walked through to her desk to write up the patients notes.
Ten minutes and a check of the board later, she entered the staffroom in search of coffee, only to find Mark in the process of getting changed. Blushing, she entered and closed the door, and tried to be as discrete as possible so he wouldn't notice her. Unfortunately, she discovered that making tea whilst trying to look at the opposite wall was rather difficult, and consequently ended up spilling boiling water all over both herself, and the worktop.
"Oh! Dam!"
Alerted by the shout from behind him, Mark spun around to come face to face with George, looking exceedingly annoyed and with both hands under the cold tap of the sink. Concerned, and abandoning his shirt which he was half way through butterning up, he walked over to her.
"George?"
"Ug! I'm ok, just had a slight mishap with the Kettle."
"Sure?"
"Yes, I'm fine, Mark.! You should probably put your shirt on though, I spilt my tea because I was trying not to look."
Mark realised that he felt extremely satisfied at the expression on George's face.
"Oh, rite … " then unable to resist, he continued. "What's rong? It's nothing you've not scene before, anyway …" the look on her face was priceless.
"What … Oh, Mark! Stop it! Honestly! We're at work!"
"So?"
His question was answered, as the door opened and someone entered, and he hastily ducked behind the partition, out of site. It was Charley and Baz. Trying not to think about what could have happened if they had been seen, he was unable to do anything but stand and listen to the ensuing conversation. Those were some of the most uncomfortable minutes of his existence.
"How's Louis?"
"Oh, Fine, doing better than us, most likely." Baz sounded tired.
"But you would know, if you bothered to find out, I have a phone! Remember!"
"Well, it's funny you should mention that, because I tried to ring you last night and there was no one home."
"I went out! Is that not allowed now? Mum looked after Louis."
"Oh, so you were obviously so upset that you decided to go out and celebrate. I hadn't got around to telling anyone that we'd split yet, I was quite hurt and surprised to find out that you had."
"I haven't told anyone! Thank you very much!"
"So how did Mark no? I couldn't really deny it could I, so he knows for definite now!"
"I don't know why your bothered, you were the one who wanted to call it a day!"
"Yes! But did you have to hire a press agent!"
As Charley walked out slamming the door, and Baz slumped down into a chair and burst into tears, Mark realised that he had never seen the pair of them look so defeated. At that point, Baz noticed George, standing off to the side.
"Oh, hi."
"Hi, Listen, Baz, if you want to talk, you nowhere to find me."
"Yes I Do." she cracked a smile for the first time that day, "Where ever Mark is."
"What … is it that obvious?"
"Yes, to anyone who's got eyes. There's no need to be embarrassed about the way you feel, you no."
"I know that, but if we told everyone we're together, it'd be over the hole department in five minutes."
"No it wouldn't! And if it was?"
"I'd just rather people didn't gossip, that's all."
"Do you love Mark?"
"Yes"
"Then what's the problem? I think there might be some kind of a bet going as to when you two get together. There was one going on between Sunny and Sam with regards to you and Richard, but I think he told them to drop it." George looked stunned.
"Right!"
"George, secrets are tiring. You need to decide whether you value your pride, or Mark more." And Baz turned and exited, looking weary.
Deciding that it would be safe to come out from his hiding place, Mark re-emerged and looked at George, who was looking pensive.
"George? Baz does have a point. I don't want to rush you in to things, which is why I haven't said anything up until now, but…"
"I no. I'm sorry if it feels like I'm embarrassed, I'm not, I just … it's been a long time like I told you last week."
"George, it's fine, really."
"No, it's not. I'm ready, I think."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Ok, in that case I'll see you after the shift, a group of us are going for drinks, if that's alright,"
"Yeh, that's grate, I've got tom to go back to though, so I won't be drinking."
"I know, and I've got Jade … Oh dam!"
"Mark, just bring her, its fine." George couldn't help the note of exasperation in her voice.
"Ok, if you're sure." He walked to the other side of the worktop and placed both arms around her waist.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
They both smiled as their lips met. A few minutes later George pulled away.
"Mark?"
"Hm?" He continued to kiss her.
"Mark! We've both got patients, we're in the middle of a shift."
"Oh, yeh, sorry, I forgot. I'll see you later?"
"Yes, now go on! Before Charley comes in here demanding to know where you've been!"
"It was your fault!" Mark huffed indignantly.
"Whatever!"
As the door closed behind him, she reflected that she couldn't remember feeling this happy in a long time.