Luke was stood cleaning the head wound of a young 18-year-old girl. She already had a 3-year-old son. The woman claimed that she had fallen over but she had quite clearly fallen into someone's fist multiple times. She had a black eye and a broken wrist as well as several older bruises and injuries that had gone untreated. Luke was chatting away with the woman whilst her son sat on the edge of her bed colouring in a book. Suddenly a man threw back the curtain around the cubicle. The woman went quiet instantly and her body language became far more closed off.
The woman's young son jumped up and shouted at him. "Daddy!"
The man, who was significantly older than the injured woman, picked the boy. "Hello mate. What's silly mummy gone and done to herself this time."
Luke was taken back by this comment. "Done to herself? These wounds aren't accidently or self-inflicted Mr…"
"Tommy. Call me Tommy."
Luke looked the man up and down. "Ok, Tom."
The man looked at Luke in disgust but didn't act upon it. "Is my Kayleigh going to be alright?" This time he was far less friendly.
"I expect Kayleigh will make a full recovery, however I would like…"
'Tommy' nodded. "Come on Kayleigh get your things together we're leaving you don't need to stay here any longer."
"I'm afraid that isn't advisable right now. Kayleigh needs to…"
Tom got up in Luke's face. "I don't care what you think is advisable, I'm taking my son and girlfriend home now!" Tom then pushed Luke backwards.
Charlie saw this from the nurses station and whispered something to Alice before he come rushing over. Luke saw Alice pick up the phone and make a call.
"Is everything ok Luke?" Charlie asked.
"I'm ok Charlie." He saw security, but he put up a hand before they could get too close and wind up Tommy even more.
"The only problem here is this doctor that what let me take my girlfriend home." Tommy spat at Luke's feet.
"Right there was no need for that," Charlie said defending Luke. "Anymore behaviour like that and I will have no choice to have you removed from his hospital."
Tommy moved to grab Kayleigh but Luke moved himself between the two of them to stop him from being able to drag her away. Luke could feel the anger rising within him. Charlie gave Luke a warning Luke. He had a notoriously short temper and he couldn't let that get the better of him. Luke took a deep breath and composed himself.
"Tom your girlfriend has suffered a severe head injury and before I can safely and happily discharge her from this hospital I would like her to go have a C.T scan to sure that there is no injury to her brain that could cause her serious complications to her."
Tom turned around and shook his head in disgust before he looked at Luke again. "She looks alright to me."
"You've been a doctor how long, sorry?"
Tom wanted to move past Luke, but Luke moved in his way. Charlie gave Luke another warning look.
Kayleigh spoke up. "Leave it Tommy, please."
"Shut your face woman, this doesn't concern you. This is a problem between me and the doctor here. Get your stuff and we're going as soon as this moron moves out of our way."
Luke wasn't going to move. "Kayleigh you are aware that you are under no obligation to do what this man says. If you don't want to leave you don't have too."
"Of course, she has to do what I say! She is my girlfriend! Move Kayleigh!"
"I don't think she does. This isn't the 1800's anymore. Woman are not men's property anymore, just because you're her partner doesn't give you the right to do what ever the hell you want with her. If doesn't want to go, she doesn't have to."
"You what! What did you just say to me!"
Tommy squared up to Luke again. Luke didn't flinch at all.
"Right I think we need to get security in here." Charlie ushered for them to enter the room.
Harry came rushing over along with Adam and Tess. They arrived just as Tommy went to punch Luke. Luke caught Tommy's hand and in a singular movement she moved Tommy's hand behind his back and pushed him up against the wall. Kayleigh grabbed a hold of her son and pulled him into a hug so he couldn't see what was going on.
"What the hell is going on in here!" Harry shouted. Everyone turned around.
"Well me and Tommy here are going to have a nice chat about why its wrong to abuse his partner, whilst security escort him out the premises." Luke said as he lent into Tommy's face and tightened his grip.
John called Luke an abusive name.
"Alice, do you mind taking the young boy through to the relatives room to do a bit of colouring whilst we let his mother's have a bit of rest."
"Of course." Alice picked up the young boy and took him away whilst Luke handed Tommy over to security.
Tess shook her head and walk off. Both Charlie and Adam gave Luke a pat on the back before they walked off. Harry, however hung around. Luke ignored him and went back to treating Kayleigh.
"Dr Stone, could I have a word please."
Luke ignored him. "Abs could you organise a C.T scan for Kayleigh please."
"Of course." Abs walked out of the cubicle.
"Dr Stone."
"Mr Harper. I am currently treating a patient as soon as I am done, I will come and talk to you."
Luke pulled the curtain around the cubicle shutting Harry out.
At the end of his shift, Luke took a breath and knocked on the door.
"Come." Harry's voice called out.
Luke stood in front of Harry's desk. Harry didn't look up from his computer.
"What was that fiasco about earlier on Dr Stone?"
"What me ignoring you or me protecting myself from being assaulted."
Harry looked up. "Both."
"Well that man was about to about to attack so I took the appropriate action for me to defend myself. Anyone of us would have done the same."
"No, they wouldn't. Any other member of staff would call security and let them escort him off the premises before it got that situation." Harry was annoyed. "He wants to make a complaint and I can't say I blame him. The physical assault you inflicted upon and the accusations that he was abusing his girlfriend."
"He was"
"You cannot prove that Dr Stone. You can't accuse people of that useless you have very genuine proof that she was being abused by him."
"She was absolutely petrified of him."
"You know that how."
"The fact that as soon as he walked into that cubicle she stopped talking straight away."
"That is not enough proof. We need her to tell us that something is going on."
"So you believe she got that black eye, bruises and a broken wrist from falling over. Not to mention all untreated injuries that poor woman has sustained." Luke was equally annoyed at Harry as Harry was at him.
"It's possible."
"Open your eyes Harry they weren't the injuries you get from falling down a set of stairs"
"Dr Stone! Be quiet! This has gone far enough, I suggest you apologise to that man as soon as you bloody well can whilst I talk him out of making that complaint because you are a very good doctor and I don't want to lose you over something so stupid."
"Is that everything?" Luke sarcastically asked.
"No. I want to talk about your blatant and unnecessary insubordination in front of a patient. Should have dealt with her partner in the correct manner you would not have been in the position where you fell behind on her treatment if you had simply…"
"What let her boyfriend take her home? Let him knock her around a bit more? Beat the kid up? Let them get so injured the comeback in so we are back at square one. Next time we might not be able to save them. If I had just let him do what he wanted she could have died before she had even gone to bed tonight, luckily her C.T scan was clear, but should I have wasted my time talking to you I might not have known that and then would been even further behind on treating her. Well done Harry, I'm glad you felt the need to drag me away from a patient to just reprimand me about my behaviour. I'm glad you consider that to be far more important than the care and treatment of a patient."
"Dr Stone that is enough!" Harry slammed the desk and stood up. "Now I have very good cause to report you and have you suspended…"
"Fine! Go on do it! I know you won't. Put me on redeployment like Tess or Charlie, save yourself a bit more money because that's all you want to do. I have had enough of this bollocks, I'm going home."
Luke walked out of Harry's office and towards the ambulance bay doors. Harry followed him out.
"Dr Stone! Get back here right now. I'm not done talking to you."
Luke turned around. "Well I am."
Everyone stopped to look at what was going on. Alice chased Luke outside.
"Luke! Luke!"
"I'm not in the mood Alice."
"Well I am."
Luke stopped dead in his tracks. Alice was person he was closest to since he first started work in the ED. She was his best friend at work. Luke decided that he should hear her out.
"I'm sorry. I've had a tough day. I don't mean to take it out on you."
Luke pulled Alice into a hug and kissed the top of her head.
"I know you have. I just want to make sure you're ok. Pub?"
"Not this one. I don't think I can face anyone after that. There's one that's not too bad around the corner from where I live, and they do some pretty nice food."
"What about Maisie?"
"She's at mate's house. I'll just let her know I might not be in when she gets home."
"Ok. Pub around the corner from you it is then."
Luke and Alice both got into his car and drove to the pub.