It had been a month since Sam Nicholls had promised herself she would tell her friends and colleagues that she had taken back the ex-boyfriend who had left her, the one who she had spent a year bad mouthing and the one who she now appeared to be living with.
That ex-boyfriend, now boyfriend in particular was getting increasingly irritated.
They had reached the point in their daily drive to work where Tom would stop the car and let Sam get out so she could walk to the rest of the route as to ensure none of their colleagues saw them entering the ED together and put two and two together.
The point in their daily drive where Sam would be able to literally feel the tension in the car, which had been building every day that she had promised to come clean but, hadn't. At the point everyday Sam would climb out, plant a brief kiss on Tom's lips and promise that today will be the day and Tom would smile and nod because he forgave his girlfriend every day, regardless of the fact she broke her promise every day.
"Tom I'm sorry."
"Sam it's fine, I understand it's hard for you." Tom's words were kind but his face painted a different picture.
"Tom today will –"
"Be the day? Yes I know Sam, today will be the day."
Sam hung her head.
"Hey, hey i didn't mean it like that, it's just I want to show you off Sam, I want the world to know that we're together, that I got Dr Sam Nicholls and I am bloody proud of her."
"I know."
She smiled at him and even though she could see he was straining it slightly she took comfort in his returning smile. She knew she was pushing it, it had been a month and she also knew how much it hurt Tom to have to act like they didn't know each other at work, she knew what it felt like, she'd been through it with Dylan. She knew how much it hurt. She didn't bother making herself a promise today, knowing full well she'd break it. She wished there was just some way of Zoe knowing without the actual telling Zoe part, the timing just never seemed right. She had come close, once or twice, when Zoe had made a comment like 'are you sure you're okay working with Tom? 'Or' I noticed you and Tom seem civil enough, I'm pleased you're being professional' and she'd almost told her everything, then Zoe had made an offhand remark like 'I know it must be hard' or 'at least he's acting like an adult now' and the perfectly formed words just waiting on her lips would fail her and she'd make her excuses and leave.
She brushed the thought from her mind as she entered the staffroom, ED was busy today and she was in resus, she'd need her focus.
"Right Sam, Tom and Fletch over here please?" Zoe commanded her staff over to a bed where a woman was squirming in evident pain.
"This is Lucy Kitchen, 22. Fell down a flight of stairs, queried fractured wrist as well as possible concussion and a small laceration to forehead."
"Ok Lucy? My name is Sam, I'm your doctor, can you tell me if you feel sick or dizzy at all?"
For a second the woman stared, looking blank, but then she refocused and gave the smallest of nods,
"A little."
"Ok" Sam turned to Fletch,
"Can you get a head CT organised and get an x-ray booked for her wrist?"
"Onnit" Fletch smiled his usual cheeky grin and sauntered off.
The woman smiled,
"He single?"
"Married, 2 kids, sorry." Tom interjected.
"Oh" For a second the woman looked dejected, then she perked up.
"How about you?"
Tom glanced at Sam for a brief moment then smiled at down at Lucy.
"I am not currently dating."
"How on earth did that happen?" Lucy looked up at Tom, batting her eyelashes flirtatiously
"I tell myself that every day."
The patient laughed for a second but was cut short as a stab of pain took hold.
Seeing the pain in her face, Tom suddenly professional turned to Sam.
"Can you administer 5mg more of morphine please Dr Nicholls?"
When Sam had done she turned back to Tom but he had already left.
"So what's his deal?" Lucy asked when the morphine had taken hold of the pain.
"Sorry?" Sam was genuinely confused.
"Well is he properly single?"
"You're not seriously actually interested?" Sam's eyebrows shot into the air.
"Yeah he's gorgeous, and the other one's married so I have to give this one a go." Lucy shot Sam a cheeky smile.
"Well I wouldn't know, ask him, excuse me, sorry."
As Sam walked away she was shocked herself at how aggressive she'd sounded.
Lucy stared for a second then muttered under her breath
"Snooty cow."
Little did Sam, Tom or even Lucy know, their whole conversation had not gone unnoticed by Zoe who was treating a patient just one bed to the right.
"Sam!" Tom called out to her as they passed on the corridor.
"Yes Tom?"
"I have Lucy Kitchen's CT and X-ray results, the CT came back clear but the x-ray has confirmed a broken risk and looking at it, she's probably going to need an operation to set the bones right. Do you want to deliver the news or shall I?"
"I think we'd both know who'd prefer to do so, wouldn't we Tom?" Sam's voice dripped with ice.
"I'm sorry what is that meant to mean?" Tom stared at Sam, incredulous.
"Well Mr I'm Single, why don't you ask her." Sam jerked a thumb aggressively at Lucy who was sat up in the bed smiling at Tom.
"Sam, you know I couldn't say I a relationship, people might get suspicious! It's you who's all about keeping this whole thing a secret."
"And it just so happened to be the hot, 22 year old who you professed your apparently 'single' nature to then Tom?"
"What so you're all about truth now Sam?" It was Tom's turn to be aggressive now and he raised his eyebrows incredulously.
"Because before Sam it was all let's pretend we're not in a relationship, so will you please make your mind up? Am I single or not?"
Their argument was becoming heated and they were beginning to catch attention aware of this Sam made the decision to leave, as hurt as she was by Tom, she wasn't going to do this out here.
"You know what Tom, after this? I don't know." She turned on her heel and marched off leaving Tom stood, the results hanging in his hand staring at the back off her as she marched off.
Then he heard the clicking of high heels and felt the presence of someone behind him.
"Tom, what was that about?"
Fuck, Zoe.
"It's was nothing Zoe, we just argued over a patient's treatment."
"Well which patient?"
Zoe started but Tom was already marching off in the opposite direction.
Zoe Hanna was worried again.
Not because Sam and Tom were arguing, the ED had seen enough of that over their time.
No, she was worried because this argument was different.
This one looked less like their usual arguments.
Less like their usual arguments and more like a lovers tiff.
