Chapter 7
Jane
She woke up and looked at the alarm clock on the bedside cabinet. Oh, Joba! It was gone 9am! She was in Harvey's bed, under his blanket. He was lying next to her gently snoozing. She carefully lifted his arm from around her waist trying not to wake him, and tucked the blanket around him. She found her clothes scattered on the floor, her boots were by the front door... obviously the first things she had kicked off when they entered Harvey's apartment. Where was her bra?
She lifted up the cushions on the sofa, checked behind the sofa, checked the bathroom, but couldn't find it. She got dressed thinking she'd ask Harvey to look for it later, and hoped no one realised she wasn't wearing a bra. She actually hoped no one would see her leaving the clinic. She sat on the sofa to pull on her boots and looked across at Harvey. He seemed so sweet with his hair all messed up from sleep. Last night had been amazing. She'd enjoying talking with him, and hadn't expected to have sex on the beach or in Harvey's apartment for that matter. She felt bad for leaving without saying good bye but she wanted to make a quick exit so as not to be seen by any of the villagers. She wanted to keep things between them quiet for the moment.
She closed the door to his apartment, the lock made a soft click as it returned to its home. She tip toed down the steps and pushed her way through the double doors in to the hallway. The lights were on. Why were the lights on? Ohhh... shit!
'Good morning Jane.' Maru was standing behind the reception desk and Jane's cover was blown. Jane felt mortified but tried her best to maintain her composure.
'Uhh... morning Maru. I just came by to talk to Dr Harvey, and I must be going now... I've got lots to do on the farm.' She flashed Maru the best smile she could muster up, hoping to Joba that Maru believed her lie.
Maru's bottom lip quivered when she said, 'I think this belongs to you,' and handed Jane her missing bra. Her eyes looked watery and she seemed on the verge of tears.
'That's not mine.' Jane said rather too quickly. Fuck it, I'll buy a new one! She felt quite hot under the florescent lights. She looked at the tears starting to trickle down Maru's cheeks and asked, 'Are you ok?'
Maru grabbed a Kleenex from a box behind the reception desk and wiped the tears from both eyes. 'It's allergies,' she said but Jane wasn't sure she believed her and felt awful. 'Is Dr Harvey still asleep?'
Jane didn't bother lying again. 'Yeah, he's in bed. I've really got to go. Please tell him I'll see him later.' Unable to make further eye contact with Maru, she scrunched her bra up in to a ball and walked out of the clinic doors.
Outside there were fallen tree leaves scattered on the ground and a few floating about in the air. The breeze felt good, and cooled her flushed face.
'Good morning Jane,' a man's voice called. Jane whipped her head round and saw Pierre wave at her. He was standing outside his store drinking a coffee. He had a glint in his eye, and Jane wondered whether he suspected anything. 'I've got a new stock of seeds, come in and take a look.'
She waved back , 'I can't right now but I will pop by at some point this week.' She turned around and sprinted home, really wanting a hot shower and some breakfast.
Harvey
When he woke up Jane was gone. He wondered if last night had been a dream, but then he saw the sand on the bed sheet and smiled. He walked to the bathroom completely naked, and turned on the shower. As he waited for the water to heat up he thought about Jane, about what he'd told her and how she'd called him a hero. He thought about how they'd made love on the beach, and he started to feel aroused remembering the feeling of her legs wrapped around his hips. He stepped in to the shower and let the warm water bathe him. The water flowed down his neck, back, and legs washing the sand from his body. He breathed in deeply letting the steam open up his sinuses and suddenly remembered how much of an idiot had been, he really should book an asthma review appointment. He made a mental note to call his doctor.
As Harvey was drying himself he glanced across at his alarm clock. Seeing the display showing 10:00 he had a horrible thought... what day was it? He looked at his mobile phone which said Thursday, and realised that Maru worked on Thursdays and her shift started at 9am! Shit! He got dressed as quickly as he could, rubbing the towel through his hair but not really drying it properly and grabbed a fresh white lab coat from his wardrobe and put it on over his shirt and chinos. He left his apartment and ran downstairs as quickly as he could.
Out of breath from rushing he leaned on the reception desk and said, 'I'm so sorry Maru! I overslept, and I'll make it up to you I promise.'
'Your first patient is here Dr Harvey, he's been waiting thirty minutes to see you.' She said and without a smile she passed him a clipboard with the patients name on it. Mayor Lewis... Oh fuck!
He noticed that Maru seemed rather glum, but he wouldn't embarrass her by asking her what was up in front of the Mayor who was sat in the waiting room. Harvey walked over to him, 'Lewis, do you want to come in to my office?' He walked ahead of the Mayor and sat down at his desk.
'Take a seat Lewis,' Harvey instructed and Mayor Lewis sat down in the only other chair in the room. Harvey held the clipboard and lifted the pages reviewing the last notes. Harvey liked to keep both hard and electronic copies of patient records. He usually had Maru update the computer system, but most of the time he had so much free time that he did it himself. 'How can I help you today?' he asked, speaking in his professional doctors voice.
The Mayor shifted in the chair, and fiddled with his moustache. He seemed uncomfortable, nervous perhaps. 'This isn't a medical visit Dr Harvey, I'm here on official business.'
'Oh!' Harvey put the clipboard down on his desk, and sighed. He removed his glasses from his face and rubbed his right eye with his balled up fist.
'Look, Harvey I didn't want to have this talk with you. You are a respected member of the community but the incident in the bar the other night is completely unacceptable.'
'You mean the thing with Alex?' Harvey frowned and put his glasses back on.
'Yes, the thing with Alex. I obviously wasn't there, but had I been I would have intervened. I don't know what he did to deserve two black eyes but I can't condone that type of behaviour.'
'Lewis...
'I've instructed Gus not to serve you alcohol for a period of six months.'
'Don't be ridiculous Lewis, you can't do that!'
'I did and I have Harvey, and I'm not arguing with you. I expect better from you.'
After the Mayor left, Harvey instructed Maru to cancel the rest of his appointments and sent her home early. She wasn't her usual chipper self, she seemed gloomy and barely managed to say goodbye when she left. Harvey wondered if all the studying she was doing was making her stressed. He remembered how stressed he got at points during his medical training, the long shifts, and sleepless nights.
He hung up his lab coat and put on his favourite green jacket and went for a walk. The dried orange and brown leaves crunched beneath his shoes as he stepped on them. He headed down to the beach and found a quiet spot on the boardwalk and sat down. He took off his shoes and socks and dangled his feet in to the water. He liked quiet moments, and often came to the beach and listened to the waves. He closed his eyes and breathed in the salty sea air, wiggling his toes in the cold sea.
Harvey stayed at the beach for about half an hour. He would have stayed longer but his peace was broken when Shane came running across the sand towards him.
'It's my Aunt Marnie, she hurt Doc.' Shane called to him, a sense of panic in his usually sombre voice.
Harvey pulled his socks over his wet feet, much to his displeasure, and quickly fastened his shoes. 'I'm coming, let me grab my medical bag from the clinic. Tell me what happened Shane.'
Shane matched Harvey's pace whilst he gave him the details. 'Aunt Marnie was milking the cows when one of them kicked her. That old man Lewis is with her, he told me to come find you.'
In the clinic Harvey unlocked the medicine cabinet and restocked his medical bag with items he thought might be useful. The thought of having to speak to the Mayor again bothered him, but he didn't have much choice.
Outside the clinic Shane was leaning against the wall smoking a cigarette. Harvey disapprovingly said, 'Have you any idea how bad for your health they are?'
'You keep telling me that Doc, and I keep smoking them. Doesn't seem like I care does it?' Shane took a long drag on his cigarette and blew out a huge plume of smoke.
Harvey coughed but didn't bother trying to argue with Shane, as he knew it was pointless. 'Come on, let's get going. Lead the way,' Harvey said trying not to inhale anymore smoke.
When they reached Marnie's ranch Harvey could hear her crying out in agony. Shane opened the front door and took Harvey through the house and in to the garden. Marnie was sat on the ground clutching her right arm with her left. Mayor Lewis was trying to soothe her by rubbing her back but it wasn't working because she snapped at him, 'Will you stop that Lewis! It's not helping!'
'I'm sorry Marnie my sweet, I was just trying to... oh Doc you're here.' He tipped his cap at Harvey, and then said, 'The doc is here Marnie.'
Despite feeling a little awkward after his visit from the Mayor earlier in the day, Harvey remained professional. He put on his happy face and said, 'I'm here Marnie, I'm going to help you. Can you tell me what happened?'
'I told you what happened Doc-' Shane answered.
'-Yes, you did Shane and I appreciate your help but I'd like hear it from Marnie. Would you mind making me a coffee? Black, with no sugar.' Shane reluctantly left to make Harvey a coffee. He didn't really want a coffee, he just wanted some space.
He knelt down beside Marnie and opened his bag. He removed a small flash light and used it to test her pupils. He asked, 'So what happened?' In turn he gently held her eyelids up and shined the light in to her eyes to check her pupillary light reflex. Satisfied with his observations he returned the flash light to his bag.
'I was collecting milk from one of my cows, when something in the bushes must have spooked her.' Harvey instinctively looked over towards the bushes feeling slightly worried. 'She kicked me and bolted for the cowshed. It knocked the wind out of me and I've got this awful pain in my shoulder.'
Harvey asked, 'Is it okay if I take a look at your shoulder?' Marnie nodded. He moved his hand across her shoulder confirming by touch what he could see with his eyes. 'You have a posterior dislocation of the shoulder. I will give you a mild sedative to help you relax before I realign the bones.' He took a syringe and a small vial of sedative, held it upside down and drew the liquid down from below.
'Hey Doc, I've got your coffeeee...' Shane dropped to the ground and the coffee cup cracked in to pieces as it landed on the hard dirt, spilling it's contents.
Still holding the syringe in his hand Harvey stared across at Shane in confusion and then it dawned on him. He looked back at the sharp needle at the end of the syringe and rolled his eyes. He injected Marnie with the liquid, and then still on his knees he moved over to Shane. He picked up Shane's hand and tapped it, then tapped his cheek when he didn't respond. His eyes opened and he seemed confused. 'It's ok kiddo, you just fainted. Can you sit up for me? That's it slowly, now just stay there for a while until your blood pressure normalises. Lewis make yourself useful and get him a glass of water.'
'Oh uh, yes of course! I'll get you some water.' The Mayor said then hurried off in doors.
When the Mayor was out of earshot Harvey asked, 'exactly why is he here?'
'Don't you know Doc? He comes for Aunt Marnie's apple pie.' Shane snorted with laughter.
Harvey laughed and Marnie scolded them both, ' I'll have less of that you two! Oh owww this hurts!'
'Uh, Doc don't tell anyone I fainted. I can't have anyone thinking I'm a wimp!' Shane moaned and rubbed his side.
Harvey chuckled. 'You aren't the first to faint at the sight of a needle, and you won't be the last.' He returned to Marnie and placed one hand on her shoulder and the other on her arm. 'I'm sorry Marnie, this may hurt... quite a bit.' He slowly rotated her shoulder back in to the socket. There was a loud pop followed by an equally loud groan of pain from Marnie.
'Thank you Doc,' she said exhausted. She looked across at Shane, 'Are you ok sweetheart?'
'Of course I am!' He frowned, clearly not happy being called 'sweetheart.' Harvey and Marnie laughed but Shane sulked.
Mayor Lewis returned with Shane's glass of water. 'I heard you scream Marnie, are you ok?'He handed the glass to Shane sloshing it down his top much to Shane's annoyance. Marnie didn't answer him, she gritted her teeth in pain.
Harvey put Marnie's arm in a sling and gave her some pain medication to take over the next week. 'Come see me at the clinic in a week. Take the pain meds, and rest your shoulder. That means no heavy lifted and especially no milking cows.' Marnie sighed and told Shane he'd have to help her around the ranch. He didn't seemed overjoyed.
Just as Harvey was about to leave Mayor Lewis took his hand and shook it. Harvey was surprised. 'Thank you Dr Harvey, great work!'
Harvey smiled, 'Take care, and I'll see you in a week Marnie. Bye bye.' He left the ranch headed towards Jane's farm. He wondered if she would be home, and wished he'd picked up some flowers for her. He saw some wild yellow flowers growing along the fence and grabbed a handful.
Jane
She saw Harvey making his way through the long grass at the southern part of her farm. She'd not got around to clearing that section and felt awful seeing him curse at getting his clothes snagged on some brambles. Despite initially looking frustrated he was all smiles when he reached her house.
He held out a handful of droopy yellow flowers and said, 'I picked these along the way, I hope you like them.'
She took them from him. 'Oh, how lovely,' she smiled, and thought just what I need, more weeds. She laughed and watched his face turned a bright shade of pink. He'd picked dandelions.
'They're weeds aren't they?' he asked slapping a hand to his forehead. She started laughing and he joined her.
'Come in doors you silly romantic,' she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, 'I'll find a vase for these... beautiful weeds, and then I'll make you a coffee.'
