A loud resounding thump could be heard throughout the house as Kate's body connected with the carpeted floor below. "unghhh" She groaned, rolling over so that her face was no longer kissing the ground.
It's Sunday...rest day. Why couldn't you just let me do that?
Rubbing her hand over her eyes and through the dark tresses that riveled her patience, Kate sat up into a sitting position and then stuck her hand on the bed to help her balance as she stood up. Cracking her back as she made her way out of her room and sharply to the left to check on Emma.
She was sitting up reading in her bed with the lamp on the bedside table glowing dimly in the early hours of the morning. Kate leaned against the hardwood door, shaking her head slightly with a small smile on her face as she watched her daughter's forehead crease in concentration. After a few seconds passed she walked into the room and sat down on the edge of Emma's bed.
Emma looked up when she saw someone coming through the door and immediately recognising the figure as her mother. She gave her a big toothy grin, attempting to slide a little further under the covers.
"You are up early, bug. You okay?" Kate asked softly, leaning down and pressing a raspberry kiss to Emma's hand that was holding the blanket up.
Emma giggled loudly when her mother kissed her. Nodding 3 times quickly she pointed to the book that had slid further down the bed from all the moving around.
"Reading 'The Princess with the Frog' the one you read."
Kate reached for the children's book 'The Princess and the Frog' that was now much closer to her than Emma and she couldn't supress the smile that lit up her entire face. Turning back to her daughter, she tucked a few dark curls behind Emma's ear; running her fingers through a section of loose tendrils resting against her shoulder.
"You like this book then, huh?"
Emma nodded again a wide grin now identical to her mother's spread across her lips. Kate laughed loudly, her voice resounding throughout the room. "Me too." She winked playfully.
Standing up Kate walked over to the wooden book shelf and slid the book back into it's place before turning back around and waving her arms at Emma motioning for her to get out of bed.
"Let's go have breakfast. We have a big day ahead of us."
Emma squealed loudly as she jumped up from under the covers and swung her legs over the side of her bed. Kate shook her head, her eyes filled with mirth as she walked out of the room.
Following her mother into the kitchen; she grabbed a tupperwear bowl and spoon from the dishwashing rack beside the sink and made her way into the dining room before putting them on the table. Kate opened the fridge and pulled out the milk and juice; placing the juice on the table with a plastic cup and the milk next to the coffee machine. Emma then went back into the kitchen to grab her box of cereal but paused after she had taken the box from the lower shelf.
"You want cereal or fruit, mummy?" She asked, watching her mother as she fiddled with the coffee measurements.
"I'll cut up some rockmelon or something, honey. Go eat your breakfast."
Once she finished setting up the coffee machine, Kate walked over to the table and poured Emma some orange juice. Emma poured the cereal into her bowl herself, only then did Kate remember she left the milk on the bench. "One second." She told her, racing across to the bench.
After both of the girls had eaten their meals (Kate settled on watermelon with strawberries) and drank their morning beverages, Kate gave Emma a book to read and told her to sit on the toilet and wait for her while she had a quick shower.
When she was done wrapping a warm fluffy peach coloured towel around herself, she filled the tub up to just under halfway and waited outside the door but made sure to leave it open slightly in case she called out to her.
10 minutes later - Emma called out that she was finished. Kate then wrapped a white towel around her and helped her out of the tub, making sure to pull the plug out when she settled Emma on her feet steadily.
Clad in jeans and a dark purple turtleneck, Kate opened Emma's closet and pulled out a few dresses for her daughter to pick from. She chose a white and pink dress with yellow sunflowers scattered across the waist and bottom of the dress.
After brushing and parting Emma's hair into two pigtails, Kate tied her own hair up into a bun and pulled on a pair of old scruffy sneakers. Emma handed her her handbag and phone before spinning around 4 times in a row, holding onto the bottom of her dress as it fluttered around her shins.
"Emma, behave. You'll make yourself sick if you keep doing that." Kate warned her.
Kate looked over to the coffee table and spotted her pager and keys. She quicky jogged over to them and shoved them in her pockets before waving at Emma to follow her.
"Come on, bug. We're going now."
After a visit to her mother - who prodded her with unrelenting questions about; men "What about that cute anesthesiologist at the hospital?" and college applications for Emma "It's never too early to get started" oh and her career, of course, as well as many other interesting (painful) topics that she could think of.
Then Kate and Emma did a quick shop to pick up some essentials for the household (toothpaste, bread, generic soap) that she knew she wouldn't have any time to get later. Since she was pretty much almost always on call and looking after Emma didn't leave much time to do anything at all other than sleep - sometimes she didn't even get the liberty of that.
God. I can't even remember the last time I dyed my hair.
Kate had to stop at the bakery on her way to their destination but besides that little detour, they made it with 5 minutes to spare. Which was a record for them if she was going to be completely honest.
10am
Slinging her bag over her shoulder, Kate walked around to Emma's side of the car and opened the door. Unclicking her seatbelt, Kate was careful to not knock the box in her lap before helping her out of the car with a hand against her shoulder steadily. "You alright with those cupcakes, bug?"
Emma held the box tightly with both hands as she stood up onto the grassy footpath, away from the car and the road. She didn't answer her mother instead she ran ahead of her towards the front door of the house they had parked outside of. Kate locked the car before running quickly after her daughter and her apparent eagerness to reach the front door.
With both hands full - all Emma could do was stand outside the door and wait impatiently for Kate to knock on the door. Looking up at her mother she rocked back and forth on her heels in excitement.
"Hello? Anybody home?" Kate called out, knocking on the front door.
Almost immediately the door opened inwards and Emma was pushed aside by two sets of arms that were then wrapped around Kate's waist. "Aunty Kate!" They said in unison, squeezing her tightly.
Emma had a sour pout on her face at having been shoved away so roughly and was holding the box above her head. But the expression that had quickly appeared almost immediately fell away as a set of arms wrapped around her and gave her a big bear hug.
"Oh, look at you- you precious thing!" Jenny pressed a kiss to the side of her head.
Emma giggled moving the cardboard box down and closer to her chest before looking up at her. "We have cupcakes," She grinned, holding them up to her.
Jenny gasped, a wide smile now adorning her lips. "Yummy! I bet you picked out the best ones, Emma."
Taking the pink box that was being held out to her, Jenny stood back up to her full height and slipped her hand into Emma's and tugged her gently through the door. Kate pressed kisses to the tops of the two blonde's heads clinging to both sides of her body and then wrapped her arms around their shoulders, pulling them inside with her to follow Jenny into the house.
"You two have gotten so big!" Kate gasped.
The twins released her and took a step back grinning proudly.
"Being 7..." Alexandra held up 7 digits, "I grew like 5 inches over the summer, that's what daddy said!" she beamed.
"I grew like 6!" Jared puffed his chest out and took a step forward.
Kate laughed, her tongue poking between her teeth. "Great job, guys!"
Closing the door with her foot, Kate ushered the two young ones through the cluttered house amd opened the sliding glass doors to reveal the wooden patio deck.
Emma had taken up residence on Kevin's right knee gazing at the little bundle in his arms that was Sarah Grace. Her face glowing in awe whilst her left hand squeezed the front of his shirt in excitement. Kate plopped down beside Jenny, sitting on a deck chair and murmuring her thanks when she passed her a glass of much deserved wine.
For the next 20 minutes, Kate watched the children run around the backyard - back and forth, playing endless games of tag and hide and seek, even a sneaky game of chinese burns when Jenny was in the kitchen.
When Jenny called for the twins to make their way back up towards the house, Kate turned her head slightly so that she was able to look through the glass window and into the kitchen. Standing up, she held the glass of red to her chest until she made it safely inside and placed it down on the bench gingerly.
"Thanks for for doing this..." Kate began, sincerely.
Jenny shook her head as she placed the muti-coloured cupcakes in their respective little bowls. "It was my pleasure Kate, really." She turned towards her to give her a wide, warm smile.
Helping her dish out the sets of cupcakes, Kate placed one of them on the plastic playtable next to Kevin who was still nursing Sophia Grace. Jenny had the two in her hands immediately grabbed away by hungry children, laughing loudly and running off to sit on the edge of the patio together.
"Be careful not to get anything on your clothes!" She called out after them.
Kate turned around to see Emma waiting patiently behind her, her hands clasped together and a small smile on her face. Kneeling down in front of her daughter Kate held out the bowl to her, A lone candle with the number '6' on it flickering against the threat of the wind.
"Happy Birthday, Emma." Kevin grinned, blowing her a kiss from where he was seated. Trying to eat the cupcake with one hand as crumbs toppled down his dress shirt and attempting to nurse with the other.
Emma's forehead wrinkled in confusion as she thought for a few minutes before shaking her head. "You said it was on Monday,"
Kate laughed, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
"It is sweetie, but Aunty Jenny and Uncle Kevin have work and you have Prep class, remember?"
"Oh..." Emma said, wrapping her fingers around the edges of the paper plate.
"Make a wish, bug." Kate said softly, raising her free hand and gently stroking her daughters cheek with her thumb.
Emma squeezed her eyes shut for a few seconds before blowing out the candle in one breath. Everyone erupted in cheer; Kevin tapping his wrist with his fork, Jenny clasped her hands together and smiled widely, the twins turned around to discover the source of the ruckus and joined in by throwing their hands - and plates - up into the air. Kate let Emma take the plate and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
1 hour later
Stuffing half a bagel into his mouth and then a swig of milk offered by his wife, Kevin pressed a kiss to her cheek leaving a watery smudge of milk across her cheek. She laughed, shoving him away slightly before pulling him back towards her by the collar of his work uniform. Straightening his shirt and adjusting his collar so that the flaps were facing down.
"Don't forget your jacket..." Kate said, grabbing the dark navy coloured material which had yellow block letters printed thickly across the back spelling PARAMEDIC.
She threw it at Kevin and he caught it with his free hand that had settled the glass of milk on the counter moments before. "I might see you Monday?" He asked
Kate nodded.
Feeling a tug on his arm, Kevin squatted down to be similar height to Emma. "What's up?" He asked her.
Wrapping her arms around his neck tightly, the fabric flowers on the material of her dress rustling against his bare arm. "Be careful..."She whispered, leaning her forehead against his.
Pressing a kiss to the top of head and then patting the top of her head once in endearment.
"I'm always careful."
Walking towards the front door with his bag slung over his shoulder, he pivoted at the last second to face them once more. "Maybe today I'll help a little girl just like you, Ems." He grinned, to which she returned.
Wrapping his arms around the twins and pressing a kiss to their cheeks in turn before heading out the front door and towards his car.
Kate watched the little family with a small smile on her face, wrapping her arms loosely across Emma's shoulders. Her forehead creased in the middle slightly as a few unwelcome thoughts filtered in and out of her mind.
Does Emma need a proper father figure in her life?
What if I'm not enough?
Gently squeezing her daughters shoulders and giving her a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. She slid one hand down her arm and took one of her hands in her own. Looking up to Jenny, Kate wrapped her other arm around her friend's shoulders attempting to give her a one armed hug.
"Thanks for having us...doing this." She said quietly before releasing the blonde.
"Anytime, you know that."
Emma squeezed her mother's hand gently before trailing behind her towards the front door.
Kate was leaning against the dark cherry-coloured desk, the hard wood biting into the middle of her back the more she leaned away from him, trying to distance herself mentally and physically. Her arms crossed in front of her - protecting herself - protecting him. It didn't really matter anymore.
The silence that filled the room bit into her heart, her nerve endings numbed and her mind was blank.
"Gina's right. This can't continue anymore, Kate."
His words stung like the remnants of a slap.
Kate flinched as if he had done just that. She tampered down her feelings in the hopes that the emotions colouring her insides didn't spill out of her mouth or across her face.
His midnight blue eyes caressed her face but his words remained hard. Unshed tears withered in her eyes but she would not do this - she wouldn't cry in front of him right now. She wasn't weak.
"Something like this coming out right now...nothing good could-" He attempted to continue.
"Nothing good? Nothing good?! Are you freaking kidding me right now?" She interrupted him.
Rick opened his mouth but she shook her head effectively putting whatever he was about to say on hold. Kate felt anger bubbling up inside of her effectively overtaking the hurt; her stomach churning and her voice cracking as she spoke (damn her). She took a step forward whilst motioning between herself and him with lightly shaking hands.
"Are you telling me you really don't want us anymore?"
Jolting awake - it took Kate a couple of seconds to realize where she was. After the events of yesterday she wasn't entirely surprised her subconcious was recalling on past events. She really did wonder sometimes 'what could have been'.
Kate looked around at her surroundings her eyes spying many unoccupied beds, empty powerbar packets. One of the on-call rooms. Digging through the white cotton sheets until she saw the glow from her phone's screen and picking it up until it was in her line of vision. Squinting her eyes as the bright light attempting to blind her, her eyes slowly adjusting to the light after being closed for so long.
The little numbers displayed: 1:13pm.
With a huff, Kate rolled to the side of the single bed and swung her legs over the edge so that they touched the floor. Running her fingers through the birdnest she called her hair, Kate quickly tied it up into a loose bun. Looking down at her shoes still on her feet, she shook her head laughing at herself. She either slept with shoes on or she didn't sleep.
There's never any time to take them off and put them back on anyway.
Just as she was pocketing her phone - her pager beeped at her insistently. Wiping her free hand across her face Kate attempted to wipe the sleep from her eyes.
Well...at least I got to nap for an hour. That never happens.
Kate scanned what had been sent to her on the small screen of her pager. She was needed in the E.R due to a 4 car pile up - definitely an emergency with multiple victims and casualties in the center of the city. Many surgeons were on holiday leave and they needed as many hands on deck that could be spared.
Kate pocketed her pager and raced out of the on-call room as fast as she could. "Get out of my way!" She snapped, shoving at a bunch of interns blocking the middle of the hallway.
Tapping the elevator button four times, she threw her hands up in exasperation. This freaking elevator is ridiculous! Spotting the door that led to the stairs, Kate shot through the swinging door and made her way down four flights of stairs finally arriving in the E.R, coughing and gasping for breath. I really need to drink so much more water. The E.R was filled with a mass of people - at least a dozen from the accident alone - not including the regular freak accidents and gun shot wounds they usually receive at least everyday.
Spotting Kevin coming through the double doors with a young girl on a stretcher, Kate raced over to him to him to calculate what her injuries were.
"...Suspected crushed or broken ribs, collar bone and pretty sure she has a tear in her aortic pump. She hasn't been awake since the scene." He rambled, counting on the fingers of his left hand as he recalled her injuries.
Kate shook her head at the sight before her, the young girl was luckily unconcious so she wasn't able to fully feel the extent of her injuries - that was the only good news. Gently wiping the long locks out of her eyes. "OR 3 is free, I'll be scrubbing in. Hurry! Go go!"
Kate made her way towards the OR to scrub in before the surgery, digging her hand into her pocket until she found the hard case that contained her phone, she called her mother quickly.
"Emma needs to be picked up in an hour and a half and I'm not going to be there. I got called into a surgery - would you be able to pick her up? If you bring her here she'll be able to have her afternoon nap or she can wait around in the daycare centre here with the other kids."
She stopped outside of the OR; Kate paced back and forth infront of the door as she waited for her mother's response.
"I can't today, Katie, I'm stuck at the office but I'll call your cousin Brooke. Her mother told me she got back in town 3 days ago. So don't worry I'll figure it out, okay?" She told her daughter.
Kate's head was spinning but one thing she knew - was that when her mother told her she'd sort it out, she'd do just that. She relaxed with a soft sigh, "Thanks mum, I'll call you in a few hours."
3 hours later - 4.30pm
There was a lot more damage going on internally than they had hoped, as the girl had been hit whilst walking across one of the zebra crossings in the city and had landed in a garden flower-bed - that had somewhat cushioned her fall, she could of procured worse injuries had it not been for that.
Kate decided to call it a night when the young girl started coding twice throughout the surgery and she came to the conclusion that the girl was too weak to handle any more surgery right now, for the time being. And if she coded again - the next time she might not make it. Kate then made sure that they sent her up to the ICU to keep an eye on her and hopefully see if she can make it through the next 48 hours.
Making her way out from scrubbing, Kate's head was spinning...
The little girl on her table reminded her so much of Emma. She couldn't catch her breath and she could taste bile at the back of her throat. Racing towards the nearest bathroom - she barely made it into a stall when she threw up her stomach's contents. Most of it landing in the bowl but some of it landed on the floor and the edge of the seat. It was pretty much just burnt coffee, a bagle and bile, Kate wiped her mouth with a scrunched up piece of toilet paper before cleaning up as much of the mess as she could.
Standing back up onto unsteady legs Kate made her way towards the sink and cleaned herself up, swirling water around her mouth and spitting it down the drain, washing her face and hands. Staring in the mirror at herself she shook her head at how washed out she looked.
Pull yourself together, Kate. You're a surgeon.
Exiting the bathroom she was heading towards the ICU when a hand grabbed her wrist. "Excuse me. I'm looking for my daughter she- she just had surgery and I-" The voice cracked, tugging on her arm to turn her around.
The man stared at her for a few seconds as if trying to place her, it felt like much longer though, his eyes widening when he had obviously placed her.
"Kate?..."
The man stood there looking as shocked as anything to see her here of all places. Kate opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out, her eyes widened and she took a step back not quite understanding the situation that was unfolding. But she knew those blue eyes anywhere.
"Rick..."