Whippet had been keeping a close eye on Deano ever since Harries had contacted him. When he had gone off for a quick bite in the tower, even Hoppo had asked him about Deano. He assured them he was fine but he had a nagging feeling in his gut that it wasn't true.
When he saw Deano paddle through the water he could tell that the man was having serious trouble cutting through. When he didn't immediately return to shore and lingered in the water, Whippet knew there was something very wrong. He called out to his colleague but Deano didn't seem to hear him. When he finally did get onto his feet, it was everything but steady. If Whippet didn't know better he would say Deano was drunk. Whippet started walking towards Deano but broke out into a mad dash when Deano simply collapsed.
They both landed rather hard in the water but Whippet had no time to tend to his bruised bottom as he started dragging Deano out of the surf. The man was definitely unconscious.
Once they were on dry land, Whippet first checked Deano's vitals before he contacted the tower. Deano's pulse was rapid and he was clearly breathing fast. Whippet wasn't sure whether it was from the exertion or from something else entirely. Some people were starting to crowd them but Whippet tried to pay them no heed as he rolled Deano in the recovery position.
"You!" he pointed at the large lady, which Deano had saved before, "Grab that parasol and bring it here. Now!"
She hurdled off as Whippet contacted Hoppo.
"Hoppo, Whippet here. We have a situation. Deano's just collapsed. He is in a real bad shape, mate." Whippet heard things fall over in the background and hurried footsteps. "Is he conscious?" Hoppo quickly asked.
"No, he just collapsed after a rescue."
Hoppo cursed and grabbed his gear and the defibrillator. "Yatesy, you stay here and watch the beach. I am going to the South." He didn't wait for answer as he ran outside and jumped on the quad.
"Is he awake yet, Whippet?" Hoppo asked as he sped off towards Backpacker's. A crowd had already formed. "No, not yet. Wait, yeah, he is starting to wake up."
Because of Hoppo's arrival, most beachgoers dispersed, giving Hoppo a clear path to get through. Deano was indeed beginning to rouse. Whippet had made sure to keep the man out of the sun. It was becoming clear that Deano was suffering from a bad heat stroke. "How are his vitals?" Hoppo asked as he crouched next to Deano and carefully turned the man on his back. Deano's skin was way too dry and hot.
"His pulse is bloody fast. We should get him inside." Whippet spoke. Hoppo handed him an oxygen mask.
"Deano, are you with us, mate?" Hoppo queried, softly tapping Deano's cheek. The man frowned and tried to move away. He opened his bleary eyes and looked around so confused, it nearly broke Whippet's heart.
"Wha-…" he trailed off, his voice muffled by the oxygen mask.
"Deano, you collapsed. We are going to get you inside so you can cool off." Hoppo quickly explained. "Do you think you can get up?" Hoppo asked, gently grabbing one of Deano's arms. The man nodded, too tired and ill to provide a verbal answer. Whippet took Deano's other arm and slung it over his shoulder. Ever so slowly they got up and moved Deano to the back of the Rhino.
During the short trek to the tower, Deano hadn't moved an inch. Instead he leant against Hoppo, his eyes barely open. Hoppo never stopped talking to him, urging him to stay awake.
Both Hoppo and Whippet wondered how they had gotten so fast up the tower. Before they knew it, they were in the cool tower and had positioned Deano on the cot. "Yatesy, grab me ice packs and cooling blankets. Now!" Hoppo bellowed, as he pointed the fan directly at Deano's head.
"Whippet, call an ambo. We need to get him to the hospital."
Whippet, looking rather shaken, nodded and then dashed upstairs to call the ambulance services. Yatesy returned with a bucket filled with ice packs. "He looks bloody shagged." Yatesy muttered as he and Hoppo placed the ice packs all over Deano's body.
"Hey Deano, keep your eyes open, okay? You are going to be fine." Hoppo spoke to Deano, placing ice packs on Deano's forehead and neck.
"Ambo's on its way. ETA six minutes." Whippet informed them as he returned to his fallen colleague.
"Good. Raise his legs, Whippet." Hoppo ordered. "Yatesy, can you bring me a bottle of Isostar?"
"Deano, I need you to stay awake. The ambo is almost here. Cheers, Yatesy." Hoppo took the cool bottle of sports-drink. "Do you think you can drink a bit?"
Deano nodded shakily. Hoppo helped him sit a bit up and offered him some. Deano had never expected to lie on this cot himself. He wasn't even remotely aware of what was going on. He only knew that he was feeling too hot.
The next thing he knew was waking to an unfamiliar white ceiling. He could smell antiseptic products and the rough scratch of the blankets on his legs told him enough. He was in the hospital. Sluggishly he looked around and tried to figure out what was going on. He could tell that he had a nasal cannula on his face, there were various leads attached to his chest and he had a bulky clip on his index finger.
As he squinted, he could read on the clock on the wall that it was nearing 3 p.m. He was about to press the call button when someone entered the room.
The nurse smiled as he saw his patient awake.
"Hello mister Gladstone, my name is Kieran and I am the nurse taking care of you today."
"Hey." Deano greeted with a scratchy voice.
"How are you feeling?" Kieran asked as he tapped on the bedside monitor.
Deano shrugged. "Okay, I guess."
"Do you know where you are?" Kieran took a small penlight out of his pocket and checked Deano's pupil reflexes.
"The hospital." Deano answered, blinking rapidly to get rid of the vicious after-glare of the light. Kieran nodded contentedly.
"Very good!" The nurse praised. "Can you give me your full name?"
Kieran asked a couple of more questions, gauging Deano's neurological status. When Deano showed no signs of neurological deterioration, Kieran smiled brightly.
He could do with a glass of water, he mused as Kieran started measuring his blood pressure and other vital signs.
"I can't give you anything to drink yet, considering you just woke up. But let's see how you feel in half an hour? When you are more awake?" Kieran asked as if he was able to read his patient's mind.
"Yes, that'd be great." He followed Kieran's ministrations, waiting for him to tell him what had happened. His mind was pretty fuzzy to say the least.
Jotting down something in his file, Kieran seemed pretty content with the parameters. He checked the I.V. fluids which were attached to Deano's arm.
"Your blood pressure and heart rate are back to normal. Your temperature is also coming down nicely. It seems you are well on your way to a speedy recovery, mister Gladstone." He told Deano, helping him sit more upright in bed. "In fact, I think we can already take you off the oxygen."
"What happened?" Deano asked when he was relieved of the nasal cannula.
"Yesterday you were rushed to the hospital with a core temperature of forty-one degrees Celsius. We had to use extensive cooling methods to bring your temperature down because you were at a great risk of multi organ failure and neurological damage. Your colleagues handled very swift and adequate however." Kieran explained. "If you like I can call the doctor and ask her if she can come over and explain everything to you?"
"That would be nice, if you could do that. Thank you." Deano answered. He had been here for twenty-four hours? He had a hard time actually believing that. He heaved a deep sigh and looked out of the matted window. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to press the call button." Kieran said as he exited the room.
He must have dozed off because a light tap on his shoulder woke him up. He looked up at a doctor in her mid-thirties. "Glad to see you awake, mister Gladstone. How are you feeling?" she asked him.
"Pretty flaked, if I am honest. Also, I barely remember what has happened."
She nodded and took her own penlight, repeating the same tests like Kieran had done. When she saw no problems she turned the penlight off.
The doctor took a chair and sat next to him. Her nametag read: Eve Flanigan, MD.
"Yesterday you were brought in with what we call an exertional heat stroke. It is different from a classical heat stroke. The classic heat stroke that is most common is primarily due to heat exposure. It often strikes elderly and more vulnerable populations. Besides, the onset to presentation of CHS, or classic heat stroke, is within days. Both form of heat strokes occur when a person's core body temperature is higher than 40 degrees Celsius. However EHS or exertional heat stroke is more serious as it develops within hours and strikes relatively healthy people, such as yourself. EHS is primarily due to strenuous physical activity. Added with the fact that you boys are working in extreme weather conditions certainly doesn't help. Your body temperature reached a dangerous high level causing your body to go into a hyperthermic and hypermetabolic crisis. Not only could you develop neurological deficits but also multi organ failure and even death. However, you were treated rapidly and you have no lingering damage."
Deano nodded, taking in all the information. "But why did it happen to me? I've worked during heat waves before and I never had any troubles with it."
Doctor Flanigan thought for a split second before she answered. "We can't really tell which physically active person EHS may strike. But we do have a fair idea as to why it occurs. There are people who are at a higher risk than others. For example: firefighters, military personnel, outdoor labourers and athletes. When someone gets subjected to risk factors like hot-humid environments, intense exercise, dehydration and existing medical conditions they have a much bigger risk of getting EHS. We have a fairly good guess that you were definitely subjected to the first three."
"So, what is my prognosis, doc?" he asked, playing with the bulky oximeter on his finger.
"Well, it depends. We would like to monitor you for another night just to be on the safe side. But if there is someone back at home who can keep an eye on you, we could discharge you after you have had some dinner?" Doctor Flanigan suggested. "I will have one of the nurses bring you something to drink first. See how that goes. When you are ready for it you can try some solid food. You can give the number of your contact to the nurses and let them know what your preference is." She got up and shook Deano's hand. "We can't let you go home alone unsupervised, however. It is for your own safety. You should be monitored for at least another twenty-four hours."
"Yes, of course. I understand, thanks doc." Deano smiled and watched her leave the room. Now he was posed with a different problem: who was he going to call? There was no one at his place and his parents were on a holiday in Florence.
Kieran entered his room a good ten minutes later with a plastic cup in his hand. Deano greeted him with a smile.
"Doctor Flanigan told me you could go home, provided you manage to eat something and have someone to watch over you." The nurse said with a wink as he handed Deano the cup.
Deano took a couple of tentative sips, content when it soothed his parched throat.
"Is there anyone we can call?" Kieran asked as he slowed the I.V. fluid down. Because his patient was drinking now there wasn't as big of a need for substitutes.
Tapping his index finger against the cup he chewed on his lip. He had been going over loads of possibilities. He had first opted to ask Whippet if he could stay with him for a couple of days but then remembered that it was Friday. Whippet usually hung out with a couple of his mates on Friday evenings. He vaguely recalled Harries, Reidy and Yatesy saying that they would join. Egg and Chappo had to work in the weekend and the doc had said another twenty-four hour observation.
"Yeah. Could I use a phone?" he asked as he handed Kieran the empty cup. "Thanks for the water."
"No worries." Kieran replied with another bright smile and went back outside, looking for the patient-telephone.
"Bondi Lifeguards, Harries speaking."
- "Hey Harries, it's me, mate."
Harries face brightened and he made exaggerated motions to the phone, mouthing 'Deano'. Immediately the three lifeguards in the tower were all ears.
"Hooley dooley, Deano! How are you doing mate? Bothering the nurses, I reckon?" Harries laughed with his boisterous voice.
- "Nah, I'm not like you, ya dag. I'm doing well, actually. Got tubes everywhere, even in the less sexy places."
Harries guffawed at that answer and nearly fell out of his chair.
"Deano, as much as I like details, this is way too much info! Some things a man has got to keep to hisself!"
As Harries was joking some more on the phone, Hoppo entered the Watch Tower. He took of his sunglasses and nodded at Egg with a questioning look.
"It's Deano." Egg softly answered. "Judging by the way Harries is nearly having a brain aneurysm, Deano's fine."
A wave of relief washed over Hoppo. That was bloody good news. He would be lying if he said that none of this had fazed him. Yesterday's events had been quite frightening and he could barely supress a shudder as he remembered the awful way Deano had looked.
He was pulled back to the present when he heard Harries speak his name.
"Hop? Nah mate, he's out at the beach. Oh, hang on, mate. Seems he just came in." Harries handed Hoppo the phone and picked up his binoculars.
-"Hoppo speaking?"
Deano didn't know why he felt so nervous. After all, Hoppo was a friend and colleague, right? He probably wouldn't mind at all. Or at least, that was what he hoped. What if Hoppo would say no? Would he be stuck in the hospital for another day?
Realising he was drifting off, he internally admonished himself and clenched the phone tighter.
"Hey Hop! It's me." He inwardly cringed. Of course Hoppo would know it was him, Harries would have definitely told the head-lifeguard.
-"Hey Deano, good to hear you. Everything okay?"
Deano could hear the faintest tinge of concern in Hoppo's voice.
"Yeah. They took off the oxygen and I got to drink some water." Deano replied.
-"Good onya, mate!"
"Cheers, Hop. Uhm…" Come on, Deano, out with it, he thought bitterly, "Hop, the doc told me I could get out of the hospital today after I've had something to eat. They want to see how well my stomach is handling everything and all that. Make sure there aren't any lingering problems."
- "That shouldn't be a problem. You have the weekend off anyway." Hoppo answered hesitantly.
Deano rubbed his eyes. Well, this was going spiffy.
"Yeah. Uhm, Hop, what I wanted to ask…" Deano trailed off, steeling himself, "Thing is, Lilli isn't home for another week and my parents have left on a holiday to Europe. The doc only allowed me to get out of the hospital if I could stay with someone for at least twenty-four hours. Observation and all that, ya know."
It was quiet on the other side, Hoppo patiently waiting for the rest.
"So, I've been thinking who else I could ask but well most of them are occupied otherwise or don't stay at home during the weekends and I…" Deano could tell he was rambling. He quickly pulled himself together. "I was wondering if I could stay with you until Saturday evening." There. It was out.
Deano waited with bated breath for Hoppo's answer. Would the man agree? Or would he say it was better for Deano to stay in the hospital? Truth be told, Deano hated hospitals. They gave him the creeps so he'd rather not be here any longer than necessary.
"Uhh, Hop, still there?" Deano asked hesitantly.
-"Yeah, sorry mate, I was going somewhere private. The boys were getting too rambunctious. I could barely understand a thing you were saying. So, if I am correct you need a place to stay at for a twenty-four hour observation?"
"Yeah, I tried to think of other options but I guess the sun fried my brain." Deano cringed. Cripes, perhaps that joke was a bit too soon. He was slightly taken back when Hoppo chuckled.
-"Seems you're in a bit of luck. The missus isn't home for the weekend. If you like I can set you up on the couch. It's pretty comfy, really."
Deano heaved an audible sigh.
"Hop, you are a lifesaver!"
- "It is kinda in the job-description, mate." Hoppo laughed. "Do you want me to come pick you up after work?"
"Nah, I'll order a taxi. I don't want to impose too much on ya. You are already doing me a huge favour!" He felt relaxed for the first time in a while. He was so happy Hoppo had agreed.
- "No sweat, mate. Just give me a ring when they are going to discharge you and I'll come pick ya up."
"Thanks heaps, Hoppo! Truly." Deano smiled.
- "No worries, Deano. I'm glad you are okay. See ya this evening."
"See ya!"
The food had been as bland as he had expected but maybe it was for the best. The blander the food, the less his stomach would have trouble digesting it. He still vaguely wondered how healthy hospital food actually was. He decided not to give it any more thought and carefully pushed the bedside table away.
It seemed Kieran had super-senses because five minutes after Deano finished eating his tasteless sandwich he entered the room.
"So, how was your dinner, Dean?" he asked whilst eyeing the monitor that showed the most important vital signs.
"It was bland but filling. Thanks for the tea as well."
Fiddling with the I.V. line, Kieran smiled. "No worries, it's the least I could do. On another note, your core temperature has reached normal levels and has stabilised. I will notify doc Flanigan and she will bring you the discharge papers. Do you have transportation back home?"
"Yeah, a colleague will come pick me up as soon as I call." Deano replied.
"Fantastic. Let me take this tray and I will inform doc Flanigan." Kieran smiled broadly. Despite hating hospitals, Deano had to admit that having a nurse like Kieran definitely made things better.
"Doc's writing the discharge papers as we speak and I will relieve you of all these wires." Kieran said as he entered the room. Deano had been in the process of zapping through various channels on the television. In the end he had settled for a documentary on Portuguese Men-O'-War. He might actually get to know some handy information on these little pests.
"That's great news." Deano said with a smile. Kieran pulled a cart behind him. He made short work of removing the I.V. from Deano's arm, staunching the bleeding with a compress. After he had taped it firmly to Deano's skin, he removed all ECG-wires and –stickers off Deano's chest. The oximeter was put away and gone was the annoying thermometer that was in a place he'd rather not have it. He was bloody relieved that they hadn't inserted a Foley catheter. He would be pretty mortified if they had.
"I will bring you the phone so you can contact your colleague. I think doc is ready soon." Kieran took all wires and tools that had been attached to Deano and headed out.
Deano sat on the edge of the bed, making sure his feet didn't touch the cold ground. Besides, no one knew what kind of bacteria could be wandering around on the floor. He hadn't actually asked Hoppo to bring his clothes when he picked him up. Strewth. That meant he had to walk to the car with bare feet – and bare buttocks. Perhaps they still had his board shorts somewhere.
There was a knock on the door. Deano looked up, expecting to see doctor Flanigan or Kieran. He actually didn't expect Hoppo to be standing in the doorway.
"Hoppo!" he exclaimed.
"I called the hospital to ask if you were going to be discharged soon. They said you were getting ready and were waiting for your discharge papers. They…uhh…said it was okay if I waited for you at the hospital. That way you won't have to wait so long and they can prepare the room for a next patient." Hoppo explained as he walked up to Deano's bed. "You are looking hell of a lot better."
Deano chuckled. "I do feel better. I am glad to get out of here, however. I never liked hospitals much."
"Ah, that hurt me feelings." Kieran's voice piped up. He entered the room with a broad smile, doctor Flanigan behind him.
"No hard feelings, Kieran." Deano smiled apologetic.
"No sweat, Dean. I brought your personal belongings." He handed the plastic bag.
"Cheers, Kieran."
"So, mister Gladstone, I see you made a fast recovery." Doctor Flanigan smiled. She looked quizzically at Hoppo. "Hello, mister…?" she trailed off, extending her hand.
Hoppo shook the small hand of the doctor, "Bruce Hopkins. I am Dean's colleague and head-lifeguard of Waverly Council."
"Oh, Bondi Beach, right? I thought you looked familiar. Must have seen you in one of the commercials on television. Nice to meet you." She smiled. "Mister Gladstone, you don't mind your colleague being here?"
"Oh no, not at all! I will be staying at his home for twenty-four hours, just like you said. So maybe it's good he can follow along." Deano quickly said.
"Fair enough." She spoke and sat down on one of the plastic chairs, motioning Hoppo to do the same. "So as I told you before you suffered from exertional heat stroke. We had to cool you aggressively but your colleagues already made that a lot easier for us by their swift actions. We had to wait a bit for the test results to come back but they were all right. There were no signs of serious muscle damage or haemolysis in your blood and your urine sample came back normal as well, meaning you didn't suffer any kidney damage. I don't expect any more problems health-wise but I do recommend you to take it easy for a couple of weeks."
She quickly glanced at Hoppo before focussing back on her patient.
"You really dodged a bullet, mister Gladstone. If you had been out in the heat any longer I don't think we'd be having a conversation like this right now. If we had to intubate you, things might have been different. I hope you realise that. You might be more susceptible to heat strokes, so you have to be very cautious next time."
Deano nodded and from the corner of his eye, he saw Hoppo staring at him.
"Of course, doc."
"So for now I prescribe you some rest. No strenuous activities that acquire lots of physical work. You can resume light work in a couple of days. But try to stay in a cool environment for a few days. Just to give your body some time to heal. I also highly recommend you to drink enough fluids. When you came in you were very dehydrated. Dehydration and heat stroke are a lethal combination. Try to drink plenty of water." She continued and then turned to Hoppo. "From what I've gathered, you gave him Isostar, correct?"
Hoppo nodded, "Yeah when he was lucid enough, we tried to give him something to drink. I've read in an online article that sports-drinks were a pretty efficient way of replenishing electrolytes that you lose when sweating?"
"That's very true!" She smiled and looked back at Deano. "Normally when you drink enough water you shouldn't worry much about electrolytes. But if you start to feel weak from dehydration you should dilute some sports-drinks with water. Sports-drinks naturally contain minerals, such as sodium, potassium and magnesium. Electrolytes that your cells need to carry electrical impulses to other cells in order to maintain muscle- and nerve control. But they also contain a lot of sugar and flavourings. So if you do resort to a sports-drink it's best to dilute it with water."
She handed Deano some papers. "I want you to check in with your GP for another body check after a week. He will take some samples to see if you haven't developed some latent problems. But I don't expect anything, really."
She stood up and looked back and forth between Hoppo and Deano.
"If you were to experience any headaches, nausea or dizziness or if your urine is unnaturally dark in twenty-four hours I want you to go to the E.R. a.s.a.p." She then turned to Hoppo. "If he starts behaving odd or gets confused, it is also a warning sign."
Hoppo nodded. "I will keep an eye on him."
"Splendid!" She smiled. "Does one of you have any questions? No? All right then, mister Gladstone, I wish you a speedy recovery! Mister Hopkins, nice to meet you. I will let Kieran know you will be leaving."
"Thanks a lot, doc!" Deano smiled and then exhaled. He looked into the plastic bag Kieran had brought him and chuckled fondly when he saw his favourite pair of board shorts.
"I hope you aren't planning on putting those on." Hoppo suddenly said. Deano looked up quizzically. The head-lifeguard dropped Deano's backpack in his lap. "I thought I'd bring your gear along you left in your locker."
"Ah, Hop, you are wonderful!" Deano grinned. He longed to put on his short sweatpants and a t-shirt. Everything was better than this scratchy gown. He didn't contain the wide smile as he spotted his thongs as well. No need to walk on bare feet!
On their way to Hoppo's place they had made a quick stop at Deano's house. Hoppo waited in the car as Deano quickly went inside to fetch the essentials. He made sure everything was locked and then hastily went back outside. As he got back into Hoppo's car and they drove off he started to feel foolish. He was feeling like himself again. Sure, he was tired. But did he really have to be under observation? Wasn't he going to bother Hoppo? What would his boss think of him? His hands clenched the straps of his backpack.
They arrived at Hoppo's home in less than six minutes and in complete silence. Deano had been at Hoppo's house before. The head-lifeguard had hosted some small parties and football-evenings before. The Hopkins house was definitely cosy. When Hoppo opened the door a dog ran up to them, barking loudly. When it saw its boss was back home, it started wagging its tail.
"Hey boy." Hoppo smiled and patted its head. He turned around to look at Deano, still standing in the doorway. "Do you want to take a shower?" He asked and motioned Deano to come in, closing the door behind him.
"If that wouldn't be too much of a hassle?" Deano glanced at the digital clock sitting atop the kitchen counter. It was almost 8 p.m. He was definitely ready to crawl in bed but he was vaguely aware of sand crusted in his dark brown curls.
"Nah mate, of course not. You know the way to the bathroom, right? If you look in the left cabinet you will find some towels. Just use the shampoo, although I highly recommend you don't use the pink bottle. Well, if you don't want to smell like bubble-gum for a whole week." Hoppo chuckled as he attached a leash to the dog's collar. "I am going for a quick walk. I will be back in ten. I have my cellphone with me, so if anything's wrong, call me." The last sentence was said with such intonation that Deano knew Hoppo would kill him if something happened and he didn't call.
"No worries, Hop. I will. Thanks again!" Deano smiled. He padded off to the bathroom, vaguely wondering if the pink shampoo was as bad as Hoppo said.
When he was freshly washed –not smelling like bubble-gum – and dressed in shorts and a shirt, Deano looked at himself in the mirror. He tried to arrange his dark-brown curls a bit before brushing his teeth.
He felt like a whole new person again. The wonders of taking a shower and brushing ones teeth…
As he exited the bathroom, he heard rummaging in the living room. Investigating where the sound was coming from, he saw Hoppo throwing some pillows and a duvet on a pull out couch. So, this was the famous couch Kerrbox had spoken of. Apparently it was one of the best couches Kerrbox had ever crashed on. He claimed it was even better than his own bed. Deano was definitely going to put it to the test.
Hoppo righted and put his hands on his hips. "This should be okay…" he muttered to himself, unaware of Deano standing in the hallway.
"I have slept on far worse." Deano commented, chuckling at Hoppo's surprised look.
"How are you feeling?" the head-lifeguard asked.
"I definitely feel better but I could use some proper sleep." He smiled.
Hoppo nodded. "Well, I wasn't sure how much pillows you needed, so I just threw on a couple. There is a thinner blanket in the wicker-box if it gets too warm."
Deano eyed the mound of pillows. There were definitely enough pillows to hold a proper pillow fight or build a cushion-fort. "It's perfect. Thanks Hoppo." He sat down with a weary sigh. Yes, this was definitely a comfy couch. He didn't know he had actually dozed off until a hand softly nudged him.
"Deano?" Deano opened his eyes.
"I have put a glass of water on the table. If you need anything, my room's down the hall. Just call out, okay?"
Deano, half-asleep, snuggled one of the dozen pillows. "You are a hero, Hop. Thanks."
Hoppo chuckled and turned off the lights. He was beat himself. As he walked down the hallway, he stopped to pet his dog on its head. "You watch over him, okay boy?" The dog looked at him with its bright eyes, as if to say that Hoppo didn't need to worry about a thing.
Hoppo had made sure Deano didn't exert himself over much. He had refused to let Deano go back to work on Sunday.
"We'll see how you are doing Monday. For now, you get some rest." Hoppo had admonished when he dropped Deano off at his house.
Deano sullenly nodded. "Will do." He waved as Hoppo drove off. It was a bright Sunday morning. Hoppo had forced Deano to stay for another night. Not that Deano minded. He enjoyed the company and the couch was definitely awesome. He turned around and went inside. Perhaps he could do some laundry. Lilli would appreciate that.
Monday couldn't come soon enough. Deano was ready to go back to work. When he arrived at the Tower, he was first. As he unlocked the door, he enjoyed the silence and a hot cup of fresh ginger tea. He really liked mornings like these. The sun was slowly rising, casting orange and red hues in the sky. The waves were softly lapping on the golden sand. Yeah, he definitely had the best office in the world.
The door opened and Reidy and Harries entered. Both were loudly conversing. Something about a crazy party and Egg dancing on a table.
"G'day boys." Deano greeted them and took another sip of his tea.
Harries dropped his bag and stormed up the stairs, nearly tripping in the process. He grabbed Deano in a bear hug.
"Mate, so good to see ya!" He stepped back and looked Deano over. "You look loads better!"
Reidy had made his way up stairs as well, albeit in a more civilised manner. Deano and he clasped hands tightly (Reidy didn't do hugs) and he clapped the man on his shoulder. "I thought you'd be out for weeks!"
"No, but he will be performing light duty. Meaning, guarding the tower for the rest of the week." Hoppo spoke as he entered the tower. He exchanged looks with Deano and nodded kindly. Deano smiled in return. He could live with tower-duty.
Maxi, Gonzo and Egg showed up five minutes later. Egg looked rather haggard, Deano noticed. Yak followed soon after. The moment they saw Deano, they immediately walked up to him, asking how he was feeling. Hoppo had notified them of what had happened. He had also urged them all to keep an eye out for each other and drink enough water. Whippet was last to enter the tower. As soon as he saw Deano, he froze and hastily retreated to the back of the tower.
This had not gone unnoticed by Hoppo. The head-lifeguard had a suspicion that Whippet was feeling guilty about the whole ordeal. When their shift had ended that Thursday and they had received word that Deano was stable, Hoppo had debriefed them. Everyone was shocked of course. They had noticed that Deano hadn't been quite himself but they had never expected it to be this worse. Whippet had been quiet the entire time. Not wanting to confront him, Hoppo had told them that they could talk to him about this at all times. Or talk to one of the other colleagues. As they had packed their bags, Hoppo declared that he would keep them updated on Deano's condition.
On hindsight, maybe Hoppo should have talked to Whippet in private. Because they both had the weekend off, this was the first time he saw the man since Friday. They hadn't spoken much. It hadn't been as busy of a day as it had the day before but neither did they have the time to sit down. Whippet had been down at the beach when Deano had called.
Hoppo decided he would have to keep a close eye on both Whippet and Deano. Before everyone headed off to his designated post, Hoppo adjusted the timetable a bit.
"Hey Maxi, come here for a bit." Hoppo called out to the young trainee-lifeguard. The gangly kid quickly walked towards the head-lifeguard. "Maxi, you were supposed tag along with Yak and Gonzo. Instead I want you to join Harries and Whippet at Backpacker's, so you can train your moves, yeah?" Hoppo said with a wink. Maxi grinned brightly at him. The kid was obviously stoked. Hoppo had actually put Maxi with Harries and Whippet so the two elite lifeguards were busy. Maxi wasn't a handful at all but he was vibrant and energetic. Maybe some diversion was just what Whippet needed. He would talk to the young man once the shift was over.
Hoppo wasn't the only one who had noticed Whippet's distant behaviour. Usually Whippet would be the first to greet everyone. Today he had withdrawn instead, not even looking in Deano's direction. He didn't get a chance to talk to his younger colleague however as everyone headed out to their positions. Deano sighed and set up everything in the tower and steeled himself for a long day.
Hoppo took Harries aside before his shift started.
"Mate, I need you to keep an eye on Whippet today." Harries was one of Hoppo's longer-serving lifeguards and Hoppo trusted the man with his life. As boisterous and nonchalant as he seemed, he was actually highly intuitive and pretty much aware of everything that was going on. It made him an excellent lifeguard and an amazing colleague. Harries nodded, looking at Whippet's retreating back. "On it, mate."
Hoppo sighed as he moved back inside, joining Deano in the tower.
The hours flew by and Deano was surprised when the shift had almost ended. He was a bit cranky because even during lunch-break, Whippet hadn't spoken a word or had even looked in Deano's general direction. The kid was obviously upset about something and Deano was willing to bet that it had something to do with last Thursday. He would have to confront Whippet about it after the shift. Now it was almost time, Deano started to feel giddy. What if Whippet was just having an off day and didn't want to be sociable? Whippet was a pretty outgoing bloke but even today he had barely said a word to the other lifeguards.
When they were closing shop, Deano proposed that he would lock up everything. As the rest left the tower, Deano called out to Whippet: "Oi Whip, can you give me a hand with these boxes?" Whippet turned around and trudged back inside. Good, Deano's grand scheme seemed to work. Deano spotted Hoppo looking at him. He nodded at the head-lifeguard, silently notifying Hoppo that he would have a chat with Whippet.
It went silent as Hoppo closed the door, leaving the two men alone. Whippet stacked the boxes filled with medical supplies on top of the cupboard and was about to silently retreat when Deano spoke.
"What's going on, Whip?" he asked, perched on the medical cot. Not too long ago he had been lying on this cot. On hindsight, maybe it was a bad spot to sit here. Perhaps it would aggravate the whole situation. So, as he waited for Whippet's answer he sat down on the stairs.
"Nothing's wrong, mate. I just feel buggered, is all." was Whippet's silent reply.
"Pig's arse!" Deano huffed indignantly. "You've been avoiding me and you haven't said more than five words today." Deano got up and walked closer to the man. "What happened, mate? Please, I am getting worried about you."
Whippet finally looked up and Deano saw two tired blue eyes. But apart from weariness there was also pure frustration apparent. Before Deano could say something, Whippet threw his arms in the air. He started pacing.
Deano watched him pacing like a rabid wolf in a cage. After a few tantalizing minutes, Whippet finally slowed down and sank down on a chair, utterly spent. "You have any idea how bloody hard you scared us? Scared me?" he began, wringing his hands. "I had a suspicious feeling you were unwell but I decided not to confront you about it because you are obviously a smart guy. I mean, how many people with heat exhaustion or heat strokes have been on that cot? I never liked seeing them. People die from heat strokes, Dean! I can't believe you brush it off so lightly. As if nothing's happened! When you collapsed I was already out of my wits. But when you completely passed out and we couldn't rouse you anymore, I was so fucking scared." Whippet jumped up and started pacing again. Deano watched him silently. "They wanted to stick a tube down your throat because they were afraid you would go into respiratory arrest. And if that wasn't bad enough, no one knew to what extent the heat damaged your body. For all we knew, your organs could be shutting down. What if you woke up and you didn't even recognise us anymore! What if you didn't wake up at all…" the last sentence was spoken so softly, Deano had to really pay close attention.
"Heck, I am frustrated that you ignored the symptoms. I am frustrated that you didn't take care of yourself. But most of all, I am mad that I didn't tell you to go back inside. That I didn't call Hoppo to say you were unfit. That you were dying right in front of me and I didn't do anything to stop it! I failed everyone." He sank back on the chair again and cradled his head. "I failed as a lifeguard."
Deano could feel something break inside of him. For his young colleague to harbour such dark and intrusive thoughts, it was no wonder Whippet looked as if he hadn't slept properly for the past three days. He carefully got up from the stairs and walked towards Whippet.
"Whip…Ryan, look at me." Deano ordered as he crouched in front of Whippet. The man hesitantly obliged. "Good. Now listen to me, ya bloody dipstick. I know I should have taken it easy. Truth be told, I hadn't been feeling like meself the day before. But it was so busy; I didn't want to let you guys down. We were already stretched to the limit and there was simply nothing you could have done. Yes, I have been a complete and utter dipstick myself. Hoppo has chewed me out the entire Saturday afternoon. And you know what, he was right. By endangering me own health, I not only compromised the team but also the safety of the beachgoers. What I did was unforgivable and is a mistake I will vow to never make again." Deano placed a comforting hand on Whippet's shoulder. "You didn't fail. Not in the slightest. Instead of giving you some slack, I made you work overtime. Not only did you have to watch the beachgoers, you also had to keep an eye out for me. And I am sorry I put you through that. I well and truly am. And I don't know how I can ever make it up to you." He squeezed Whippet's shoulder. "You didn't fail me, you saved me. And for that I am ever grateful."
Whippet's tense shoulders seemed to relax a bit.
"And you are a bloody fantastic lifeguard. I will knock ya over the head with a boogie-board if you dare to say shit like that again." Deano growled.
This made Whippet chuckle and for the first time that day, Deano saw the sparkle return in his eyes.
"You saved my life, Whip. You will never fail me or anyone else." Deano got up, offering his hand. Whippet looked at Deano and grabbed the hand, being pulled up by his colleague. "Thank you." Deano said with such sincerity, Whippet felt the exhaustion and stress of the past days completely melt away.
He grabbed Deano in a bone-crushing hug, allowing himself to finally relax. Deano returned the hug and when they stepped apart, ruffled Whippet's hair.
"Let's go home, yeah?"
Whippet nodded and they both grabbed their bags and turned off the lights in the tower.
As they walked away from the beach, the sun was slowly setting, casting gorgeous red and pink hues on the deep blue sea.
"Ya know, Deano?"
"Hmm?"
"You are a bloody bad teamleader."
"Rack off, bloody nipper."
Einde.