beckyboogle, I'm really happy you like this story! This chapter is probably the least funny, but I hope you'll like it. Thank you for your review.
Tanith Panic, aw thank you! That's really kind of you. If this was filmed, I know which which actors I'd like to play the two guys! Thank you for your review!
Tato Potato, I think anyone would be happy to have Cal and Ethan's number - or yours and Beckyboogle's for that matter. Thank you for your review!
CBloom2, I've always thought Honey was a bit of a silly name! Thank you for your review. I'm really happy you're enjoying the story, even if your phone isn't!
X-Sammii-X, thank you for your review - I'm happy you're still enjoying it. I hope you like the latest update!
ETWentHome, thank you for your review. I am planning on a few obstacles, but they won't necessarily be insurmountable. I do actually like happy endings!
Sarah had to admit she was worried about Emma's low platelet count. "It's a good thing you didn't cut yourself when you fell off the wall. You might have bled to death."
"Yes, it's probably a very good thing I landed on you," said Emma.
"That's not quite what I would have said!" said Sarah. She gave Emma a hug. "I hope you're okay."
Emma hugged her back. "It's only very slightly low. I've just got to be careful. Cal said not to take my dressing off for two or three hours."
"He told me to take mine off after one hour," said Sarah. She looked at her watch. "How long have we been home?"
"I can't remember," said Emma. She was looking dreamy again. "Ethan is so lovely!"
Sarah rolled her eyes, though she was actually thrilled for her sister, and started to take her own dressing off. "Ow, that hurts! Why do they always have to use this stuff? It's practically sellotape. What's wrong with a plaster? I'm sure they don't hurt nearly as much. Typical NHS."
"I don't know. I think there are a couple of really good things about the NHS," said Emma.
Sarah laughed. "Cal and Ethan?" She pulled at her dressing again. "You really had better be careful taking yours off, Emma. It's taken half my skin off!"
Emma had a look. "No, it hasn't."
"Well, it feels like it!" Sarah gritted her teeth and prepared to pull the rest of it off in one go. "Ow! That really… oh great!"
"What's wrong?"
"It's still bleeding," said Sarah. "So I'll have to put it back on. It can't have been quite an hour after all. You'd better wait at least another hour and ten minutes, Emma."
She stuck it back down, really quite annoyed, but she soon cheered up when she got a phone call from an unknown number.
"I bet you anything it's Cal!" said Sarah.
It was actually someone trying to sell vacuum cleaners, but as Cal phoned less than five minutes later, she wasn't disappointed for long.
"How are you, gorgeous?" said Cal.
"I'm fine," said Sarah. "How are you? Saved any lives lately?"
"One or two," said Cal. "So I'm really in need of some relaxation now."
"Oh, what a shame!" said Sarah. "I would offer to help you relax, but my doctor advised me not to go out this evening."
"I think you should listen to your doctor," said Cal. "He knows what he's talking about. Doctors are very intelligent, you know."
Sarah laughed. "Not short on confidence, are you?"
"I will be if you refuse to go out with me tomorrow night," said Cal. "I don't think my confidence will ever recover."
"Then I suppose I'd better say yes," said Sarah. "Where do you want to go?"
She could almost hear Cal's smile. "I'm not telling you. It's going to be a surprise."
If they were talking in person, Sarah would have shrugged. "Okay."
There was a silence. "You're not going to ask me for a clue?"
"No, I don't think so," said Sarah. "I don't want to give you the satisfaction of saying no. But one thing you'd better tell me is what time you're going to pick me up."
Cal's voice was apologetic. "I'm actually working till seven tomorrow, so it might be best if you came to meet me at the hospital? I'll send a taxi to pick you up. Pre-paid, of course."
"That's not very good for the first date," said Sarah. "But I suppose I can let you get away with it this once."
Cal laughed. "I can see I'll need to be on my toes with you."
"You'll look like a ballet dancer by the time I've finished with you."
Cal smiled in satisfaction and turned to Ethan. "All sorted. Date with Sarah tomorrow night."
"Lovely," said Ethan gloomily.
Cal saw the genuine disappointment on Ethan's face. He decided that as his own love life wasn't a disaster anymore, he could afford to be generous. "Give her time, mate. She might not have got home yet."
Ethan frowned worriedly. "I hope she has. She doesn't live that far away and she said she'd get a taxi."
"You can ask her when she phones," said Cal kindly.
"If she phones," said Ethan.
Emma stared down at her phone. "You don't think it's a bit soon?"
"I don't think so," said Sarah. "Cal's phoned me already. So whatever happens, you're not as desperate as he is."
"He might still be at work," said Emma.
Sarah had an answer for that too. "Then you can phone again later."
Emma still wasn't sure. "What if he did only give me his phone number for medical reasons?"
Sarah sighed. "Doctors never give out their phone number for medical reasons. It's against the rules."
"You mean Ethan could get into trouble?" said Emma, horrified.
"Yes, probably," said Sarah. "But it was his decision. You didn't hold him down on the bed and tickle him till he said yes."
Emma couldn't help smiling at that image. "Maybe one day…"
"Not if you don't phone him," said Sarah. She made a sudden grab at the phone and pressed the call button. "There you are!"
"Sarah!" Emma held it to her ear in horror. "It's ringing!"
"That's what phones are supposed to do," said Sarah.
"But what if he picks up?" said Emma in a terrified whisper. "What do I say?"
Sarah pretended to consider. "You could always try 'hello'."
Ethan's hand was shaking as he stared at the phone. He knew the unknown number wouldn't necessarily be Emma's number. There were all kinds of unknown numbers who might want to phone him. Maybe Lofty was phoning to say he'd dropped his phone down the loo again and this was his new number.
"Are you going to answer it or am I?" said Cal.
Faced with that alternative, there was only one thing to do. "Hello?" said Ethan.
"Um, hello. Is that, um, Ethan?"
Ethan recognised her voice at once and was unable to stop himself from smiling.
"I hope that's Emma," said Cal. "Or you're a bigger rat than I am."
"Hello?" said Emma.
"Oh. Sorry. Hello," said Ethan, and escaped quickly into his bedroom. "Sorry. Is that Emma?"
There was a silence.
"Emma? Is that you?"
"Yes, it is. Sorry. I forgot you couldn't see me nodding."
Ethan smiled again. "If I ever go silent and you've just asked me a question, it's likely to be for exactly the same reason."
Emma giggled. "I'm glad it's not just me."
"How are you?" said Ethan.
"Oh, I'm fine, thank you," said Emma. "How are you?"
"Very well, thank you," said Ethan. He tried to think of something more interesting to say. "Um, I'm really happy you called."
"Really?" said Emma. "I'm really happy I called too."
"Good," said Ethan. "I mean… um…. You said you had plans for tomorrow night?"
"Not yet," said Emma. "But I'm hoping someone might make plans with me."
Ethan's hopes plummeted. "I think anyone would be lucky to make plans with you."
There was a silence. Ethan wondered if Emma was nodding again, but then he remembered he hadn't asked a question.
"Really?" Emma's voice was barely audible. She might have said 'wheelie', but Ethan decided that wouldn't make sense.
"Really," said Ethan.
Emma's voice rose slightly in pitch. "W-would you like to make plans with me?"
"I would absolutely love to make plans with you," said Ethan.
"Really?"
"Of course," said Ethan. "And if you don't mind, I already have an idea of a venue for our first date. If you trust me."
"With my life," said Emma.
"A lot of people trust me with their life," said Ethan. "I'm a doctor. But trusting me to choose an appropriate date venue is a bit different."
Emma laughed softly. "I still trust you, Ethan."
Ethan silently promised himself he'd never give her cause to regret it. "How about if I pick you up at seven-thirty? I'm sorry that's rather late, but my shift doesn't finish until seven."
"That sounds perfect," said Emma.
Emma floated around the house for the rest of the day. It was possible the feeling had been produced by the painkillers she was taking, but she thought it was more likely to be Ethan.
By the evening, however, she was feeling less floaty and more worried.
"Are you okay?" said Sarah, when she walked into the bathroom to discover Emma sticking her tongue out at herself in the mirror.
"My throat feels a bit sore," said Emma.
Sarah looked at her in concern. "Does it look red?"
"I can't see," said Emma. "The rest of my mouth looks really disgusting, though. I can't imagine Ethan wanting to stick his tongue in it."
"Liar," said Sarah. "You're imagining it right now."
"Okay, maybe I am," said Emma. "But it still looks a bit gross."
"I'm sure Ethan's seen much more disgusting mouths than yours," said Sarah. "Do you want me to have a look?" She fetched a torch and shone it down Emma's throat. "Well, your mouth doesn't look any more disgusting than most people's mouths, but your throat does look a bit sore. Maybe you caught something in the hospital. That's the problem with hospitals. They're full of ill people."
Emma sighed. "I hope I'm not getting another cold. I only had one last month and I won't be able to kiss Ethan if I've got a cold."
Sarah gave her a hug, but Emma pushed her away.
"No, don't come near me! Not with your low white blood cells. Didn't Ethan say you were susceptible to colds?"
"He said I might be," said Sarah. "But he said the count was only slightly low. So I'll probably be fine. Why don't you go and lie down and I'll make you some hot lemon and honey?"
"Thanks," said Emma. "That sounds like a good idea."