I'm sorry I've been away for so long. I will try to finish this story.
westlife4ever80, thank you for your review. I'm glad you like Lily's connection with David. They're a bit of an odd couple and I wouldn't usually put them together, but their Grease counterparts, Patty and Eugene, are a bit of an odd couple too! I think it's good for Lily to appreciate someone's caring side.
bronny9, I'm glad you like Lily's caring side too. It's not something she shows very often, but I think there are sometimes signs of it, like when she persuaded Ethan not to quit his job. Thank you for your review.
Bonnie Sveen Fan, I think Connie probably will jump to the conclusion Jacob and Rita spent the night together - and that's probably exactly the reaction Jacob is hoping for! I don't think Louise is always a good nurse as she can get a bit impatient, but I think she's happier in the show now she's a nurse. So she needs to open up to someone in this story! Thank you for your review.
Tanith Panic, your Louise and Dylan fantasies might be fulfilled in this chapter! Alicia should have more sense, but Sandy went to the prom, so Alicia had to go to the awards dinner! Maybe Jacob's plan will end in more than tears! Thank you for your review.
BBCasualty, Cal and Alicia's story will basically follow Danny and Sandy's in Grease, but with a Casualty twist! I agree that Cal might have a change of heart if something happens to Alicia. That might actually work really well. Thank you for the review and the idea!
Connie was honestly surprised her phone was still in one piece. She was certainly gripping it tightly enough to break it. And wondering if she was secretly imagining it was Jacob's neck or Rita's. "What did you say?"
"I'm at Jacob's," said Rita. "You didn't seem too bothered about Jacob and I'm newly single, so we thought why not go for it?"
Connie was actually speechless. She simply could not believe Rita's audacity. She had enough trouble believing Jacob and Rita would get together at all, but for Rita to admit it so calmly on the phone?
You wouldn't be quite so calm if you were saying that to my face! thought Connie, but it was of little comfort.
"So, did you have a message for him?" asked Rita, her voice casually friendly.
"I just wanted to make sure he knew he wouldn't be welcome at my house," said Connie. "But it sounds like he's already got the message."
"Oh, he's got the message all right," said Rita. "Loud and clear."
Lily helped Alicia into her bedroom, feeling very glad she'd come. Not that she felt remotely comfortable with the situation, but she didn't like the idea of David helping Alicia to get undressed. It would be… it would be most inappropriate. "Sit down, please, Alicia. Could you raise your arms for me?"
Alicia raised her arms. Almost immediately, her face twisted and her breath began to hitch.
Lily grabbed the tissue box and almost threw it at her, then tried to wait patiently as Alicia sneezed her way through several tissues.
"I'm so sorry," said Alicia nasally. She got another tissue and blew her nose. "Excuse me."
"You need to be in bed," said Lily, struck with sudden pity for her mentee. She thought she'd been incredibly stupid to get out of bed in the first place, but she realised Alicia had only gone to work because of her determination to fulfil her duty as a doctor. That was a feeling Lily understood and approved of. Alicia's decision to go to the awards dinner was rather more difficult for Lily to understand, but it wasn't the time to discuss it now. "Arms up again, please."
This time, she managed to remove Alicia's dress. Lily undressed her carefully, trying to be professional about it, which was difficult when she was getting a most peculiar urge to give Alicia a big hug and tell her to get well soon.
"There," said Lily in satisfaction when she'd helped Alicia into the t-shirt she apparently thought was an acceptable garment for sleeping in. "Are you sure you're warm enough?"
"There's blankets in the cupboard," said Alicia, coughing slightly as Lily helped her into bed.
Lily tucked her in and then went to find a couple of blankets. She unfolded them and laid them carefully over Alicia. "Now, you look after yourself and don't come back to work till you're better."
Alicia smiled and coughed some more. "Thank you, Lily."
Ethan stayed close to Jamie as they walked into the ED. Jamie had hardly spoken a word since they'd left the awards. He walked with his eyes on the floor, visibly trembling.
He watched as Lofty put his arm around Jamie, rubbing his hand over his back. "We're here with you, Jamie," he said. His words were simple, but his eyes said so much more.
Ethan wished he knew what to say, but it seemed he was as useless at comforting as he was at dancing.
No wonder Honey wasn't interested.
But he couldn't worry about Honey now. They turned towards Resus and Ethan felt a chill running up his spine. Connie was standing outside Resus, her face pale, a look of shock on her face.
Jamie had seen it too. He stopped walking and his trembling intensified.
Lofty held him more tightly. "Mrs Beauchamp?"
Connie looked up, a slight gasp escaping her lips as though she'd startled him. "Lofty. Jamie. Ethan." She paused, for once seeming lost for words. "Can I help you?"
"We were wondering how Sebastian is," said Lofty.
"He's… okay," said Connie after a long pause that had almost made Ethan think she was trying to remember who Sebastian was. "You can go in if you like."
"Thank you!" said Jamie, sounding almost tearful with relief.
Ethan and Lofty echoed his words and they walked through the doors into Resus. Sebastian was lying in one of the bays. He didn't look very well, but he definitely looked alive.
"Seb," said Jamie, his voice choked. He took Sebastian's hand in his. "I've been so worried. We all have."
Sebastian looked close to tears too. "I bet Dylan isn't worried at all."
Cal had known it would be quick, but that hadn't bothered him as he'd been sure slow and sensuous would follow. But Taylor was already sitting up and looking around for her discarded clothes.
"You're not going are you?" said Cal in disappointment.
"I've got to," said Taylor regretfully. "I've got an early start tomorrow. A meeting with one of my sponsors. I can't show up looking like I haven't slept. It would be unprofessional."
"I'm sure you'll still look beautiful," said Cal.
Taylor laughed and kissed him. "Thank you, but looking professional for my clients is a bit more important than looking beautiful." She got up and started to get dressed.
"Can I… see you again?" asked Cal with a shyness that surprised him.
"Do you really have to ask?" asked Taylor flirtatiously.
Cal relaxed and reached for his phone. "In that case, I think you'd better give me your number."
Louise had really thought she'd got away with it. Reception work had come easily to her and she'd never needed to assist in the treatment of a patient. She'd always wondered what she'd do if a patient needed help and she was the only trained person around, but so far, it had never happened and she'd told herself that as a receptionist, she had no right to treat the patients.
But now Dylan had guessed.
"I assume something happened," said Dylan with an abruptness she guessed came from awkwardness. He wasn't used to in-depth personal conversations, after all.
"A patient lost her baby," said Louise simply. Then she wondered what she was doing. She hadn't meant to say that. She'd never told anyone that.
"That kind of situation is always difficult," said Dylan. "But not every patient can be saved."
"I know, but it was my fault," said Louise. She felt tears stinging her eyes but couldn't bring herself to care. Of course it would be embarrassing to cry in front of Dylan, but she deserved all the embarrassment and humiliation the truth would bring. "I thought the doctor had examined her. But I was wrong. I discharged the patient and she lost her baby."
"It's very easy to say it's better not to assume anything," said Dylan. "But we can't spend our whole shifts running after our colleagues and asking them whether they've done their jobs. If we did, we would spend less time with the patients – time the patients won't necessarily have – and many more lives will be lost."
"I gave up nursing after that," said Louise. "I couldn't continue, knowing what I'd done. There must have been something more I could have done. If I'd talked more to the mother; if I'd asked exactly what the doctor had said and done.. that baby died because of me, Dylan. I couldn't trust myself after that."
Dylan was staring at her, but he looked almost sympathetic. "Louise, I'm sure-"
He stopped talking as Tess entered the room. "Dylan. I have news about Sebastian." She looked around the relatives' room. "Is Dr Grayling senior on his way?"
As Zoe looked around the room, she felt the first doubts. Perhaps Max was right. This wasn't a happy occasion. No-one would feel able to be properly happy for them now.
In any case, hardly anyone was here. Iain was the only person they were really close to. Everyone else had disappeared. Zoe wondered where they'd gone. Some of them would have gone to see Sebastian, but she doubted they would all have gone.
Max moved closer to Zoe and whispered in her ear. "What do you want to do?"
Zoe waited for the annoyance she was sure would come, but to her surprise, she didn't feel annoyed at all. Only sad. "You're right, Max. This is the wrong time."
"Have you had any news?" asked Iain, getting to his feet. In his haste, his chair moved backwards, squeaking as it moved across the floor and making several of the people gathered wince.
"I'm sorry," said Zoe. "We haven't had any news. But I was thinking maybe we should all go home. We're not in the mood for celebrations tonight. We're not in the mood for anything. It doesn't seem likely that Sebastian will be coming back to the party and for that reason I doubt anyone else will too."
"Maybe you should take the day off work tomorrow," said Noel.
Honey had to admit she was tempted to stay at home and drown in her broken heart, but she couldn't. She had a meeting with someone who might be interested in providing funding and she couldn't miss that.
She also couldn't tell Noel the salon wasn't up and running yet. He'd assumed she had customers pouring through the doors and she didn't want to disappoint him.
Besides, it wouldn't be long before they were. Would it?
"No, I need to go to work," said Honey.
Noel looked at her with a mixture of pride and worry. "You shouldn't be massaging or doing manicures with a bad wrist."
"I won't," said Honey. "I'll just do admin and supervise my staff."
Noel hugged her tightly. "I'm so proud of you, Honey. So proud."