I thought I'd update this early as I'll be away from the internet from midday to midnight - how will I survive?
ETWentHome, thank you for your review - I'm really happy you're enjoying all the storylines. Don't worry: I won't do anything major like letting Louise quit her job! It's much too soon for that, but there were always going to be teething problems.
Vickatronic, thank you for your review. I'm glad I made you smile! There's a bit of Dylan in this chapter and both he and Zoe will be in the next one, so I hope you enjoy them.
"I know what you need! We should all play a game," said Jacob. "It gets boring lying there in a bed all the time. You can't exercise your bodies, but at least you can exercise your minds. Do you know Charades?" He received answering nods from the three patients, Charlie being the most enthusiastic.
"Just don't try to act out The Full Monty, Jacob," said Charlie with a smile.
Jacob laughed. "No, don't worry. I know Mrs Beauchamp likes to drop in and visit you sometimes: I don't want to give her a pleasant surprise. Okay, I'll start." He thought for a moment and decided on Doctor Who. He didn't know what the boys were into, but that was a programme they'd all have heard of.
He confidently made the sign for a television programme, and grinned when all three patients called out: "TV!"
"Now, I have to remember to hold my hand the right way round for this," said Jacob. "I don't want to get into trouble with the delectable Mrs B." He held up two fingers, palm facing outwards.
"Two words!"
Jacob did have the slight nagging worry that nothing rhymed with doctor, but mainly he was just pleased his idea was working. Cheering up patients wasn't as difficult as some people seemed to think – you just had to work out the right way.
Lofty could tell straight away that there was something wrong with Cal. He looked white and his hands were shaking badly as he pulled on a pair of gloves. Lofty was working with Dylan in Bay 4 so he didn't know anything about the patient being wheeled into Bay 3, but it did look as though she might be female. He wondered if Cal knew her. From the way Cal talked about women, you'd think he knew most of the women in Holby.
But if he did know her, why was he treating her?
Dylan paused in double-checking his series of final checks and looked up at Lofty. "All right: you can go." He paused. "Thanks, Lofty."
It still felt odd hearing Dylan use his nickname. Lofty smiled at him but didn't leave Resus. His eyes were on Cal, who was having terrible trouble with his second glove. His eyes looked shiny. Connie was giving instructions, which so far only seemed to be for the nurses, who were busy connecting the patient up to machines.
"She's arrested!" said Rita.
Cal gave a little sob. Connie glanced at him. "Dr Knight: out. Dylan, over here, please."
"But I haven't finished checking-"
"There's no time," said Connie. "Just get over here."
Dylan stood frozen. Lofty, not knowing what else to do, took his arm and led him over to Connie's patient. Then he put his arm around Cal. "Come on, Cal. Come with me."
Cal tried to pull away from him. "I need to be with her."
"You don't want to see someone you care about going through that," said Lofty as he moved Cal firmly towards the doors. "But you know she's in very good hands."
"I love her," said Cal, the tears running unchecked down his cheeks now. "I thought I was over her. How can I love her after what she did to Ethan?"
All this made little sense to Lofty, but you couldn't expect the distressed ex-boyfriend of a patient to be coherent. "Love often doesn't make sense, Cal. I'm sure Ethan knows that."
"Where is he?" sobbed Cal.
Lofty kept his arms around him. "Let's get you into the staff room, then I can try to find him for you."
He hoped there would be someone else in the staff room who could look for Ethan. Lofty wasn't sure that leaving Cal on his own was a very good idea.
"Goodbye, Melissa," said Lily. "I am sorry I was not able to help you on this occasion. If you change your mind, you can always come back."
"Maybe I will," said Melissa. She was calmer now, but she looked tired and Lily was sure her head was aching.
"If you've changed your mind now, I'm happy to help you now," she said, trying not to show the sudden hope inside her. It did not do to betray your feelings.
Melissa shook her head. "You know, all I wanted was to be reassured. To be told you were there and I wasn't alone. To be told that everything would be all right. But you couldn't even give me that."
Lily frowned. "But you knew I was there. You could see me. And I could not tell you everything would be all right when I didn't know the results of the scan. Did you want me to lie to you?"
"You could have told me the scan would be all right," said Melissa. "That it wouldn't be long. That you would be there the whole time. But you didn't." She turned and left the building.
Lily watched her go.
She had a feeling that her main concern should be for her patient and what could happen to her if she returned home with a serious head injury. She was concerned about that.
But the reason why Melissa had left the hospital without being treated was because Lily had failed in her job.
Ethan screeched to a halt outside the flat Honey shared with Noel and jumped out of the car, relieved to see that Honey's own car – that silly but somehow adorable pink car with eyelashes on the headlights – was still there.
He was in time, then. She hadn't left yet.
Unless they'd both gone in his car, of course.
The thought of seeing him almost frightened Ethan away, but not quite. Honey was his girlfriend and he loved her and he would fight for her if he had to.
He would rather not fight if he had any choice about it, but he could throw a half-decent punch if provoked.
Ethan hammered on the door and waited. His heart was beating so quickly, he could almost hear it.
"All right! Keep your hair on! I'm coming!" he heard Honey shout from inside the flat.
Not that Ethan could hear the exact words, but it was probably something like that, knowing her.
Honey opened the door. "Oh. It's you."
"Honey, please can we talk?" said Ethan.