Part Two

The news hit Jac like a dead weight. She stood back, her mind working fervently. Without waiting to answer, she ended the call and put her mobile away. The words rang in her mind. She didn't know what to do. In a rare moment, Jac felt helpless. There was nothing she could do. Her hands were numb. Time seemed to stop. The ticking of the staff room clock faded into nothingness. Jac breathed heavily. Willing herself to get a grip she downed the rest of her tea and strode out. She would not let her troubles show Jac told herself. There could not have been a worse sight to greet her.

As Jac stepped out of the staff room she turned to face a pale looking Sunil Bhatti clutching his stomach and sweating grossly. Before Jac could step out of the way Sunil lurched forwards and vomited all over her white frilly shirt. Jac looked down at her shirt and then looked up at Sunil who viewed her with an unmistakeable glare of panic in his eyes. Jac did not speak, she merely fixed him with a look of utter contempt and disdain. Sunil shrank in her gaze and scurried into the staff room. Jac couldn't help but smirk. Sunil had at least achieved one decent thing since he slimed his way into the hospital, Jac had momentarily forgotten the news she had received.

"I'll just go and get changed then," Jac called after him. She walked away.

Returning from the locker room Jac, now dressed in blue Darwinian scrubs, swept along the ward as if she owned the place, which in her mind, she did. Yet despite the usual air of Naylor supremacy, Jac could not fully shake the fact that something was clearly bothering her. As she diagnosed and treated patients she seemed distant and not quite there.

"Ms. Naylor?" Mary-Claire Carter's voice did not seem to penetrate Jac's thoughts as she stood reading the notes of Mrs. Potter. "Ms. Naylor?" Mary-Claire asked again, louder. Jac blinked.

"Yes?" she demanded agitatedly.

"Mrs. Potter," Mary-Claire pressed on. Jac fixed her most steely of looks on her.

"Sorry is this guess who?" Jac told her, her eyes rolling upwards as she did.

"No I mean, have you come to a decision about her?"

"You say she's complaining of a tight feeling in her chest?"

"Yes."

"The ECG was normal, so just keep an eye on her, the usual checks, Us and Es, chest x-ray..." Jac's voice faded away as she turned to glance at something. At least Mary-Claire thought she was looking at something.

"Ms. Naylor!" Mary-Claire said severely causing Jac to jump and turn back to her. "Sorry. Look is there something on your mind Ms. Naylor?" Jac scowled.

"It doesn't concern you nurse Carter," she told her sternly and stomped off. Mary-Claire remained suspicious. Sahira approached Mary-Claire.

"Do you think Jac seems okay?" Sahira asked concernedly.

"I don't know, something's clearly bothering her," Mary-Claire sighed.

"Do you think I should ask her?"

"If you want your head bitten off." Sahira laughed and moved off.

The news still plagued Jac's mind but she vowed herself to continue working. She would not let this get the better of her. Jac groaned as she spotted Sahira smiling sweetly at her from the next bed. She smiled back, icily. Sahira approached.

"Nothing ever fazes you does it?" Jac told her rhetorically.

"Is everything okay Jac?" Sahira asked softly.

"I'm fine! Seriously it's like I'm the new charity case around here!"

"You just seem a little on edge..."

"Yes, because everyone keeps on asking how I am!"

"Look Jac, I know when something is wrong."

"Because you're a mother yadda yadda. Sahira change the record!" There was an almighty crash as Jac felt the file slip out of her hand and slam the floor. Sahira bent down and scooped it up.

"Come on Jac, you're no use out here. If you can't full concentrate, you're no help to anyone." Sahira took Jac by the arm and led her into the staff room.

"I'm fine, honestly I'm fine, it just slipped!" Sahira didn't believe her.

"You're not fine Jac!" Sahira stared into her eyes. "Tell me what's on your mind, please Jac, I want to help."

"I don't see how it's any of your business," Jac told her stubbornly.

"It becomes my business when your work becomes affected," Sahira pressed. Jac scowled. "Look Jac, everyone can tell something is bothering you, you're a rubbish hider." Jac couldn't help but smile briefly. She shook it away quickly.

"I'm only going to get rid of you if I tell you aren't I?" Jac asked exasperatedly. Sahira nodded. Jac sighed. "My mother has died." Sahira's eyes filled with pity and compassion, sickening Jac.

"Oh Jac I'm so sorry!" Jac glared.

"I don't know why it's bothering me so much! I hardly knew the woman. The last time I saw her, I donated my kidney to her and that was over a year ago!"

"She was your mother. However distant you were, it's only natural her death would affect you in this way," Sahira reasoned. Jac thought about this. "You should call it a day and go home."

"No. I've got to finish my shift," Jac said determinedly. Sahira shook her head.

"No Jac. You're not fit to work." Sahira was having none of her protestations. Jac' s blood pressure began to rise. Her hands shook crazily. And then, Jac did something she rarely ever did. She started to cry...

To Be Continued