Chapter 34

"Sam?" Tom asked a little carefully. "What do you think about Joey being my best man? I know he's only fourteen, but it might just give him something to concentrate on. And I don't really want to ask any of my other brothers or mates as I'll feel as if it's leaving Joey out — even if that sounds cliché."

The couple were driving to work as it was raining when they left. Some road works were occurring just before the hospital, so they were stuck behind a red light.

"Sure; I have no problem with that. It's your choice. And I need to choose a dress. I'm going with my sister, and Lauryn, who you met at my parents Christmas party last year." Sam said, sounding slightly panicked.

Tom just shook his head and smirked. "She's the one that is your best friend, right?" He asked, appearing uncertain, but Sam just nodded.

Being fireworks season, the ED was catering people with burn related injuries, and possible mild hypothermia. By Sam's last break, she had treated some minor burns victims — one being a hobo who had decided to try grab a lit firework — and many more general time wasters. She was just coming out the little shop with a cup of to-go coffee when Dixie and Jeff came through the ED's doors, with Joey.

"Right, this is Alec Simone, aged 6. He has multiple, second degree burns on his shoulders, torso, and arms due to an astray firework. And has already been treated for shock. BP is now ninety-eight over sixty, and rising steadily. Oh, and his parents are just behind me here." Joey announced.

"Resus please, Joey." Ash ordered.

Sam smacked her paper cup onto the reception desk — luckily it didn't topple over — and she ran after the others, holding onto her stethoscope in case it slipped off.

Ash, being the senior member there, was still shouting commands at all his minions below him. "Nurse, can you call ITU! Tell them it is extremely urgent!" He tried to shout above the commotion and hysterics of the boy's mother.

"Joey! Can you get his parents out of here please?" Joey nodded curtly. "Thank you." Ash said, while Joey guided the couple out of the way, and eventually out the room.

Joey took the young parents to the relative's room. The woman's black hair had fallen over her face like a curtain of despair.

"Do you know how he is?" The father asked, trying to stay calm in front of his wife — but you could see the water building up in his eyes, gates threatening to open.

"I don't know the exact details — remember I was only there for as long as you. But what I do know? He should be fine. Don't quote me for giving you false belief, but he isn't in immediate danger. There is no indicator the verdict would be fatal." Joey said, attempting a warming smile. "All you need at this present moment is to hope."

"Thank you. A lot," said the boy's father, Craig.

"No problem. Do you want a coffee, or tea, or just water?"

"A coffee would be great, thanks." Craig replied, using his pointer finger to infer only one cup.

Joey nodded his head and made his way out of the room. As he walked to the little shop in the corner of the reception area, he briefly greeted every nurse, doctor or porter that passed him.

Once in the shop, he ordered an americano for the man, and a mocha for himself. He grabbed some of those tiny, plastic milk pots and some sachets of sugar.

Completely 'out of it' — just staring at the various posters on the walls — he didn't notice the dark haired paramedic come up behind him, trying to get his attention. "Hey mate, order me one too?"

"No, Iain," Joey replied sharply, but jokingly, and coughed — quite violently. "Order your own. I gotta go give one of these to a relative, anyway."

"Mmm," Iain mumbled, disbelievingly. "Oh, by the way, Sam was looking for you. And are you feeling all right, mate; you sound a little bad?"

"It's just a mild case of flu. Thanks, by the way. I'll go give the guy this coffee, then I'll be in the staff room. If you see her, tell her, yeah?"

"Sure, Joe."

Joey had been in the staff room nearly twenty minutes before Zoe came in. Big Mac had come in around five minutes before and asked why he wasn't at school, so Joey had responded with: "its Saturday, and the evening." Maybe he said it rudely or something, but however he said it, Mac walked out confused and slightly unimpressed.

"What are you doing in here?" Zoe asked, but before he could answer Sam opened the door loudly.

"That's why." Joey muttered.

"Don't mind me, I'm just getting a coffee." Zoe said.

"Doesn't the boss have her own coffee machine or something?" Joey asked.

"Yeah, but there's no cookies." Zoe answered, causing Joey to create a small laugh.

"Joey?" Sam called.

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, I just brought that boy in." He answered.

"But why were you there in the first place?" Sam inquired.

"It was the school's firework show." Joey said, leaning back against the work surface, and Zoe excused herself. "Do you know where Tom is?"

"No, why?"

"I need to tell him something." Sam raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms, so Joey continued. "I've talked with dad and he's letting me switch schools this side of Christmas. Which means I need to ask Tom to write a note for school, as dad and I are looking at some schools on Tuesday and Wednesday."

"All right But there's also something I need to say." Sam said, getting anxious. "Come with me outside."

Joey followed her out of the staff room and through reception, looking concerned. "Sam, what's up?"

Sam pondered for a few seconds, contemplating how to phrase her words. "I... I... I don't think I can marry Tom."

"What do you mean?"

"I do love him, but I'm just considering whether it's too soon. I don't want to look back in six months time for us to regret we didn't wait until then. I don't know. I'm just... Scared."

"I've known you for almost a year now, and not once have I heard or seen you scared." Joey joked. "Being serious though, it's not too early. Its like what the great JFK said: 'For time and the world do not stand still. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.' Basically, take the chance. There's no way you're gonna even get to six months if you carry on thinking like this. I'm not going to declare this destiny, because the universe is always conspiring against us — it's its job. I'm not gonna say their won't be times when you want to stop and wish you had done something different, but it's only an answer. Yes, or no?"

Sam looked up at Joey, into his dark green eyes, like in one of those teary movies. "Thank you."

Again, sorry this took so long. Thanks for reading and please review.