"OK, suction please?"
Zoe spoke from under her mask, she held up a gloved hand while Cal suctioned the blood away from the incision.
Mr Mayhew's heart rate remained steady, his chest rising and falling rhythmically.
"Can I have a bit more light please?"
She asked, dipping her head to see into the incision that she had made into the elderly man's stomach.
The overhead light was moved toward her, illuminating as best it could. She clipped and sealed the bleed, passing various instruments back and forth as she made sure the bleed was now sealed and secured before she began stitching the small incision back together again.
"Good as new."
She held up her hands once she was done, she removed the bloody gloves, apron and mask and pushed them into the bin.
"Let me know when he's awake."
She called to whomever was listening as she washed her hands and forearms, twisting the long taps shut with her elbows.
She dried them and ran her hands through her hair before leaving theatre and making her way along the corridor back to the ward.
"Just the person..."
The squeak of shoes sounded behind her and Ethan caught up with her.
"The busiest person, can it wait?"
She asked, wanting to make it back to the office before Connie was due to arrive.
"I just wondered if it would be ok to attend that seminar next month?"
He asked, struggling to keep up with her.
"Uhh...email me the date..."
She paused in front of the office door.
"I already did..."
He stopped next to her, leaning in to avoid the passing wheelchair.
"Twice."
He added.
"Right...well I will reply, when I have time."
She said, using her elbow to push the door handle of the office down behind her.
"Ok..."
He watched her enter the office and shut the door.
"Someone's in a rush."
Connie mused, not looking up from her desk as Zoe entered.
"Just doing my job."
She answered, making her way over to her desk.
"Those files that I sorted for you..."
Connie held up a handful of other notes, and gestured to the rest piled on her table.
"I found some more...lurking..."
"Believe it or not I am actually on top of all this."
Zoe answered coolly, pulling out her chair and setting up her laptop to find Ethan's email.
"Seriously, I am."
She added, noting Connie's soft 'tut' of disapproval.
"Right...well. Always happy to help ease the load if you need me. After all, we can't have all of our patients waiting on trolleys for hours at a time..."
She watched Zoe type her password several times in error before hitting the right keys.
A tap on the door caused both women to look up.
"Zoe, Connie."
Guy entered, closing the door behind himself.
"Guy..."
Zoe murmured, placing a hand on the array of papers she had on her desk.
"Zoe..."
He repeated her name, and folded his arms across his chest.
"It's been bought to my attention that a few more patients than is acceptable have been spending a little too long on trolleys in the corridors."
His voice was gruff and his eyes were cool and firm.
"Funnily enough Mrs Beauchamp has just raised the same issue."
Zoe looked from Connie to Guy. Connie's gaze remained on the paperwork in front of her, her hand casually moving through the papers, signing here and there.
"But you'll be happy to know that my staff have found beds for all of the patients waiting at the moment and they are all receiving relevant treatment as we speak. There was one death, but frankly I'm wondering if he should have even made it on to the ambulance."
She folded down the screen of her laptop.
"Apart from that, everythings in hand."
She concluded.
"Good..."
He smiled a stiff false smile, watching her steadily.
"Well, I can see you don't need my help."
He glanced over at Connie who smiled a slow, masked smile.
"I'll let you get on with whatever it is you're doing..."
He said, and left as abruptly as he hand entered.
"Right."
Connie stood up, the files she had found 'lurking' on Zoe's desk tucked neatly in the crook of her arm.
"I'm due in theatre."
She moved to follow Guy out of the room, opening the door slowly, watching Zoe as she too rose from her seat.
"You know, it's funny how Guy just came to express the exact same concerns that you just came to me with..."
Zoe lowered her voice as a patient was wheeled past the open door.
"Well, when the concerns are as obvious as they are...and frankly they are justified if you see just one death as a small victory."
Connie's voice was cold and clipped as she spoke. She stepped into the hallway but Zoe moved to catch the door and followed her out, walking fast behind her.
"It'll be two before the days out."
She whispered, catching Connie as they both turned onto the ward.
"Who do you think you are going above my head?"
She asked, taking hold of Connie's arm to prevent her from moving away from her once again.
Connie looked down at her grasp, then to her face, her dark eyes narrowed and her lips pursed into a perfect lipsticked line.
"Excuse me?"
She hissed, her eyebrows raised as she spoke.
"This is an emergency department Connie, it's not the Keller ward..."
"Darwin..."
Connie interrupted, staring down at Zoe, unblinking.
"I haven't got time to play office politics, and quite frankly I haven't got the energy, or the inclination to play your little games."
Zoe's voice rose as she spoke, a hush fell on the passing staff as the two consultants faced each other off.
Connie began to speak but Zoe raised her voice again.
"Every single day, it is emergency and death. Once you get your head round that we'll get on just fine."
She felt Charlie's hand on her shoulder, but shook it off viciously.
"Zoe..."
His voice was calm but warning.
"Right, you know the difference between you and I? I will NEVER get my head around losing a patient. You need to sort your priorities out, and while you're at it, sort your department out before Guy appoints a professional in charge."
Connie spat, pointing a perfectly manicured nail at Zoe.
Charlie positioned himself in front of Zoe, holding his hands up to Connie.
"Thank you Mrs Beauchamp."
He said loudly, remaining where he was, between the two women. The air surrounding them was sour and tense. Zoe looked away, breaking the gaze that Connie held.
"You're a joke."
Connie hissed, before turning to leave, placing the files she had been holding onto the nurses station.
"Your files."
She said as she left.
"Are you ok?"
Charlie asked, turning to face Zoe.
Her cheeks were flushed. She nodded, finding it difficult to speak. She could feel the eyes of the surrounding staff upon her. She could feel them judging her, laughing at her.
She carefully picked up the pile of notes that Connie had left and slowly, with head bowed, her hair shielding her face, began to leave the ward.
"Zoe..."
She heard Max's voice behind her, and the sound of his feet as he jogged to her side.
"I'm fed up with people coming up behind me today."
She breathed, stopping in the hallway to face him.
"I'd make a joke about that but I'm sensing now is not the time...?"
He watched her roll her eyes, her face was still hot and flushed. She turned to leave again but he caught her arm.
"Are you OK?"
He asked, letting her arm drop as Big Mac came pushing a patient up the corridor.
"What do you think?"
She asked, folding her arms defensively across her chest.
"What was that about?"
He asked, moving to one side as Mac passed.
"It doesn't matter. I don't care any more. I just..."
She drew in a faltering breath.
"I can't do this any more."
She sighed.
"Come with me."
He said, reaching out to take her arm again, she pulled away from him.
"Max..."
"Come with me."
He repeated, reaching out once more and taking her firmly by the elbow, he guided her up the corridor, to the right and into the porter's cupboard.
He locked the door behind them.