"Stop yawning you look like Bagpuss when you yawn."
Zoe hissed, nudging Max as they walked together from the car park over to the ED entrance.
"yeah well I had a late night..."
He whispered, leaning into her as they walked.
"Not so close."
She breathed, speeding up so that she was ahead of him as they entered the building.
He winked at her as she glanced back before turning off towards her office. He grinned, making his way into the staff room where Robyn and Rita sat eating hobnobs and drinking sugary tea.
"Morning ladies."
He greeted, feeling the kettle to see if it was still warm.
"Morning"
Rita raised her biscuit at him in greeting.
"And where were you last night?"
Robyn asked, watching as he poured the water from the kettle into a mug and added milk, foregoing the teaspoon and using his fingers to fish the teabag out.
He smiled, placing the teabag into the compost bin and leaning against the worktop, tea in hand.
"Nowhere special."
He lied, his teeth beginning to feel dry from smiling so much.
"Have you got a girlfriend?"
Robyn asked, narrowing her eyes at her brother.
He looked at her as he raised his tea to his lips and blew a long steady breath into it before answering.
"Might have."
He quipped, sipping the hot tea, feeling it warm his throat as he swallowed.
"I knew it!"
Robyn reached for another hobnob and passed one to Rita.
"Who is it?"
She asked, taking a bite and chewing loudly.
He shook his head silently as he sipped his tea.
"Does she work here?"
Rita asked, nibbling around the edge of her biscuit.
"Questions, questions..."
He replied, amused at their interest.
"Does she work in the ED?"
Rita tried again. He looked thoughtful for a moment.
"I can't say."
He said finally, moving over to grab a biscuit.
Robyn snatched the packet and held it against her chest.
"Not unless you tell us who it is."
She laughed, watching him contemplate whether or not he could grab them from her.
"It's Co..."
"Connie?!"
Rita nearly choked on her biscuit.
"No, co...nfidential information."
He moved back and placed his mug on the counter ready to be washed up.
"Right iId better go, things to see, people to do..."
Rita rolled her eyes. He opened the door.
"We'll find out who it is you know!"
Robyn called after him, hearing him laugh in reply as he made his way onto the ward.
Tess rounded the corner ahead of him, making her way towards him. He dipped his head, scratching at something on his forearm as he tried to hurry past.
"Max..."
She stopped abruptly, suddenly noticing him.
"Mmm?"
He looked up, feigning surprise at her presence.
"Can I have a word?"
She asked, gesturing towards her office.
"I've got..."
"It wont take long."
She cut him off, her steady wide eyes searching for his own.
"Ok.."
He agreed, following her past the nurses station and into her office. She closed the door and swivelled the stick that controlled the blinds so that they slanted upwards, shutting off the outside world.
"Have a seat."
She made her way to her own chair behind her desk. He pulled out the chair opposite and sat gingerly, wishing he had pulled the chair a little further away before sitting down.
"I just wanted to have a quick word about yesterday."
She said, placing her small hands neatly on the desk in front of her, her fingers clasped together tightly, her eyes still searching his face for contact. He looked up at her briefly, pushing his hands deep into his pockets.
"What about it?"
He asked softly, looking away again.
She pursed her lips, a kindness softening her gaze.
"I wasn't born yesterday, Max."
She said simply. He drew in a long breath and exhaled slowly, looking at her again. Remaining mute.
"Is there something going on between yourself and Dr Hana?"
She asked. He looked at her again, this time he didn't look away. His jaw flexed and he rolled a coin between his thumb and forefinger in his pocket.
"What makes you think that?"
He asked, his face remained infallible, expressionless.
She drew in a sigh.
"Look, if you don't want to talk about it that's fine, but Zoe is my friend and I feel it's my duty to look out for her."
She said, pulling her hands across the desk closer to her chest.
"Right."
He said, still maintaining eye contact.
"I just want to make sure you're not going to hurt her."
She said quietly, tilting her head, watching for his response, of which he had none.
"She's had a tough time over the past few years, she needs someone who will look after her, look out for her."
"And I won't?!"
He asked, his reserve faltering.
She pursed her lips again, taking his words as confirmation that 'something' was indeed going on.
"Listen."
He dipped his head, his voice hushed.
"Just because I'm a porter, doesn't mean I'm a shit human being."
He whispered.
"I know that Max, that's not what I was saying."
"Yeah well it sounded remarkably similar."
He folded his arms across his chest, his blue eyes cool and fixed on her.
"Max. You're young..."
She began again. He raised his arms, almost laughing.
"What's that got to do with anything?!"
He asked.
"ALL I'm trying to say, is that she's been hurt before. And she's under a lot of pressure with this job, she doesn't need any more distractions..."
He shook his head, sighing through his nose.
"You mean me?"
He hissed.
She didn't answer, merely looked back at him.
"Fine."
He stood up as he spoke.
"I'll go and do my job now. As pitiful as it may be."
He left, ignoring her call of his name.
Noel tried to hail him down as he passed by reception, he dipped his head, eyes focused down the corridor. He knocked on the door to Zoe's office, quickly before he lost his nerve.
"Come."
He paused hearing Connie's voice. His hand resting on the handle.
"Come in"
She called again, louder this time.
He felt the handle move under his palm and Connie opened the door.
"Do you not know how to use a door handle?"
She asked, placing a hand on her hip.
"Sorry, I..uh..."
He pushed his hands deeper into his pockets, flashing her an apologetic smile.
"She's not here. She should be. But she's not."
Connie looked him up and down.
"Where's your name badge?"
She asked, noticing a small hole where it should have been. He glanced down to it, he hadn't noticed it was missing. He touched the hole.
"I'm not sure. I'm Max..."
His words left his mouth awkwardly and he cringed inside.
"I know who you are, I wasn't asking for your name, I wanted to know where your name badge was. Go and get a new one before you do anything else."
She moved back to close the door.
"I thought Zoe was the one in charge?"
He spoke before his thoughts before he had time to catch them.
"Excuse me?"
Connie folded her arms slowly across her white blouse, eyebrows raised, eyes blisteringly sharp.
"Dr Hana maybe clinical lead, but I am still a consultant in this department and If I ask you to do something then I expect you to do it."
Her voice was clipped and sinfully low, her lips tense as she spoke.
"Right... and would you speak to Charlie, or Tess like this...or Zoe even? Or do you just save it for us lowly porters and perhaps the odd cleaner?"
He asked, taking his hands from his pockets and holding them behind his back to steady them.
For a moment he thought she might not respond, a flicker of anger billowed behind her eyes. She stood for a moment, just looking at him.
"If I were you, I would go and get a new name badge, before you say something that I will ensure you regret."
Her voice was so low it was almost a whisper.
"Is that a threat?"
He asked, surprised at how even his voice sounded despite his shaking hands.
"A gentle reminder..."
She whispered, head cocked, a smile curling her lips.
"Well I suggest you keep your 'gentle reminders' to yourself and let me get on with my job, and while you're at it, let Zoe get on with hers instead of bullying her into..."
"Uh...Max?"
Zoe's heels came to a halt beside him.
"What's going on?"
She asked, glancing at a passer-by.
"Your porter has been giving me advice on how to do my job."
Connie let her hands fall to her sides as she spoke, smoothing a wave of hair from her cheek before clasping them in front of her chest.
"Max?"
Zoe looked toward Max, the gentle throbbing of her headache returning, creeping up on her as it always did around this time of day.
"I just thought..."
"No don't worry, I don't want to hear it. Connie, I'm sorry..."
She looked toward Connie who had tired of the conversation and was making her way back to her desk.
"Oh forget it, I already have...he's not that memorable."
She mused, tidying away something in her drawer.
Max smiled a bitter smile, glancing at Zoe who turned to look at him.
"What did you think you were doing?!"
She hissed, her eyes were wide and she placed a hand across her chest, feeling the tightness that was becoming ever more frequent.
He shrugged, alarmed by his own anger and the fact that he had told Connie what he thought without holding back.
"Max, I don't need you to protect me, I don't need your help."
She spoke quickly and quietly, reaching out to touch his arm, he took a step back away from her.
"Sorry."
He spoke awkwardly, as though his throat were constricted.
"I won't distract you any longer, Dr Hana."
He whispered, turning his back on her and walking away.
"What? Max! That's not what I was saying?!"
She called after him, placing a hand on her chest, feeling the stabbing pain of her anxiety. She rested against the wall, the floor tiles seeming to melt and sway beneath her. She felt violently sick all of a sudden and shut her eyes. Taking a deep breath in through her nose to steady herself. As she breathed out she felt a cool rush of hot prickles rise up the back of her neck, she shivered, everything seemed to slip and slither wildly before her eyes.
She tried to speak but the words that formed in her throat seemed to slow down and contort in her mouth. A black wall rose before her eyes, she reached to grab onto something that wasn't there before falling forwards to the ground, her head hitting the floor with a dull crack.
I hope you enjoyed that update. There will be plenty more tonight (children permitting). Comments gratefully received :)x