Chapter 20
By 8.45am, Dru felt sufficiently enough in control to drive into work. She could always blame car trouble for being late.
Having poured some neat vodka into the only bottle small enough to be deemed suitable, Dru placed the mouthwash bottle in the glove compartment of her car – she could nip down during the day if she felt herself flagging.
*********************
“Hi!”
“Hello…did you have a good night?”
“Yes. Silly thing though, my elbows and knees are sore” Buffy angled one arm to look at the sore pink patch.
“Really – we’ll have to watch that, pressure sores can develop, I’ll get one of the girls to get you cream to put on, it’s where your skin rubs against the sheets”
“Oh, I’ve got cream, don’t worry, I just wondered what it was.”
Buffy looked past William’s shoulder and whispered hopefully,
“Any chance of closing the drapes?”
William grinned at her and said,
“Why you little minx, what had you in mind?”
Buffy gave him an impish smile
“Okay then, but first let me…”
William drew the curtain around her bed, making sure it was closed properly, and then he pulled down the bedclothes and took the stockinette tubigrip bandage off her leg.
Several passionate kisses later, footfalls in the corridor outside made William move to the bottom of the bed – good thing too as there was a knock at the door
“Dr Carling, are you in here?”
William sort the opening in the curtain, stuck his head through to see Betty, Travers’ secretary and said,
“Yes Betty, what can I do for you?”
“Dr Travers wants to see you ASAP – you left your beeper in his office that’s why I’ve had to come and find you”
William patted his pocket and said,
“Oh, I’m sorry – I’ll just finish seeing to Miss Summers foot and I’ll be right there”
“Thankyou”
They both heard the door close, and Spike gently took the gauze dressing off the sole of her foot.
“That’s healing nicely…I’ll get one of the girls to come and redress it – and I’ll also send the physiotherapy schedule I’ve drawn up for you – now, when are you due to go back to the academy?”
Buffy shrugged and said,
“Sometime in the New year, first week I suppose”
“Well that’s far too early for you to be skating – gentle exercise is one thing, treble salcow’s are another – so I’m going to say no skating until at least the end of January, okay?”
“Okay – I can delay returning there, stay with mom for a while longer, I’m sure she’d like that!”
William snatched a quick kiss and pushed back the curtain
“I’ll try and get to see you when I can, but I’m very busy today as I leave tomorrow night”
Buffy gave him a rueful smile and nodded, William winked at her and left.
Making his way to Travers’ office, he encountered Drusilla in the lift, and she looked AWFUL!
Frowning William said,
“Are you feeling okay Dru, because you look awful!” Giving him a dirty look Dru said,
“Thankyou and good morning to you!”
“No, sorry, all I meant was – are you sickening for something?”
“I didn’t sleep, my um, my back is playing me up – that’s what I wanted you to look at – but you’re so busy doing other things…”
“I’m sorry – but you know the best doctor for backs is Travers”
The lift door opened and William got out, Dru stayed in
“Aren’t you going to your office?”
“In a while, I’ll see you later”
The door closed and Dru carried on up to the top floor, she needed more caffeine………
******************
William knocked on Travers’ door, waited for the ‘come in’. Quentin motioned for William to sit down, mouthing he wouldn’t be long, so William sat and waited politely.
“…………Yes…yes I will Charles………my handicap? I can’t play – that’s my biggest handicap…just joking…I certainly will, goodbye then Charles, bye”
“Right, William!”
“Quentin, what can I do for you?”
“As you probably gathered, that was Charles Heaton on the phone, he wants a written report from you as to how the meeting went with the family of Donovan Daly”
“A written report, why? – Oh I get it, because Donovan’s fiancé kicked up a stink about his condition, he’s thinking I put her up to it – you told me not to, and I didn’t!”
“I told him that, and he seems resigned to that fact that you followed procedure to the letter, and the man’s condition wasn’t down to negligence or anything we’d done here at the hospital”
“Did he read my operation report?”
“He’s read everything, and now he wants to finish off with a written report from you about the family meting” Will rolled his eyes, as if he didn’t have enough to do!
“Okay, but it’ll have to be tomorrow – I’m much too busy
today, helping you clear these day-surgeries, I’ve got four bunions to do and two curled up little fingers to straighten”
“I do appreciate it William, and I wanted to ask you what you were doing for Christmas?”
“Me, oh I um, well I’ve got plans”
“Will you be in Europe, or?”
“No, I’ll be here, in LA, staying with friends, although..(William turned and looked at the door, dropped his voice and said )
“I’d appreciate if you’d keep that piece of information quiet, Dr Tate has been making plans, including me and I just had to put a stop to it”
“Say no more, William, I understand, she can be very …intense sometimes!”
William nodded and stood
“Is there anything else?”
“Yes, here’s your pager. “ Quentin put it on the desk, and said,
“William” he slipped it into his white coat pocket
“Quentin?”
“Have you…well have you heard anything about Dr Tate lately?”
“Heard anything, such as?”
“Complaints – from staff or patients?”
“I don’t think I know any of her patients…I’m not one for ‘office politics’ I usually try and keep to myself in the cafeteria, what sort of complaints?”
“Well I’m not sure, only Betty said she heard two of the secretaries on reception bitching about Dr Tate, and um, saying, well saying that she smelled of drink - it was first thing in the morning too”
William raised his brows
“Well, I know she can knock it back when she wants, she could easily drink us all under the table a few years back………I tell you what it could be, it could be her back, she wanted me to have a look at it for her – I saw her in the lift this morning as I was coming up here – she looked awful, she told me she hadn’t slept”
“Her back… do you think she could be addicted to painkillers then or something?”
William’s brows rose and he shrugged
“She could be I suppose, why have some gone missing?”
“I don’t know, we’re due a drugs count at the end of the week, only we also had a complaint from a patient stating she was quite un-professional with him, she was surly, unsympathetic and she hurt him while examining him, then she admonished him when he complained – he said he might sue”
“Well if she’s having no sleep – that can make anyone ratty”
“I know William, but we can’t afford to be sued!”
“Look, I told her I was too busy to look at her back and YOU were her man – if I see her, shall I tell her I mentioned it to you, in a friendly way – you know I said something like ‘poor Dru looks awful, it’s her back, I haven’t got the time to look at it for her so I asked you to instead’?”
Travers nodded and said he’d go and see her
“Don’t say anything about the painkillers though”
“No – bye then – got the first one on the table in twenty and I want a quick coffee before I do – see you later”
*****************
“And relax…how does that feel?”
“Phew…like I’ve run a marathon!”
“Really – I haven’t pushed you too hard, have I?”
“Oh no, don’t worry – I’m used to far worse”
“Well I’ll call for one of the candy-stripers to take you to the shower now”
“Thanks, see you tomorrow”
“Yes, and remember, if you feel like you’re getting cramp in your calf muscle, pull your foot towards you, it should work it out” Buffy nodded and was wheeled out of the physio room.
When she got back to her room, her mother was waiting.
“Hi love, how did it go?”
“Fine – been waiting long?”
“About twenty minutes, it’s okay though, I’ve been making lists – food lists, presents lists…I was on the Internet last night, looking up how to make mince-pies”
“What are they?”
“Well, the mincemeat doesn’t have meat in it, although it used to back in Victorian times, but it’s a mixture of dried fruit, currants, sultanas and raisins done up with sugar and finely chopped candied citrus peel, spices like cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg, and alcohol, brandy, sherry – you add suet too”
“Sounds very rich! Oh, hey some good news for you” Buffy said
Joyce had her head down looking at one of her lists
“Hmm? –What’s that honey?”
“I won’t be going back to the Academy until the end of January”
Joyce looked up and smiled
“Really – great! For a minute there, I thought you were going to say…”
“What?”
“Nothing, it’s – “
“Go on!”
“For a minute there, I thought you were going to say, I’m not going back to the Academy, full stop.”
“Oh. So………what’s on your prezzie list?”
“Nothing for you to see!!!!!” Joyce held the paper close to her chest with a big grin.
*****************
“Dr Tate – I’ve been trying to page – Dr Tate?”
“Huh? Oh, sorry!” Dru woke with a start; she stared down at the cup of cold coffee in front of her.
“Sorry did I make you jump?” Travers put a hand concernedly on her shoulder.
“I-I, um, I was miles away…it’s my back!”
Travers pulled out the chair next to her, took in the bloodshot eyes, the dark hollow rings around them too, and the definite tremor in her hands.
“Not sleeping, you know!”
“Are you taking anything for it?”
“NO – good grief no, not anything, no!”
Travers thought this odd but didn’t say anything.
“Why not – it might help” Dru stood
“I must get on – I’m –“
“Dru…there’s been a complaint”
“A c-complaint?”
“About your um…how shall I put it? – We had a complaint from a patient who said you were less than gentle with him when you were examining him, and when he complained, you told him in no uncertain terms-“
“What I thought of him, yes I did! Malingerer – that’s all he is! He supposedly trips over in his house and shatters his ankle, and then he-“
“Dru – DRU!” she stopped mid-rant
“What?”
“You’re shaking like a leaf!”
“I’m angry!”
“Well I think you should go home for the rest of the day, don’t you?”
“Why?”
“Because with your back, and lack of sleep – it isn’t conducive to good doctoring…I’ll write you out a prescription for something to help with the pain and then you can get some sleep”
“But what about my rounds?”
“Don’t worry about that, Dr Day and I can do them between us, come on”
Travers led her out of the cafeteria.
**********
The Following Day, Monday
“And she went?”
“Meek as a lamb – I wrote her a script for some painkillers and told her to get some sleep”
William nodded
“So William, your last day with us for a while, what’s on the agenda today?”
“Well I have two operations this morning for you, a hamstring repair and a trapped nerve in a frozen shoulder – then from lunchtime I just want to tidy up loose ends – I’ve got two patients here still, Buf- Miss Summers and now Donovan Daly is at the Cedar’s Specialist Cancer Unit, I have that awkward cartilage op I did for Dr Inkerman – I took him over”
Travers nodded
“Will you get a chance to have a drink with me?”
“Sorry, doubt it! – Anyway, I better not, I’m driving myself to the airport”
“What time’s your flight?”
“10.45pm – I’ll leave here at 8’oclock sharp, sometimes the traffic can build to the approach road to the airport – it’s all the taxi’s”
Travers nodded
“Well come and say goodbye at least!”
“Sure I will!”
*****************
Their final day before William leaving involved a few stolen kisses, and some illicit handholding…
“Going to miss you” Buffy said quietly
“Yeah? Well I’m going to miss you too pet”
Buffy smiled, squeezed his hand and then had to let go because Joyce had come back into the room.
She’d been very good though, she kept on ‘nipping out’ to the vending machine, to make a phone call, to buy a newspaper…so she could leave them on their own.
“You should see the lists she’s been making”
“Really – look tell her not to make a fuss on my account!”
“Oh don’t say that – she’s found somebody to spoil – your going to get the full works!”
“I’ve got your number, as soon as I get back I’ll ring you okay – I’ve recommended that you be discharged on Wednesday – the stitches will be out then, and as long as you promise to be good and rest…”
“Oh good – I do, I do, I promise!”
“Dr Travers is taking you on for me – he’ll be your discharge doctor, and he’ll give you all the appointments for your physiotherapy” Buffy nodded.
It was coming up to 6pm, evening meal time and William said he’d got to go and finish packing, but he’d get back to see her before he left.
Buffy picked at her vegetable and pasta bake, not really hungry at all.
There was a knock at the door and Pearl came in
“Dr Hottie goes tonight!”
“I know…never mind!”
“Not hungry again honey-chile – can’t have dis ya-know, you’ll fade away! See ya in de mornin’”
Pearl left with a wave and Buffy sighed
“He’ll be back soon – and Christmas will be here soon enough!” Joyce said
“I know…I was just wondering where I go from Christmas”
“What you mean the Academy?”
“NO!”
“Oh. Oh, I see – well, you’ll just have to-“
“Yeah I know, cross that bridge, etc…”
**************
Inside the lift, Illyria was giving Coach O’Connor short shrift.
“How many times is it now – four, five times you told me ‘it’s a mistake’ – well let me tell you buster, this one isn’t going to go away, her parents have-“
“I KNOW what her parents have said and done, I’M the one on the receiving end of the allegations!” Angel said with quiet anger
Illyria turned sad eyes to him
“You promise me that you didn’t – didn’t touch her in any way?”
“Look, I sometimes grab thighs to raise the girls legs, or I hold their ribcages to help them breathe, I DID NOT touch that girl where she said I touched her!”
The lift opened and Illyria stepped out, she didn’t look happy at all, and Angel even less so………standing outside Buffy’s room Illyria said
“Put on a smile”
Angel slapped on a grin, knocked and entered Buffy’s room, holding a bouquet of white carnations.
“Buffy – how are you?”
Buffy blinked, the last people she thought she’d see was her coach and dancing teacher…
“H-Hi!”
Joyce took the flowers saying she’d find a vase, telling Illyria to take her seat.
After the pleasantries were exchanged all about Buffy and her foot, Joyce came back in and began chatting to Illyria.
“Buffy…I wonder if you would do me a favour” Angel asked, leaning over her talking quietly
“I can’t skate yet – not until at least the end of Janu-“
“No, no, no, no, no, it’s not that…I was wondering if you’d be a character witness for me, see some stupid little girl has got it into her head that I, well she’s saying that I ‘touched’ her inappropriately – it’s all nonsense of course, I mean, I’ve been working with young girls for nearly twenty years now, why on earth should I – a man of standing, think of what I’ve got to loose – as if I’d do something like that!” He gave her a grin, but Buffy could see the desperation in his eyes………
Buffy had a flashback, she was sitting at an ice-rink, and Faith made the comment about Angel, touching…putting a casual arm around their necks………
“Buffy…Buffy? – Can I, please, huh? Can I rely on you to-“
“Oh my god – the time mom, look at the time! – I must go see if I can see him before he goes!”
Everyone looked at the clock; it was just gone ten to eight.
At twenty to eight, William had stopped by Buffy’s room to say bye, but saw her coach and some woman in there, and deciding that he wouldn’t have been able to say goodbye in the way he’d like to, he’d phone her in a couple of days instead, when she was back home…
Buffy hopped to the door, threw on her robe, grabbed her crutches and pressed for the lift.
“Where is she going?” Illyria asked, puzzled
“There’s someone she must see”
A bell rang to indicate that visiting time was over, and Angel said to Joyce
“Will you ask Buffy to contact me on what we talked about”
Not knowing what this was Joyce said,
“You’re not going to bully her into coming back and skating before she’s ready I hope”
“Good grief no, she can dictate the pace, tell us when she’s ready!” Angel said with a false grin
“Okay then, well I’ll tell her what you said” Joyce said, not entirely trusting him.
*****************
Buffy got to the outside double doors and shivered
She realised that she didn’t know what car William drove, or even if he was parked on this lot… then she heard his voice behind her.
“Yes Pearl, I promise you! Come here, big hug!” Buffy turned to see William getting a hug from a grinning Pearl, and she grinned at him
When Pearl put him down, he immediately came over to her
“What are you doing out of bed?”
“I didn’t want to miss you?” Suddenly she felt tears threaten
“Come on, I’ll walk you back to your room”
They took the lift, which William stopped between floors so they could have a kiss…
“See you”
“Soon”
“Miss you”
“I’ll miss you more” Buffy said
“I’ll ring you Wednesday, you’ll be able to go after you’ve seen Travers, and he’s strict, likes his rounds done by 10.30, it’ll be mid afternoon where I am, so I’ll ring you at home, okay?”
Buffy nodded and William saw a tear and his stomach immediately knotted
“Hey, come on sweetheart, don’t make this harder than it already is for me” he cuddled her up and they had one more kiss, then he started the lift again
Just Buffy got out on the second floor and William waved and pressed for ground,
“Say bye to Joyce for me!” Buffy nodded and turned and went into her room, relieved to find Illyria and Coach gone. Joyce was putting her coat on
“Did you see him?” A tearful Buffy nodded her head
“I didn’t want him to go mom”
“I know honey…but it’s not like you’ll not see him again, you’ll see him real soon………”
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