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That’s all I need. To be too dizzy to focus on the measurements.

Tarni went to the bathroom, took the rubber band out of her hair and brushed her now-dry hair and pulled it back again. By the time she changed into a cooler T-shirt and headed down to the shed she was feeling a bit better.

Brunch and work, in that order.

Chapter 25

Darwin Royal Hospital - Tuesday morning

Emma

Emma frowned as she left Dru’s private room. So far, she’d been able to persuade Dru that staying in the hospital was the wisest course of action, but she knew how strong-willed Dru was. She was getting restless and was sure to insist on going home soon. When Emma had come into the room earlier, she noticed traces of tears on her sister’s cheeks when she took her blood pressure. It was gradually getting higher. Emma made a mental note to talk to Dr Rickard about it.

‘Are you worrying too much, Dru?’

Her little sister rolled her eyes. ‘What do you think, Emma? I’ve been stuck in a bed here using a bedpan, not allowed to get out and walk, only seeing my darling Ruby once every day or so if I’m lucky, depending on your shifts and Jeremy’s schedule, and worrying about where my husband is. Yes, everything is just hunky dory.’

‘Have you heard from Connor again?’ Emma put her fingers on Dru’s wrist. Her pulse was racing.

‘No, he texted and said he was going out of service for a while.’

‘I’m sure he’ll be back in town soon and he’ll come straight to the hospital, and you can talk and sort out all this misunderstanding.’

‘If it is a misunderstanding,’ Dru said. ‘I think your Pollyanna-ness is showing.’

‘Please be positive, Dru.’

‘I’m being positive. I have courses of action planned for whatever happens when he comes back. If he comes back. If he has found someone else, I’ll cope.’

‘Don’t even put that into words. Jeremy and I’ve talked about this every night and we think you’re way off base. You’ve seen a situation and you’ve misconstrued it.’

‘Well, if you want to live in fairyland, then go ahead. You always have, Emma. I face reality. I’m prepared.’

Emma sighed. No matter how hard she tried to persuade Dru she was wrong, she couldn’t shift her. Dru had been stubborn since the day she was born into the Porter family. Dad had always said she was like his mother, Grandma Tilly, who Ellie had named Matilda after. ‘Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow. It’s my day off. I’ll bring Ruby in for the day.’

‘Thank you.’ Dru looked away from her towards the window. Emma patted her sister’s hand and walked out of the ward to start her shift. She’d been seconded to oncology today because Mary Butler had called in sick.

She stopped at the nurses’ station, and read the clinical notes that had been left. As usual, it was going to be busy as outpatients came into the ward for their chemotherapy. Some patients in the wards had completed their treatment regime and were waiting for the doctor to discuss options before discharge.

Emma consulted with the three nurses on duty and once she was sure the day had started with no problems, she made her way to the tearoom and made a quick cup of tea before commencing her ward round.

If she’d specialised, and Jeremy and Akasha hadn’t been the focus of her life, this was the area she’d been particularly interested in. Emma still did a lot of professional reading and kept up to date with the literature. One day, when Akasha was older, she’d probably go back and do some more study. Emptying the dregs of her tea in the sink and putting the disposable cup in the bin, Emma tried to focus on the day ahead, and not on Dru and her unhappiness.

It was such a strange situation, and so out of character for the Connor who, Emma knew, adored his wife and daughter.

Emma put a smile on her face as she walked into the first ward. With cheery comments and a couple of longer chats with patients who had questions, she worked her way through the wards, checking observations and notes. There were six wards with four beds in each of the chemotherapy wards, and most of the patients were upbeat today.

Two of the beds were empty and she knew those patients would be in having their treatment. She glanced at her watch as voices came from the waiting room. The inpatients should be finished shortly; it sounded as though the outpatients for the morning had already arrived. The cancer care outpatient facility across town had been overwhelmed with patients this month and the oncology ward in the hospital had taken the overflow.

Emma decided to wait until the final two patients came back to the ward. It could be an emotional time and she liked to be there to reassure the patients after they came back. Occasionally stress levels increased because they had time to think about the treatment and their prognosis while the chemicals were being infused.

She made her way to the nurses’ station. ‘Did the last two patients go in on time?’

‘Yes, Dr Langford.’ The young male nurse looked up from the computer. ‘They should be back in the wards shortly. It’s the last treatment for one of them today and he can be discharged if you’re happy with them. Or if you’d rather wait, Dr Mulholland is due in at ten. She’s Mr Kirk’s attending physician.’

‘Okay, I’ll go down there in a minute. I’ll take the papers with me, to save coming back.’

He flicked through the files and retrieved the forms she needed and handed two sets of paperwork to her