Emergency Response (25 page)

“Yes. I just want you to come and eyeball him, please. That’s all I’m asking.”

“Fine,” the consultant said, striding toward the curtained-off cubicle. It was obvious she was anything
but
fine about it.

Karen took one look at Alex and began issuing instructions.

“Get a CT scan organized
now.
Mackenzie, start some fluids. Pump them through as fast as you can. Someone get me the scanner. I’ll do a fast scan at the bedside. Has he had pain relief? What are his obs now?”

Lily arrived, pushing Connor and Scott aside. Fluids were hung, the scan was done and three minutes later Alex was wheeled to CT followed by the consultant and a nervous-looking Connor. Mackenzie was left to clean up the mess and calm Scott down. She showed him into the visitors’ lounge and made him a cup of tea before heading back to her other patients. There was nothing else they could do except wait.

Half an hour later there was still no sign of Alex and Mackenzie eventually found Karen standing in the tea room grabbing a quick cup of coffee.

The consultant spoke first. “Well done, Mackenzie. You just saved that man’s life.”

Mackenzie raised her eyebrows, but kept her mouth closed.

“I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you sooner. Connor was more concerned with the man’s head and the amnesia. He was ignoring that the patient was going on about the pain in his abdomen. CT scan showed a hairline fracture of his pelvis and it’s caused his inferior epigastric artery to rupture.”

“Oh wow.” Mackenzie was staggered.

“Yeah, it was actively bleeding on CT. He’s gone straight to theater and then on to ICU. Good pick up, Mackenzie. Thanks for getting me off my backside!” Karen headed out the door and then spun back around. “Welcome to Birrangulla Base, Mackenzie. You’re going to be a great addition to our team.”

“Merry Christmas,” Kate called out cheerfully when Mackenzie wandered into the kitchen, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

“I thought only kids woke up this early on Christmas day. Did I just hear Nathan pull up?” Mackenzie asked.

Kate laughed. “Yep. He arrived about ten minutes ago. He’s in the lounge room waiting for us.”

Mackenzie groaned. “Is it even morning yet?”

“It is if you think six o’clock is an acceptable time to be woken up when you’re not working.”

“You’re kidding me?” Mackenzie yawned and straightened, stretching her arms in a lazy arc above her head. “Why so early?”

Kate shrugged. “He’s always done it. Once when we were kids he tried to wake me at four in the morning. Mum and Dad had a rule we weren’t allowed into the lounge room until six and he eventually fell asleep in the hallway and didn’t wake up until after eight. He learned his lesson and set his alarm for six o’clock every year after that.”

“And is that Christmas music I can hear?”

“Yep. Nathan goes the whole hog every Christmas. It’s a big deal for him.”

“Well it’s not bad for someone who says he’s not a morning person,” Mackenzie said with a laugh.

There was the sound of a carefully cleared throat from the other room. “I have ears you know.”

Kate winked and Mackenzie stifled a giggle.

“I’m a morning person on Christmas Day,” Nathan called out from the lounge room. He sounded far too cheerful. “Come in here, Kenz, Santa’s been.”

Mackenzie grumbled jokingly as she walked down the hallway toward the lounge. Kate followed. There was no sign of Joel and their bedroom door remained shut. Smart man.

“Is he always like this?” she asked Kate.

“Yep. Christmas and birthdays. He’s like a little kid.”

Nathan was sitting cross-legged beneath the Christmas tree, looking every bit like an impatient toddler, his eyes dancing.

“Good morning, Kenz. Kate.”

The corners of his mouth turned upwards. It looked like he was having difficulty repressing a grin. She squinted. Was he wearing his pajamas?

“Good morning,” Mackenzie replied.

“Santa’s been. See?”

Kate rolled her eyes.

Mackenzie groaned again. “Santa can wait. Can I at least have a shower while you make me some coffee? My veins need caffeine if you’re going to be this chirpy.”

Nathan chuckled. “Aw, don’t be like that, Kenzie. It’s Christmas Day. Come and give me a kiss first then you can go take a shower.” His eyes narrowed, but not before she caught sight of the flashing gold flecks. He lowered his voice slightly. “That is unless you’d like me to have a shower
with
you.”

Kate put her fingers in her ears. “La, la, la. How about you two wait until you have this place to yourselves!” She turned on her heel. “I’m going back to bed.”

Mackenzie felt her face flush. Glancing at Nathan, she was amused to find he didn’t look at all embarrassed.

“Well it might be Christmas morning, but I’ve had less than six hours’ sleep. Can you at least give me a chance to wake up first?” The night before they had attended the traditional midnight carols service at the local church. “Shower, then coffee, then a kiss. In that order. And before you ask again, the answer is no to you having a shower with me.”

Nathan pouted and Mackenzie couldn’t help herself. She leaned down and planted a quick kiss on his lips.

He responded by threading his fingers through her hair. “Mackenzie Grace Jones, how many times have I told you I love you?”

“A few.”

Nathan’s eyes twinkled with traces of his characteristic humor. “Only a few? That’s not good enough. I’ll have to rectify that.”

Mackenzie giggled. “After coffee!”

“I’ll put the kettle on.”

“While you’re at it, how about you get dressed too!”

When she returned, Kate had disappeared, leaving Nathan and Mackenzie alone. Lights sparkled on the tree and Christmas carols played softly from the iPod docking station. Even better, the smell of freshly brewed coffee invaded her senses. She leaned down to kiss Nathan again and giggled when he tugged at her arms, pulling her into his lap.

“While it’s just the two of us, why don’t we exchange presents now.”

“You’re assuming I’ve bought you a present,” she teased.

Nathan looked smug. “I know you have.”

“How?”

“Haven’t you ever played ‘feel the present’? I found the one you bought me hidden at the back of the tree. I’ve felt it and already worked out what it is.”

Mackenzie’s eyes widened in surprise. “But that’s against the rules!”

“Not in the Kennedy family it’s not,” he argued, with a childlike grin.

She punched him lightly in the arm. “You’re unbelievable.” She tried to stand but he pulled her down again.

“Seriously though, Kenz, Merry Christmas.” He kissed her on the lips and placed a small, exquisitely wrapped box in her hand.

Stalling, she turned the package over in her hands before raising it to her ear and shaking it gently. Nothing. She undid the bow and pulled off the wrapping. Her breath faltered when she found a small, familiar turquoise-colored jewelry box. Inside was a solid silver heart on a beaded bracelet. The man had perfect taste when it came to choosing jewelry.

“I love it!”

*

The house smelled amazing. Roast lamb, turkey and ham. Mackenzie could also smell something else, cinnamon or vanilla, she wasn’t sure which, but she inhaled and her stomach growled. She hadn’t eaten any breakfast and now she was starving.

After exchanging gifts – she’d given Nathan a new leather wallet – they helped Kate and Joel prepare the food. Ten of them would be crammed around the table for a traditional Christmas lunch at the farm: Nathan and Mackenzie, Kate and Joel, both sets of parents and Liam and Emma. Even though Nathan assured her repeatedly that she was more than welcome, Mackenzie still felt like she was butting in on their Christmas Day celebrations with family.

“I’m so glad you came, Mackenzie.” Kate leaned across the table and spoke softly.

“It would have been a lonely day on my own otherwise.”

“What are your sisters doing today?”

“They’re all having lunch with their respective in-laws. Tomorrow we will get together in Dubbo at Cameron’s house. Nathan’s coming with me. I’m actually looking forward to it. It will be the first Christmas we’ve had together in years.”

“It’s been a big year for you,” Kate said sadly.

“You can say that again. I just hope next year is better.”

Kate smiled. “I can guarantee it will be. I’m so glad you accepted the job and moved into the farm.”

“Me too.”

After consuming massive amounts of food, everyone staggered from the table into the lounge room. Joel and Kate refused all offers to help clean up, insisting instead that everyone gather around the tree to exchange gifts. Mackenzie placed a small wrapped package under the tree with the other gifts. She hoped she’d chosen something appropriate. Nathan had told her they were going to play a special version of “greedy Santa” and all she needed to bring was a small gift to the value of fifty dollars. She’d purchased one of her favorite scented candles and a matching hand cream. She knew her present would garner a laugh if one of the men chose it.

She glanced around at the gathered group. Michael and Elizabeth Kennedy glowed with love and pride as they looked at their children. Sean and Lorraine’s faces were mirror images. The two older couples got along well and there was a sense of family in the room that Mackenzie had never experienced, but always craved. Her throat constricted and she swallowed hard. Now was not the time to get over-emotional.

When everyone was finally seated in a circle, some on couches, some on dining room chairs and others sprawled on the floor, Nathan stood and clapped to get everyone’s attention.

“Don’t forget this!” Kate handed her brother a Santa hat.

Everyone laughed as he pulled it over his head. When he had everyone quiet again, Nathan gathered all the presents from under the tree and placed them on the floor in the center of the circle. “Now,” he said, sounding very much like a teacher, “this is how this game works. One person chooses a present from the middle of the pile. You may not touch it, pick it up, shake it or smell it.” Everyone laughed. “You choose the present based on the packaging and then go back to your seat.”

Mackenzie was already eyeing off one beautifully wrapped gift as he spoke, certain it contained the perfect present.

“This is where the fun starts. The next person in the circle gets to choose a present. But,” Nathan paused for dramatic effect, “you can either choose from the gifts in the center of the pile, or you can choose a gift someone else is holding.”

There were cries of “that’s not fair” and “this will be interesting” and lots of laughter.

Nathan continued. “Now remember, just because they are wrapped in a certain way, don’t assume you know what’s inside.”

There was more laughter. One present looked distinctly like a basketball.

Nathan turned to Mackenzie and grinned. “And now you, my lovely lady, get to choose the first present.”

Mackenzie blushed, partly with pleasure at his words, and partly because everyone was watching her. She decided to enter into the spirit of the occasion and took her time walking toward the presents and carefully deliberating which one to choose. People egged her on, encouraging her to choose their present. Eventually she made a big show of taking the one she’d had her eye on from the very beginning. There was a loud belly laugh from Sean O’Connor and for a moment she had second thoughts. Maybe she’d chosen the wrong present, but when she glanced at him, he smiled and winked at her and she relaxed.

Elizabeth Kennedy sat next to her. She smiled sweetly at Mackenzie as she swiped the present from her lap. It happened so fast, Mackenzie hardly realized it had been snatched. She looked up in astonishment as everyone laughed.

“Don’t look so worried, hon,” Nathan said, smiling in her direction. “That means you get to choose the final present.”

Mackenzie sat back in her chair with a satisfied smile.
Oh, this could be fun!

The game continued quickly from then on, with presents swapped and exchanged. Finally, everyone had a present and all that remained was one large box in the center of the room. It had sat on the middle of the present pile and no one had even looked as though they wanted to touch it. Perhaps the poorly wrapped packaging had something to do with it. Mackenzie had decided it was probably from Liam, and knowing him, it would be something silly.

She looked at Nathan. “So do I have to take that one?” she asked, pointing at it. “Or can I take one of the other gifts?”

Nathan smiled and picked up the package. “This one is for you,” he said, handing it to her.

It was lighter than she expected. Mackenzie tried to hide her disappointment. It was, after all, just a game.

Nathan then stood and addressed everyone again. “Now the fun part! We get to open the presents. This time we go around the circle in the other direction. I’ll start and we’ll finish with Kenz.”

There was a mixture of “oohs” and “aahs” and plenty of laughter as gifts were unwrapped and admired. A few people attempted to swap presents again when they saw what they’d unwrapped. When it got to Mackenzie, she sensed all eyes upon her. She’d received the largest gift, and judging by the other presents people had opened, the one in her hand could be anything.

She carefully tore off the paper, noting the messy sticky tape and uneven edges to the wrapping paper. She inspected the large cardboard box. It was a Baxter box – the brand of IV solution they used at the hospital. The boxes made great packing boxes and she knew most nurses had used them at one time or another when moving house. She looked across at Kate – the present must be from her – but Kate gave nothing away. She was watching Mackenzie, her hands resting on her bulging belly.

Mackenzie tore at the sticky tape and opened the box. Inside was a small parcel. She picked it up and read the card. She didn’t recognize the writing. She read it again, confused.

“It says it’s a pass the parcel.” She saw everyone smiling at her. “We each have to unwrap one layer.”

“I’ll start then,” Nathan said, grabbing the parcel from her and tearing off a layer. A small chocolate Santa fell from the packaging. “I’ll have that,” he said, picking it up from the floor and unwrapping it. He popped the chocolate into his mouth and grinned at Mackenzie before handing the present to his left, to Emma.

Emma unwrapped a layer and found another chocolate. And so it continued. From Emma to Liam to Michael and onto Sean. Then to Lorraine, Joel, Kate and Elizabeth. Finally the package returned to Mackenzie. Everyone watched her expectantly. The package was tiny and she held it in the palm of her hand, confused as to what it might be.

“Go on, open it,” Nathan urged.

She opened the paper and beneath it found a layer of white tissue paper. Carefully unfolding the tissue paper, she gasped. She looked down at Nathan who had just dropped to one knee by her side.

“Mackenzie Grace Jones. Will you marry me?”

She looked from Nathan to the ring in her hand and back again to Nathan in a split second before launching herself at him. He struggled to stay upright as she hugged him tightly.

“Is that a yes then?” he asked, his face muffled in her hair.

Mackenzie nodded. “Yes, yes, YES!”

There were cheers and shouts and everyone crowded in to congratulate them. Nathan looked at Mackenzie and held out his hand.

“Let me put the ring on your finger then and make it official.”

“I hope it fits,” Mackenzie said.

“I measured one of your other rings. Trust me, it will fit,” Nathan laughed. He slid the diamond solitaire onto her finger and she grinned. He was right, as usual. It fit perfectly. “I hope you like it.” He looked worried for a moment.

Mackenzie stared down at her finger. “I love it.” She gazed back up at him. “And I love you.”