It was all hands on deck to get the patient ready and out to the helipad once the giant metal bird had touched down. Piper had been part of teams receiving patients from helicopters but had never loaded one before and she kept her head down and her eyes peeled, taking the process in. Once the woman was settled and the rotors carried her into the sky, a collective sigh rang out from the group.
‘There’s your first medevac,’ Maddie said, slinging her arm around Piper’s shoulders. ‘How does it feel?’
Piper let out a burst of exhausted laughter. ‘A bit different from taking them off at the other end.’
Emmett pushed the stretcher down the slope to the hospital from the helipad behind them.
‘Are you taking her husband into Townsville?’ Piper asked over her shoulder. Her shift had ended a while ago and she was overdue for a soak in the delicious clawfoot tub in Emmett’s newly renovated bathroom. She wouldn’t be complaining if Mr Didn’t-like-musiclouder-than-a-dripping-tap wouldn’t be home to complain about her latest playlist.
‘Nah, Eddie and Mick have already left with him, but Stef and I will have to pull a bit of overtime until they get back.’
‘What a shame.’ Piper couldn’t hide the glee in her voice.
Emmett groaned. ‘You’re going to hide away in the bathroom with music I’ll hear from halfway down the street, aren’t you, twinkle tones?’
‘Twinkle tones?’ Maddie laughed. ‘Where do you come up with this stuff?’
‘Don’t encourage him, Maddie.’
Emmett’s slow chuckle ran over Piper like she’d already slipped into the hot bubble bath headfirst.It’s just Emmett. But the reminder didn’t stop the warmth in her veins.
The door to the hospital opened and Cara’s head poked out. ‘Piper! You have a phone call.’
Her brow crinkled. ‘Me?’
‘Yes, you. They asked for Piper Hendrix. That’s you, isn’t it?’
‘Who would be calling you here?’ Maddie asked.
Panic seized Piper and she gasped, her eyes flying to Emmett’s. ‘What if something’s happened to Mum? Or Carter?’
‘I’m sure it’ll be fine.’
But she didn’t hear him. Breaking into a jog she ran into the main entrance of the hospital, which was empty, and snatched the phone up from behind the desk. ‘Hello?’
‘Piper. It’s so good to finally hear your voice.’
A coldness seeped into the marrow of her bones. ‘Heath? How’d you find me here?’
‘Were you hiding from me? Rush Creek is a bit far for a game like that.’
‘I didn’t end our relationship and leave Sydney because I wanted to stay in contact with you. Why won’t you just leave me alone?’ Tears pricked her eyes as her frustration soared like a kite on a windy day.
‘Piper, I can’t let you go that easily. Not without a fight. Let me fight for us.’
‘There’s nothing left to fight for.’ Her voice was loud. ‘You’re too late. You need to fight for yourself and forget me. Don’t call me again.’
She slammed the receiver down and took in everyone around her staring: Maddie, Cara and Emmett. Oh, no. They’d all think she was an absolute loon.
‘Excuse me,’ she murmured then turned and ran for the sanctuary of the staff room.
Emmett stared after Piper, anger and protectiveness mixing in his stomach. Leaving the stretcher in the middle of the waiting room, he marched to the desk and lifted the discarded receiver to his ear. A dial tone was all he heard, and he cursed. He would’ve loved to have ripped Heath a new one for upsetting her, leave him with a very real threat of what would happen if he called her again.
‘What the hell was that?’ Maddie asked.
‘Her ex.’ He glanced at the door Piper had disappeared through. ‘I’m going to check on her.’
‘Yeah, you are.’
