The Surgeon’s Best Friend Dilemma - Chapter 2

We need morphine here.’ Evan knew by the sight of the mother’s blackened skin, red raw in parts, that she was in tremendous pain, even without her screams telling him so.

‘Fluids please!’ Natasha’s blonde head bobbed up from the neighbouring bed to call the team. Although Evan was the burns specialist, with a child involved, Natasha had volunteered her services too.

The sight of the small child covered in soot and burns was still hard to stomach. Evan afforded a glance over to see Natasha taking control until he was able to assess the extent of the child’s injuries and give his recommendations for treatment. He was focusing on the adult female first as she appeared to be the most seriously hurt. The father, who apparently had arrived on the scene just before the fire service, had tried to rescue his family himself but thankfully seemed to have only superficial burns. So Evan left his treatment to the emergency team for now.

‘Ok, Mrs Alexander. I’m Dr Cameron, the burns specialist here at the Great Northern Hospital. We’re going to give you something for the pain you’re in now, then we’ll start dressing your wounds.’ Whether she would remember this conversation or not, it was important to notify her of everything they were doing. She’d had enough shock and didn’t need any surprises sprung on her.

‘Where is my daughter, and my husband?’ She tried to sit up, only to scream in pain again.

Evan gently coaxed her back down on to the trolley, noting those injured areas which didn’t seem to bother her when they came into contact with anything. It was those burns that suggested there was nerve damage and could mean surgery. That was his area of expertise but there was the chance she’d have to be referred later to Lauren Shaw, who was rumoured to be going back to the Great Southern, for reconstructive surgery. Or even her ex-husband, Oliver, a maxillo-facial surgeon at the London hospital. It all depended on the extent of the patient’s injuries, and how they healed.

‘They’re here. They’re being treated by my colleagues, but we need to concentrate on you right now.’ His words, or the morphine kicking in, seemed to pacify her a little. He wanted to check on Natasha’s patient too and see how serious her injuries were.

‘Keep an eye on her oxygen levels please.’ Leaving the team to dress Mrs Alexander’s burns to keep the air from getting to them, and give her fluids, he moved to the neighbouring cubicle.

‘Anything I can do?’ he asked Natasha. Though she was perfectly capable of handling the situation herself, he was ready to offer assistance if needed.

She frowned, studying her young patient. ‘We’ve started fluids and administered pain relief, but I’m concerned about the extent of her burns.’

Evan examined the child carefully, the little winces of pain cutting into his very soul as he did so. ‘I think we need ENT down here to check all of them for possible swelling in the throat after inhaling all that smoke, but I also think this little one is going to need débridement surgery to prevent infection.’

‘Poor mite.’ Natasha had clearly already formed a bond with her patient, as she always did. That was what made her such a great paediatric surgeon. She cared. It wasn’t just about doing a job and going home. That was why he liked her so much.

Along with the fact that she’d been there for him when his ex hadn’t. She’d understood his struggle to even get up in the morning when his life had felt as though it had fallen apart. Natasha had helped him through that dark time instead of ignoring his feelings, like everyone else in his life had. This young patient couldn’t have anyone better in her corner.

‘Would you like to assist in the surgery? We’re short-staffed, and I’d appreciate having your expertise in there with me.’ He’d done this kind of procedure hundreds of times before, but he’d liked working alongside Natasha tonight. It didn’t happen often enough, and if there was one thing he’d learned over the past eighteen months it was that he couldn’t have enough of her in his life.

‘I’d like that, thanks.’ Natasha’s smile gave Evan a warm sensation inside that he hadn’t experienced for a long time.

An unnerving development for someone he’d only ever seen as a friend.