The Firefighter and the Single Mum, page 3
“Sit up,” Lindsey said with an annoyed frown. “Don’t spill.”
Josh sat up a fraction of an inch, and continued to blow bubbles into his glass with his straw. Austin could tell he was hoping the other kid didn’t see him.
“So what’s your favorite subject in school?” Austin asked, trying to change the subject. He edged his chair over, hopefully obstructing the kid’s view of Josh from the booth.
“I dunno.” Josh shrugged, still slouching in his seat.
“Come on, you must have a favorite,” Austin urged. “English? Math? History? Science?”
“Math is OK, I guess.”
Lindsey glanced at him in surprise. “Just OK? What are you talking about? You love math.”
Josh didn’t answer as the waitress chose that moment to bring their food.
As they ate, Josh didn’t say more than two words unless asked. Austin wondered what the heck was up with Josh and the cop’s son, but he decided he’d wait until he and Josh were alone to ask.
Lindsey didn’t seem to notice Josh’s silence. Would she resent his interference if he did ask Josh what was going on? Or would she remind him Josh wasn’t his concern? He didn’t want her to tell him again to leave her alone.
Especially as Lindsey and Josh shouldn’t be alone. Sam should have been here with them.
Sam’s death had been his fault. Over these last few months the truth had been gnawing at him. Maybe it was time he confessed to Lindsey how he had been the cause of Sam’s death.
“Lindsey, your next admission has been placed in room six.”
“Thanks.” Lindsey flashed a quick smile at the ED charge nurse and glanced at the clock hanging over the main board, amazed to realize her shift was nearly over. These short, six-hour fill-in shifts were wonderful, especially while Josh was in school.
But then her smile faded as the reality of her situation set in. Short shifts were nice, but she really needed to try to pick up more hours to pay for home owner’s insurance. Yet with all the trouble Josh had gotten into over these past few months, the thought of leaving him home alone, even for an hour, bothered her. She’d prided herself on always being home for him.
Shaking off her troublesome thoughts, she read the name listed beside bed number six on the main ED board where the patient’s names automatically lit up the moment they were registered in Triage. Her next patient was Blaine Larson, a sixteen-year-old with a possible concussion he’d sustained during a fistfight.
“Great,” Lindsey murmured under her breath. “I hope this isn’t where Josh is headed.” Skipping school and arguments in the playground were bad enough—she couldn’t take it if Josh started fighting.
With a sigh she picked up the clipboard set up for bed six and glanced down at the initial information the triage nurse had collected. Blaine was awake and alert but was only oriented to his name and place. He was confused about the date and time. Otherwise, his vital signs were stable.
She grabbed her stethoscope and headed into the room. Blaine was a tall, broad-shouldered, nice-looking, clean-cut kid. He had a large welt on his lip, but no other obvious outward signs of trauma. With closed head injuries, though, the worst part of the damage was hidden from the naked eye.
“Hi, Blaine, my name is Lindsey. I’ll be your nurse. Tell me what happened.”
“I don’t remember. But from what I’ve been told, me and some of my friends were arguing with these jock football players and one of them slugged me in the face.”
“Hmm.” She glanced over at Blaine’s mother seated next to his cart, then looked back at the patient. “Can you answer a few questions for me? What’s your full name?”
“Blaine Michael Larson.”
“What day is it?”
“I don’t know.” He glanced over to his mother for help. Lindsey subtly shook her head, indicating his mother shouldn’t answer.
“Do you know the month?” Lindsey persisted.
“Uh, July? No, wait. It has to be August.”
Not even close. She frowned. “What about the year? Do you know what year it is?”
“No.” Blaine shook his head. “All I know is that someone hit me in the face.”
“Where are you? What is this place?” Lindsey asked.
“A hospital. Sun Valley Community Hospital.”
“That’s right.” Lindsey smiled, taking a penlight out of her pocket and flashing it in the boy’s eyes. His pupils looked equal and reactive to light. They weren’t overly dilated or misshapen. “Does your head hurt?”
“No.” Blaine frowned and gently fingered his bruised lip. “But my mouth hurts.”
“I’m sure it does.” Lindsey glanced at Blaine’s mother. “Do you know if he lost consciousness?”
“Yes, apparently for a few seconds he did.” Blaine’s mother sighed. “I don’t know why he was in a fight. He normally gets along fine with people.”
Lindsey nodded, thinking the same thing about Josh. In the past he’d got along fine with the other kids at school, too. Only lately he’d been complaining of stomachaches in the morning. And his grades were slipping, no doubt a result of his skipping school. With everything that had happened after losing Sam, her son had turned into a complete stranger.
And she didn’t know how to get him back.
“OK, I’m going to listen to his heart and lungs, and then we’ll have the doctor come and take a look. I think we’ll probably get a CT scan of his head, just to make sure everything’s all right.”
“I understand,” Mrs Larson said.
Lindsey did a quick assessment but other than his lack of memory Blaine appeared to be a healthy sixteen-year-old. After writing up her findings, she went out to report to the ED physician.
The physician on duty was Dr Markham. He examined Blaine Larson and then ordered blood work and a CT scan of his head.
“What about a drug screen?” Lindsey asked. “I mean, I know he’s sixteen, but shouldn’t we check, just in case?”
“Not a bad idea. Let me ask his mother.” Dr Markham took Blaine’s mother aside, and after a brief conversation with her he came back. “Yes, add a urine drug and alcohol screen. She said she’s never caught him doing any drugs or drinking, but it’s best to make sure.”
“OK.” Lindsey called the radiology department to arrange the CT scan then quickly went in to draw Blaine’s blood. To be on the safe side, she placed a twenty-gauge capped IV in his antecubital vein. “You’re going to feel a poke here,” she warned.
“Ouch,” Blaine yelped when she slid the needle in.
“All done.” She drew the blood off and then taped down the catheter and capped off the line in case they needed it later. “Someone will be here shortly to take you to Radiology. We’re going to get a scan of your head to make sure there’s no bleeding in there.”
“All right.” Blaine was pretty cooperative, considering the gaps in his memory. Some head-injury patients could get very aggressive.
Lindsey checked on her other patients, one was an elderly man who was waiting to be admitted to a hospital bed for management of his congestive heart failure and the other patient a young girl who’d broken her wrist falling out of a tree. All in all, a quiet day as far as shifts in the ED went.
She took five minutes to eat a sandwich she’d brought from Austin’s house while Blaine was getting his CT scan. She hoped she and Josh would be able to move back home soon. It was sweet of Austin to lend them a hand, but sharing his house with him was much harder than she’d imagined.
Even worse was the deeper temptation to let Austin solve her problems. She knew he would if she so much as dropped a hint.
No. She needed to be strong. Jumping up when she saw Blaine being wheeled back, she went over to meet him, glad to hear the results were negative. She checked on his laboratory work before going to talk to Dr Markham again.
“Everything on Blaine Larson is negative.” She handed him the lab results which she’d printed off the computer. “Including his drug screen.”
“Hmm. Good, I guess he’s OK to be discharged, then, but his mother needs to keep an eye on him for the next twenty-four hours.”
“I’ll give her the informational brochures on how to take care of a concussion.” Lindsey had already pulled the information off the computer and lifted the sheets of paper from the printer tray. They had a ready reference for common ailments online.
She’d just finished giving Blaine’s mother the instructions, making sure she understood what to watch for in case Blaine’s confusion grew worse, when she heard her name being called.
“Lindsey? You have a call on line two from Sun Valley Elementary School.”
The school? Josh. She hurried over to pick up the phone. “Hello, this is Lindsey Winters.”
“Mrs Winters? This is Eric Dolan, Principal of Sun Valley School. We have Josh here in our office. He’s been caught skipping school again. You’ll need to come in.”
No, not again. She closed her eyes and rubbed her temple. Dear heaven, what was wrong with him? This was the second time this month. Then barely a week before that she’d been called because he’d used foul language on the playground. Her sweet son, using bad language. She could hardly believe it. “I’m at work, but I’ll do my best to leave.”
“We’ll be waiting.” Principal Dolan didn’t sound too sympathetic.
With a sick feeling in her stomach, Lindsey hung up the phone and found the charge nurse. “I’m sorry, but I need to go. Josh is in trouble. Again.”
Sue glanced at the clock. “Well, your shift is over in thirty minutes anyway, so that’s fine. We’ll cover your patients.”
“Thanks.” Lindsey gave report on the status of her remaining patients then left. Outside, in her car, she hesitated, thinking about Austin. As much as she wanted to be independent, there was no denying Josh needed someone to talk to. She’d noticed how Austin had tried to draw Josh out over dinner last night, trying to break her son’s bad mood.
For a moment she rested her head on the steering wheel. Austin was the last guy she should lean on for strength. He was far too appealing. Too nice. Too attractive.
Too single!
He was just being nice with his repeated offers to help. And she understood. He tried to help because he was Sam’s friend and wanted to look after her. He had a reputation throughout the ED of being a womanizer, going from one nurse to another. She refused to stand in line.
Besides, he certainly hadn’t asked for her to be attracted to him. He thought she was the grieving widow. He had no idea how strained things had gotten between her and Sam before his death.
In fact, she was convinced Sam’s death was her fault. He had probably been upset and not thinking clearly during the wildfire because she’d filed for divorce right before he’d left on his last smoke jumping mission.
CHAPTER THREE
AUSTIN WAS STANDING in Lindsey’s house, assessing the water damage in the corner of her living room, when his phone rang. He recognized Lindsey’s number. “Hello?”
“Austin. I’m sorry to bother you, but I need your help.” Her voice sounded thick, as if she was near tears. “I just got a call from the school. Josh’s in trouble. Again.”
He frowned, thinking Josh had seemed perfectly fine yesterday. Well, except for his withdrawal at dinner. “What happened?”
“He was picked up by the police for skipping school again,” she admitted.
“He skipped school?” Again? Why hadn’t she said anything about the first time?
“Yes.” She sniffled loudly. “It started a couple of months ago, right before we moved. He’s been skipping school and once I was called because he used bad language on the playground. I just don’t know what has gotten into him. He won’t talk to me, but I thought you might have better luck. Will you come?”
He didn’t hesitate. “I’ll be right there.”
“Good. Thanks.”
“No problem. I’ll meet you at the school.” Austin closed his cell phone and then glanced at the contractor he’d hired to go over Lindsey’s house. “I want a full report within the hour on what needs to be completed to bring this place up to code.”
“Will do,” the contractor agreed.
Satisfied, he left Lindsey’s house and jumped into his truck. The elementary school in Sun Valley wasn’t too far, although the house Lindsey had shared with Sam had been much closer. Pushing the speed limit as much as he dared, he made it to the school in fifteen minutes. He parked next to Lindsey’s bright yellow car and walked into the building, looking for the principal’s office.
Instinctively, he knew where it was. He’d spent a few hours in the principal’s office when he’d been a kid, too.
He found Lindsey was already there, wearing her green hospital scrubs, her arm looped around Josh’s thin young shoulders. The kid was staring at the floor, as if he wished he could just disappear.
“Mrs Winters, surely you understand that this behavior of Josh’s has to stop. This is the fourth incident over the past two months. His grades have deteorated, and if you don’t figure out a way to keep him from skipping school, I’m afraid he may need to repeat the fourth grade.”
“I understand.” Lindsey’s desperate gaze caught Austin’s. His stomach squeezed in sympathy. First Sam’s death, then moving to a new house, then the fire and now this. He had a feeling she couldn’t take much more.
“Have you taken our advice and arranged counseling for Josh?” the principal asked in a perplexed tone.
Austin was surprised when she nodded. “Yes.” Lindsey glanced down at Josh, who stared stubbornly at the toes of his shoes. “Dr Ellen Sandberg is convinced that Josh’s anger and lack of interest in school is directly related to the loss of his father.”
Austin hadn’t known Josh was seeing a psychologist. What else didn’t he know?
“Hmm.” The principal’s expression was serious. “That may be, Mrs Winters, and, of course, we’re very sorry about your loss. I’m sure this is a difficult time for both of you. But Josh is certainly old enough to understand right from wrong, and skipping out of school is wrong.” The principal spread his hands in a helpless gesture. “I’m not sure what you expect us to do. We can’t pass him if he doesn’t go to school.”
“I know.” Austin saw Lindsey’s grip tighten on Josh’s shoulder. “Josh won’t do it again.”
When Josh hunched his shoulders and stubbed his toe into the floor, Austin wasn’t so sure about that.
“Josh?” he stepped forward, joining the conversation. “What happened? Why did you skip school?”
Josh shrugged and glanced up at Austin, defiance reflected in his blue eyes. “I dunno.”
“‘I don’t know’ is not an acceptable answer,” Lindsey said in a sharp tone. “How do you expect to pass if you don’t go to school?”
He understood Lindsey’s frustration, but there had to be more going on here. Did Josh miss Sam that much? His gut clenched. He hadn’t lost his father, so he couldn’t even begin to imagine how Josh was coping. Was he lonely? Josh seemed to have at least one friend, Tony. Austin had grown up in a rowdy, noisy family with lots of brothers and sisters. He’d never been lonely, even when he’d wanted to be left alone.
“He needs to serve a detention. And make up the work he’s missed,” the principal continued. “You’ll have to talk to his teacher to arrange for the completion of all his missing assignments.”
Austin could see all this talk about extra homework was only making Josh feel worse. Not that he shouldn’t do the work, but there was no sense dwelling on it.
“Let’s go,” he said in a low tone to Lindsey.
She nodded, understanding his desire to talk to Josh outside the school. “I’ll be in touch with Josh’s teacher,” Lindsey said.
The principal stood. “Mrs Winters, I’d like to receive a report from his counselor prior to allowing him back into class. I need to know there isn’t something more going on here with Josh’s truancy.”
“I understand.” Lindsey’s worried frown brought a wave of helpless anger over Austin. She shouldn’t have to bear the burden of all this alone. She tugged Josh’s arm. “Come on, let’s go.”
Josh followed her out, looking completely dejected. Austin felt bad for the kid. What in the world had happened? There had to be a reason he was acting like he was. Because of the move? It didn’t seem like a mere move would be enough to cause him to skip school. Josh had always been a nice kid, had never been in trouble before that he was aware of.
“I’m sorry to bother you,” Lindsey said, as they walked through the parking lot to their respective cars. They’d managed to stay out of each other’s way that morning as she’d got Josh up and ready for school and then left for work.
“It’s not a big deal. In fact, I was out at your house, talking to the contractor.” He glanced at Josh, who lagged behind as if he didn’t want to be near either of the adults. “We’ll meet at my house, OK? I’d like to try talking to Josh alone, man-to-man.”
Lindsey nodded and he figured it was a sign of how upset she was that she didn’t jump on his comment about the contractor. “Do you think he’ll talk to you, Austin? So far, Dr Sandberg hasn’t had much luck.”
“I don’t know, but I’d like to try.” Austin opened the driver’s side car door for her. When she leaned close to get in, her subtle clean scent teased his senses. His body reacted, as it always did around Lindsey. Most of the time he thought he hid his physical response pretty well. And when he felt himself losing the battle, distance worked to put things back into perspective.
Although he’d discovered distance was much harder to achieve when they were living together under the same roof.
She hesitated, putting her hand over his on the top of the car door. His pulse leapt at the light touch. “I’d appreciate it if you would talk to him, Austin. I just don’t understand what has gotten into him over these past few months.”
For a moment he stared at their hands, wishing he could pull her close, but then she turned away, sliding into the car. Josh had climbed into the passenger seat and was staring sullenly out the window. Austin took a deep breath, forcing himself to maintain control.
