Reclaiming Her Army Doc Husband Read online

Hopefully, that meant getting back on side and staying there for ever.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  VICKI KNEW THE moment Cole returned, and not only because he blocked the light reaching her and the two boys, as well as the fireman who’d stayed in here from the moment the lads had been found. It was the way her skin tightened and her fear of darkness backed off. He’d always made her feel safe, no matter what the circumstances. ‘They’re taking Callum to hospital?’

  ‘Merv’s boating him across to the other side now. A neighbour’s with Callum, making sure he’s not moving around, and will go through to the hospital as well. An ambulance has got through and is waiting on the main road.’

  ‘Hope they get another ambulance here ASAP.’ She nodded at the boy sprawled on the floor in front of her. ‘This is Lucas. He’s unconscious, head trauma, BP low, swelling in the abdomen, irregular breathing. And this other little guy is Toby. He’s as brave as his brother, Callum.’ She smiled at the wee fellow. ‘He’s got a headache and a bloody nose, but no other injuries that I can find.’

  ‘Hi, Toby. Where does your head hurt?’ Cole asked as he did a visual appraisal of the boy.

  ‘There.’ Toby touched his forehead carefully.

  ‘He fell out of bed onto his face when the wall crashed into the room. I can’t find any trauma on his skull. His speech is clear and distinct.’

  ‘Good. Hold out your arms for me, Toby,’ Cole instructed gently. ‘That’s it. Nothing sore?’ When Toby shook his head, Cole said, ‘Stretch your legs in front. They look fine.’

  ‘He’s got off lightly. Want me to take him out while you attend to Lucas? I’ll be back in a minute. Hopefully with another stretcher.’

  ‘Do that.’ Cole was already working on the prone boy, listening to his breathing while fingering his skull and on down his body, looking for more injuries. Fast yet careful, he wouldn’t miss a thing. This was a side of Cole she hadn’t got to see in action, yet she wasn’t surprised at how he dealt with urgent trauma.

  Lifting Toby to his feet, she took his hand. ‘Come on. Let’s get you out of here. Watch your head on those boards.’ She had to crawl along behind him to avoid banging her skull. Talking nonstop kept her moving, and Toby not looking around at the disaster surrounding them. She was relieved to see Karen had left, probably under protest, though she might’ve been willing to accompany Callum and try to make him relax more.

  ‘Sis, who’ve you got?’

  ‘Toby. No serious injuries, though best he goes to hospital for a thorough check-up. His case isn’t urgent; he can wait for his other brother.’

  ‘What’s happening in there?’

  ‘Cole needs another ambulance fast. A helicopter would be even better. Also a stretcher. Or a plank if there isn’t one,’ she improvised. ‘Lucas is in a bad way.’

  Damon nodded. ‘I figured. I’ve talked to Search and Rescue and they’re doing their damnedest to get transport here for the boys. The helicopters were temporarily grounded but they’re about to fly again. Apparently, the rain’s eased somewhat, though it’s impossible to believe that from where we’re standing.’

  ‘Right, where do we put Toby while waiting for transportation? I need to get back to Cole and Lucas.’

  ‘His mother’s in that house down the drive. It’s safe there, far enough away from any further slips, and not likely to be flooded. You take him down while I find something to carry Lucas out on.’

  ‘Right.’ It wasn’t totally dark. She could manage. If she didn’t think about slithering bodies on the ground. ‘Lift Toby onto my back, will you? It’ll be easier that way than if I have to keep looking out for obstacles for both of us.’

  ‘Sure. And take this. I’ve got another.’ Damon handed her a torch before swinging the boy onto her back. ‘There you go, young man.’

  As she started down the sodden track towards the house her brother stopped her.

  ‘Stay down there, Vicki. I’ll go in and help Cole with the last boy.’

  She shook her head. ‘I’ll be back.’ She wasn’t going far from Cole for any longer than necessary.

  ‘No, you won’t. In the last few minutes there’s been a couple of minor slips and we’re acting on the side of caution. I don’t want anyone else going into that wreck of a house who isn’t absolutely essential to saving Lucas, and those in there are coming out fast, no matter what state the boy’s in.’

  The urgency in his voice made Vicki’s stomach crunch tight. ‘Why are you standing here talking to me then? Get in there now. Warn Cole, the others. No, I don’t want you going in there either. It’s dangerous.’

  He wasn’t listening to her, already facing the entrance the men had created.

  She stood in the rain, her feet glued in the mud, her heart pounding and her breathing shallow. Hell, her body had been getting an internal workout since Cole had arrived. He and Damon were in danger. So were Toby’s brother and one of the fire crew.

  Please be safe. Please. Please. Please.

  They couldn’t have got this far with rescuing the family to have it go wrong now.

  Please.

  The sound of rocks rolling downhill broke into her pleas, sharpening her fear.

  Someone scanned the hill side with a spotlight. ‘Another small slip. That whole hill could go any minute.’

  ‘What? No.’

  ‘Hey, Vicki, that you? Get down to the house now. The boy needs to be out of the rain and safe. So do you.’ Merv had returned.

  ‘I’m not going anywhere until I see everyone come out of there.’

  ‘Yes, you are. Think of your patient and what being out in this is doing to him. I’ll make sure Cole joins you as soon as they’re clear. We’ll need to bring the third boy down there anyway. Now go.’

  The thudding behind her ribs increased as she trudged through the water and mud, desperate not to slip, and turning every few steps to see if anyone had made it out yet. She wouldn’t look at the hill, didn’t want to see it come hurtling down on top of the ruin the previous slip had created. This time it would be on top of those she loved.

  Banging on the open door of the house, Vicki called out, ‘Hello. I’ve got Toby here. Is Karen about?’ How was the woman managing with contractions and one son on the way to hospital and the other two hopefully following him soon?

  ‘Come in. You must be the nurse. I’m Ester.’ A middle-aged woman appeared before her. ‘Here, let me take Toby. Hello, my darling, how are you?’ She sent Vicki a questioning look.

  ‘He’s fine, though we need him to go to hospital for a full check-up.’

  ‘Toby,’ Karen shrieked from the doorway. ‘My boy, come here.’ She scooped her son out of Ester’s arms and hugged him tight, tears streaming down her face. ‘Thank you, Vicki. I’m so glad you and Cole made it here. Who knows how we’d have managed without you.’

  ‘Everyone’s been working their butts off to save your family but, Karen, I have to warn you that Lucas has more serious injuries. Damon is working on getting him out of here and into hospital as soon as it’s feasible. Cole also wants Toby to go with him, just to make sure he’s as good as we think.’

  Karen’s knees sagged, then she drew a breath and straightened again. ‘Can I go, too?’

  ‘That will depend on the transport that can be arranged.’ Vicki ached for this brave mother. ‘We’ll get you there ASAP, I promise.’ She changed the subject. ‘How are those contractions coming along?’ Fingers crossed they’d backed off.

  ‘Picking up the pace.’

  So her fingers were no use at all. ‘It might be an idea if I examine you.’

  ‘Soon. I want to hold Toby for a while.’

  Heavy footsteps sounded at the front door, then Damon’s voice called out, ‘Hello, Ester. We’re bringing Lucas inside.’

  ‘Don’t try and take your boots off. The carpet’s a mess already.’ Ester rushed t
o make room in the lounge for the makeshift stretcher Cole and Damon were carrying in.

  Cole looked around, his face tense until his eyes lighted on Vicki. ‘Hey,’ was all he said, but the simple word held a wealth of care.

  He loved her. Nothing had changed there. She’d known that all along, even when she’d been trying to justify leaving and heading away while she came to terms with her life and what she’d do next. ‘Hey, yourself.’

  His face softened, and his lips turned up into a smile all for her.

  She gave him one back, love warming her throughout. ‘How’s Lucas?’

  The smile slipped.

  That bad, huh? Her smile faded too. ‘Damon, any luck with the helicopter?’

  ‘It’s coming, but will have to land on the other side of the flood waters, especially now there’re more slips occurring. The houses further along have been evacuated but if we can avoid them being bowled over then we will. Merv’s going to take the boys across one at a time in a motorised dinghy.’

  ‘I’ll go with them if they don’t send a doctor,’ Cole announced to the room in general.

  Vicki saw Karen stiffen.

  ‘I want to go,’ the boys’ mother cried out.

  ‘There won’t be room for anyone else in the chopper,’ Damon told her briskly. ‘I’m sorry. It’s more important for a doctor to accompany the boys.’

  ‘We’ve asked for the ambulance to come for you, Karen,’ Cole said. ‘But it could be some time off. There’s a high demand for more urgent cases at the moment. Vicki will stay with you in the meantime. And me, if I’m not required to go in the chopper.’

  Again tears steaked down Karen’s face. ‘I tried phoning Arlo but got no answer. I need him. The boys need him.’

  ‘Keep trying,’ Cole said. But it wasn’t Karen he was looking at. It was Vicki.

  She felt it a punch in her chest. Longing soared. Likewise relief. Cole understood Karen’s despair because he’d heard it all before. But did he really understand? Properly? Fully? Did he get that unless things changed and he discussed future plans with her, made sure they were on the same page, wanted similar things, they weren’t going anywhere together? She deflated like a balloon stabbed with a pin. So far they hadn’t achieved much when it came to resolving their differences, and it looked like they wouldn’t be getting home where they could talk together any time soon. There was a badly injured boy in the room, not to mention a baby on its way. ‘Karen’s definitely in labour.’

  Surprisingly, Cole grinned. ‘Why wouldn’t she be? It’s the way the night’s going.’

  Karen grimaced at him. ‘All very well for you to be cheerful.’

  ‘I’m not really,’ Cole said apologetically. ‘But I’m grateful you’re all out of that building and the boys will be taken care of in hospital. Is there someone you can call to be with them until you get there?’

  ‘My in-laws. They won’t hesitate. I’ll phone them.’ Then Karen’s face scrunched up with pain, and she clasped her stomach with the hand that wasn’t holding onto Toby.

  Vicki was with her instantly. ‘Breathe. That’s it. You’re doing well. Hey, Toby, do you want to give Ester a hug?’ Thankfully, the little boy reached across to Ester’s open arms, giving his mother room to move.

  ‘Tell me when it stops. I’m going to time the next contraction.’

  ‘They’re about seven minutes apart,’ Karen gasped. ‘I don’t believe this. Where the hell are you, Arlo?’ She stared at Vicki. ‘Okay, it’s going away.’

  Glancing at her phone, Vicki noted the time. ‘Think I should examine you now.’

  ‘Hang on.’ Karen held her phone to her ear. ‘Arlo, call me as soon as you hear this. We’ve got problems. Big ones. The house has gone. The boys are going to hospital. And the baby’s coming. We need you. Love you.’

  Vicki sucked in a breath, and glanced at Cole. She hadn’t ended her call to him that night of the miscarriage with an ‘I love you’. No, she’d said she’d had enough, couldn’t do it any more. Her gut churned. How soon could they get away from here? More than anything else she wanted to talk with Cole, explain her feelings and find out more about his own needs, find a way out of this together.

  An array of emotions crossed his face as he watched her. Sadness, sorrow, disbelief all mixed up there. Similar sentiments to those slamming around her skull.

  Guilt battled with her sadness. She hadn’t uttered those three special words to him once since that night. Not when he’d been listening, anyway. She’d been afraid he’d see right through her attempt to stand up for herself. Though often in the middle of the night, when she couldn’t sleep and her pillow was drenched with tears, she’d cried out how much she loved him.

  In the beginning Cole had regularly told her he loved her, but as the months had passed he’d said it less often, until finally he’d stopped altogether.

  Why hadn’t she kept her mouth shut and held those terrible words inside? Or at least stopped long enough to think about what Cole had to be feeling about the miscarriage? Right from then they should’ve talked about it. It would’ve been easier without these past months hanging between them when she’d disappeared to the other side of the world, and he’d been fighting to get back on his feet while still occasionally talking to her as though she hadn’t done something so horrible to him.

  Yes, she had been selfish, and it had taken Karen’s reaction to her husband not being there when she needed him so desperately to see that. Did that mean she’d go back to Cole without talking about their futures? Did it? No. She couldn’t do that either.

  ‘Are we going to get some time to ourselves?’

  He nodded. ‘Yes. Definitely.’ He turned to focus on Lucas, though there was little to be done. A fully equipped operating room was required. In the meantime, Cole would do everything possible to keep the boy stable while they waited for the rescue flying machine to arrive.

  ‘What are the chances of a doctor being on board the chopper?’ she asked. Usually there would be, but who knew tonight when the rescue service was in high demand?

  Cole answered without looking up. ‘I told Damon one was necessary and Headquarters confirmed they’d send someone from the rescue centre. Otherwise I’ll go with him and one of the paramedics might have to walk home.’

  ‘That’ll make you popular.’ Disappointment flared. So far everything had worked against them.

  ‘I figure, but too bad. This wee man comes before egos. Though, seriously, if they have to they’ll probably squeeze all of us on board and it will be me walking back here. Not the other way round.’

  ‘You could stay with my in-laws,’ Karen said from the other side of the room.

  No, he couldn’t. He had to get back somehow. Vicki swallowed the expanding disappointment, and gave in to the urge to be with him. She was tied in knots of desire, and it was getting close to impossible to ignore them with each passing hour. Not that sex had been on the agenda this weekend. Not unless they suddenly made everything go away and were happy. They’d worked well together with all the injured people they’d been with, which went to show they were still in sync on some things, but it wasn’t anywhere near enough. They’d be in sync in bed, for sure. The heat in her veins dissipated, replaced with sadness.

  Cole was telling Karen, ‘I’m here to spend time with my wife so I’ll find a way back to Palm Beach no matter what.’

  Her heart melted. Maybe giving in and following him wherever he chose to go next, get a job and have all the spare time available to spend with him—if he was around and not off on some medical project or working every hour available in a hospital or clinic—was the right thing to do.

  Looking at him, she couldn’t help but smile. He was gorgeous. The almost five years they’d been together hadn’t changed her feelings. That physical attraction that had had her falling into bed with him the very first time they’d met still hummed in her
veins. That instant rapport and understanding of each other still lit up her mind, and other parts of her body. Combine everything and no wonder she’d fallen head over heels in an instant and not once had come up for air—until the miscarriage.

  She had lost a lot of time with Cole so he could follow his career choices, and mostly she’d coped by working long hours and surrounding herself with friends, not acknowledging that unsettling feeling she was missing out on so much. Until the last year when too much had gone so wrong and her world had rolled over. Julie had even asked if she was depressed, but she was certain she wasn’t. Now Cole was here, and so far refused to let her walk away without a fight. Typical Cole. And one of the qualities she admired about him, she reminded herself.

  ‘Cole?’ she called quietly. ‘We’ll get time to ourselves, I promise.’

  He grinned his special just-for-her grin. ‘As long as nature backs off and gives us a break.’

  ‘We’ll hide up in the folks’ house and ignore any more knocking or phone calls.’

  ‘As if either of us would do that.’

  ‘True,’ she sighed. ‘Let’s hope—’

  ‘Ahh...’ Karen groaned, cutting through their moment. ‘That hurts. Like a knife in my belly.’

  Vicki nodded. Interruptions were the way of things tonight. ‘I wouldn’t know what that felt like.’ Her smile dipped. She would if she hadn’t lost the baby. Don’t go there. Not now. There was enough drama going on without thinking about her own problems. ‘Your contractions are now at six minutes. Long way to go yet.’

  ‘Thanks for nothing.’ Karen grimaced. ‘Cole, how’s Lucas?’

  ‘No change. Which is better than him getting worse.’

  ‘I can’t complain about you not giving it to me straight,’ Karen muttered. ‘So what’s taking so long with that helicopter?’

  ‘There’s a bit of a storm going on out there.’ Cole leaned over Lucas and listened to his breathing. Hopefully, his mother didn’t notice the unease creeping into Cole’s demeanour.

  Damon walked into the room. ‘Right, we need to get Lucas and Toby across to the other side now. The chopper’s minutes away. Cole, we want you to go with them in the boat. Merv will take you and both boys. It’ll be a tight fit but the pilot doesn’t want to stay on the ground any longer than he has to. Vicki, you okay holding the fort here?’