Angels With Dirty Faces
II
Doctors buzzed around the young woman, using language Kevin didn’t understand, they glanced at him giving him sympathetic looks,
“Now, Mr Medhurst?” He nodded “We’re hoping to be as quick as we can but as Scarlett needs extensive work we can’t guarantee a time”
“I’ll wait” he said determined “In the relative’s room”
Her mother interrupted
“Kevin, love maybe you could go home get some sleep and a shower you’ll have time”
Nausea washed over him,
“But I…what if something happens”
“Then I’ll let you know love, I’ll call you as soon as I know anything”
He shook his head,
“I’ll be seeing her off to theatre” her mother nodded “and I’ll be back by eight tonight”
“we’re just taking her down”
The surgeon said quietly, Kevin stepped over to her bedside taking her hand and sweeping her hair from her forehead, with tears obstructing his vision he brought his face to the side of hers placing a small kiss on her cheek,
“Don’t you dare leave me”
He whispered his voice fractured.
--
They sauntered back towards the mess room, exhausted minds and aching bodies,
“Quick cuppa then bed I think” Kevin announced as he flicked the kettle on, a chorus of voices agreed “How you settling in Dolly?”
Scarlett rolled her eyes with a smile, it had been three weeks since George had called her that and it had stuck, there were days where she didn’t even respond to people using her Christian name,
“Fine thank you” she laughed “I don’t know what I was nervous about, not like any of you lot are scary”
He grinned as she took a steaming mug of tea from his hand,
“How you finding driving the truck?”
George asked
“It’s fine, clutch is a bit stiff but other than that she’s a dream!”
The mundane conversation carried on before one by one the crew slipped in to the sleeping quarters, until just Kevin and Scarlett remained,
“What made you want to be a fire woman then?”
He spoke in a hushed tone his head resting on his hand, she held her mug in both hands pursing her lips and looking away pretending to think,
“I suppose because my mum told me I couldn’t” Kevin laughed loudly, hushing himself quickly “Everyone laughs when I say that! But seriously she always had me in these poxy frilly dresses and bloody bows, I guess she put me off any sort of girly jobs, I was never going to be a nurse or a secretary”
“So, she went mad then?”
“Nah, she wasn’t happy, but she knew it’s what I wanted so I think she just turned a blind eye, cried at my passing out though”
She sniggered at the memory
“My mum didn’t even come to mine; my brother was up in front of the magistrates for theft that day, so she had to be there instead!”
“Ugh that’s awful! Shame you didn’t know my mum at the time, she loves a do!”
He laughed, the two remained chatting in to the small hours of the morning, giggling between themselves as they heard George and Bay leaf snoring from the sleeping quarters.
Kevin stretched in his chair,
“Suppose we better turn in then”
Scarlett nodded, suddenly yawning, they stood quietly tucking their chairs in and placing their mugs in the kitchen sink, Kevin moved towards sleeping quarters, she reached out placing a hand on his shoulder,
“Kev” He turned “Thanks for tonight, it’s the first proper interaction I’ve had since I’ve been here”
He smiled
“No worries I know what it’s like to feel a bit lost, thanks for the tea”
--
He sat on the bed, his hair still dripping from the shower, he had tried to sleep but had no joy, his mind raced with his thoughts always snatched back to what could be happening in that operating theatre, he shuddered.
He paced up and down the relatives room, the door squeaking behind him making him jump,
“Kevin!” His mother in law pulled him in to a hug “I told you to stay at home!”
“I couldn’t! any news?”
“She’ll be back on the ward in about an hour love, she’s in recovery at the moment, you can’t see her yet love”
“Now, Mr Medhurst?” He nodded “We’re hoping to be as quick as we can but as Scarlett needs extensive work we can’t guarantee a time”
“I’ll wait” he said determined “In the relative’s room”
Her mother interrupted
“Kevin, love maybe you could go home get some sleep and a shower you’ll have time”
Nausea washed over him,
“But I…what if something happens”
“Then I’ll let you know love, I’ll call you as soon as I know anything”
He shook his head,
“I’ll be seeing her off to theatre” her mother nodded “and I’ll be back by eight tonight”
“we’re just taking her down”
The surgeon said quietly, Kevin stepped over to her bedside taking her hand and sweeping her hair from her forehead, with tears obstructing his vision he brought his face to the side of hers placing a small kiss on her cheek,
“Don’t you dare leave me”
He whispered his voice fractured.
--
They sauntered back towards the mess room, exhausted minds and aching bodies,
“Quick cuppa then bed I think” Kevin announced as he flicked the kettle on, a chorus of voices agreed “How you settling in Dolly?”
Scarlett rolled her eyes with a smile, it had been three weeks since George had called her that and it had stuck, there were days where she didn’t even respond to people using her Christian name,
“Fine thank you” she laughed “I don’t know what I was nervous about, not like any of you lot are scary”
He grinned as she took a steaming mug of tea from his hand,
“How you finding driving the truck?”
George asked
“It’s fine, clutch is a bit stiff but other than that she’s a dream!”
The mundane conversation carried on before one by one the crew slipped in to the sleeping quarters, until just Kevin and Scarlett remained,
“What made you want to be a fire woman then?”
He spoke in a hushed tone his head resting on his hand, she held her mug in both hands pursing her lips and looking away pretending to think,
“I suppose because my mum told me I couldn’t” Kevin laughed loudly, hushing himself quickly “Everyone laughs when I say that! But seriously she always had me in these poxy frilly dresses and bloody bows, I guess she put me off any sort of girly jobs, I was never going to be a nurse or a secretary”
“So, she went mad then?”
“Nah, she wasn’t happy, but she knew it’s what I wanted so I think she just turned a blind eye, cried at my passing out though”
She sniggered at the memory
“My mum didn’t even come to mine; my brother was up in front of the magistrates for theft that day, so she had to be there instead!”
“Ugh that’s awful! Shame you didn’t know my mum at the time, she loves a do!”
He laughed, the two remained chatting in to the small hours of the morning, giggling between themselves as they heard George and Bay leaf snoring from the sleeping quarters.
Kevin stretched in his chair,
“Suppose we better turn in then”
Scarlett nodded, suddenly yawning, they stood quietly tucking their chairs in and placing their mugs in the kitchen sink, Kevin moved towards sleeping quarters, she reached out placing a hand on his shoulder,
“Kev” He turned “Thanks for tonight, it’s the first proper interaction I’ve had since I’ve been here”
He smiled
“No worries I know what it’s like to feel a bit lost, thanks for the tea”
--
He sat on the bed, his hair still dripping from the shower, he had tried to sleep but had no joy, his mind raced with his thoughts always snatched back to what could be happening in that operating theatre, he shuddered.
He paced up and down the relatives room, the door squeaking behind him making him jump,
“Kevin!” His mother in law pulled him in to a hug “I told you to stay at home!”
“I couldn’t! any news?”
“She’ll be back on the ward in about an hour love, she’s in recovery at the moment, you can’t see her yet love”