Australian Affairs: Seduced. Carol Marinelli

dressing.

      ‘I do have tin-opener,’ Marnie scolded. ‘Just because Mum keeps hers in the second drawer, you didn’t think to look in the third.’

      Harry grinned to himself at the good-natured banter between brother and sister and then he came over and carefully examined the wound as well as testing for sensation in Adam’s finger. ‘You’re a pianist, Marnie tells me?’

      ‘I’m a computer programmer,’ Ronan said.

      ‘Well, you’d need your fingers working for that…’ Harry opened a needle and checked Ronan’s sensation more thoroughly as Marnie stood wondering if Harry was thinking he’d been brought in under false pretences.

      ‘He’s a very good pianist,’ Marnie said. ‘I didn’t mean to make it sound like he was a maestro.’

      ‘You didn’t,’ Harry said. He looked at Ronan. ‘I’m sure you’ve realised that this injury is more than just a straightforward cut that can simply be stitched.’

      ‘I pretty much knew straight away,’ Ronan said. ‘Will I still be able to play?’ he asked, and Marnie found she was holding her breath as Harry dealt with the issue that she hadn’t been able to talk about during the journey to the hospital. ‘I mean, will I still be able to play at the level I was?’

      ‘First I have to do my part,’ Harry said, ‘then the rest is going to be up to you.’ Harry was honest. ‘You’ll be in a splint afterwards and looking at a lot of hand therapy. It’s early days yet. For now we have to repair it and then see where we’re at.’

      ‘Harry’s an amazing hand surgeon,’ Marnie said. ‘You couldn’t be in better hands.’

      ‘Excuse the pun,’ Harry said, and Ronan gave a pale smile, then Harry went through more of what Ronan could expect. He was very calming—even as he discussed the extensive rehabilitation ahead. ‘Right, we’ll get you around to our minor theatre. The tendon’s still partially intact so I’ll be able to do it under a block, but first I need to go and get something to eat as it might take a while.’

      ‘Can I have a drink?’ Ronan asked.

      ‘Sorry,’ Harry said with a brief smile. ‘That was cruel of me. No, you can’t have anything in case you do end up needing a general anaesthetic.’

      ‘You’re doing him tonight?’ Marnie checked.

      ‘I told you I was!’ There was a slight edge of irritation to Harry’s voice when he addressed Marnie, which he quickly fought to check. ‘I’m not available tomorrow and the sooner that it’s repaired the better.’

      ‘I can assist.’

      Harry rolled his eyes. ‘Have you looked in the mirror?’ Marnie hadn’t. ‘Even your lips are white. I’ll ask Kelly.’

      Kelly came in and introduced herself to Ronan and Marnie excused herself as Kelly said she was going to get him into a gown and prepared for Theatre.

      ‘I’ll be waiting in my office,’ Marnie said, but of course it didn’t end there because Kelly was asking about Ronan’s next of kin. ‘I should ring Mum and tell her.’

      ‘Not tonight.’ Ronan shook his head. ‘Please, Marnie, can that wait till tomorrow?’

      Marnie was only too pleased to agree.

      She gave Ronan a brief cuddle and then headed to the kitchen for another glass of water, where she found Harry feeding bread into the toaster.

      ‘Thank you for coming back to do this.’

      ‘It’s fine,’ Harry said.

      ‘What about the children?’

      ‘Charlotte and Adam are staying the night at my parents’. I’m going to get them tomorrow.’

      ‘I feel awful…’

      ‘Well, don’t. You were right not to want Adam hanging around the department—he has got chickenpox.’

      ‘Oh, no,’ Marnie said. ‘I feel terrible that he doesn’t have you tonight.’

      The toast popped up and Harry started buttering it but he did turn and speak at the same time. ‘Marnie, it’s my job—it’s what I do. It’s what I’ve been trying to do since Jill died. I can’t count the times I called Jill and said someone had come in and that I needed to be here…’

      ‘It’s appreciated.’

      ‘Good. I am the best hand surgeon in this hospital. I’d want me for this.’

      ‘I’d want you to,’ Marnie said, and from nowhere, absolutely from nowhere, a blush spread over her cheeks and, given how pale she had been, there was no chance of hiding it. ‘I meant—’

      ‘It’s fine.

      The strangest thing was, as the colour soared up her cheeks, Harry, who never blushed, thought that he might be as well.

      Or was it just terribly warm?

      ‘The thing is—’ Marnie started, but Harry interrupted.

      ‘Right, now I would just like ten minutes’ peace before I go and do surgery,’ Harry said, and, taking his toasted sandwich, he stalked off to his office rather than the staffroom, but there was no peace to be had there either.

      There was an inbox that was so full it spilled over the edges and he daren’t check his emails because he’d need a week to get them clear.

      Harry ate his sandwich then changed into scrubs and headed into the minor theatre where Ronan lay, chatting with Kelly, who was setting up for the operation.

      ‘I was just telling Ronan that he’s got his sister’s hands.’ Kelly smiled.

      ‘I don’t remember Marnie’s being quite so hairy,’ Harry said, as he put in the nerve block that would ensure Ronan couldn’t feel anything during surgery. ‘Your accent isn’t as strong as Marnie’s. Though I guess you were much younger when you came to Melbourne.’

      ‘We came to Perth first,’ Ronan told him, and it wasn’t, Harry noted, just Ronan’s hands that were similar to Marnie’s—he could talk for Ireland too. ‘But Dad got transferred to Melbourne a couple of years later. I don’t really remember Perth. I think I remember more about Ireland, though I’m not sure if it’s from going back or Mum talking about it. I’ve been back twice now, though Marnie goes back far more often. She misses it like crazy.’

      Harry looked up. ‘Didn’t she want to emigrate?’

      ‘No,’ Roman said. ‘Though she didn’t want to leave Perth either. She always said the moment she turned eighteen and she had her own passport she’d be straight back to Ireland, but she got into nursing…’ Ronan didn’t continue.

      He didn’t have to.

      Harry pretty much knew what had happened from there. As he waited for the block to take effect, he spent a moment thinking about Marnie.

      Harry’s heart seemed to constrict for a moment.

      No wonder she was so tough, she’d had to learn how to be.

      He checked each finger in turn, making sure that the anaesthetic had taken full effect before starting.

      It was a very intricate operation, which required Harry to wear magnifying glasses and to focus extremely hard, but every now and then Kelly would take his glasses off and he would sit up straight for a moment and take a very brief break. Sometimes he found himself listening to Ronan and Kelly talking, mostly about music and computers, but now and then the conversation drifted to Marnie.

      ‘I fight all the time with my sister,’ Kelly was saying.

      ‘It’s not worth fighting with Marnie,’ Ronan said. ‘It’s her way or the highway.’

      Ten years older than Ronan,