The Accidental Romeo. Carol Marinelli

to her office, Marnie gave it a good wipe down with alcohol rubs and then, deciding it was too drab, she rang a local florist and asked for flowers to be delivered. Then she asked Cate Nicholls, who had been filling in after Christine had left, to bring her up to date with certain protocols and paperwork.

      ‘Most multi-trauma goes straight to the city, though it depends on transport availability, so we can get a sudden influx,’ Cate explained, but Marnie had gone through most of this at her interviews. The paperwork took a while—there were all the patient complaints and staff incident reports to go through.

      ‘They’re mainly about waiting times,’ Cate commented.

      ‘And cleanliness,’ Marnie observed, flicking through them. ‘Is there a protocol for cubicle preparation for the patients?’

      ‘Not one that’s written as such,’ Cate said.

      There soon would be! Still, Marnie moved on to the budget lists and all the stuff that Cate had loathed but which Marnie just loved to tackle.

      ‘I hope everything is up to date,’ Cate said. ‘If it’s not…’

      ‘I’ll just ask you,’ Marnie answered.

      ‘I won’t be around, though,’ Cate reminded her. ‘I’m going on annual leave next week.’

      ‘Of course, you’re getting married…are you going anywhere nice for your honeymoon?’

      ‘We’re getting married in Argentina,’ Cate answered. ‘Juan and I—’

      ‘You’re marrying Juan?’

      ‘That’s right.’

      ‘The new doctor?’ Marnie checked, and Cate nodded.

      ‘How long are you going to be away for?’

      ‘Three weeks.’

      Cate was still smiling. Perhaps, as most would be, she was waiting for congratulations—she just didn’t know Marnie, whose only interest at work was work. ‘Are you saying that Juan’s got three weeks off!’ Marnie exclaimed. ‘But he’s only just started.’

      By nine a.m. both Lillian and Cate had glimpsed what was to come.

      By midday the rest of the staff were starting to.

      ‘Are there four of her?’ Kelly, one of the nurses, grumbled as she sat on a stool beside Harry.

      ‘Sorry?’ Harry looked up from the notes he was writing. ‘Four of who?’

      ‘Marnie.’ Kelly sighed. ‘It seems that everywhere I go, there she is.’

      Harry grinned. Marnie certainly wasn’t hiding in the office, as Christine had—she darted in and out and wherever you looked it seemed that she was there.

      Harry had noticed and, as if to prove Kelly’s point, Marnie soon appeared.

      ‘Where are the nursing roster request forms kept?’ Marnie asked Kelly.

      ‘In here.’ Kelly opened a drawer and pulled out a large diary, which Marnie took.

      Then Marnie sat on a stool at a computer, quietly working her way through the rosters before disappearing.

      ‘See!’ Kelly said. ‘She’s everywhere…’ She launched into another moan but her voice trailed off as Marnie returned with not just a new diary but instructions.

      ‘From now on, all of the off-duty requests are to be written in the new diary, along with a reason for requesting that date,’ Marnie said, as she pinned up a laminated note stating the same. ‘If you would prefer to speak to me personally, rather than write your reasons down, that’s fine.’

      Satisfied the note was up straight, she turned and Harry realised that, though the nursing rosters had nothing at all to do with him, he was watching her. He quickly looked away, telling himself he hadn’t just been admiring the rear view of the new nurse manager and the way her dress had lifted just a fraction as she’d pinned up the note.

      Surely he’d remember if anything had ever happened between them?

      Surely?

      ‘Do you have a moment?’ Marnie asked.

      ‘Sure.’

      ‘Not here.’

      Harry had guessed this would be coming—Cate had warned him that Marnie had been less than impressed about Juan taking time off. With a slight roll of his eyes he headed to her office and took a seat, leaning back in the chair and stretching out his legs, absolutely refusing to jump through hoops for Marnie, as everyone else seemed to be.

      ‘I was just looking through the doctors’ roster and it would seem that we are very short of senior medical staff.’

      ‘We have been,’ Harry said. ‘But things are steadily improving. We’ve got Juan now and there’s another new consultant—Dr Cooper—starting soon.’

      ‘Which would be great but I’ve just found out that Juan has been given three weeks’ annual leave, starting well before Dr Cooper commences.’

      ‘He’s going home to Argentina—you can hardly go there for a long weekend.’

      ‘But that will leave us with just you and Dr Vermont to cover the department.’

      ‘I’m aware of that.’ Harry was more than aware— things had only just started improving and now the nightmare was going to begin all over again, not that he was going to reveal the logistical nightmare to Marnie. ‘Juan’s getting married,’ Harry pointed out, assuming that there the discussion would end.

      He just didn’t know Marnie.

      ‘Could he not have delayed his wedding till Dr Cooper had started?’

      ‘It was a whirlwind romance,’ Harry answered with a wry smile.

      ‘Please!’ She rolled her eyes. ‘There’s no such thing and, even if there was, surely true love could at least wait a month.’

      ‘Apparently not!’ Harry said. ‘Look, Juan is an amazing doctor and believe me when I say such a highly skilled doctor is usually pretty hard to entice to come and work at Bayside Hospital. Once immigration and everything is sorted, Juan’s going to be a huge asset to the place but he only agreed to take the role if I accommodated his annual leave request.’

      ‘You acquire annual leave,’ Marnie said. ‘Juan hasn’t acquired any, from what I can see.’

      Harry tried a different tack. ‘The guy broke his neck a while back, he was barely able to walk when he got to Australia. As well as getting married, he really wants to return home and let his family see how well he’s doing.’

      Oh, but Marnie was having none of it. ‘So Juan breaking his neck means you have to bend over backwards and break yours to accommodate his love life?’

      Harry was sure then that he hadn’t slept with her!

      He’d certainly remember—Harry had never met anyone like her in his life! ‘You’re not a romantic, I take it?’ Harry’s voice was dry.

      ‘There’s not a single romantic bone in my body,’ Marnie said. ‘But so long as you can assure me that the department will be adequately covered with senior medical staff then it’s not my issue.’

      ‘It will be covered.’

      ‘Good.’

      Harry stood up and turned to go, but how well they might have known each other was driving him crazy, so he decided to simply bite the bullet and ask, ‘What year were you at Melbourne Central?’

      ‘You really don’t remember?’ Marnie said. ‘I was blonde then, if that helps.’

      ‘Blonde?’ Harry looked at her very thick black hair. ‘That would have taken some peroxide.’

      ‘It