Intensive Care: Escape to the Country (23 page)

“So, want to tell me what’s going on, sis?” Nathan asked after she’d introduced him to Baxter and they had moved inside. “Why the tears? That’s not like you.”

Kate stood at the kitchen bench, waiting for the kettle to boil so she could make them both a cup of tea. She loved having her brother in her house. They’d always been close and although they stayed in touch via Facebook and the occasional Skype conversation, it wasn’t the same as face to face. The humidity had returned, just as Kate had anticipated. Outside the crickets were still singing, making an absolute racket that could be heard through the open windows.

“I’m not sure I even know where to start. So much has happened.”

“Why don’t you start with who that cute girl was storming out of here?”

Kate sighed as she squeezed the tea bags and threw them into her compost container. Handing one mug to Nathan, she grasped her own between her hands and inhaled the fragrant scent before explaining. “That was Emma. She’s Joel and Liam’s younger sister – she’s about ten years younger than them.”

“Hang on, who’s Liam?” Nathan asked.

Kate sighed again. “I guess I’ve got a lot of explaining to do.”

Nathan followed Kate into the lounge room and Kate turned on the coffee table lamps, casting a gentle yellow glow across the room.

Kate took a sip of her tea before looking at her brother. “So, I’ve told you all about my friend Joel?” she asked.

“Well
you
haven’t told me much about him,” Nathan laughed, “but Mum and Dad have filled me in. I’d better warn you, Kate, Mum’s already hearing wedding bells in the distance!”

“You’re kidding me,” Kate exclaimed. “What is it with people – just because you spend time with someone, everyone jumps to the conclusion that you must be ready to pick out china patterns at the Myer bridal gift registry!”

Nathan held up his hands in mock surrender. “Don’t shoot the messenger, sis. I’m just saying, Mum and Dad think he’s a pretty special guy. They’ve told me how well he treated you after you got sick.”

“Dad’s just happy that he’s not into AFL like Marcus was.” Kate smiled at her brother.

“Yeah, well, there’s that,” he replied. “So, who is Liam then?”

“Joel’s twin.”

“Oh Kate. Don’t tell me! You mixed the two brothers up and kissed the wrong one!”

“I did
not
!” She threw a cushion at her brother, which he caught expertly in one hand before it knocked his mug of tea over.

“I only met Liam last week. He arrived when Joel got sick.”

“What’s wrong with Joel?” Nathan frowned, his expression immediately serious.

“Oh he’s fine now,” Kate assured him. “He should be home from hospital in the next few days.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Nathan repeated.

“He had pneumonia and a pneumothorax …” Kate was about to explain more when Nathan held his hands up.

“Stop right there, sis. You know I hate listening to you talk about anything medical. And if I don’t stop you now you’ll be showing me graphic YouTube videos of people with bloody missing limbs and then I’ll have to leave.”

“Weak!” Kate teased her brother.

“So …please continue. Where does his little sister fit into the picture?” Nathan asked.

“Well, that’s where it’s all a bit weird,” Kate said. “I first met Emma when she served me one day at the café. She works there with Joel. I knew she didn’t like me from the moment we met but I didn’t find out why until later. Turns out, she’s overly protective of her big brother.”

Nathan reached over and playfully pinched Kate on the upper arm. “Sounds kind of familiar so far!”

“I am not overly protective of you at all,” Kate refuted.

“Rubbish,” Nathan replied. “Every email or text I receive from you always starts out with the words ‘I hope you’re okay,’ and usually ends with ‘have you met anyone special yet?’” Nathan teased.

“Anyway …” Kate drew the word out, refusing to be baited by her brother, although what he was saying was completely true. “As I was saying, Emma is very protective of Joel because she was best friends with Beck, Joel’s fiancée.”

“The one who was killed by the drunk driver,” Nathan said. “I remember you telling me about that.”

“Yes. But it’s more than that – tonight she came over to tell me that although she
knows
I’m in love with Joel and she
knows
Joel is in love with me, we can’t have a relationship because I won’t give up alcohol.”

“What?” Nathan looked confused and shook his head. “That’s ridiculous!”

“I know!” Kate shrugged her shoulders and waved her arms in the air.

“Why’s it any of her business anyway?”

“It’s not. And that’s pretty much what I told her just before she left.”

“Okay,” Nathan said, “but that doesn’t explain the tears. I know you, Kate, and there has to be more to this story than just some kid giving you her opinion.
Are
you in love with Joel?”

Kate sighed again. “I like him. I like him a lot. Maybe I love him. I’m still not sure really,” she admitted. “But there’s a problem.”

“Liam?” Nathan asked.

“Kind of,” Kate replied. “You see, Liam has decided that because I’m not in a relationship with his brother, then I’m fair game for him. He keeps asking me out.”

“And let me guess, Joel is jealous,” Nathan said.

“No! That’s just the problem! Joel has completely backed off. As soon as he saw me with Liam, he pulled away. Right after I think he was about to kiss me! It was like we were two strangers. We were finally about to take a step forward in our relationship, but they made some stupid promise when they were kids that if one brother asked a girl out, that means the other one can never ask the same girl out. They call it their ‘secret code.’” Kate used her fingers to make quotation marks in the air. “And by asking me out first, Liam wins, meaning Joel can’t ever ask me out.”

“That’s bloody ridiculous,” Nathan said. “For Pete’s sake, they’re not teenage boys anymore.”

“I know!”

“So what are you going to do?”

“I have no idea. That’s why I’m so upset.”

“Well I think you need to answer one important question,” Nathan said.

“What’s that?”

“Which brother can you see yourself dating? Liam or Joel?”

“Joel!” The answer came out quickly and easily. It was a no-brainer.

“Well your problem is solved then,” Nathan said. “Tell Liam thanks but no thanks. You’re not interested. It’s not that difficult, sis.”

“But their code …” Kate didn’t finish her sentence, but let out a frustrated sound. “Joel won’t ever ask me out now because Liam has already taken me out for dinner.”

“Blimey, Kate. This isn’t some scene from an historical romance novel,” Nathan said. “You’ve just gotta tell Liam you’re not interested and tell Joel you
are
interested in him. Easy.”

“Argh! I feel like I’m in the middle of some bizarre love triangle,” Kate laughed.

“No you’re not,” Nathan said. “You’re over-thinking things as usual, sis. It’s not that complicated. You’re not some prize to be won. Just tell Liam you’re not interested in him. And if you’re not sure how to tell Joel your feelings, I suggest you start where he left off. Just kiss the guy!”

Kate stared at her brother in shock. There was no way she was going to be the one to make the first move. Nathan picked up the remote control for the television, turning the set on. He clearly thought the conversation was over.

“But what about Emma and this whole business about not drinking when I’m around Joel?”

Nathan turned the television back off and sighed. “I honestly wouldn’t worry about it,” he said. “She’s just a kid acting all emotional.”

“I suppose,” Kate said, sounding anything but certain.

“Has Joel ever mentioned any of this to you? Has he ever told you he still struggles around alcohol or people drinking?” Nathan asked.

“Never.”

“So maybe it’s just his sister’s opinion that he doesn’t share.”

“I guess so.” Kate still didn’t sound convinced.

“Kate! Stop second-guessing and worrying about stuff. Just talk to Joel. If it’s an issue to him, let him be the one to tell you. And if he’s not interested in you it doesn’t matter anyway. You’ve still got Liam waiting in the wings!” Nathan laughed at his own joke.

Kate shoved Nathan back into the seat of the couch with a grimace. “Not funny, Nath!”

“So, am I sleeping on the couch or have you got that spare room ready for me?” Nathan asked, changing the subject.

“How long are you intending on staying around?” Kate asked, secretly hoping he was planning on staying as long as possible.

“I’m here for the rest of the week if that’s okay with you,” Nathan replied. “I fly out on the weekend.”

“Perfect.”

Kate showed Nathan where he would be sleeping and hugged him tightly at the door to the bedroom. “Thanks for coming, Nathan. I’ve missed you so much and you showing up here tonight is the best surprise ever. Chatting online just isn’t the same thing as getting to hang out together. I miss you, you know that, don’t you?”

“I miss you too. And I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to get here.” Nathan let his sister go, stepping back and taking a long look at her. “You know, I reckon living out here agrees with you,” he said.

“It does,” Kate agreed.

“So do you see yourself staying here for good?”

Without hesitation Kate replied, “Absolutely!”

The following morning Kate barely had time to contemplate the previous day’s strange conversation with Emma as she got ready for work. She moved quietly around the farmhouse, hoping she wasn’t disturbing her brother.

Throughout the day she immersed herself in the usual busy activity of the unit, not allowing herself time to dwell on the discussions she needed to have with Liam and Joel. When her shift finally ended, she didn’t hang around but left promptly at three o’clock. Taking the stairs, she exited the building and was delighted to see it was another warm day with brilliant sunshine and not a cloud in the sky. Kate stopped at the main doors to the hospital and looked upward, closing her eyes, allowing the warmth of the sun to heat her face. She inhaled deeply and rolled her shoulders. Summer was standing at the doorstep, waiting to be welcomed in.

“Kate!” a voice called out to her, cutting into her reverie.

She opened her eyes to see Liam loping across the car park toward her.
Oh great! Why now?
Even though she knew she needed to talk to him, she wasn’t ready for this conversation.

Liam reached forward to pull her into a hug. She kept her arms by her sides and he quickly pulled back, his hands gripping her upper arms as he looked into her face.

“What’s up? I thought you’d be pleased to see me!” Liam said.

“I am,” Kate laughed nervously. She twisted the ring on her finger. 

“I hear a ‘but.’”

An elderly man was pushing his wife in a wheelchair through the doors and Kate stepped to one side to allow them to pass her, breaking the contact with Liam as she did so. She started walking toward her car and he followed. He easily caught up with her and again tried to put his arm across her shoulders.

“Liam, can we talk?” Kate asked.

“Sure,” he said, looking slightly crestfallen. “Here?” He looked around, indicating the car park.

Kate smiled. “No, how about we go for a walk down to the river.”

“Well I like the sound of that!” Liam replied, his face again lighting up with pleasure at the suggestion.

Together they walked toward the river. Liam kept up a steady flow of one-sided conversation about what he had been doing all day. Joel’s name wasn’t mentioned and Kate wondered when the timing was going to be right to ask how he was doing. Kate headed toward an open area of grass that went down to the river’s edge. She walked toward the river and sat down on the recently mown grass. Liam followed her. A flurry of leaves swirled and skimmed the green grass, rising and falling with the gentle breeze.

“I thought we were going for a walk,” Liam said. “If I’d known we were going to sit on the grass and enjoy the sunshine, I would have brought a picnic blanket and some wine and cheese and we could have enjoyed a lovely afternoon together.” He was trying too hard to impress her, but if she’d been even remotely interested in him, his attentions would have made her feel like a million dollars.

“Liam,” Kate interrupted him. She knew she had to tell him quickly before his romantic notions took off in the wrong direction. “I like Joel.” Kate blurted the words out.

“I know,” Liam said, “so do I. He’s a top bloke.”

“No Liam,” she replied, shaking her head. “I like Joel. As in, I’d like to spend more time getting to know Joel better. More than just friends.”

His face fell. “Oh. So you’re not interested in going out with me?” he asked.

“Liam, don’t look so disappointed! It’s not like I’ve just turned down your wedding proposal!” Kate tried to laugh and ease the bite from her words.

Liam reached his hand into his pocket and Kate had an instant memory of Marcus making the same move. When he pulled it back out empty-handed, Kate breathed a sigh of relief.

“How do you know I wasn’t about to propose?” Liam asked her, the grin returning to his face as he teased her. In his humor she could see the similarities between the two brothers.

“Oh Liam!” Kate started to breathe normally again.

“So, that’s all good then,” Liam said, brushing imaginary grass from his hands. “I’m okay with being rejected and passed over because my brother is clearly a better catch than me. Is it because he’s better looking?” Liam smiled as he spoke, clearly not in the least offended.

“Well, I’m not really rejecting you,” Kate said. “I don’t even
know
you! But Joel and I have become really good friends and I was hoping we could pursue our relationship a bit further. Of course, that’s if he still wants to.”

She felt herself blushing. She was usually hesitant to openly share her feelings with anyone, but speaking to Liam was so easy, just like it was with Joel.

“Well at least you’re not rejecting me over my looks.” Liam grinned.

“No,” she laughed. “But now there’s a slight problem,” she said, hoping Liam would understand what she was implying.

“What’s that?” he asked, then a look of understanding passed over his face as realization came slowly. “Oh. The code.”

“Yes. The. Code,” Kate repeated. “Joel isn’t going to start a relationship with me out of respect for you and this stupid schoolboy thing you guys have going.”

“You’re right,” Liam said, leaning back on the grass. “That is a problem. And you’re also right, it’s stupid we still even have the code. So what are you going to do?”

“I have no idea,” Kate replied, plucking at a blade of grass. “Right now Joel’s backed off completely because he’s got the impression that you’ve already asked me out.”

“Yeah, I can see how he might have got that idea,” Liam agreed. “Sorry about that. I really started off on the wrong foot with you, Kate, and I’m sorry. I thought I was being charming but really I was just being a jerk. So, should I just leave town again?”

“Don’t be silly, Liam. That won’t fix anything. You need to talk to Joel. Tell him you’re not interested in me and there’s nothing between us. Can you try to make him understand that he can ask me out if he wants to?” Kate hoped she didn’t sound desperate.

“Wouldn’t it be better coming from you?”

“I suppose,” Kate replied.

“He’s a good guy, Kate, and he deserves someone special like you. I am really sorry for cracking onto you. If I’d known you both had such strong feelings for each other I wouldn’t have acted like such an idiot.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes and the only sound came from the cockatoos in the trees overhead.

“Liam, can I ask you something else?”

“Sure.” Liam sat up and looked curiously at Kate. It was clear he heard the serious edge to her voice.

“Emma came to visit me last night.”

“Why?”

“She pretty much told me that I wasn’t allowed to have a relationship with Joel because I drink alcohol.” Kate wasn’t quite sure how to explain the whole conversation to Liam.

Liam let out an exasperated sigh. “Did she tell you why?”

“Something about Joel not being able to handle alcohol still.” Kate tried to remember exactly what Emma had told her.

“Yeah, that’d be right,” Liam said. “Emma has got a few strange ideas in that pretty head of hers.”

“Can you explain what she means?” Kate asked.

“Well I suppose Joel should be the one to tell you this, but since you asked, I’ll try to explain it.” Liam took a deep breath. “Joel doesn’t tell many people about his drinking problem because it came when he was in a really dark place.”

“After Rebecca died,” Kate confirmed. “I know that. He’s told me all about this.”

“Yeah. You know the story I suppose. He was drinking way too much and one day Emma flipped out when she couldn’t get hold of him. Well, when I arrived, he was unconscious on the floor. It had taken me ten hours to reach him. I have no idea how long he’d been like that. If he hadn’t rolled onto his side when he fell down, he would have killed himself with his own vomit. It wasn’t pretty. I got him cleaned up and he promised to get help. He moved back here and joined AA.”

“Alcoholics Anonymous,” Kate said. “Again, none of this is news to me.”

“Yep. And to be fair, he hasn’t touched a drop of alcohol since, and he’s completely turned his whole life around.”

“But he’s clearly not as fundamental as Emma is about not drinking alcohol,” Kate stated. Although as she thought about it, she recalled that she’d never seen him drink alcohol when they were together.

“Oh, he’s fundamental all right. He’s just not in-your-face about it like Emma is,” Liam replied.

“So, he doesn’t drink at all?”

“Never.”

“And this whole thing about not wanting to be around me if I drink alcohol – he would agree with that?” Kate asked.

“Look, Kate,” Liam said, “I really don’t know. You’d have to ask him, but honestly, I doubt it. It’s probably something Emma’s just got in her head. You’ve got to remember, she’s pretty young. She had only just turned eighteen when Rebecca died and it shook her up really bad. She’s pretty protective of Joel nowadays.”

“More like overbearing,” Kate said under her breath.

The two of them sat in silence again. Kate continued to pick at individual blades of grass and let them fall through her fingers as her thoughts swam through her head.

“You know the court case is coming up soon. It’s got everyone in the family a bit on edge.”

“Court case?” She looked up at him.

“Yeah, the guy that drove into the girls that night and killed Rebecca. The trial starts next week. No one’s talking about it with Joel, but I guarantee it’s on his mind.”

“So that’s why Emma is so scared,” Kate said, almost to herself.

It explained so much. The stress of the upcoming trial would be weighing heavily on him. No wonder Emma thought he might have been drinking again before he fell sick. It probably also explained why he had been keeping his distance from her. He might think he’d forgiven the driver and moved on, but it was clear to Kate that he hadn’t.

If only she knew how she could help him.