A December to Remember
Autor:in
Sue MacKay
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Chapter One
‘PHA THAT LUANG,’ the jumbo driver said over his shoulder, pointing to a stunning white temple behind high gates with two guards standing to attention outside. On elegantly crafted pillars gold gleamed in the bright sunlight. ‘Stupa.’
‘Wow, it’s beautiful,’ Ellie Thompson whispered. She even hadn’t noticed they’d driven into the centre of Vientiane, her brain being half–shut down with sleep deprivation. Wake up and smell the roses. You’re in Laos, she admonished herself. But she was shattered. Too bad. New start to life, remember? Probably no roses in Laos. Definitely no ex.
Right. Forget tiredness. Forget the humiliation of everyone from the CEO right down to the laundry junior at Wellington Hospital knowing her husband had left her for her sister. Forget the pain and anger. Start enjoying every day for what it could bring. There’d be no nasty surprises for the next four weeks while in Laos. She could relax.
Holding up her phone, Ellie leaned over the side to click away continuously until the temple was out of sight. Slumping back against the hard seat, she thought longingly of the air-conditioned taxis that had been waiting outside the border crossing at Nong Khai railway station. With the sweat trickling down between her shoulder blades adding to her unkempt appearance, this windowless mode of transport open to the air, dust and insects kind of said she’d had a brain fade when she’d chosen the jumbo over a taxi. But taxis were old hat, jumbos were not. Except right now a shower and bed were looking more and more tempting, and sightseeing a distant second.
Leaning forward, she asked the driver, ‘How far?’
‘Not long.’ He shrugged.
Guess that could mean anything from five minutes to an hour. Shuffling her backside to try to get comfortable, she watched the spectacular sights they passed, nothing like New Zealand at all. Vientiane might be small and compact but there were people everywhere. Locals moved slowly with an air of having all day to accomplish whatever it was they had to do, while jostling tourists were snapping photos of everything from temples to bugs crawling on the pavement as if their lives depended on it.
After a twelve-hour flight from Wellington to Bangkok, followed by a thirteen-hour turned into sixteen-hour train trip to Laos, Ellie’s exhaustion overshadowed the excitement only days ago she’d struggled to keep under control. Yep, she’d had a few days after she’d finished at the hospital for good when she’d begun to look forward to her trip instead of constantly looking over her shoulder to see who was talking about her. That excitement was still there; it just needed a kick in the backside to come out of hiding.
This was her first visit to Indochina and her driver was taking her to the amputee centre and hospital where she’d signed on until the second week of December. Ellie pinched herself. This was real. She’d finally taken the first step towards moving beyond the mess that had become her life and recharging the batteries so she could make some decisions about her future. ‘Where to from here?’ had been the question nagging her relentlessly for months. Laos was only a stopgap. But it was a start. Then there was the six-month stint to come in Auckland. It was the gap of nearly four weeks between jobs that worried her. Those weeks included Christmas and had her stomach twisting in knots. She was not going to her parents’ place to play happy families when her sister would be there.
As the jumbo bumped down a road that had lost most of its seal the yawns were rolling out of her. Damn, but the air was thick with heat. Her make-up was barely sticking to her face and where her sunglasses touched her cheeks they slid up and down, no doubt making a right royal mess. So not the look she wanted to present to her new colleagues, but trying to fix the problem with more make-up would only exacerbate her untidy appearance. Nor did she carry an iron in her handbag to tidy up the rumpled look sported by her cotton trousers and sleeveless T-shirt. Today a fashion statement she was not. Hopefully everyone would see past that and accept her for her doctoring skills, if nothing else. That was all that was required of her anyway, besides being all she had to give these days.
Taking that train instead of flying from Bangkok hadn’t been her wisest decision but back home it had sounded wonderful when the travel agent showed her the photos—highly enhanced pictures, she now realised. Face it, even riding all the way here on an elephant would’ve been tempting compared to living in the shadow of her ex and the woman he now lived with. Caitlin. Her sister. Her ex-sister. Her supposedly close and loving sister. Pain lanced her. The really awful thing was she still missed Caitlin, missed their closeness, the talks— Huh, the talks that obviously hadn’t mentioned anything about both of them loving the same man. Her husband.
Sounding bitter, Ellie. Damn right she was bitter. Freddy had slept with Caitlin—while still married to her. She shook her head. The self-pity was back in New Zealand, as was the humiliation from having people knowing what happened. Putting up with everyone’s apparent sympathy when most of those so-called concerned friends enjoyed keeping the hospital gossip mill rolling along had been gross.
But no more. Her contract was at an end, and nothing the CEO had said or offered had tempted her in the slightest to stay on. From now on she’d look the world in the eye, and make plans for Ellie Thompson. Taking back her maiden name had only been the first step. She liked her brand-new passport with its first stamps for a journey she was taking alone, in a place no one knew her or her history. It was a sign of things to come.
She patted her stomach. Down, butterflies, down.
Then they turned the corner and at the end of the street a muddy river flowed past and she leaned forward again.
‘Is that the Mekong?’ When the driver didn’t answer she raised her voice and enunciated clearly, ‘The river? The Mekong?’
He turned to nod and smile his toothless smile. ‘Yes. Mekong.’
The mighty Mekong. She’d always wanted to see the famous river and now it was less than a kilometre away. ‘Wow,’ she repeated. She knew where she’d be going for her first walk in this delightful place. Another yawn stretched her mouth. That would have to be after she’d slept round the clock.
‘I show you.’ A sharp turn and they were heading straight for the river. Their stop was abrupt, with Ellie putting her hands out to prevent slamming against the seat in front of her.
‘Out, out.’ Her new friend smiled. ‘See Mekong.’
He was so enthusiastic she couldn’t find it in her to say she really wanted to get to her destination. Anyway, wasn’t she supposed to be grabbing this adventure with both hands? Climbing down, she went to stand on the edge of the river beside the driver. It looked like running mud, nothing like the clear waters of New Zealand rivers. But it was the Mekong. ‘It’s real. I’m here right by the river my dad used to talk about.’ Except he’d seen it in Vietnam. ‘Hard to imagine all the countries this water flows through.’
The driver stared at her blankly. Her English obviously beyond his comprehension. Or too fast. She tried again, a lot slower this time, and was rewarded with a glower at the mention of Vietnam.
‘Go now.’
Okay, lesson learned. Avoid mentioning the neighbours. After a few quick photos she climbed back into the jumbo, fingers crossed they were nearly at the clinic.
The next thing Ellie knew she was jerking forward and sliding to the edge of her seat.
‘Here centre,’ her driver told her. He must’ve braked hard.
She’d fallen asleep with all those amazing sights going by? Idiot. Looking around, she noted the rutted dirt road they’d stopped on. Beyond was a long, low building made of concrete blocks, painted drab grey. A few trees that she didn’t recognise grew in the sparsely grassed front yard. Nothing like home—which was exactly what she wanted, needed.
Out of the jumbo she stretched her back, then rubbed her neck where a sharp ache had set in. No doubt her head had been bobbing up and down like one of those toy dog things some people put in the back window of their cars. Great. Heat pounded at her while dust settled over her feet. What was a bit more grime? It’d wash off easily—as she hoped the past year would now she’d arrived in Laos, a place so far from her previous life it had to be good for her.
‘Come.’ The driver hoisted her bag and headed towards a wide door at the top of a concrete step, where a group of men and women sat looking as if they’d been there all day and would be there a lot longer. It had to be the main entrance.
She followed him, pausing to nod at the lethargic folk whose soft chatter had stopped as she approached. When she smiled and said, ‘Hello,’ they all smiled back, making her feel unbelievably good.
Inside it was not a lot cooler, and as she handed the man his fare and a huge tip she was greeted by a kind-looking woman who had to be about twenty years older than her. She came up and gripped Ellie in a tight hug. ‘Sandra Winter? Welcome to the amputee centre.’
As Ellie tried to pull out of this lovely welcome that wasn’t for her the woman continued, ‘We’ve been looking forward to your arrival all week. The doctor you’re replacing had to leave early. Oh, I’m Louise Warner, one of the permanent staff here. I’m the anaesthetist while my husband, Aaron, is a general surgeon. He’s gone to the market. You’ll meet him later, along with the rest of the staff.’
Ellie smiled, trying to keep her exhaustion at bay for just a little longer. ‘I’m not Sandra Winter. I’m—’
‘You’re not?’ Louise looked beyond her. ‘That explains the jumbo.’ Louise returned her gaze to Ellie, a huge query in her eyes. ‘I’m sorry. It’s just that we were expecting someone and I saw you and made a mistake.’
Ellie let her bag drop to the floor and held out her hand. ‘I am Ellie Thompson, your replacement doctor. Did you not receive an email from headquarters explaining there’d been a change? Sandra has had a family crisis and couldn’t come.’
Louise slowly took her proffered hand, but instead of shaking it wrapped her fingers around Ellie’s. ‘No email, no message at all. Nothing.’
Yeah, she was getting the picture. ‘It was a spur-of-the-moment thing. I used to work with Sandra and when I heard how she couldn’t come I put my hand up. My contract with Wellington Hospital literally ran out the same week. It was manic for a few days.’ Hard to believe everything she’d got done to be ready in that time. Getting a passport and visas had had her running around town like a demented flea. She’d booked flights, bought appropriate clothes for the climate and job and had dinner with Renee and two friends. No wonder her head was spinning.
Louise still held her hand. ‘Forgive me for not knowing and thinking you were someone else. I am very grateful you could come over at such short notice. It can’t have been easy.’
No, but it had already begun to act like a balm to the wounds left by her husband and sister. ‘Believe me, I’m the grateful one here.’
‘We’ll debate that later. I’d better text Noi. He went to the airport to meet Sandra.’ She gave Ellie another quick hug.
When was the last time she’d been hugged so much? She wouldn’t count the tight grasp the head of A and E had given her at her farewell. A fish had more warmth, whereas this woman exuded the sort of kindness that would make anyone feel comfortable.
‘I’m very glad to be here.’ Where’s my bed? And the shower? All of a sudden her eyes felt heavy and gritty, her head full of candy floss and her legs were struggling to hold her upright.
‘The children are busting to meet you. And the staff.’ Louise finished her text and set off in the direction of a door, leaving Ellie no choice but to follow.
Of course she wanted to meet the kids she’d be working with, but right this minute? ‘How many children are here at the moment?’
‘Fourteen. But that number fluctuates almost daily depending on new casualties. Then there are the families who can’t leave their children here, or can’t get to see them at all so that we go out to their villages for follow-up care. I’m only talking about the amputees. The hospital annex sees to a lot of other casualties, too.’ Louise sighed. ‘It’s hard. For the patients and their families. And us. In here.’
They entered what appeared to be a classroom. Ellie must’ve looked surprised because Louise explained, ‘We have teachers working with the children who stay on after their surgeries. Some are with us for months so we try to keep the education going during their stay.’
Chairs scraped on the wooden floor as kids stood up, some not easily, and the reason quickly became apparent. Three had lost a leg or a foot. Looking closer, Ellie noted other major injuries on all the children.
Her heart rolled. What was tiredness compared to everything these youngsters were coping with? She dug deep, found a big smile and tried to eyeball each and every kid in front of her. ‘Hi, everyone. I am Ellie.’ She stepped up to the first boy. ‘What’s your name?’
‘Ng.’ The lad put out his left hand, his right one not there.
Ellie wound her fingers around the small hand and squeezed gently. ‘Hello, Ng. How old are you?’ Then she nearly slapped her forehead. These kids wouldn’t understand English, would they?
‘Six.’
Six and he’d lost an arm. And he understood her language. A well of tears threatened, which was so unprofessional. Do that and Louise would be putting her back on that train. Gulping hard, she turned to the next child. But seriously? She really had nothing to complain about.
The next half hour sped by with Ellie sitting and chatting with each child. Not all of them understood her words but they must’ve picked up on her empathy and her teasing because soon they all crowded around touching her, pointing at themselves and laughing a lot. Over the next few days she’d get to know them better as she changed dressings and helped with rehab, but this first meeting was unbelievable. She filed away each name and face so that she’d never have to ask them again. They deserved her utmost respect and she’d make sure they got it.
‘Ellie? Ellie Baldwin, is that really you?’ The male voice coming from across the room was filled with surprise and pleasure.
She snapped her head up and stared into a familiar pair of grey eyes she hadn’t seen in four years. Mind you, they’d been angry grey then, like deep, wild ocean grey. ‘Luca?’ Her heart pounded loud in her ears. ‘Luca, I don’t believe this.’
‘It’s me, El.’ No one else dared call her that. Ever.
As she stepped forward Louise was prattling an explanation about why she was here, but Ellie cut her out and concentrated on her old friend and housemate. Concentrated hard to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating. Checking this truly was Luca Chirsky, even when she knew it was the man she’d shared notes and rosters with at med school, and more than a few beers at the pub or in the house they’d lived in with Renee and another trainee doctor. Time hadn’t altered his good looks. Though he did appear more muscular than she remembered, which only enhanced the package. Bet the ladies still plagued him. Some plagues were okay, he’d once joked.
Finally she said, ‘I haven’t seen you in forever.’ Wow, this was a fantastic bonus to her trip. A surprise. She shivered. A good surprise, she told herself. ‘Who’d have believed we’d meet up here of all places?’
Then she was being swung up in strong arms and spun in a circle. ‘It’s been a while, hasn’t it?’ Those eyes were twinkling at her as they used to before she’d gone off to marry Freddy. This was Luca. He had never hesitated with telling her what he thought of her fiancé, none of it good. The thrill of seeing him again dipped. If only there were some way of keeping her marriage bust-up from Luca.
Not a chance. ‘Didn’t you say your name was Thompson?’ Louise asked from somewhere beside them. ‘I’m not going deaf as well as forgetful, am I?’
Luca almost dropped Ellie to her feet. His finger lifted her chin so he could eyeball her. ‘You’ve gone back to Thompson, eh?’ Then he deliberately looked at her left hand, which was still gripping his arm, her ring finger bare of a wedding band, and then back to lock his gaze on hers. ‘So you’re single again.’ He didn’t need to say, ‘I warned you.’ It was there in the slow burn of his eyes, changing his pleasure at seeing her to caution.
Ice-like fingers of disappointment skittered across her arms. So much for being excited to see Luca. She’d had a momentary brain fade. Having a few of them today. After all this time without any contact between them he’d gone for the jugular straight up. Guess that put their friendship where it belonged—in the past. She didn’t understand why. They’d been so close nothing should’ve affected their friendship. The last person on the planet she’d expected to find here was Luca, and he knew too much about her for these weeks to now be a quiet time. She could do without playing catch-up, or the shake of his head every time he said her surname. Luca would cloud her thinking and bring back memories of where she’d planned on being by now if she hadn’t gone and got married. Plans she’d sat up late at night discussing endlessly with him until she’d started dating Freddy.
Even now Luca’s head moved from side to side as he said, ‘Seems you’re right, Louise. Ellie Thompson she is.’
Fatigue combined with annoyance and a sense of let-down to come out as anger. ‘Are Mrs Chirsky and your child here? Or are they back in New Zealand awaiting your return?’
The expression on his face instantly became unreadable as he took a step back from her. ‘Don’t go there, Ellie,’ he warned.
So he could give her a hard time and she should remain all sweetness and light. Too bad she’d forgotten how to do that since that fateful morning she’d found Freddy in bed with more than a pillow. ‘Or what?’ she snapped. Last time they’d talked he’d been gearing up for his wedding. More like girding up. There’d been a pregnancy involved that he definitely hadn’t been happy about. Nor would he talk to her about it, or anything going on in his life then. He’d clammed up tighter than a rock oyster. Kind of said where their friendship had got to.
Louise tapped her arm. ‘Come on, I’ll show you to your room so you can unpack and take a shower.’
It was the worried look Louise kept flicking between her and Luca that dampened down Ellie’s temper; nothing that Luca had said. ‘I’m sorry. I must sound very ungrateful. I’d really like to see where I’m staying.’ She didn’t want Louise thinking her and Luca couldn’t work together, because they could. It would just be a matter of remaining professional and ignoring the past. Easy as.
Luca picked up her bag before she could make a move. ‘I’ll take that.’
Louise scowled. ‘Maybe you could catch up with Ellie later when she’s had some sleep.’
To lighten the atmosphere that she’d created just by being here, Ellie forced a laugh. ‘Trust me, there won’t be any talking about anything past, present or future for the next twenty-four hours. I’m all but comatose on my feet. The sooner I can lie down, the better. I got no sleep at all on the train from Bangkok. The carriage was too noisy and stuffy.’
Luca draped an arm over her shoulders. ‘That’s what planes are for, El. They’re comfortable and fast, and the cabin crew even feeds you.’ Back to being less antagonistic, then. His use of El was a clue.
‘Remind me of that later when I come up with some other hare-brained scheme for getting home.’ She’d left booking flights as she had no idea what she might want to do next, where she might go to fill in the weeks between this job and the position she was taking up early in January. Following Louise, Luca’s arm still on her shoulders and feeling heavy, yet strong and familiar, she sucked in on her confusion. Maybe she did need familiar right now. Maybe her old friend could help her by going back over that time when she’d made the monumental error of thinking she loved Freddy more than her future and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. Now she wanted to reroute her life and, if she stopped being so defensive, talking to Luca might turn out to be the fix she needed. If he didn’t rub her nose in what had happened, they should be able to get along just fine. Surely their past friendship counted for something?
Then heat prickled Ellie’s skin. Damn, but she needed a shower. She probably smelled worse than roadkill that had been left in the sun for days. Except this heat felt different from what she’d been experiencing all morning.
She shrugged away from Luca’s arm and straightened up the sags in her body. ‘I’m looking forward to catching up.’ She smiled at Luca. The heat intensified when he smiled back. Most unusual. Had to be excitement over seeing him again, despite the shaky start. ‘But not today.’
Might as well go for friendly; after all they used to be very good at it. There’d been a time, when they were sharing that house, that there was little they didn’t know about each other. At one point just before they’d finished their first year as junior doctors she’d wondered if they might’ve had a fling. They’d seemed attracted to each other in a way they’d never been before, and then she’d met Freddy and that had been that. Eventually she’d moved to Wellington and lost contact with Luca and the others she’d lived with for so long, until the beginning of the year when she’d caught up with Renee and now shared an apartment with her. Ellie had presumed Luca had married and become a father. Seemed she’d been wrong.
Thankfully today she could categorically state she felt no attraction for Luca at all. Not a drop. That heat had been something out of the blue. Hell, today she was struggling with the friendship thing after the way he’d looked at her with that ‘I told you so’ in his sharp eyes. It made her want to grind her teeth and kick him in the shin. It reminded her how he used to be so positive about diagnoses when they were junior doctors. That was ‘the look’ he’d become known for. Unfortunately he was more often right than wrong about everything.
Just like his prediction about her ex. Except not even Luca had got it as bad or humiliating as the demise of her marriage had turned out to be.
