She stood to his side, passing him the instrument and keeping her eyes trained on his every movement. Before long she settled into an easy rhythm of passing what was needed, leaning over to watch, and even touching the bone to help hold it in place.
‘Tell me, what anesthetic do you prefer for surgeries like this?’ she asked.
‘Well, we prefer ether usually, because of the newly improved techniques with oxygen and vaporizers, but to tell you the truth, if we end up in war, we’ll be using intravenous barbiturates, because it’s cheap and we don’t have to worry about flammability.’
She nodded, watching as Dr. Grey finished the final stitch. He’d done a tidy job, and she wished she’d had the opportunity to try a few stitches of her own under his guidance. Perhaps she could suggest it in the future, under the guise of giving Dr. Grey a well-deserved rest after surgery.
‘Now we have to cast him,’ Dr. Grey said. ‘The bone won’t heal unless we can ensure absolute immobility.’
She stood back and waited for instructions as he stretched and yawned, moving his head from side to side as if he had a sore neck.
‘Where is it you’re from, April?’ he asked.
‘Oh, I’m from Oregon,’ she said. ‘So this is a real change in scenery for me, being posted here.’
‘I absolutely agree. It’s a lovely change.’ She noticed his frown as he touched the patient’s leg. ‘We’ll need to cast the entire leg as well as the foot. Have you done this before?’
She shook her head. ‘No, sir.’
‘You’ll learn. So do you have someone waiting for you back in Oregon? A fiancé? Or just a family wishing for your safe return?’
She knew her cheeks had flushed red, but she kept her attention on the plaster cast being prepared, refusing to acknowledge her embarrassment and hoping he didn’t notice it either.
‘Just my father, actually,’ she said. ‘My sister is also here nursing, and we lost our mother some years ago.’
‘I’m sorry to hear that, but it explains why you’re so capable. I’ll put money on it that you took over her role in the home—am I right? It’s why nothing rattles you, because you’ve had to develop strong nerves.’
She met his gaze, his dark eyes full of warmth and intelligence as she basked in his praise. She was surprised by how perceptive he was. ‘You’re right. It’s made me get on with things, I suppose. There’s never been enough time for me to worry about something that I can just do my best to deal with.’
‘What do you say you join my service?’ he asked. ‘I could do with a capable nurse at my side, especially one who’s as quick a study as you.’
She couldn’t stop the beaming smile that hit her lips. ‘I would like that.’
Dr. Grey asked her to pass him something again, and she quickly fell back into place beside him, listening carefully to what he needed from her. She smiled to herself as she helped with the cast. If only she were brave enough to tell him that one day, she hoped to be a doctor every inch as capable as he was.
‘How was your shift?’ Grace asked, stealing one of April’s hairpins before she could stop her. It was Saturday night, and they were all off to a dance at the Hickam Field officers’ club, racing to get ready before they had to meet Eva.
She had two pins pressed between her teeth as she carefully did her own do, and Grace was now jostling for space in the tiny mirror.
‘Move,’ she muttered, with her teeth still clenched. ‘You’ve had hours to get ready!’
‘I was napping,’ her sister said. ‘Any interesting patients? I’m hoping the vomiting stops by tomorrow; I can’t stand cleaning out any more buckets.’
April finished her hair and moved back to pull out her compact and do her cheeks and lipstick from the comfort of her bed. It would be easier sitting there than vying with her mirror-hog sister.
‘I actually assisted in surgery with Dr. Grey,’ she replied. ‘No sick buckets for me, just a juicy big broken bone and plenty of blood spurting everywhere.’ It was an exaggeration, but she knew it would stop Grace in her tracks.
‘Ugh, really? How awful.’
‘It was amazing, actually. I’m going to stay on his service, so I’m hoping that there are a few more baseball and football injuries.’ The one today had been horrific for the poor young man involved, and she hated that he’d injured himself so badly in a training drill, but she couldn’t forget the thrill of the surgery. The feel of the instruments in her hands, the patient lying there, watching the expert push and pull of the needle as Dr. Grey had stitched the flesh back together; she’d loved every second of it.
‘Did you say you helped in surgery today?’ Poppy asked, dressed to the nines with her hair perfectly curled.
April smiled as she sat on the bed beside her. ‘Yes. It was incredible.’
‘Wasn’t the surgeon on today Dr. Dark Eyes? All the nurses were talking about him yesterday, but I haven’t seen him yet.’
She could feel Grace and Poppy watching her, waiting for her reaction. ‘I suppose he does have nice dark eyes,’ she said carefully. ‘And he cuts a handsome figure in his doctor’s coat with those broad shoulders. Very easy on the eye.’
