The SHO shook his head and glanced at the little boy. 'I was waiting for Andreas to look at him. There's no rash or anything, so I didn't think-'
'Get some penicillin inside him now,' Libby ordered softly, knowing that the doctor was still relatively inexperienced and not wanting to take any chances. 'There doesn't have to be a rash for it to be meningitis and that child is very sick. Do it, and then we can do the rest of the investigations knowing that at least we've covered that option. He's showing definite signs of raised intracranial pressure.'
She'd nursed children with meningitis before and she knew that the presentation often varied. But it was still a lethal disease and she wasn't taking any chances while they waited for Andreas.
Jonathon hesitated and then nodded. 'All right. If you think so.'
'I do,' Libby said firmly, reaching for the penicillin that she'd put on the trolley. She turned to the parents, her tone calm and reassuring. 'We're just going to give him some antibiotics. Do you know his weight?'
She calculated the dose based on what the parents told her and then handed it to Jonathon, who checked it and gave it to the restless child.
Max's mother, Heather, was white with anxiety. 'You think it might be meningitis, don't you?'
'It's a possibility,' Libby said gently, 'which is why we've given the penicillin at the earliest time, but our consultant will be here soon and-'
'I'm here.'
Libby felt a rush of relief as she recognised the voice behind her. She'd never been so pleased to see Andreas in her life.
'This is Dr Christakos.' She introduced him to the parents, realising just how much she loved him. Just how much faith she had in him.
Andreas was by the child's side in an instant, taking the handover from Jonathon as he examined the sick little boy.
'You poor little thing,' he murmured gently, his large hands gently palpating the child's abdomen. 'Jonathon, has he had penicillin?'
'Yes.' The SHO shot Libby a look of gratitude. 'Libby thought we should go ahead with that and not wait for you.'
'Good decision.'
Andreas completed his examination and straightened. 'I want to do a lumbar puncture straight away-can you lay up a trolley?'
'It's here.' Libby pushed it forward and a small smile played around his firm mouth.
'Do you ever get anything wrong?'
Her heart beat slightly faster. 'Yes. But when I do, I try to put it right.'
For a brief moment his dark eyes were questioning and then he strode over to the sink and started scrubbing, talking to the parents as he prepared to perform the lumbar puncture.
He explained what he was planning to do and why, and Heather clung to her husband, the worry visible on her face.
'Perhaps you would rather wait outside while we do this,' Andreas suggested, but Heather shook her head.
'No. I don't want to leave him.'
Andreas looked at Libby. 'We'll do it in the treatment room. I want to get a line in first but then someone needs to hold him for the LP.'
'I'll hold him,' she said immediately, 'and I'll ask Bev to find someone to assist you.'
Moments later they were all gathered in the treatment room and Andreas inserted a line with ease. That done, Libby gently turned Max on his side, talking quietly to him all the time.
She curved the little boy round so that his knees were up by his chin, flexing the spine, and watched while Andreas marked the skin with a pen and then draped and sterilised the area.
Bev settled Heather at the head of the trolley. 'Sit there and talk to him,' she suggested quietly, 'but keep your back to Dr Christakos and then you won't have to watch what's happening.'
Andreas infiltrated the skin with local anaesthetic and then tested the site, his eyes flickering to hers.
'Are you ready?' She nodded and held Max firmly, knowing how crucial it was that the child didn't move during the procedure.
She watched as Andreas inserted the LP needle, talking quietly to the child and occasionally making a comment to Jonathon who was watching.
Bev had three little bottles ready and Andreas let four drops of fluid fall into each bottle.
Once Andreas was satisfied, he withdrew the needle and cleaned the site before covering it with the dressing that Bev had ready.
'All done.' He pushed his chair away from the side of the trolley and stood up, ripping off his gloves and dropping them in the nearest bin. 'We'll get those samples to the lab urgently and in the meantime we'll get a line in and start getting fluids into the little chap.'
Max had stopped wailing now and was lying on the trolley, moaning quietly.
Andreas turned to his SHO with a list of instructions and tests that he wanted performed. He was leaving absolutely nothing to chance.
'Let's get him back to the room and let him sleep,' he said quietly, his gaze flickering to the parents. 'I'm sorry. This is all very worrying for you, I know, and I'm aware that we haven't had much time for explanations because of the urgency of the situation. If there is anything you'd like to ask me now, please do so.'
Heather's eyes filled. 'He looks so poorly. What will happen?'
'We wait for the results of these tests and we watch him,' Andreas said, his eyes flickering to the child who was shifting restlessly on the trolley. He frowned slightly and pulled back the sheet Libby had used to cover Max. 'He has a rash.'
Libby followed his gaze and saw that the child had indeed developed a rash all over his body.
Andreas looked at her and his eyes were warm. 'You did the right thing, giving that penicillin,' he said softly, and she swallowed.
She really needed to talk to him but she didn't know when an opportunity was going to present itself.
Max started to improve over the next two days and once it was clear that he was no longer on the critical list, his parents started to relax slightly and even take short breaks away from the room.
Andreas had maintained a constant presence on the ward when the child had first been admitted, but once Max was out of danger he'd visited less frequently, kept busy by the other considerable demands of his job.
He made no attempt to seek Libby out and she wondered if it was intentional.
Was he giving her space?
Did he realise that she was desperate to speak to him?
In the end she came up with a plan and waited nervously for him to appear on the ward.
It was almost the end of her shift when he finally arrived, looking grim-faced after dealing with a tough case in A and E.
'I wanted to check on Max before I went home,' he said, walking past her into the room and smiling at the little boy.
'Well, someone's looking better,' he murmured, watching as Max played happily with some toy cars that Libby had found for him in the playroom. 'He is one lucky boy.'
Libby nodded, watching while he checked him over. 'I wonder why the GP didn't give penicillin?'
Andreas straightened. 'Who knows? But the sooner your brother Alex gets out there the better, if you ask me.'
Libby smiled. 'Alex won't be working in London. He's found himself a practice in Cornwall so that he can sail and windsurf and indulge in all the other hobbies he loves.'
Andreas looked at her. 'What will you do about the flat?'
She blushed slightly. 'I don't know yet. His job doesn't start until the end of August.' She took a deep breath. 'Andreas, I wanted to give you something.'
She reached into her pocket and pulled out the envelope she'd been carrying with her all week.
He took it with a frown and was about to open it when Bev stuck her head round the door and announced that he was wanted in A and E urgently.
'Again?' Andreas rolled his eyes and pocketed the envelope. 'I'll see you later. Maybe.' His dark eyes were weary. 'Unless it turns out to be a long one.'
It was a long one and Libby was at home, making herself a hot chocolate in her oldest jeans and a skimpy pink strap top, when the doorbell rang.
Libby opened the door, her heart pounding when she saw Andreas standing there.
He waved the envelope in her face, his expression wary. 'You gave me a cheque for £1000.'
She nodded and stood to one side so that he could come in, but he didn't move.
Instead, he frowned ominously. 'You don't owe me any money. I paid for a date and that's what we had, Libby.'
'And now it's my turn,' she croaked, wishing that she was wearing heels. She was standing in bare feet and he towered above her. 'I want a date, Andreas, and £1000 seems to be the going rate. A bit steep, but I happen to think you're worth it.'
There was a long silence and then he finally stepped inside her flat and closed the door firmly behind him.
'What are you saying?' His Greek accent was suddenly very pronounced and she fiddled with the hem of her top nervously, wondering whether he was going to walk away once she'd said what she had to say.
'I want a date, Andreas, and as you're obviously not going to ask me again, I thought I'd better ask you.'
'Why do you want a date?' His voice was hoarse and she took a deep breath, wondering why they were having this conversation in the hallway.