CHAPTER 1

NEWER NEW BEGINNINGS 

Savannah was looking expectantly at Dr. Colbert.

“Well, Miss Grant, that is our final decision. The hospital’s board had to take into consideration the power this family has over its existence.” Dr. Colbert said those words with undefined finality.

Savannah’s eyes flickered between the document that had been pushed over to her and the thin lips of the man who sat before her, the lips that had just muttered the confusing words.

The sensible man must have missed something since his words seemed to lack reason to her. Looking down at her hands, they were drenched in sweat, and for whatever reason, she could feel the droplets on her forehead as well.

“I am sorry, Dr. Colbert, but does Mr. Andrew understand what this means for my remaining course as a nursing student at…” She had not noticed, but her voice now had a new high pitch to it, the kind that slipped when her mind was racing.

“Everything was prepared before the young man even confided in me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have matters to attend to.” His face was as expressionless as always, the man either had no emotions or a stiff face whose cure he was yet to discover.

On her way out of the office, she got a glimpse of the clock on his wall. It would be about an hour before she got to see Mr. Andrew in question.

As she closed the door behind her, she let out a sigh, it was one of relief – she was not in serious trouble- and exhaustion, the kind a nursing student at the University of Sydney felt as an intern.

She always slapped herself whenever she caught herself sighing until recently. These days, her sighs were followed by a smile, the kind that would cause mothers back home to raise an eyebrow.

She’d be damned if anyone caught her in such moments. Moments when she could hear his voice in her head.

“Those sighs are of an exhausted, hardworking nurse, but brilliant minds take a break too.” That was Mr. Andrew’s way of encouraging her to rest, with an unusually warm voice that calmed her nerves.

****

It was exactly 8:00 am when she slid her key card to get into the VIP ward. She was pushing a trolley that had folded laundry in a basket, American magazines, as well as a stunning bouquet of yellow roses, presumably from his mother and sister.

 She got in as quietly as she could despite the trolley’s protests.

He was one to work himself tirelessly at night and sleep through the beautiful mornings.

 However, today she found him up and about, already drawing back the curtains, something she had always had to convince him made a difference to the room; he must have guessed today was different.

“I can’t do this.” She thought to herself. Yet she knew she had to confront him about the changes being thrown her way. Her lips were forming the words, but there was no voice to them.

“Yes?” His voice had caught her off guard. He was staring at her hands, which she now realized were already sweaty and barely holding the trolley in place.

“You can do this, Ms. Grant, and you must. You know why? Because I am not one to make bad decisions.” He was now staring at her face. Ms. Grant? She wondered if he never seemed to take note of her name, even though it was pinned to her uniform.

She could feel her pink lips tighten and could not imagine what a pitiful sight they were against her caramel skin. Her eyelids were like butterfly wings on steroids; she could not stop blinking.

Reading her nervousness, he focused his attention on the window once again. Still, her insides were in turmoil; his presence had that effect.

She keenly tidied everything away before placing the magazines, as well as the cards included in the flowers, on the coffee table.

Right on time, as his morning coffee arrived, only this time it was double the usual portions. Would she join him for breakfast? Of course.

“Well, what do you think of Dr. Colbert’s … or rather, my proposal?” Seeing her quizzical expression, he gave her no room to answer.

“It’s a win-win for me and you don’t you think? You have an opportunity to advance in your expertise as a nurse in the United States, and I get a reliable nurse to keep me in check.” Now he would let her speak.

He had brought it up so smoothly yet unexpectedly. She had not thought about it that way. She had not thought about it at all; perhaps she had not wanted the same. These past five months have been heaven.

{20/04}

It was another busy Monday at the hospital. Nurse Savannah’s schedule was packed just as any other intern Nurse’s.

 Then luck found her, and she was able to sneak in a break of a few minutes before having to be on another doctor’s speed dial.

She was seated on her favorite bench watching the sunset when she realized the sudden frenzy at the hospital. The ambulance was approaching the hospital, heavily guarded with what seemed to be a strict security team.

Initially, she thought it was some Australian leader or high-profile person, only to find out it was Javyn Andrew, owner of a multi-million dollar company, she found out a month later.

For now, he was an important patient that she had to help Dr. Colbert treat, being an understaffed facility.

One glance at the patient and she could tell he was in excruciating pain. Despite having been lain on his back onto the hospital bed, he was already curled up in agony, letting out silent whimpers, clearly an attempt to withhold a scream.

No amount of convincing could lead her to believe that the man before was the same Mr. Andrew.

****

Looking up at him now, she could not imagine the kind of magic Dr. Colbert worked out to bring back the masculine man before her. For a while, her eyes locked with his striking blue eyes, and she felt her lips curl up in a smile. He never looked away, so she did.

“Um… I guess I’ll do it, Mr. Andrew… but my studies come first, you have to keep your word and ensure I complete my course.” She didn’t realise it, but she was speaking quickly; her nervousness was not something I could conceal.

“I for one have been known to keep my word, Nurse.” Saying this, he handed her some tissues from the box on the coffee table. Savannah was oblivious to just how sweaty her hands were. She took it, mumbling inaudible gratitude.