Free Remote Rescue by George Ivanoff

sister. Kept her calm.’
    Sam shrugged again.
    â€˜Can you imagine how much more difficult things would have been with a hysterical child? I doubt your brother could have kept her calm for as long as you did.’
    â€˜I guess,’ Sam muttered.
    â€˜And you helped when we had the flat tyre.’ She smiled cheekily. ‘After all, there’s only so much an old guy can do on his own.’ She leaned in and lowered her voice. ‘We were a lot younger when that Pilbara thinghappened.’ She put a finger to her lips. ‘But don’t tell Burt that.’
    Sam grinned, then took a mouthful of sandwich.

    Dawson opened his eyes as Maddy tapped him on the shoulder. She was holding up the pair of headphones. He glanced out the window as he put them on. The desert was gone, replaced by houses and streets.
    â€˜Hello?’ he said into the mic.
    â€˜Dawson, this is Mark here. We’ve just had word that your mum is waiting at Adelaide Airport. We’re almost there. They’ve put her through on the radio. Thought you might like to speak to her.’
    â€˜Yes!’ Dawson shouted into the mic. ‘Dawson, love, it’s Mum here. Are you okay?’
    â€˜No,’ he managed to say in a tremulous voice. ‘Not really.’
    And then the tears came, flowing as if from a burst dam. After hours of being responsible and calm, he could finally let go. Mum was there to take over – to make everything better.

The rest of the flight was a bit of a blur. Dawson barely even noticed the landing.
    Dad was taken directly to an ambulance waiting on the tarmac and whisked away while Dawson was escorted by airport staff to Mum.
    He ran to her and wrapped his arms around her. He didn’t say a thing, just lether hold him then lead him out to her car. They drove to the hospital in silence.
    At reception they were told that Dad had gone straight into surgery. They were then guided to a waiting room.
    There, they waited.
    And waited.
    And waited.
    Dawson ate potato chips and chocolate bars from the vending machines. Mum, normally one for healthy eating and limited snacks, didn’t object. She let him have whatever he wanted. In the meantime, she drank one cup of instant coffee after another – without complaining. Again, unusual behaviour given that she was a self-confessed ‘coffee snob’ who only drank proper ones made with an espresso machine.
    Between sips of coffee, Mum looked up acute compartment syndrome on her iPad. Rather than calming either of them down, the information just made them more worried. The problem was treated surgically with a procedure called a ‘fasciotomy’, to relieve the build-up of pressure and allow normal blood flow to the muscles and nerves. If not performed in time it could lead to necrosis – which meant the death of tissue and cells – and could result in amputation.
    Dawson kept imagining Dad with only one leg.
    He ate more chocolate and Mum drank more coffee.

    Gwen handed Sam a piece of paper with contact details for her and her husband. ‘You give that to your mum,’ she said. ‘And tell her to get in touch when everything settles down. Let us know how your dad is.’
    â€˜Sure,’ said Sam, pocketing the note.
    â€˜And you be good for your sister.’ Crouching down, Gwen gave Em a hug.
    â€˜Ahuh,’ said Em through a mouthful of muesli bar.
    â€˜Thanks for all your help.’ Sam looked from Gwen to Burt. Her bottom lip trembled slightly, but she quickly got it under control. She cleared her throat noisily. ‘Phoning and driving and changing the tyre and …’ She paused, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat. ‘Everything.’
    â€˜Don’t mention it,’ said Burt. ‘Glad to have been able to.’ He stepped forward and awkwardly shook hands with the girls.
    Em looked up at him with wide eyes. ‘I like you,’ she said earnestly.
    â€˜Well