Free London Harmony: Flotilla by Erik Schubach Page A

me that was screaming silently in panic, relaxed. At the end of the main hall sitting on a bench by the office with a woman, was Nat. She was kicking her legs idly in the air, dressed in her rain gear. I noted she didn't look to be on death's door or anything, not pale from blood loss and trauma, that was a plus. Right?
    She saw us as I set Wil back on his feet and grasped his hand. She was up and running down the hall as she excitedly squealed, “Auntie Kanga!” She rushed over and glommed onto my leg, her smile beaming up at me as the woman stood and walked over.
    I crouched in front of Natalie, examining her and she looked none the worse for wear though her eyes were still red and puffy from a good cry. I sighed in relief again and gave her a quick hug. I stood to see the other woman grinning at the display. She held her hand out, “Wendy Parsons, the school nurse.”
    I shook her hand as she said, “Natalie had a little spill when she snuck out into the playground in the rain, and caught the corner of one of the little tables out there. Cut herself pretty good. I bandaged it up, but I think you might want to get it checked out, it was pretty deep. Her shirt is a loss, torn sleeve, and blood.”
    I paled, and she chuckled out, “First time huh?”
    First time? Oh, yeah, I got her inference. I nodded and smiled sheepishly, “Yes, it is.”
    She chuckled again and said in a reassuring tone, “This is what children do. It's good for us adults that they are a durable lot. This is nothing.” The last part was said with a tone of 'just wait and see' that chilled me.
    I squinted an eye playfully and moaned out, “Oh, thank you for that, Wendy. Now it will fester in my head until I pop.”
    She seemed overly amused and just replied with, “All in a day's work.”
    I had to chuckle. Then said as looked Nat over one last time, “Well thanks, we'll get her properly checked and sorted.”
    She gave a single farewell wave and turned to head back to the office. I grinned down at the victim of recess carnage. “Well, now that you've given me a right fright, let's get you to someone to get that arm checked out, and I'll bring you two roos to lunch?”
    They both cheered and I hoisted Wil and held Nat's hand as we stepped up to the outside door, looking through the glass, and waited a minute until a taxi pulled up and tooted its horn. I released Natalie's hand, and we both opened our umbrellas in unison then hustled outside and across to the waiting cab. We were laughing as we got in, trying to close the brollies without getting drenched. We failed. Miserably.
    A minute later we were on the way to the Royal London. My mobile rang as we watched the city pass by, people scurrying about in the rain. I answered on the first ring, “Paya?”
    Before I could say more, she was saying in a good approximation of Captain Jean-Luc Picard's voice, “Status report, Number One.”
    I said with much more calm in my voice than our previous call, now that I was able to see Nat myself and knew she was lying about with her guts hanging out, “She's fine and smiling. I guess I made more out of it than I ought. It just gave me a scare. We're heading to the London Royal emergency room now, just in case. The school nurse didn't seem overly concerned.”
    She said almost smugly, “There you have it then. See? No need to panic.”
    She was saying that with an odd tone, then I got it and asked slowly, “She's right there isn't she?”
    She said, “Exactly.” Then she said to someone, “I told you. Muscles had this. Nat's fine and she's just getting her checked to make sure, you don't need to leave work or your boss might just sack you, he's a real piece of work. What? Fine, here.”
    Then Steph's voice was on the phone, “Ange, is she really ok?”
    I nodded to the air as I assured her, “Yes. Truly. I'm sorry she got hurt on my watch.”
    This got an amused chuckle from her, and her voice didn't sound as stressed as when she first spoke as she