than she cared to admit.
Because the pains that had started in her abdomen earlier were still there. Still worrying her.
Her mobile pinged just as she was heading into the locker room to collect her clothes.
Malachi.
The urge to hear his voice suddenly overwhelmed her. Before she could talk herself out of it she swiped the screen and let her phone dial his number.
He picked it up almost instantly. ‘Saskia?’
She stopped in the corridor, staring at her phone as her brain sifted through a dozen things to say, whilst her voice couldn’t articulate a single one of them.
‘Is everything all right, zvyozdochka?’
She bit her lip. What was she even doing, calling him?
‘Saskia?’ he barked into the silent line, almost making her jump into action.
‘I’m here.’
‘Are you all right?’
‘No, I don’t think so. I’m not sure.’
‘I’m coming in.’
‘I... No... Listen, I...’ She was stalling.
‘I’m coming in,’ he repeated. ‘Don’t leave without me. Is the incident over?’
‘It seems to be.’
‘Then I’ll bring the heli in again. There’s so much debris out there the city will still be gridlocked. Besides, it’s getting late and the air ambulance pilots will need to get the copters back to base before it goes dark. I’m closer. I can afford to fly that little bit later.’
She should say no. She shouldn’t have even called him. They weren’t a couple, as he’d pointed out earlier. Or had it been the day before? Her brain faltered. The emergency had gone on so long and time seemed to have merged into itself. She was so tired. Exhausted.
‘Okay, I’ll head up to the roof now.’
She glanced at the door to the bathroom. Right after she checked that her worst fears hadn’t come true.
She was just changing her shoes when Anouk rounded the corner, walking straight into her. Without a word she stepped forward and hugged her tightly.
‘I was so relieved when I heard you were safe.’
‘Why wouldn’t I be?’ Anouk laughed. ‘And never mind me—the hospital is practically buzzing with some gossip that you arrived by private helicopter?’
Saskia thrust her away, her eyes searching Anouk’s. ‘You haven’t heard, then?’ she demanded.
‘Heard what?’
‘That the explosion affected King’s Boulevard?’
‘That’s us.’ Anouk frowned.
‘Yes. The whole area has been cordoned off until they can determine which buildings are structurally intact and which aren’t. We can’t go home.’
Anouk didn’t answer and Saskia hugged her again. Though whether it was to make her friend feel better or herself, she couldn’t quite be sure.