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It had been awhile since Dylan had company for breakfast. He’d also taken Dervla out for a quick walk, and to stop off at the convenience store next to the Marina to buy some eggs, bacon, and sausages. He had no idea how Faith preferred her eggs. He was pleased to see that she was awake, smiling as she smiled at him. “How do you like your eggs?”
“I’m not fussy.” Faith got out of bed once Dylan had closed the door, hunting for something to wear. She found one of Dylan’s shirts, that she’d not seen him wear for work, and put it on. Then she had a quick shower before heading up to the sun deck for breakfast.
Dylan was pleasantly surprised when he saw her in his shirt and was she wearing his underwear too? She smirked at him, sitting down and eating a sausage seductively. “You didn’t need to make us breakfast.”
“Of course I did. We both need this after last night.” They both smirked at each other. It had been a rather active night. Faith had surprised him in more ways than one.
Their conversation was causal, mostly about work and the current situation. Faith saying how she could do with a holiday. “We could always take the boat out…..” His phone started to ring, he looked at it and frowned. His sponsor Reg was calling. With Faith here, he had forgotten their meeting.
“Do you need to answer that?”
Dylan shook his head. “No, it’s not important. They will call back.”
They finished eating, Dylan mentioning taking the boat out as soon as they could. Then he took the plates inside and to make new drinks. Faith looked out at the Marina, smiling at how pretty it was. When Dylan’s phone rang again, she decided to answer it.
“Hello, this is Dr Keoghs phone. Faith speaking.”
“Oh hello Faith. Is Dylan with you right now?”
“Yes, we’ve just had breakfast together. Is there something wrong?”
“Oh no, he must have forgotten about his appointment with me. Can you let him know that Reg will be in touch to make another appointment.”
“I will do….,” out of curiosity, “appointment for what?”
“I’m his AA sponsor.” When Faith didn’t answer, Reg hung up. Dylan’s an alcoholic? She hurried back into the boat, grabbing her clothes and getting dressed. Then her own phone rang out, giving her a fright. Natalia had left several messages. Faith felt guilty because she had spoken briefly to Natalia, whilst Dylan had taken Dervla for a short walk. And Natalia had asked who she was with, Faith saying she was with a friend, which wasn’t untrue. Then Faith had switched off all notifications until the next morning, not wanting her evening interrupted anymore.
Dylan came in to ask if she was okay. “I need to go…I forgot I told Jacob I would start earlier today,” she lied, grabbing her bag and running up out of the boat. She tried calling Natalia back, leaving a message for her. Dylan frowned when she just left, not even saying a goodbye. Clearing away the table, he picked up his phone to text Faith, noticing that Reg had indeed tried calling back, and Faith must have answered. He closed his eyes. It wasn’t that he was hiding the fact that he was an alcoholic from Faith. It simply hadn’t come up in conversation.
Dylan had been expecting the icy reception from Faith when he arrived in the ED. He had been expecting Lev being his usual demanding self. What he hadn’t expected was Faith to out him about his alcoholism in front of everyone. Only a handful of his colleagues knew. Ethan being one, who gave him a very sympathetic look as he looked up from his patient. Dylan took strength from Ethan, remembering that lifeline he gave him 3 years ago when he handed him back the blood sample that would have no doubt ended his time at Holby City Hospital, if not his career.
“I’m an alcoholic. I’m not proud of it. It’s something that’s been with me since forever.” He shrugged.
“Is that all you have to say? I can’t believe you lied.”
Dylan frowned, suddenly becoming angry, but very aware they were still in public, and he hated doing this sort of thing in public. “At what point did you ask if I’m an alcoholic? I’m sorry I didn’t get chance to tell you myself. That you had to hear it from my sponsor.”
“Like you’re sorry that you caught Lev cheating? Which I know you’re not.”
By now, Connie had come down from her office. “If you two need to talk, I suggest you use my office.”
Faith nodded, Dylan following her until she noticed who was being wheeled in through to Resus. “Natalia!”
Dylan and David did the handover with Jan and Leon.
“Does Lev know?,” Faith asked.
“He’s on his way in with a patient. I will till him once he’s done the handover.
“Was Ollie with Natalia?,” David asked Jan.
“They were right behind me….,” Jan pointed outside of Resus where Grace and a bloody looking Ollie were stood with Connie.
“You can go and check on Ollie,” Dylan said.
“Thank you.” Robyn took over from David.
Not long later, whilst waiting on results, Dylan tried talking to Faith. “Dylan, I can’t talk to you about it whilst my daughter is lying here like this…..”
Dylan watched on as Lev entered Resus, Faith hugging him as Lev asked if Natalia was okay. Dylan knew that Faith was a good mum, and loved her children very much. And 18 years of marriage meant that it was natural for her to seek comfort with Lev. But it still hurt.
The sound of Natalia waking up, Dylan had to ask Faith and Lev to move back as he and Robyn checked her obs. Once done, he motioned them back, his heart breaking when he saw them holding hands. He could hear Natalia was upset about something, then Faith did something else unexpected. She asked Robyn for another Doctor. Robyn looked at Dylan sympathetically as she went to find someone else. Dylan just stood there in disbelief, but he could tell that Lev was angry with him. Again. Connie came through, did a handover with Dylan, who walked out of Resus on auto pilot.
He needed fresh air, so headed outside to the peace garden. Ethan was there with Fenisha and Bodhi, and seeing Dylan, he went over to sit with him.
“Are you okay Dylan?”
“I will be. It’s not every day your colleagues find out your dirty little secrets.”
“That you love Faith?” Dylan nodded. “I think most of us had come to the conclusion that you love her. Well, we noticed something different about you when you’re around her.” Ethan smiled. “And you know what the rumour mill is like surrounding Lev at the moment.” Dylan nodded. “Give her time.” Ethan got up and went back over to Fenisha.
Dylan half smiled. Some days he wish he had his own family. Like he had done this morning. Now though, he was just looking forward to getting home and to Dervla. The only female to not ever let him down.