She probably should have walked home but she was glad she hadn’t. She was quite happy right where she was.
LUCI’S MORNING STARTED with orientation at the family and community health clinic attached to North Sydney Hospital. She spent the morning getting her ID, setting up her email and running through the safety policies and procedures for the site. Once the administration side of things had been dealt with, she would start work. The course participants would be given a case load as the service tried to get through their waiting list. The system was under the pump, there were always more people who needed the service.
Her diary showed her running an immunisation clinic. It was an easy, straightforward introduction that didn’t require her to have detailed backgrounds or rapport with the clients. She worked steadily through the hours after lunch. She had bumped into Seb once but it seemed that the staff worked autonomously and she was almost able to forget that he was there. Almost.
But all that changed when her two-thirty client didn’t keep her appointment. Melanie Parsons had booked her son, Milo, in for his six-month check and immunisations. When she failed to arrive Luci pulled up her file on the computer. There were numerous entries and lots of red flags.
This woman was a victim of domestic violence. Her past medical history included three full-term pregnancies, one miscarriage and a long list of broken bones and medical treatment for bruising and lacerations. And they were only the things she’d consulted a doctor about. Luci would bet her house that there were more incidents that had gone unreported.
Luci picked up the phone and dialled the client’s number. The community health centre’s policy stated that all no-shows had to be followed up with a phone call. She checked the file again. It was possible that Melanie had just forgotten her appointment or was catching up on some sleep; it couldn’t be easy having three children under the age of five.
But the phone went unanswered.
Luci needed to be able to record a reason for the non-attendance. In instances where that wasn’t possible she had been told to let the co-ordinator know. She went to discuss the situation with Gayle, the health centre co-ordinator, to find out what the next step in the process was.
Gayle brought Melanie’s notes up in her system.
‘Can you discuss this with Dr Hollingsworth?’ she suggested. ‘He knows Melanie, he’s treated her before.’
Luci heard the unspoken words and she’d seen the supporting evidence in Melanie’s file. Seb had treated her for injuries sustained at the hands of someone else.
She knocked on Seb’s open door.
‘Have you got a minute?’ she asked. He was entering notes into the computer system. He looked up and smiled. His blue eyes sparkled and Luci felt herself start to blush.
‘Sure.’
She stepped inside and closed his door. She didn’t want anyone else to overhear the conversation. ‘Melanie Parsons. Do you know her?’
Seb nodded. ‘Is she here?’
‘No. She had an appointment to get her baby’s six-month immunisations but she hasn’t shown up. Gayle suggested I talk to you about her.’
‘Have you called her?’
‘Yes. There was no answer.’
‘Do you know her history?’
Luci nodded. ‘I’ve read her file.’
‘Someone will need to call past her house and check on her. What time do you finish?’
‘I don’t think I should be the one to do a home visit,’ Luci objected. ‘She doesn’t know me from a bar of soap.’ She was not the right person for that particular job. Someone who had already established some rapport with Melanie would be far more suitable.
‘I agree. But if our timing is right we can go together. You can immunise the baby and I’ll see what’s up with Melanie,’ Seb replied. He clicked his mouse and opened his diary. ‘I should be finished by three-thirty. Let me know if that works for you.’
* * *
Seb was waiting at Reception for her when she finished her clinic. ‘Do you want me to drive or navigate?’ he asked her as he signed out one of the work cars and collected the keys.
‘I don’t think I’m game to drive on your roads,’ Luci replied. The streets of Sydney were narrow, winding and steep, not at all like the wide, straight roads she was used to. ‘But I should warn you, my navigating skills might not be much good either as I’m not familiar with Sydney.’
‘No worries. I’ll get the map up on my phone.’ Seb handed her his phone and she followed him out to the car.
It wasn’t long before Seb pulled to a stop in front of a squat red-brick house. It had a low wire fence and a front lawn that needed mowing. There was an old station wagon parked under a carport at the side of the house and a couple of kids’ bikes were lying abandoned behind the car in the driveway. The house could do with a coat of paint but it looked lived in rather than neglected. Luci had seen plenty of houses just like it in country towns in her district.
The driveway gate squeaked as Seb pushed it open, announcing their arrival. He closed it behind Luci before leading the way up the concrete path to the veranda. He knocked but there was no answer. The screen door was locked but the front door was ajar. Someone was home. Luci could hear the sound of children playing.
‘Melanie?’ Seb called out. ‘It’s Dr Hollingsworth. You missed Milo’s appointment at the clinic. I need to know that you are okay.’
* * *
Through the screen door Luci could see movement in the dark passage. A woman came to the door but didn’t unlatch it. She stood, half-hidden behind the door with her face turned away from them to her left.
‘Hello, Melanie.’ Seb struck up a conversation as if it was perfectly normal to talk through a door. ‘Milo was due for his six-month check-up and vaccinations today. This is Luci Dawson.’ He lifted a hand and gestured towards Luci. ‘She’s a nurse at the health centre. Seeing as we’re here and you’re home, can we come in and see the kids?’
Melanie nodded. She unlocked the door and stepped aside. She was thin. Luci knew they were the same age but Melanie looked older. Her shoulder-length brown hair was lank but her skin was clear. However, Luci didn’t really take any of that in. She couldn’t when all she could see was Melanie’s black eye. Her left eye was slightly swollen and coloured purple with just a hint of green. The bruise looked to be a day or two old.
‘Thank you,’ Seb said, as he stepped into the hall and reached for Melanie’s chin. Luci expected her to flinch or pull away but she didn’t. She must trust Seb.
Luci knew Seb had looked after her before. He’d filled her in on his involvement on the drive over here but Luci hadn’t anticipated that she would see the evidence of Melanie’s husband’s abuse for herself. She hadn’t been expecting that.
Seb turned Melanie’s face to the right.
‘You’re hurt.’
‘I knocked into the corner of the car boot.’ Melanie’s eyes were downcast.
‘I haven’t heard that one before.’
‘It’s nothing. I’ve had worse. You know I have,’ she said, as she turned away and led them into the house. They followed her into a tired-looking sitting room. The arms of the couch were ripped and stained but Melanie had put a sheet over the cushions in an attempt to brighten