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'You're welcome.'

'Now, show me how to use this thing. If you're so sure we're going to find opal today, we'd better get to work.'

Mitch showed her how to hold and swing the pick while Elizabeth tried hard to focus on what he was saying rather than the way his biceps flexed beneath his T-shirt. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea after all.

It was just the two of them down here, way down beneath the surface, all alone. She watched him work, his back muscles flexing, his hands working the pick. Elizabeth started to feel hot and flustered and rather breathless all at the same time.

She forced herself to concentrate and to swing the pick as he was instructing. She had a go but the sharp end didn't make much of an impact in the rock face. They both continued to work for the next ten minutes and Elizabeth was glad to focus on what she was doing rather than the man beside her.

'This still doesn't feel as though I'm doing it right,' she wailed as she stopped, swiping her hand across her forehead.

'It takes some getting used to. You need to use more of the muscles in your back and you're holding it wrong. Here.' He put his own pick down and came up behind her. He moved her hands so she was gripping the handle correctly, his body brushing against hers.

Elizabeth tensed and sucked in a sharp breath. Slowly, she turned her head to look at him over her shoulder and it was then her brain registered how extremely close he was.

Millimetres. Their lips were now millimetres apart and she felt the breath rush out and her mouth go dry. Her gaze flicked up to meet his and she read the same intense desire in his blue depths as she knew was reflected in her own.

'I'm sorry.' His words were barely audible but they didn't need words to communicate what they both wanted. Her heart tattooed a wild, intense rhythm and the urge to give in—to be reckless—was overpowering.

'I have to.' Again, it was as though no sound had come from him and his lips had hardly moved but she knew exactly what he was talking about.

Her eyelids fluttered closed as his mouth finally made contact with her own. The pick slipped slowly from her hands and landed on the ground with a soft thud. She turned to face him and the pace started to increase. They gathered each other close, Mitch leaning in hard and Elizabeth finding herself against the wall.

His mouth, although urgent, remained gentle and testing. He knew Elizabeth was confused about things and he didn't want to add an extra level, especially when he'd already told her they'd be just friends. But...oh...how incredible she tasted. Her body was warm and firm against his and it was becoming more difficult with each passing second to hold on to his restraint.

A light shining in their direction was the first inkling Elizabeth had that they weren't alone. She opened her eyes and looked over his shoulder...at her mother. Gently she eased back, telling herself not to feel bereft when his arms dropped back to his sides.

'I think I should wear a bell around my neck,' Maude said. 'At least that way you'll both know I'm coming.'

Elizabeth looked down at the ground, surprised that she didn't feel as embarrassed as she knew she should. She glanced up at Mitch. He was grinning at his opal partner.

'I was just showing Lizzie the correct way to hold the pick and, well...we kind of got distracted.'

'Hmm. I see,' Maude replied. 'I thought you two were going to be just friends.'

'We are.' Mitch spoke before Elizabeth even had time to open her mouth. 'The...er...moment just got the better of us. It won't happen again.' He turned and looked at Elizabeth. 'Will it, Lizzie? We'll make sure we control ourselves from now on.'

Elizabeth was momentarily too stunned to speak. What was that emotion she was feeling? Regret? Did she regret Mitch saying it wouldn't happen again? It was ludicrous. She knew he was right. She knew they shouldn't be kissing any more, especially as they'd already discussed the reason why they shouldn't. But still...right now she wasn't sure they should stop, and
that
was downright confusing.

She turned away and collected the pick from the ground, giving herself an extra moment to regroup. 'Mum. Perhaps it's better if
you
come and show me how to use this thing.'

'Definitely safer,' she heard Mitch mumble.

Maude came over and showed her the correct way to swing it at the wall and in which area she wanted Elizabeth to strike. She set to work. Maude and Mitch talked a few things over while Elizabeth continued to do the hard labour.

'Keep going,' Mitch said after a minute or two. 'Don't slow down now, you're doing a good job.'

'Easy for you to say,' Elizabeth grumbled as she continued to work.

Mitch laughed before grabbing another pick and helping her. They all worked for another fifteen minutes before Elizabeth asked, 'What exactly am I looking for?'

'Why?' Mitch stopped working.

'Well, the colour here is starting to change.'

'Where?' Maude and Mitch said in unison. Elizabeth pointed. Her mother stepped forward, examining the rock face carefully before raising her pick to ease a part of the coloured area away. 'Crystal,' she said triumphantly.

'Crystal? Is that good?'

'It's opal crystal,' Mitch replied anxiously, watching Maude's every move. 'It's what you find
before
you reach the opal.'

'Ooh.' Elizabeth's eyebrows shot up and a moment later Maude chipped a piece of rock into her hand. She put her pick down and studied the specimen more closely. 'Is that it? Have we found it?'

Maude was brushing the dirt from the rock before licking it away. Elizabeth pulled a face and then Maude put it in her mouth, sucked off the dirt and spat it out again. She held the small rock up to the artificial light and they all looked at it. 'That's it, my girl.
That's
why I stay here.'

'This is it? We found opal?'

'Yahoo!' Mitch threw his arms around Elizabeth and pressed his mouth to hers in a lip-smacking kiss. 'I knew it. I knew you'd be good luck.'

Elizabeth laughed. 'I thought you weren't superstitious.'

Mitch kissed her mother's cheek. 'She's quite a gem all on her own,' he told Maude. 'Ah...Lizzie,' he said, turning his attention back to her, 'I could just kiss you.'

'You already have.' Elizabeth couldn't keep the silly schoolgirl grin off her face.

'I know but I think I need to do it again.' And he did. 'You little bea-uty.'

Elizabeth looked over her shoulder to where Maude was once again chipping away at the rock face. Mitch shifted, keeping his arm about her shoulders. 'How far does it go?'

'You mean there's more?'

'Your mum's following the seam to see how deep and how long it is.'

Elizabeth watched in amazement 'How many times have you found opal?'

'Quite a few.' Maude's tone was absent-minded as she continued her work.

'How much will this be worth?'

'Not sure,' Mitch said. 'There's no standard price for opal so it depends how well you bargain.'

'Do you do that? You know, as silent partner?'

'No way. Maude's the best at getting the buyer to up the price.' As he spoke, Maude started to cough and Elizabeth felt him tense a little. 'How about giving me a turn to check the seam?'

'It's fine.' Maude coughed again. 'I can do it. I just breathed in at the wrong time. Too much dust down here.'

Elizabeth looked at Mitch and she could see the concern in his eyes even though he'd relaxed his body. It was his 'doctor' look. She knew this because she had a 'doctor' look of her own. Her anxiety began to increase as she continued to watch her mother. Maude chipped a bit more and coughed again.

'I'll get you some water.' Elizabeth went over to where she'd seen Maude's bag and pulled out a bottle of water. 'Here you go, Mum.'

'Thanks, Liz.'

'Do you need your asthma inhaler?'

'I'll be fine.' Maude took a sip and went straight back to work. 'I think that's it.' She continued to check all around for another twenty minutes before declaring the find official. 'You did good, Liz. You did good.'

'She did better than good. Now, how about we pack it in for the day and head back up the shaft so we can celebrate in style?'

'Sounds like a plan to me.' Maude laughed, securing the opal in a sealed plastic bag. 'Let's get going.'

It took a while for all three of them to get up the shaft and get things packed up.

'I'll take Lizzie home so she can spruce herself up for the occasion.'

'I'll call the dealer,' Maude added with a laugh. 'You two go on ahead. I won't be far behind.'

'All right, then.' Mitch and Elizabeth climbed into his ute and headed carefully back towards the road. When they turned left onto the tarmac, Elizabeth looked back to where her mother's vehicle was.

'Stop, Mitch.'

'What is it?'

Elizabeth felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle. 'Something's not right. Go back.' He did a U-turn and headed back the way they'd just come. 'Where is she?' Her gaze scoured the area. 'Where is she?' she asked with more alarm. Mitch had barely brought the vehicle to a halt before she was out like a flash. 'Maude?' No answer. 'Mum? Where are you?'

Elizabeth turned her head and it was then she saw her mother, lying on the ground next to her vehicle. 'Mum!'

Elizabeth
raced over to Maude's side and checked her breathing. Mitch was by her side in an instant before disappearing again and returning with his medical bag.

'What's wrong with her, Mitch? Tell me,' she demanded. 'I'm treating her now so I have a right to know.' Her hands were feeling her mother's head. 'Mum? Mum? Can you hear me?'

He left the medical bag with her and raced back to the ute before returning with a portable oxygen concentrator. 'She's struggling for breath.'

'Mum?' Elizabeth called again and this time Maude's eyelids fluttered open. She looked at her daughter in panic. 'It's all right,' Elizabeth reassured her as she put the stethoscope into her ears and quickly unbuttoned her mother's shirt. 'I'm just going to have a listen to your chest.' She closed her eyes and concentrated on listening. Then she looked at Mitch.

'There are no breath sounds on the right side and there's increased hyper-resonance.'

'No temperature, breathing is laboured.'

'Pneumothorax.' Elizabeth's eyes were wide with fear and shock when she looked at Mitch.

'But how? Maude, did you hit yourself? Hurt yourself in anyway?' Mitch had the oxygen mask ready for her and placed it over her mouth and nose.

'Yesterday,' Maude gasped. 'Hit chest with handle of pick.'

Elizabeth felt the skin, checking the ribs carefully. 'Why didn't you say something before?' she scolded softly.

'Didn't want to worry you.'

'Oh, Mum.' Elizabeth shook her head sadly. 'You're a goose.'

'We need to get you to the hospital, Maude, because your lung is collapsing.' Mitch squeezed his partner's hand. 'Just hang in there. Lizzie's dealt with plenty of these in the past, haven't you?'

'I most certainly have,' she told her mother reassuringly.

'There's no point in ringing for an ambulance,' Mitch said. 'See if she's hurt anywhere else while I clear out the tray of the ute so the two of you can go in there. That way, she'll stay supine.'

Elizabeth did as he suggested and was pleased to report that there were no other injuries. Mitch had placed several blankets onto the tray to make it more comfortable for them and had taken out the petrol, water and other emergency supplies he carried and put them in the cab.

With their help, Maude managed to get into the tray and lay down again, Elizabeth at her head.

'Hold on, you two,' he said as he secured the tailgate and headed around to the driver's side. Mitch drove carefully back to the tarmac and once there picked up speed. Elizabeth heard him call ahead to the hospital, informing Imogen of the situation.

'How are you doing, Mum?' Elizabeth checked the oxygen levels and listened to Maude's chest again. The left side sounded better, the oxygen ameliorating the air deprivation Maude had suffered from. 'We'll give you a bronchodilator at the hospital but after we've taken care of your right lung.'

Maude looked at her, her eyes questioning and frightened.

'Would you like me to run through what's going to happen?' she asked.

'Yes.'

'When we arrive at the hospital, you'll have a chest X-ray. We need to confirm that it
is
pneumothorax—which means lung collapse—before we treat it. The lung collapses because there's a collection of air between the chest wall and the lung in the area called the pleural cavity. You said you hit yourself with the pick handle yesterday?'

'It was silly,' Maude gasped.

'Yes, but it's done more damage than you've realised. In essence, you punctured a little hole in your lung so when you breath out, some of that air is going into the pleural cavity.

Once the chest X-ray has confirmed the diagnosis, we'll insert a chest tube. This goes through your chest into the pleural cavity and then we apply a suction tube to suck the air out. Once we've re-established the negative pressure within the cavity, the lung will expand again and everything should be fine.'

'You've done this procedure before?'

'Have I done this before?' Elizabeth checked that was the question her mother was asking and Maude gave a little nod. 'Yes. I've done it quite a few times. Due to the cold weather in England, we have a lot of breathing-related complaints at the hospital, so there's no need to worry.'

They arrived at the hospital and were met by Imogen and Ryan with a barouche. They transferred Maude over with the patslide before wheeling her directly through to X-Ray. Imogen explained everything to Maude as she went, Elizabeth staying with her mother while Mitch set up the treatment room.

'Pneumothorax,' Imogen stated after she'd processed the film. She handed it to Elizabeth who confirmed this.

'Let's get her through to the treatment room,' Elizabeth said, and walked beside her mother to where Mitch was waiting for them. The X-ray was hooked up onto the viewing box and Elizabeth scrubbed and pulled on a sterile gown while Mitch manoeuvred Maude into position. He needed the affected side elevated and Imogen helped him to do this. They prepared the area with antiseptic solution and Mitch administered a local anaesthetic.