The Midwife's Christmas Miracle (Dalverston General Hospital)

by Jennifer Taylor

  ‘Yes. So where do we go from here, Lucy?’

  Lucy bit her lip because she had no idea what to say. If she told him the truth, that she wanted him to kiss her again and not only kiss her either but make love to her, she didn’t know where it would lead. Max had made it clear that he wasn’t interested in commitment, but could she have a purely physical relationship with him while remaining emotionally detached? Although she had sworn that she wouldn’t get involved with a man again, she was no longer sure if she could stick to that. Not with Max.

  ‘I don’t know,’ she said candidly. ‘I really don’t know where we go from here, do you?’

  ‘No.’ He sighed. ‘It would be only too easy to make the wrong decision, wouldn’t it? Maybe it would be best if we called a halt right now rather than find ourselves in a situation we both live to regret.’

  ‘It seems the most sensible thing to do,’ she agreed softly, hoping he couldn’t hear the hurt in her voice. Maybe it did make sense, but she couldn’t pretend that it didn’t upset her to know that he could dismiss what had happened with such ease.

  ‘I think it’s time I went home,’ she said quickly before she ended up saying something that would embarrass him. Max may have enjoyed kissing her but it certainly hadn’t been enough to make him change his whole outlook on life. ‘Thank you for the chestnuts. I really enjoyed them.’

  ‘I’m glad.’ He smiled at her, his brown eyes filled with a warmth that made her heart ache. It would be only too easy to see it as a sign that he really cared about her but it would be a mistake. ‘Thank you for spending the evening with me, Lucy. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.’

  ‘Me too,’ she admitted huskily. She felt her breath catch when he bent towards her, but he merely kissed her on the cheek before he stepped back.

  ‘Are you sure you’ll be all right walking home on your own?’

  ‘I’ll be fine,’ she assured him, quelling the feeling of disappointment that filled her. ‘The one advantage of living so close to the town centre is that it only takes me a couple of minutes to walk home.’

  ‘That’s good, I suppose, although I have to confess that I wouldn’t fancy living where you do.’

  She shrugged. ‘Needs must, I’m afraid. I have to watch every penny I spend at the moment.’

  Max frowned. ‘So that’s why you opted to live there?’

  ‘Yes.’ She summoned a smile when she saw the concern on his face. The last thing she wanted was him thinking that she was looking for sympathy. ‘Anyway, it’s not nearly as bad as it looks.’

  ‘If you say so.’

  Lucy could tell he wasn’t convinced but there was nothing she could do about it, so she said goodbye and left. Most of the stalls were closing up for the night and people were drifting away. As she made her way home, she couldn’t help wondering what might have happened if Max hadn’t decided they should call a halt. Would he have wanted to come back to her flat and spend the night with her? Would she have let him?

  She sighed because there was no point going down that route. From now on she had to think of Max simply as a colleague, no matter how difficult it was going to be.

  * * *

  The next few days passed in a whirl of activity. Max knew that he was deliberately keeping himself busy so that he didn’t have time to think about what had happened. Although he was sure that he had made the right decision, it didn’t make it any easier. Having experienced the wonder of that kiss he and Lucy had shared, his body continually craved more.

  In an effort to break the cycle, he finished early on Friday and went to visit his parents. He was hoping that the change of scene would do him good, but far too often during the weekend he found himself thinking about Lucy and it was worrying to realise the hold she had over him.

  He knew that he had to do something about it, so as soon as he got home on the Sunday he went through all the recent copies of the medical journals he subscribed to. There were a couple of consultants’ posts that sounded promising so he ringed them in red then sat down to update his CV. Once that was done, he wrote covering letters, popped everything into envelopes and took them to the post box. He felt much better afterwards, more settled. He was doing something positive about the situation, giving himself a reason to keep away from Lucy, and that had to be a good thing.

  He went into work the following day, feeling a lot more upbeat. Amanda was on duty and she grimaced when she spotted him walking towards the desk.

  ‘You certainly know when to take time off! If I didn’t know better, I’d think you possessed second sight or something.’

  ‘Why? What’s happened?’

  ‘Where do you want me to begin? First of all Margaret slipped on a patch of ice on Friday night and sprained her ankle, and then Joanna phoned yesterday to say that she had a rash all over her face and didn’t know if she should come into work.’ Amanda rolled her eyes. ‘I told her to see her GP this morning and she’s just rung up to say that he thinks it’s German measles.’

  ‘I see.’ Max frowned. Although German measles, or rubella to give it its proper name, was a relatively mild viral infection, it could cause serious repercussions for a baby if the mother caught it in the early stages of pregnancy. He couldn’t help feeling concerned. ‘When was the last time that Joanna worked in the antenatal clinic?’

  ‘The end of November. I checked on that as soon as she told me what her GP had said,’ Amanda informed him.

  ‘She wouldn’t have been infectious then,’ he said in relief. ‘The virus can only be transmitted from a few days before any symptoms appear until one day after they’ve disappeared.’

  ‘Thank heavens for that!’ Amanda exclaimed.

  ‘Definitely,’ he agreed, then frowned. ‘I’m surprised that Joanna hasn’t been vaccinated against rubella, though. Isn’t that one of the things they usually check on before people start their midwifery training?’

  ‘You’re right, it is, and to be fair to Joanna, she thought she had been vaccinated. However, it turns out that her parents decided not to have it done.’

  ‘Really!’ Max exclaimed. ‘Why ever not?’

  Amanda sighed. ‘Joanna was just a baby when the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine was introduced. There was a lot of adverse publicity at the time and many parents were wary about letting their children have it. It seems that Joanna’s parents decided not to go ahead with it too.’

  ‘I see.’ Max frowned thoughtfully. ‘I wonder how many other members of staff are in the same position. It might be worth checking to make sure that everyone is immune. I can arrange for blood tests to be done after Christmas for those willing to be tested.’

  ‘That sounds like a good idea to me,’ Amanda agreed, then looked up and smiled. ‘What do you think, Lucy?’

  Max felt his stomach lurch when he turned and saw Lucy standing behind him. Although it was only a few days since he’d seen her, it felt as though a whole lifetime had passed. He longed to take her in his arms and feel the softness of her body nestled against him. It was only the fact that Amanda was there that stopped him, and the realisation scared him. Even though he knew how foolish it would be to get involved with her, it didn’t stop him wanting her!

  ‘I’m sorry. What did you say?’ Lucy could feel her heart hammering. She dragged her gaze away from Max, but she could feel his eyes boring into her and shivered. The past few days had been the longest of her entire life. Knowing that she wouldn’t see Max over the weekend should have provided a welcome breathing space, but it hadn’t turned out that way. She had missed him so much that it was hard not to show him just how pleased she was to see him.

  ‘Max has suggested that everyone is tested to make sure they’re immune to rubella,’ Amanda explained. ‘I think it’s a good idea, don’t you?’

  ‘Yes, I do.’ Lucy took a deep breath. Getting involved with Max would be a mistake. She needed time to get over what had happened with Richard and she couldn’t afford to be drawn into another difficult situation.
‘I’m more than happy to be tested and I’m sure everyone will feel the same.’

  ‘Good. I’ll make all the necessary arrangements, then.’

  Max was all business as he turned to Amanda and asked her for an update about what else had happened while he’d been off. Lucy collected the file she needed and left them to it. With two members of staff off sick, it promised to be another busy day. Thankfully, she was working the early shift and shouldn’t see very much of Max. Unless there was a crisis, then, she’d be able to avoid him.

  She sighed as she made her way back to the delivery room. Although her head told her that it was a good thing, her heart definitely didn’t seem to agree.

  * * *

  Lucy stayed on after her shift should have ended. Although Amanda had managed to find someone to cover the evening shift, she hated to leave them in the lurch, so it was gone three by the time she felt able to leave. She went to the staffroom for her coat, smiling when she found Cathy in there, nursing a mug of tea.

  ‘You look as though you needed that.’

  ‘Tell me about it.’ Cathy took a swallow of her tea then groaned appreciatively. ‘You can forget about sex. I’d rather have a mug of tea any day of the week!’

  ‘I’m sure your boyfriend would be thrilled to hear you say that,’ Lucy replied, laughing.

  ‘Oh, Neil knows exactly how I feel,’ Cathy assured her. ‘We wouldn’t have lasted this long if he hadn’t been so understanding, believe me.’

  ‘How long have you been together?’ Lucy asked, slipping on her coat.

  ‘Almost two years, although I’ve known him since we were at school together. Don’t tell him I said this but I wouldn’t swap him for the world, although I might just consider it if George Clooney came knocking on my door!’ she added, grinning.

  Lucy laughed. ‘You and a million other women.’

  ‘Hmm, good point. I don’t think I’d fancy going out with a guy who dozens of other women lusted after, would you?’

  ‘No, I wouldn’t.’ She didn’t realise how sharp she’d sounded until she saw Cathy look at her in surprise.

  ‘That came from the heart. Do I take it that you’ve had a bad experience?’

  ‘You could say that.’ Lucy shrugged. ‘My ex was considered to be heart-throb material. The problem was that he knew it too.’

  ‘Is that why you split up?’ Cathy asked sympathetically.

  ‘No. I could have coped with the female adulation. What I couldn’t handle was him seeing other women while still professing his love for me.’

  ‘Ouch!’ Cathy grimaced. ‘It sounds as though you had a lucky escape, if you ask me.’

  ‘I suppose so.’

  ‘There’s no suppose about it,’ Cathy said firmly, standing up. She went to her locker and took out her bag. ‘What you need is to have some fun and forget about him, and I know the perfect way to do it.’ She handed Lucy a ticket. ‘It’s the staff Christmas party tonight. I was supposed to be going with Joanna but obviously she won’t be able to make it now, so you can have her ticket.’

  ‘Oh, I don’t know if I should,’ Lucy began.

  ‘Rubbish! Of course you should! It’ll be fun, trust me. And you never know, you might meet someone who’ll take your mind right off your ex!’

  Lucy laughed as she took the ticket. However, as she left the staffroom she couldn’t help thinking that it wasn’t Richard who had occupied her thoughts recently. She sighed. She had a feeling that it was going to take more than a few hours of fun to stop her thinking about Max all the time.

  Chapter Nine

  MAX wasn’t planning on going to the Christmas party, even though he had bought a ticket months ago. After his last disastrous date, he had given up on the idea of socialising for the moment. However, as the day wore on, the prospect of spending the evening on his own held even less appeal. He knew what would happen. He would spend the time thinking about Lucy and it wouldn’t help one little bit. The Christmas party could turn out to be the better option.

  He went home to shower and change then drove back to the hospital. The party was being held in the staff canteen and there was quite a crowd in there when he arrived. He got himself a drink from the makeshift bar and went to find the others, stopping en route to speak to various people he knew. Everyone was in high spirits and he only wished he felt as cheerful as they did. However, he was suddenly very conscious of the fact that this would be the last Christmas he spent in Dalverston and the thought weighed heavily on him. It was hard to appear his usual happy-go-lucky self when he joined the staff from the maternity unit.

  ‘We didn’t know you were coming, Max!’ Anita Walsh exclaimed. ‘You should have said and then we could have picked you up in the minibus to save you driving.’

  ‘I wasn’t sure if I could make it,’ he hedged, not wanting to explain why it had been a last-minute decision. He held up his glass, wanting to deflect any more awkward questions. ‘OK, guys, I’d like to propose a toast. To everyone who works on the maternity unit. May we all enjoy the fruits of other people’s labours!’

  Everyone laughed as they clinked glasses. Max was relieved that he had managed to divert attention away from himself. There were several former members of staff there that night and he decided to have word with them. If he kept circulating, hopefully no one would notice that he wasn’t his usual ebullient self.

  He was just heading over to speak to Maria, who had retired recently, when he saw Lucy crossing the canteen and his heart seemed to leap right up into his throat. He’d had no idea that she would be there that night. Tickets had sold out months ago, long before she had moved to Dalverston. Now the shock of seeing her so unexpectedly turned his limbs to stone. He could only stand and stare as she drew closer.

  Lucy felt shock scud through her when she spotted Max. She’d never dreamt that he would be there that night and wasn’t sure what she should do. She paused, wondering if she should beat a hasty retreat, but just at that moment Cathy spotted her.

  ‘There you are!’ Cathy exclaimed as she came hurrying over to her. ‘I thought you must have changed your mind and decided not to come after all.’

  ‘I…um…I’m sorry I’m late but the bus didn’t turn up so I had to find a taxi.’

  ‘I should have asked you if you wanted to come in the minibus,’ Cathy said apologetically. ‘I never gave it a thought. Sorry.’

  ‘It doesn’t matter,’ Lucy said quickly. She shot a glance at Max and felt herself colour when she realised that he was watching her. Her heart seemed to be beating at double its normal speed when she turned to Cathy again. ‘I’m here now and that’s the main thing.’

  ‘Of course it is.’ Cathy grinned as she led her over to the rest of their group and raised her glass aloft. ‘OK, folks, now it’s my turn to propose a toast. Here’s to a fun-filled night!’

  Everyone cheered as they raised their glasses. Lucy joined in but she was so conscious of Max that it was hard to act naturally. She shot another glance in his direction and was relieved to see that he was talking to a glamorous older woman and no longer looking at her. She made her way to the far side of the group, wondering how soon she could leave without it causing comment. Being around Max was the last thing she needed at the present time.

  Someone put some music on and people started to dance. When Cathy urged everyone to join in, Lucy went willingly. With a bit of luck she’d be able to slip away while they were occupied. Max was dancing with the other woman now, laughing as he guided her around the floor in a stately waltz. They passed Lucy and she blushed when he caught her staring and winked at her.

  The first track ended and another one began. It was a popular tune and more people came onto the floor. Lucy doubted if anyone would notice her leaving in all the crush so started to edge towards the door, only to stop when Adam Sanders came over and asked her to dance. There was no way she could refuse without it appearing rude, so she followed him back to the floor. Max was dancing with Cathy now. Lucy could hear her laughing at some
thing he was saying but looked the other way in case he thought she was watching him again. One dance led to a second before she was able to excuse herself, ignoring Adam’s obvious disappointment. She sighed as she made her way towards the exit. Adam was very nice but she just wasn’t interested in him.

  ‘Will you dance with me, Lucy?’

  All of a sudden Max appeared at her side and she stopped dead. ‘Dance with you,’ she repeated numbly.

  ‘Uhuh.’ He placed his hand on his heart and grinned at her. ‘I promise on my honour that I’ll do my very best not to trample all over your toes.’

  Lucy’s mouth quirked before she could stop it. ‘That doesn’t sound very encouraging. Just how bad a dancer are you?’

  ‘You’ll have to judge for yourself.’ He smiled as he held out his hand. ‘Come on, Lucy. Take pity on me. If you won’t dance with me then I’ll be left standing here like a wallflower!’

  ‘I don’t think so. I imagine you could find yourself another partner easily enough.’

  ‘Maybe. But it’s you I want to dance with, so won’t you say yes? Please?’

  Lucy felt her stomach muscles clench when she saw the expression in his eyes. She knew she should refuse but it was impossible when he looked at her so beseechingly. She placed her hand in his and let him lead her back to the floor. There was a fast number playing this time and everyone was having a wonderful time. Max laughed as he swung her round to face him.

  ‘I hope you’re ready for this.’

  ‘Bring it on,’ she assured him, and he chuckled.

  ‘Well, you only have yourself to blame.’

  He spun her round, twisting her this way and that until she was breathless. Despite what he had said, he was an excellent dancer and she glowered at him when the music came to an end.

  ‘There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the way you dance!’

  ‘That’s all down to you.’ He smiled at her. ‘I’ve raised my game to keep up with my partner.’

  ‘I don’t think so!’ she scoffed. ‘If you ask me, insinuating that you’re a rubbish dancer is just a line. I expect a lot of women fall for it, don’t they, Max?’