by Tina Beckett
“I’ll have them call you to set up an appointment, if that’s okay, in the next couple of days.”
“That would be perfect. I look forward to meeting them.”
He pushed away from the wall. “Thanks for doing this. I do appreciate it.”
“Not a problem.”
At least, she hoped it wouldn’t be one.
Less than an hour later, her cell phone went off.
“Ms. Eliston? My name is Basir Kepler. My brother heads up the clinic.”
She knew exactly who he was. She was just surprised that his brother was calling her so quickly, and that Adem had given them her cell phone number. Maybe he wanted to let her talk to them first before making any firm decisions.
His voice sounded very much like Adem’s, with those low gravely tones, but he sounded younger somehow.
Or maybe he was just less cynical.
Did she really think Adem was cynical? Maybe. One thing she did know was that he was very good at keeping his emotions in check. Except for that night in his apartment.
Only that hadn’t been emotion. More like lust. Or worse, just biological need.
Except he’d been so sexy. So...focused.
She cleared her throat. “Adem was just talking to me about you.” Too late she realized she probably should have used his title rather than talking about him so informally. Hopefully she didn’t give Basir any wrong ideas.
Wrong ideas? Like what? She’d slept with the man, for heaven’s sake. She sure wasn’t calling him Mr. Kepler during that. But she also didn’t want Adem’s brother to think they had a relationship. Because they didn’t. It was one night. And that was all it was ever going to be. She would make sure of it.
To cover up and hopefully divert any personal questions, she asked about him and his wife. “Tell me a little bit more about yourselves and your hopes for the baby?”
“Adeline is on the line with me, so I’ll let her do most of the talking.”
Soon thoughts of Adem were abandoned—at least on a temporary basis—as they discussed what they knew so far about the pregnancy. It was their first baby, and they wanted to try a home birth, if possible.
The usual excitement grew as it always did when she spoke with a new patient. Maybe she lived vicariously through her patients, allowing their joy of discovery to become her own joy. Or it could be Adeline’s bubbly enthusiasm, or maybe just how happy they both sounded. And that’s where the difference came in. She sensed a genuine contentment in Basir that seemed to be missing from Adem somehow. Or maybe that was her imagination.
Fifteen minutes later, she’d posted a memo to herself on her phone. She was going to meet Basir and his wife here at the clinic in her cubicle. Later she would go to their home and go through what they needed to have in place for the birth.
“It was nice talking to you, and I look forward to meeting you both.”
“Thank you,” Adeline said. “Adem speaks very highly of you.”
He did? That still left her dumbstruck...that Adem would have wanted her to be personally involved in the case. It also gave her a tiny thrill that warred with the lecture she’d given herself about not getting emotionally involved with him. If that were even possible.
It was. She would make sure of it.
“Well, I’m glad I can help. I’ll see you next week.”
They said their goodbyes and Carly continued on her way, glancing back as if Adem might have suddenly materialized out of thin air. Thank God he hadn’t.
It didn’t matter. Because like it or not, Adem was going to be involved in this pregnancy and birth and so would officially be a part of her life. At least until this baby was born and Carly was off the case.
* * *
Carly was going to be Adeline’s midwife. She’d stopped by yesterday to let him know that they’d met and agreed on the hows and whys. And what had been a lazy current of uneasiness over suggesting her had turned into stiff gusts that were getting stronger by the day. Maybe it didn’t have as much to do with Carly as it did with his brother himself.
Of course he deserved to be happy. Adem had bent over backward to make sure that had happened after Basir’s surgery and treatment. But could it be that having the evidence of that happiness staring him in the face reminded him of how different he and Basir were?
Not that Adem wanted marriage and babies. And he especially didn’t want them just to satisfy his father’s idea of birth order. If anything, that just made him even more determined to do things his own way. In his own time.
Besides, he was content with what he had. Which was Work and...
Work.
He blew out a breath, shifting some files on his desk and setting down his pen. Was he becoming his father, who was so obsessed with work that he ignored everything around him, even the things that were slipping away like his wife and kids?
You don’t have a wife or kids, Adem.
He didn’t, but he’d put his heart and soul into the starting of this clinic to the exclusion of almost everything else in his life. Including relationships.
It was what he wanted, though. And he had his brother to thank for that. If he’d had the option, he would have named the clinic the Basir Kepler Care Centre, but he doubted his brother would have liked having reminders of what he’d been through. He was truly able to put the past behind him.
Maybe they were different in that as well. Adem and his dad had a strained relationship, even now, whereas Basir worked with their father at the restaurant and would probably own it one day.
Well, no matter. At least he knew Basir would make a wonderful father, judging from what he’d seen of his relationship with Adeline.
The phone on his desk chirped. Glancing at the screen, he put his pen down. Just who he’d been thinking of. It was his brother.
Flicking the button to take the call, he put it to his ear. “Hi. I hear you have a midwife.”
“We do and Addy loves her already. We should actually be there in an hour or so to meet with her again and fill out some paperwork. Can you be there? You might think of something we don’t.”
“I’ve never had need of a midwife, Basir.”
Ha! Actually, he had, but not quite in the way that his brother meant.
“I know, but you know Carly.”
Yes, he did. A little better than he had before. The last thing he needed was to sit in and watch her do Adeline’s prenatal appointment.
“I don’t know. I’m pretty busy.”
“Come on, Adem. We’re excited and wanted to share it with family. You work right there at the clinic.”
“Okay, I’ll make it work.”
Somehow. He just wasn’t sure quite how he was going to face Carly and not see the imprints of her hands against his living room window all over again.
* * *
Carly was nervous, and she wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t the first time family members had sat in on an appointment and it wouldn’t be the last. In fact, Basir and Adeline had requested this meeting after researching birthing options.
But this was Adem.
As much as she tried to tell herself it was because he was the head of the clinic and that he would be looking at her through that lens, she knew that wasn’t entirely it. More of it involved having him here while they discussed birth plans. She couldn’t stop herself from wondering what kind of birth experience he would choose for his own child. Would he be involved? Or detached? Would he want his partner to have a hospital birth or one at home?
She had a hard time suppressing the tiny pang that went through her at the fact that she would probably never know. Nor should she.
And if he got married and asked her to play a role in his own wife’s pregnancy?
It was a completely irrational thought, but one she couldn’t entirely banish. Of course he wouldn’t ask.
But if he did?
And that was her cue to get back to the business at hand.
“We’ll have most of our prenatal appointments here at the clinic until we get closer to your due date. Then nearer the date, I or one of my team will visit you at home. We need to have at least one appointment there, anyway, so we can put everything in place. You mentioned on the phone that you’ve done some research on types of home births.”
Adeline nodded. “We have and wanted to hear your opinions, since we’re leaning toward a water birth. Since Adem’s a neurosurgeon, we thought it would be good to hear his thoughts as well.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him stiffen. “I’m sure Carly can guide you through those decisions.”
Was he afraid she would be offended that they’d asked him to be here? Nothing could be further from the truth. Glancing over, she said, “I welcome whatever input you might have.”
“I am not a birth expert.”
Basir spoke up. “No, but you’re family. And an expert in your field, and since we’ve chosen something a little less conventional, we really do want to hear your opinion.”
“Water births have been around for a long time,” Carly said. They were growing in popularity actually. “We’ll need to work out some things, but that is very possible as long as your pregnancy is progressing without complications. We’ll do an ultrasound to make sure there’s only one baby in there, since we wouldn’t want to go that direction with twins either.”
“And you’ve assisted with water births before?” Adeline’s voice was soft, her happiness obvious.
“Yes. We even have a birthing pool here at the clinic, which brings me to another question. Where would you get your pool?”
This time Basir answered. “That was part of our research. We found a company we can buy a new one from. We can either keep it for future pregnancies or they’ll sell it for us once we’re done. They have guidelines set up for how to do it all.” He handed her a card.
She glanced at the name. “I’ve worked with them before. They’re very reputable.”
“That’s a relief.”
Basir glanced at his brother. “This is where you come in. What is your take on water births?”
“Are you asking me as a doctor?”
“I am. Since the baby will be born underwater, will there be any problems as far as oxygen? I know everyone says they’re perfectly safe, but we just want to make sure.”
Carly could have answered that question, but she understood why Basir wanted reassurance from an objective party. Not that Adem was, since he was also family.
“Carly is probably better off answering that question. But if you’re worried about oxygen deprivation, there won’t be any, since the baby will be still attached by the cord.”
“Water birth babies are only submerged for a matter of seconds once they’re born, so Adem is right, there’s no danger in that regard. But I would hold off on buying an actual birth pool until you’re a little further along, just so we can make sure everything is running according to plan.”
“How far along?”
“I’m going to say six months. We only want to go that route under optimal conditions, for your sake and the baby’s.”
Adeline nodded. “I do understand that. And since Adem seems to be in agreement, let’s plan on that.”
When Carly shot him a look, he was frowning and didn’t look very happy. Was he not a fan of water births? Again, it didn’t matter, since this wasn’t his baby. But as director of the clinic, it might be good to know his stance, since Carly was a proponent of the method.
Fifteen minutes later, they’d finished their discussion and Carly bid them both goodbye. But when Adem looked like he was going to shoot through the door behind them, she asked him to hold up.
When the door of the exam room closed, she got straight to the point. “Do you have a problem with your brother and his wife wanting a water birth?”
“Why do you ask?”
“I’m not sure. You just looked less than pleased once they firmed up their decision.”
“It’s not my child.”
“No, but it is your niece or nephew. And your attitude will make itself known sooner or later. Besides, I would personally like to know what you think.”
“Why?”
The way he said that made her hesitate. Then she decided she really did need to know. “Because you’re the clinic’s director. I’d like to make sure you stand behind our patients who choose to have their baby in a pool.”
“Of course. It’s just such a different field. I’m a neurosurgeon, so the idea of performing brain surgery in someone’s home is unfathomable to me. But it’s not brain surgery and obviously some people are more comfortable giving birth in familiar surroundings.”
“Yes, that’s right. They do. Okay, I just didn’t want Basir and Adeline to start down this road only to be sidetracked by some objection you might have.”
“Believe me, if I’d had one, you would have known it.”
“Well, that’s good to know.”
His head cocked. “Anything else?”
“No. That was all.”
“Okay, so now that we have that out of the way, I’ll see you later.”
She nodded and watched him walk out of the room, unsure of why she’d gone from nervous to defensive to deflated in less than an hour’s time.
That wasn’t quite true. She did know why. She just didn’t like the reasons for it. Because they involved a man she was afraid was becoming a little too important in her life. He made her pulse soar and her heart trip in her chest. And yet he’d shown no interest in repeating their night together. Or having a relationship of any sort with her.
Lord, she’d already survived one man walking out on her. The last thing she needed to do was set her poor heart on a shelf and wait for it to be knocked down again. Because she had a feeling this time it wouldn’t bounce, but would instead shatter into a million pieces.
CHAPTER FIVE
ADEM’S LIFE HAD been so busy he’d barely had time to stop and breathe since the news of Adeline’s pregnancy and Basir’s question about water births being safe. The question seemed even more poignant this morning as another family faced a horrific choice.
There’d been a string of emergencies related to a terrible pileup on the M1 a week ago. Three fatalities and dozens of injuries, including nine traumatic brain injuries. Adem had either treated or consulted with other hospitals on most of them.
And today he’d had to stand at the bedside of a five-year-old child and listen as her family begged him to find some sign of hope on her EEG readings. But there were none. After the accident, her brain swelled, continuing unabated despite his team’s every attempt to stop it, including a craniotomy—removing a piece of her skull to relieve pressure. Nothing worked, and in the early hours, her brain stem had herniated.
At this point the ventilator was the only thing keeping their daughter’s body alive. And seeing her mother, also injured in the crash, sit there with a cast on her arm and plead for her daughter’s life had wrenched him in a way that he wasn’t used to. Unlike Carly, who was deeply involved with her patients for nine months, Adem was able to maintain more emotional distance from his. Whether that had to do with his training or with his upbringing was up for debate.
Whatever it was, he was having a harder time coping today.
The organ donation team was on standby, waiting for a chance to talk to the family. It all seemed so cold-blooded right now, even though he knew he wasn’t thinking rationally.
He couldn’t imagine being a parent and having to face the death of your child. Hadn’t cared about anyone enough to even think of having a family with them. At least until Basir entered the picture with his news. But his brother was happily married. Adem w
as not, and since there was no one on the horizon, there would be no children in his foreseeable future. He would not make the same mistake his parents had made and bring kids into a less than ideal partnership.
He sighed. Why were those thoughts going through his head today?
Adem had faced other heartbreaking outcomes with patients, but rarely with someone so young. Realizing he’d been staring out of his office window for the last fifteen minutes, he swiveled his chair back toward the front and planted his elbows on his desk. Steepling his hands, he rested his forehead on his fingertips, trying to pull his mind toward other things, even as that child’s family was now grappling with the hardest choice a parent would ever have to make.
A knock on his door sounded.
Damn. Here it was. He’d given them his mobile number and asked them to call him, but maybe someone had directed them here. Maybe they wanted to ask him to run more tests. Didn’t they know if there was any possibility...the tiniest sliver of hope...? He drew a deep breath and stood, going over to the door and opening it.
Not the family. Or anyone else involved with the case. It was Carly.
He couldn’t imagine why she was here. Wait. “Is it Adeline?”
“No. Naomi.”
Hell, their aneurism patient. He suddenly couldn’t take one more failure. Maybe she saw something in his face, because she put her hand on his arm. “No, she’s okay. More than okay. She had her baby this morning. They delivered by C-section and everyone is great. Not a hint of trouble from the aneurysm. The coiling worked.”
He blinked. “That’s the best news I’ve heard today. In fact, it’s pretty much the only good news I’ve had.”
“The accident?”
“You heard?”
Her head tilted. “It’s been all over the news. You were even on television.”
He remembered a gaggle of reporters gawking at him last night as he’d left the building, but it was all a blur. All he’d been able to think about was that little girl and the fact that he wasn’t going to be able to save her.
“I don’t remember talking to anyone.”
