‘What? Why? Sasha’s not pregnant.’
‘I know that. Jacquie’s here.’
He was silent for a moment. ‘The baby.’ The words were a whisper. ‘You think there’s something wrong?’
‘I do.’
‘Right. I’m on my way.’
‘Is he coming?’ Jacquie asked, her chin still raised in a haughty manner.
‘Yes.’ Eden replaced the receiver as Sasha began to stir. ‘Oh, I’m sorry,’ Eden said softly to her friend. ‘I didn’t mean to wake you—and you haven’t slept for all that long.’
Sasha yawned. ‘It’s all right. Plenty of time to rest. What’s going on?’
‘Jacquie’s come to visit.’ Eden pointed across to where Jacquie was sitting.
‘Is David coming?’ Jacquie asked again. There was no fear in her tone, but it held a lot of impatience.
‘Yes. Just sit there. I’ll be right back.’ Eden dashed out to the nurses’ station once more and found a tempanic thermometer.
‘What now?’ Jacquie asked when Eden returned.
‘Please?’ Eden put a gentle hand on the other woman’s shoulder. ‘Relax. It won’t take but a moment.’
‘I know how long it takes. I have had my temperature taken before.’
The thermometer beeped. ‘Thirty-eight. You’re not leaving this hospital.’
‘Are you completely out of your mind?’ Jacquie asked, and turned to Sasha. ‘I only wanted to come and visit you, but I see now that I was wrong to do so while this crazy woman is here.’
‘You think something is wrong?’ Sasha asked Eden.
‘Yes.’
Sasha turned to Jacquie, who was shifting forward in the chair as though she were about to stand up. ‘Please, Jacquie,’ she implored. ‘Listen to Eden. She knows about these things.’
‘Sasha is right,’ David said as he stalked into the room. ‘Eden has amazing instincts.’
She might have amazing instincts, but she could also turn to a boneless mass of jelly just from hearing his voice. She pulled herself together and looked at him with thanks.
He didn’t like it when she looked at him like that—as though she wanted to wind her body around his and never let go. The uncanny thing was, he wanted to do exactly the same thing to her. Instead, he forced himself to look away and focused his attention on his ex-wife. ‘Good afternoon, Jacqueline.’
He handed Eden the foetal heart monitor she’d requested, before crossing to Jacquie’s side and pressing a polite kiss to her cheek. It was the same greeting Eden had seen him giving his mother over the years, and she realised that the protocols of high society were still maintained as far as he was concerned. It was, however, interesting to note that he treated Jacquie with such polite indifference.
‘Report?’ He turned to look at Eden, and she snapped back into doctor mode.
‘BP and temperature elevated, swelling of the feet and hands.’ She unwound the heart monitor and plugged it in. ‘She’s thirty-three weeks. I’ve put in a call to her obstetrician.’
David knelt down. ‘I’m just going to check your feet,’ he said to Jacquie, and pressed carefully. ‘Is Gray your obstetrician?’ he asked.
‘Yes.’
‘I’ll make sure he’s here. Don’t you worry about it.’ A moment later, he said, ‘These shoes are coming off.’ He removed them and set them aside. ‘What’s your husband’s phone number?’ He pulled a piece of paper and a pen from his pocket.
‘What is going on?’ Jacquie demanded, looking at the three people in the room. ‘Have you all gone stark raving mad? I’m just a little hot. That’s normal when a woman is pregnant. The books say so.’
‘Yes,’ David said softly but firmly, ‘but not as hot as you are. It’s not good for the baby. What’s Paul’s number, Jacqueline?’
Jacquie looked at him for a moment, before rattling off her husband’s contact number.
David turned to Eden. ‘I’ll organise for her admission to Maternity.’
‘Thanks. Much appreciated.’
She smiled at him, her green eyes alive with appreciation and sincerity. David stood where he was for a whole five seconds, simply staring at her, unable to believe just how dynamic and beautiful she was. The sunbeams from the window were shining into the room, highlighting the glorious colours of Eden’s hair and giving her skin a golden tinge which only made her even more desirable. He could quite easily lose himself in this woman. She was so magnetic—especially when she looked at him as she was doing now.
‘David?’ It was Sasha who spoke, who broke the moment he and Eden were sharing.
‘Hmm? Right. Yes. I’ve got things to do.’
With that, he left the room, and Eden sucked in a deep breath to get herself back on track. Honestly, when he looked at her the way he just had, her body turned to mush and her brain could think of nothing but the way his arms felt around her. Strong, sure and steady.
After David had gone, Eden strapped the foetal heart monitor around Jacquie’s middle and positioned the instrument correctly. A moment later the readings started coming through. ‘You’re having minor contractions,’ Eden reported.
‘What? But I can’t feel anything.’ Jacquie stared at the monitor Eden was watching.
‘They’re very small, but things are happening.’
‘But I’m only thirty-three weeks! Alyce can’t come yet.’
‘I hate to break this to you again, Jacquie, but as I said, babies come when they’re ready. Unless we can stop your labour, Alyce is on her way.’
Jacquie clutched at Eden’s hand, her eyes wild. ‘But she’s not ready. It’s not time.’
Eden watched the desperate reaction of the mother-to-be, and although most women who went into premature labour were scared and frightened, she sensed there was something else going on. ‘This is your first pregnancy?’
‘I miscarried two last year, but they were both within the first six weeks.’
Eden nodded. ‘You’ve had trouble getting pregnant?’
‘Yes. For years. You have to do something.’
‘I am.’
‘Eden?’ David called, poking his head around the door. ‘Can I see you for a moment?’
She nodded and crossed to where he was standing, just outside Sasha’s room. ‘What’s the problem?’
‘I’ve managed to get hold of Gray and he’s on his way. He’s a good doctor, but as far as the baby’s care goes I’d like you to do it.’
‘Me?’ Eden wasn’t sure she wanted to be looking after a baby belonging to David’s ex-wife.
‘Well, I can’t do it. Although Jacquie and I are friends, it just doesn’t seem…right.’
She spread her arms wide. ‘You have other colleagues—and Jacquie has her own private obstetrician practically on retainer! Surely the son of the son of the man who looked after her when she was born is all set to look after her baby?’
David grinned at her words. ‘Doctors don’t work like that, and you know it,’ he remarked, even though he knew Eden had been joking. ‘She has chosen a paediatrician—’
‘Who is no doubt socially acceptable?’ Eden interjected.
‘But he is off on compassionate leave at the moment,’ David continued.
‘I just hate society and its socially acceptable forms of how things should be done,’ she grumbled.
‘You only hate it because you were so restricted by it,’ he soothed, rubbing a hand up and down her arm. ‘Other people need rules and regulations. They find it comforting.’
‘Only because it gives them strict guidelines on what’s expected of them in life. No one should have their life that meticulously planned. It’s just wrong—and it also means there are too many people in this world not reaching their full potential as human beings—’
David placed a finger over her lips and leaned closer. ‘I would have preferred to kiss you to shut you up,’ he murmured, his tone deep. ‘Your eyes flash with fire when you get into one of your rants, and you lift your chin in that defiant way
I’ve seen you do so often. It’s very, very sexy, Eden. Lord knows I’d love you to continue—if for no other reason than I’d get to admire you—but time is of the essence, and right now I need you focused.’
He left his finger in place for a fraction of a second longer…long enough for Eden to wet it with the tip of her tongue. He jerked it back and she smiled. ‘How do you expect me to focus when you say things like that?’
‘I expect you to focus because you’re a professional.’
‘Yes. Right. I am.’ She cleared her throat and he took a step back, giving them both a bit more air, a bit more room to move.
‘Now, as I was saying, I’d like you to be Jacquie’s paediatrician. Because even though she’s my ex-wife I know how important this child is to her, and there’s no one I trust as much as you.’
Eden watched his mouth as he spoke, trying not to be mesmerised by him. When she realised he’d finished, she looked at his eyes and saw that he was waiting for her to respond. ‘All right. I’ll do it. For you. But I’m sure Jacquie won’t like it. I don’t think I’m her favourite person at the moment.’
His smile was filled with gratitude. ‘She’ll come around to you. Everyone always does…in the end.’
Everyone except his parents, but she didn’t really care about them. ‘Gee, thanks.’
‘You know what I mean.’
‘I do.’
‘Thank you, Eden. It shouldn’t take too much to convince Jacquie. She always insists on the best, and that’s exactly what you are. The best.’ David met her gaze and held it for a moment, and she wondered whether he was talking about her medical skills or something else.
‘Flattery will get you everywhere, Dr Montgomery.’ She looked up and saw the orderlies getting out of the lift, pushing a vacant barouche.
‘This way,’ David instructed them, and headed into Sasha’s room—where they found that Sasha had been talking sense to Jacquie and the expectant mother was now more than willing to be whisked away to the maternity ward.
David and Eden stayed with Jacquie until Dr Gray arrived. Eden vaguely remembered him from the social set, but he remembered her completely.
‘Staged a protest against your own father’s company. How could anyone forget that?’ Dr Gray shook hands with Eden. ‘I always admired you for standing up for what you believed in.’
‘Really? Uh…well, thanks.’
‘In fact, I remembered your determination when my father wanted to push me into studying law instead of medicine. It helped me to take a stand and head in the direction I preferred.’ Dr Gray was busy checking the readings from the foetal heart monitor as he spoke.
‘Wow.’ Eden blinked and looked across at David, who was leaning against the cupboard, his arms folded across his chest. He nodded as though he, too, was impressed with what Dr Gray had shared. ‘I’m…uh…glad I was able to help—even if I didn’t realise I was.’
‘Excuse me,’ Jacquie remarked, that haughty tone at perfect pitch, ‘can we focus on me, please? I am apparently in labour.’
‘Yes, of course.’ Dr Gray turned his full attention to his patient, and wasn’t at all happy with the observation readings the nurse reported. ‘Your blood pressure is increasing, Jacquie, and that means the baby’s heart-rate is decelerating.’ He turned to the nurse. ‘IV line and oxygen, stat. Blood test, a.s.a.p. We need to rule out infection.’
Eden helped Dr Gray move Jacquie onto her side.
‘Wh-what’s going on?’ Jacquie asked, her voice quivering.
‘I’ll explain in a minute, Jacquie,’ Dr Gray soothed. A moment later the foetal monitor gave a better read-out and they all sighed. ‘Sorry about that. Didn’t mean to scare you.’
‘Well, you did—and why is Eden still here. David?’
‘Eden’s going to be your paediatrician,’ David explained walking to Jacquie’s side so she could see him more easily instead of having to crane her neck.
‘But I had it planned. It was all planned. This wasn’t supposed to happen today. Everything is wrong. This isn’t the way I had it planned.’
‘Shh,’ Dr Gray soothed her. ‘You need to calm down. Deep breaths, Jacquie.’
‘Dr Gray’s right,’ said David, calmly explaining why Jacquie’s appointed paediatrician couldn’t make it. ‘Eden will look after your baby because in my opinion she’s the best there is. You want the best for your baby, don’t you?’
‘Alyce. Her name is Alyce.’
David nodded, his voice gentle. ‘Alyce is important to you, and therefore you need the best care you can get. The best is Eden.’
‘What about Paul?’
‘He’s on his way,’ Dr Gray informed her.
‘We’ll leave you to get some rest,’ Eden said. They walked out of the room, Dr Gray not far behind them, leaving Jacquie in the care of two well-trained nurses.
‘Jacquie’s definitely displaying all the signs and symptoms of pre-eclampsia. Good pick-up, David.’ He gave his colleague a manly pat on the back.
‘It was Eden.’
‘Ah. In that case, well done, Eden. I take it you’re staying in Sydney?’
‘For a while.’ Eden smiled up at David. ‘I’ve only been here a few days, and David already has me working.’
‘I didn’t want you to be bored.’
‘More like you needed my help.’
‘And I know how much you love to help.’
‘Whatever the reason,’ Dr Gray said, feeling as though he was watching a tennis match—a tennis match with a lot of sensual undercurrents, ‘I’m glad he’s persuaded you. I’ve read a few of your papers. Incredible stuff.’
‘Thank you. Anyway, we’ll leave you to it. If you need me, I think it’ll be best if you page David. If I’m not with him, he’ll know where to find me.’
‘OK.’ Dr Gray headed back to Jacquie’s room and Eden looked at David.
‘Time for a cuppa, methinks.’ They headed towards the hospital cafeteria. ‘What a day!’
‘You’re not wrong.’
‘How did things go with Mrs Wilman?’
David gave her a rundown on what had happened with social services and the psychiatric consult he’d called in. ‘Dart, thankfully, is now responding to treatment.’
‘That is good news.’ They got their drinks and sat at a table. ‘Oh, and Sash has good news, too. She forgot to tell you, what with all the extra goings-on.’
‘What is it?’
‘Ah…I’m not ruining it for her. Just make sure you stop in and see her on your way back to the ward.’
‘Will do.’
Eden took a sip of her coffee, regarding him closely. ‘David, can I ask you something?’
He laughed ironically. ‘Have you ever been stopped before?’
‘Well, it’s personal. It’s about you and Jacquie, but I don’t want you to think I’m prying.’
‘Oh. Right.’ He braced himself. ‘What’s the question?’
‘When you were married, did she have any miscarriages?’
‘No.’ His answer was immediate.
‘You’re sure?’
‘Yes.’ He clenched his jaw for a moment, then swallowed. ‘Why do you ask?’
‘She said she had two last year, and I was just wondering whether there’s something else wrong. Is there a virus attacking her babies? Are the blood types of mother and foetus different? That sort of thing.’
‘I don’t know anything about her miscarriages.’
‘And you two didn’t try to have any children? Didn’t plan any?’
David clenched his jaws together. ‘Bringing children into a marriage that should never have happened in the first place didn’t seem like the wisest of ideas.’
Eden was a little surprised at his reaction, and also a little confused. She would have sworn that Jacquie had said she’d been trying to have a child for a very long time. But David obviously didn’t want to talk to her about his marriage, and she could understand that. ‘OK. Well, I’m sure Dr Gray knows what’s going o
n and has everything under control. I’m just trying to play through a few different scenarios in my mind. You know—be prepared for when the baby arrives.’
‘Is that all?’ He pushed his half-empty cup away and stood.
‘Yes.’
‘I need to go.’
He was gone so fast Eden didn’t have time to blink or even to call out his name. She’d obviously been treading on some very thin ice, but she wasn’t sure what on earth she’d said to offend him.
CHAPTER NINE
AN HOUR later Eden was in Sasha’s room when a call came through from David to say that Dr Gray needed her.
‘Apparently, a second urine sample has come back showing traces of uric-acid and protein,’ David informed her.
‘He’s going to induce the labour?’ she stated.
‘I would presume so.’
‘OK. Thanks. I’ll head to Maternity now to check on things.’ She was about to ask him if he was all right, but found that he’d already hung up the phone and she was listening to the dial tone. Something was wrong, and while she wanted to go and find him and get him to tell her exactly what was bothering him, she decided to give him some space.
When she arrived in Jacquie’s room she realised that Paul, Jacquie’s husband, had arrived and was busy pacing up and down, not bothering to keep out of the staff’s way. Dr Gray had already set up a magnesium drip, which would help reduce the swelling in Jacquie’s limbs, and a catheter bag hung beside the bottom of the bed.
He was intent on trying all the options, as Jacquie wanted to have a natural birth, but three hours later things had become steadily worse.
Eden had spent those hours forcing herself to keep away from David, yet all the while trying to figure out what had made him so touchy towards her. What had she done wrong? Was she not supposed to discuss his past marriage with him? She hadn’t meant anything by her questions—it had been purely for medical reasons she’d asked them.
Now, though, she needed to concentrate, and she reluctantly pushed thoughts of her delicious David to the back of her mind.
‘We’ve tried the Cytotec and it hasn’t worked,’ Dr Gray was explaining. ‘We’ve tried the Foley bulb, and still you’re only three centimetres dilated. Your waters have broken, and although that’s brought you a bit of relief it’s made things worse for Alyce.’
Bride on the Children's Ward / Marriage Reunited: Baby on the Way Page 14
