Gold Coast Angels: Two Tiny Heartbeats

by McArthur, Fiona

  ‘What time?’

  ‘Six-thirty and I’m going to flog you.’ What a poseur, Callie thought as she listened, but Nick didn’t seem fazed. She hoped he wiped the floor with Cade.

  Nick just smiled. ‘Make it seven, and meet your match.’

  She gave Lucy a look that said Men! and Lucy grinned as the lift stopped and she and Nick got out. ‘I need to catch up with you later, too, Nick.’ Callie saw Nick pause and he turned back, saluted her, and the lift doors shut.

  Cade looked thoughtfully at the closed door. ‘You think Nick is having an affair with that girl?’

  ‘No.’ She hoped not because she’d heard the girl was pregnant. ‘There’s enough gossip in this place already, without making up more.’

  ‘Makes me wonder if they sail up and down the lift together all day.’

  The lift finally made it to ground level and the doors opened. ‘As long as they don’t think we are, it’s all good,’ Callie muttered, and hurried off.

  She could feel his eyes drilling into her back and she picked up more speed.

  * * *

  Back on the level of the consultants’ rooms, Nick ushered Lucy through the door into his office and Lucy passed the empty secretary’s desk. She’d forgotten it was lunchtime for everyone else because she’d arranged this before she’d known she’d be off sick.

  Lucy took her usual seat while he opened up the screen for the results and she thought about the conversation in the lift.

  They must have all been in Theatre together. He didn’t look tired. ‘Were you up all night, operating?’

  ‘Half the night. Complicated triplet pregnancy.’ He clicked the mouse. ‘Ah, here they are. Yep. Right antibiotics for the bug and a probable cause for your irritable uterus.’

  Lucy was still thinking about the three babies. Gulp. ‘So there’s people out there who are more complicated than me.’

  ‘Always. And lots that are simpler. People forget that twins are tricky. With IVF we get a lot more twins and triplets than normal and it’s a serious pregnancy we need to keep a close eye on.’

  They did the blood-pressure and weight check and skipped the abdominal palpation because the ultrasound had shown them both the babies were growing well. Nick handed back the card he’d filled out. ‘Don’t hesitate to call me if you have any concerns.’

  He was in doctor mode and she needed to remember that’s who he was. He was her doctor, not her friend.

  She stood up. ‘Yes. Thank you. I’d better get home and put my feet up or I’ll be feeling guilty I didn’t go to work.’

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  AT THREE-THIRTY that afternoon Flora May dropped by at Lucy’s house to check that she was okay. The company was appreciated because Lucy felt strangely flat.

  Flora glanced around at the secluded alcove with palm trees overhead and birds flying in and out. ‘It’s like being on a little tropical island. No wonder you like it here.’

  Lucy watched a lorikeet dart past and tried to lift her mood. Yes. She was lucky. It was a great place to live. ‘Plus it’s rent-free for very little maintenance of the big house. And nice and close to the hospital.’

  Actually, Lucy wanted to throw herself on Flora’s motherly chest but she’d been stifling those urges since she’d been a little girl. She’d thought she was pretty good at it but lately her reserves seemed to be running low.

  She felt Flora’s scrutiny. ‘How are you, Lucy?’

  ‘I’m fine. Nick arranged for another ultrasound. The babies are fine. We’re just being careful.’

  Flora’s eyes it up. ‘So how was the ultrasound? Did they move much? And that was very sensible.’ She’d brought a cake and they set up the little table outside Lucy’s door.

  Lucy remembered that moment when she’d thought about losing them, and how Nick had reassured her. ‘They looked good. Kicking well.’ She didn’t know what she’d have done without him the last few days but she didn’t want to get used to relying on him. It was nice having Flora visit, too. Almost like a family, but who was she kidding? She needed to get better at going it alone, not worse.

  Flora poured the tea. ‘So when do you think you’ll be back at work?’

  ‘Tomorrow.’

  ‘Good.’ Flora sat back. ‘Dr Kefes is looking after you well?’

  Lucy smiled at the question in Flora’s voice. As if she would have words with him if he wasn’t doing his job well. ‘I wouldn’t be going tomorrow if he thought it was dangerous.’ She could just imagine Flora taking Nick to task for being negligent. ‘In fact, he’s been great.’

  She couldn’t tell Flora how great or the rumour mill would go into overdrive. Not that Flora gossiped. That wouldn’t be in her psyche, but it could be awkward if Flora thought she and Nick had something going on when, of course, they didn’t. ‘I’d like you to try and come with me to the next ultrasound if you’re not busy?’

  Flora’s face softened and she smiled. ‘I’d like that.’

  Flora stayed another hour and then left, but not before Lucy promised to phone in sick if she felt unwell.

  She was so glad she’d told Flora, who’d suggested she allow the news to spread so people would understand and be a little more thoughtful in what they asked Lucy to do.

  * * *

  The next day at work Lucy felt as good as new. Maybe it was because she had slept in that morning, and starting work after lunch instead of before breakfast seemed to suit her better.

  The ward was busy, and after checking Lucy was okay Flora glanced at the clock.

  ‘Right, then.’ Back to business. ‘I’ll get you to care for Bonny Shore. Her husband can’t be here because they have no one to mind their two toddler daughters.’

  ‘Oh, poor thing.’

  ‘Yes. Meg’s in there and I don’t think she’ll go home before the birth so the two of you will be there. The exciting thing is that Bonny’s having twins, too.’ Flora smiled and Lucy wanted to give Flora a hug because this was just what she needed—an insight into the happy ending of a twin pregnancy.

  ‘The neonatal nursery is aware we’re close but ready to come when we think they’ll be needed. Dr Richards and Dr Coleman have been to see Bonny and explain that two neonatal teams will be there just in case either baby decides to be naughty.’

  Lucy had to smile at that but inwardly she quailed at the thought of so many consultants in the room. Especially the terrifying Dr Coleman.

  But she’d have to get used to it. This was her world and she vowed she would become a valuable part of the network at Gold Coast City Hospital.

  Flora went on. ‘Of course, Dr Kefes and his registrar will be there also, so the room will become very busy when the time comes.

  ‘Until then...’ she looked at Lucy from under her stern brows ‘...try and give Bonny some reassurance that despite the cast of thousands she does have some control over her birth and that she is still doing what she is designed to do.’

  Lucy grinned. ‘Absolutely.’ She looked up at her mentor. How she wished she’d had someone like this kind woman as her mother or even her aunt. Her dream had been that one day she’d get a warm and fuzzy mother-in-law who would be the kind of mother she’d never had but that dream had slipped further away. He’d have to be some man to want a wife who already had twins.

  Maybe that would never happen but Flora was becoming her friend.

  ‘And thank you.’ She looked away because her silly hormones were filling her eyes with tears again. ‘For caring.’

  For a moment Flora’s eyes softened and then she looked towards the birthing suites. ‘Away you go.’

  As Lucy knocked and entered, her patient, Bonny, was shaking her head and pushing the straps off her belly. ‘I need to go into the shower.’ Her voice cracked. ‘I can’t sit on this bed any more.’

&
nbsp; Bonny Shore was thirty years old, this was her third pregnancy, and she’d had normal births with her two little girls who were waiting at home. By the strained look on Bonny’s face, this was all very different.

  Lucy suspected her patient was stressed by the extra observations needed for twins, plus she was heading into late active labour.

  Lucy had seen that this could be the most challenging time, transition between the first and second stages of labour, before the pushing became compulsive, a time that often left a woman agitated, fearful and sometime quite cross.

  As she learnt more each day, Lucy was starting to realise that mums needed extra-calm support right about now. She could remember Flora telling her in her training that this was the usual time for women to abuse their husbands, if they weren’t at home minding the other children.

  Lucy wondered briefly if she would have anyone to be cross at when she had her babies then scolded herself for being self-absorbed and crossed over the room to Meg. The other young graduate midwife looked up from the foetal monitor as Lucy appeared.

  They smiled at each other, acknowledging silently the excitement of the impending birth. They both glanced at the two resuscitation cots set up together at the side of the room.

  ‘Well, here’s Lucy come to help you into the shower, too,’ Meg, said reassuringly. ‘This is the midwife I told you about who’s expecting twins as well.’

  Bonny looked across and rolled her eyes at Lucy. ‘Hi, there. And poor you.’ She glanced down at her large rounded belly and then suddenly smiled softly. ‘And lucky you.’

  As they helped Bonny down from the bed, Meg quietly went through her patient’s progress. ‘Bonny began her contractions this morning at home about six a.m. She came to us at ten, once she had her girls sorted, and was four centimetres dilated already by then.’

  ‘Wow.’ Lucy was impressed. ‘That was great progress at home.’

  ‘My husband was a mess by the time he dropped me off and I got into trouble from Dr Kefes for not coming earlier.’ Bonny grinned as she shuffled across the room towards the bathroom, her hands under the swell of her huge abdomen to support it.

  Lucy could tell she was not at all abashed at the scolding. Then the next contraction took hold and they all stopped as Bonny leant against Lucy and breathed through the contraction.

  As they stood quietly and gently breathed together, Lucy realised there was no tension in the room, just a feeling of solidarity, and she thought again how lucky she was to have found her niche in life.

  The contraction eased and Bonny went on as if she hadn’t stopped. ‘He listened when I said I didn’t want an epidural. Though he did get an intravenous pin in when I didn’t want one.’

  Bonny looked up under her hair at Lucy. ‘Though it’s coming to that point in this labour when you tell yourself you’d forgotten how strong it gets.’ She pushed forward grimly and held onto the doorpost as the next contraction rolled through, then she sighed again and forced herself to relax.

  ‘Getting to the business end,’ Lucy said gently.

  ‘Precisely.’ Bonny’s eyes were fixed on the shower nozzle as if it was calling her. ‘Which is a good thing.’

  They settled Bonny into the shower and Meg completed her handover quietly as Bonny closed her eyes with relief as the warm water cascaded over her stomach. ‘Bonny had progressed to eight centimetres dilated when Dr Kefes came in half an hour ago.’ Meg stopped as the next contraction hit.

  ‘We’ve negotiated a short time off the monitoring from Dr Kefes just so she can move around a bit before the birth, but we have to head back to bed as soon as she feels any urge to push.’

  Lucy had to agree. ‘With twins that’s understandable.’ The two midwives grinned at each other. It could be tricky balancing two babies and eight people in the bathroom.

  Twenty minutes later Bonny looked up with a startled expression on her face. ‘It’s time.’ She turned to face Lucy. ‘But I don’t think I can move.’

  Meg blinked and her face paled but Lucy had a little more experience of this and knew what to do. She leant in and turned off the shower. ‘I know. But it’s safer for your babies if you do, so we’re going to move anyway. Okay?’

  She put her hand on Bonny’s arm and motioned to Meg to do the same on the other side. ‘And I’ll buzz so that someone will come and start ringing the troops while we get you back to bed.’ She leant across Bonny’s body to the wall and pushed the call button. ‘Let’s go.’

  Meg’s eyes widened in relief as Bonny stood up and suddenly took off nearly at a run for the other room so that the midwives were almost left behind. She climbed up onto the bed as if she was being chased and by the time Flora arrived they were drying her off and slipping on her open-backed gown.

  By the time Nick arrived and Bonny was giving her first push, the foetal monitor was back in place and two baby hearts were making clopping noises.

  * * *

  Nick saw Lucy as soon as he entered the room and forced himself to ignore her.

  For some reason, today she distracted him and he wondered if it was because he didn’t want to think of Lucy as the patient in a few months’ time. The twin thing. He focused on where he should be. ‘How are you doing, Bonny?’

  ‘Business end.’ Brief and to the point, Bonny wasn’t wasting energy on small talk.

  Nick nodded and headed over to the basin with a small smile and washed his hands. While he pulled on his gloves, he looked across at Meg and raised his eyebrows in a silent request for an update. Meg was fiddling with the foetal monitor and Lucy stepped in and filled in the blanks, so he couldn’t ignore her.

  ‘Bonny went to the shower and about five minutes ago felt the first urge to push. She’s had three pushes since then and both foetal hearts have been reassuring.’

  Good. Another woman brief and to the point. He liked that. He nodded and snapped his second glove into place.

  Bonny groaned as the next powerful urge took over and when they lifted the sheet a tiny dark head of hair slowly appeared like magic between her legs. He stepped in next to the bed. ‘You’re doing an amazing job, Bonny. Nice and gentle.’

  Nick glanced at Lucy. ‘Get the paeds, thank you.’

  Lucy nodded, sped over to the phone and passed the message to the neonatal staff. A few seconds later she put down the receiver. ‘They’re on their way.’

  At that moment Cade and Callie and two experienced neonatal nurses slipped unobtrusively into the room and he nodded. Not that he expected trouble but he wanted to be prepared for it.

  Bonny groaned again, and he looked back at his patient.

  Women never failed to amaze him with their strength in these situations. He couldn’t help just one quick glance at Lucy, who was holding Bonny’s hand as they all waited for the birth. In the not-too-distant future he’d be here to see Lucy give birth.

  Lucy watched Nick’s large capable hands as they supported the first baby’s head as it lifted and turned. She didn’t think she would ever forget this moment.

  The room calmed as a tiny shoulder appeared, Nick murmuring praise as Bonny silently and unhurriedly eased her baby out. The first of the twins had arrived safely to a sigh of relief from in the room.

  Cade stepped up next to Lucy, not saying anything, but she could feel the concentration he was directing her way as Nick passed baby one up to his mother. Lucy rubbed the little body dry until the baby grimaced and then made no bones about complaining loudly.

  Bonny’s firstborn son screwed up his little face until he was bright red and roared his disapproval and he kicked his legs, exposing his impressive scrotum and penis to everyone except his mother.

  Lucy felt Dr Coleman step back and she had to admire his unobtrusive readiness. Maybe he wasn’t so bad after all, because he’d certainly achieved what he needed with very little impact on Bonny�
��s birth experience.

  Lucy liked that. A lot.

  One of the neonatal nurses replaced him and helped Lucy settle the baby between his mother’s breasts, mouth and neck nicely positioned for ease of breathing, skin to skin, with a warm bunny rug over them both.

  ‘So what have you got?’ Nick smiled at Bonny, because everyone else in the room knew but hadn’t said the words.

  Lucy lifted the blanket and then the baby’s rear end to show his mother, who lifted her head to glance down, and then Bonny laughed. ‘A boy. We have our William.’

  As they all waited for the next contraction the relief in the room gave way to the tiniest rise in tension. It was always tricky to see how the second twin settled in its mother’s uterus after the first had made more room.

  Hopefully the baby would turn head first towards the big wide world, but Lucy knew that often second twins would settle into breach position, which was less straightforward for the birth.

  What they didn’t want was the baby not making a firm decision between the two and lying across the mother’s uterus to block the cervix with a shoulder or arm. Such a position became incompatible with a normal birth and Caesarean of the second twin would have to be considered.

  ‘Start the syntocinon, please, Lucy. We want a few more contractions.’ Lucy uncapped Bonny’s IV cannula and connected the infusion.

  Nick’s big hands gently palpated Bonny’s stomach until he found the hard, circular head of the second twin, who was apparently still undecided on the direction of the exit. Nick kneaded gently downwards along the baby’s back through the mother’s soft abdomen until the next contraction halted his progress.

  After several contractions and Nick’s gentle persistence Bonny began to push again.

  This time the baby wasn’t in so much of a hurry to be born, and the tension crept up until Lucy found herself holding her breath and Nick quietly urged Bonny on.

  ‘Come on, baby,’ Bonny muttered. ‘If it’s a boy, he’s called Benjamin.’