by Lucy Clark
‘I know.’ With that, he nodded and left her alone, staring at a blank door.
*
The following morning Iris was up so bright and early she thought she’d beaten the sun. There was no way she could sleep and as she seemed to be full of nervous energy, she donned some sweats and headed outside for a run. The neighbourhood where Dexter’s parents lived was an older suburb with older, more classic styles of architecture. It was quaint, charming, and she really liked it.
When she returned, she showered and dressed quickly before making her way down to the kitchen. She was only looking for a glass of juice but when she walked into the room she jumped in surprise when she saw Dex sitting at the island bench, reading the newspaper.
‘You scared me.’ She placed her hand on her heart.
‘And good morning to you, too. Been for a run?’
‘Huh?’
‘I thought I heard you head out earlier.’
‘Yes. I needed to expel some nervous energy.’ Iris took the juice from the fridge and Dex instantly handed her two glasses. She poured him some juice. ‘You couldn’t sleep either?’
‘Far too much going on to sleep.’ He smiled as he accepted the drink. He held his out to hers, ready to make a toast. ‘To…good days like these.’
‘The day’s only begun. How can you toast to that? What if it’s a really bad day?’
‘It won’t be. Trust me.’ He clinked his glass against hers. ‘I have a good feeling about this.’
‘All right. I’ll trust your feeling. Joss told me how you once did a rain dance so you wouldn’t have to go out on house calls and that it did indeed rain. So I guess if you have a good feeling about this, I’d better trust it.’
‘Thank you, Iris.’ He was touched by her words. ‘Thank you for believing in me.’ Dex held her gaze for a long moment and Iris found herself once more mesmerised by the man she knew was all wrong for her. He was a ‘fly by the seat of his pants’ type of person and she liked everything to be neatly organised and planned. He thought nothing of entertaining two or three women at one time, she liked the sole attention of one man. Their worlds had run on very different courses and whilst they had converged briefly, enabling them to help and support each other, that would soon change.
She would have a baby. A child to take care of, and the thought terrified her.
These were the things she had to keep reminding herself about, especially when she was captured by that hypnotic stare of his, the one that said he’d like to gather her close and take his time exploring her mouth, her neck and the rest of the secrets her body kept.
She could feel herself beginning to melt, wanting to move closer to him, and a small sigh escaped her lips. The sound seemed to snap Dex back to reality and he broke the hold he had over her, shifting from his chair, walking over to a cupboard and pulling out a frying pan.
‘Hungry? I could make you an omelette for breakfast.’
‘Uh…no, thanks. I don’t think I’ll be eating anything this morning.’ She tried not to notice his abrupt change in mood. It was as though he was drawing her closer with one of those saucy, sexy looks and then pushing her away with both hands, determined to hold her at bay. One moment she had the feeling he wanted nothing else than to spend all of his time getting to know her better…a lot better…and then it was as though he wanted to be anywhere but where she was.
‘I have a few things to take care of before we head off this morning,’ she said.
Dex shrugged. ‘Fair enough.’
Iris finished her juice and put her glass into the dishwasher before heading to the door. She stopped there and turned back to look at Dex. ‘Thanks for offering to come with me, Dex. It means a lot.’
Dex opened his mouth to reply but no words came out. In the spot where she currently stood, the sunlight was streaming in through a nearby window, encompassing her in a heavenly glow. The way her hair shone, the way her eyes sparkled, the way her words carried pure sincerity—it left him stunned. She was so incredibly beautiful both inside and out and he knew in that one moment that something very powerful was happening.
Iris wasn’t just a colleague any more. She wasn’t just a friend he was helping out. In that one instant she became much more and his heart rate increased with a resounding firm rhythm.
He closed his mouth and nodded, swallowing over the sudden scratchiness in his throat. With that, she left the room and he stood there, frying pan hanging limply by his side as he tried to figure out what exactly had just occurred.
CHAPTER TEN
THE meeting with Anya was to be held at the home of the foster-parents. The solicitor in charge of the case would meet her and Dex there.
Even now, as she sat in the parked car Dex had borrowed from his father, looking out at the house they were supposed to go into, Iris still wasn’t sure what she was doing. Taking on a baby was a huge responsibility and not one to be entered into lightly.
What would happen when Anya grew up into a teenager? Would she be better off in Didja or would she feel isolated? Would Iris still be able to take the job in Melbourne with a baby in tow? Would Anya benefit from being raised in the city as opposed to the outback?
‘How are you doing?’ Dex asked as he undid his seat belt and pulled the keys from the ignition.
‘Uh…’ Iris breathed out slowly.
‘That good, huh? Here, let me help you.’ He unclipped her seat belt, took her handbag off the back seat and gave it to her. ‘Time to face the music.’ He turned to get out of the car but Iris clamped a hand around his elbow to stop him. Dex looked at her, seeing fear and trepidation in her eyes.
‘My mind is whirring so fast…’ She stopped and shrugged her shoulders. ‘What am I supposed to do, Dex?’
‘You’re supposed to step up to the plate and do what you need to do. You also need to know that you have not only my full support but Melissa’s and Joss’s as well. You also have a job available to you in Didja for six months or longer, should you so choose.’
Iris studied him for a moment. ‘Is that your decision or Joss’s?’
‘Both. At the Didja clinic, we look after our own. At the moment, you are part of that family and whatever you need is yours.’
‘And you’ll come in with me?’ She pointed to the house. ‘In there?’
‘You supported me when I stood in front of my parents’ door yesterday, I’m here to do the same for you.’ And once it was over, he would keep his distance. He was pretty certain she would leave at the end of her contract because she already had another job lined up. Still, Joss had been hopeful that taking on the baby might prompt Iris to stay in Didja for quite a lot longer than her contract dictated.
Dex, however, was still trying to figure out what on earth had happened earlier that morning. When he’d looked at her the sensations had been incredibly powerful and he knew some people might misconstrue those to be feelings of love, but Dex knew that couldn’t possibly be the case. He didn’t do love. He didn’t do relationships and he didn’t do happy families.
He’d been abandoned at birth, put up for adoption and then lied to for thirty-one years. Whilst he had taken the first step towards healing the pain of deception his parents had inflicted, Dex knew the last thing he needed to take on was more responsibility. Babies meant responsibility and a whole lot more. If that was what Iris chose to saddle herself with, that was her decision. It would mean that in time she could legally adopt Anya and Dex knew on a personal level that he couldn’t deal with that. Whatever he felt for Iris, however serious it might be, it stopped. Today.
Iris didn’t move and Dex decided it was time to get this over and done with. He climbed from the car and walked around to the passenger side, opening the door for her. Iris reluctantly exited and stood on the footpath. There were two other cars in the driveway and she wondered if that meant everyone was already inside, waiting for her.
‘No time like the present.’ Dex linked his arm with hers and she let him. She realised she’d certainly c
ome a long way in such a few short weeks. When she’d first met Dex, she hadn’t been able to abide him touching her. Now, though, the warmth of his arm against hers was comforting. The warmth from his body was relaxing and the encouragement she saw reflected in his eyes was exactly what she needed.
He walked her to the door, then removed his arm but linked their hands. ‘Big breath,’ he instructed, and looked at her intently. ‘You can do this, Iris. You’re a strong woman.’
‘I don’t feel like one,’ she said softly.
‘Trust me on this.’ He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. ‘You’re strong, Iris.’ Strong, intelligent and, oh, so incredibly beautiful. He’d seen her in so many ways, aloof, certain, commanding, afraid, alluring, terrified, just to name a few. Above all, though, she was a strong woman and that internal strength came from her ability to give, to be compassionate and to love. ‘I know that for a fact and so should you.’ He held her gaze for another moment, hoping she believed him. ‘You can do this,’ he reiterated, before leaning forward and tapping twice with the door knocker. A moment later, it was answered by a woman with a bright smiling face and curly black hair.
‘Hi. You must be Iris. Come in.’ She invited them both inside. ‘I’m Tacula,’ she chattered excitedly. ‘And is this your husband? I hadn’t realised you were married. Oh, a two-parent family would be much better for Anya to be raised in.’
Both Iris and Dex started talking at once at the misconception but Tacula seemed to wave their words away, not really listening to either of them as she beckoned them further into the house. Upstairs, they could hear the sound of little feet running around and Iris wondered how many children Tacula was presently caring for.
As they neared the kitchen, which was where everyone seemed to be gathered, she could hear the sounds of a baby whimpering and her heart turned over. She loved babies and children. She felt such empathy with them and it was the main reason she’d become a paediatrician. Having her own— instantly having her own—was something she most definitely hadn’t planned on, though.
‘Come through,’ Tacula encouraged, and then when they were standing in the doorway, she pointed to the solicitors in the room and performed the introductions.
‘And this is Iris’s husband.’ Tacula turned to Dex. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.’
‘Dex. Dex Crawford,’ he replied. He glanced at Iris to see whether she was going to explain the mistake or whether he should, but he found her staring at a small bassinet in the corner of the room, a whimpering baby girl trying desperately to make her presence known. He let the mistake slide. There were more important things happening here.
Iris let go of his hand and walked slowly towards the baby. Her heart was beating faster and emotion was starting to well up in her throat. Francie’s baby. Francie and Nigel’s little girl. All alone. With no mum. No dad. Whimpering in a bassinet in the corner of a strange place.
Tears started to fill Iris’s eyes.
‘And, of course, that’s Anya, but you probably already know that,’ Tacula said brightly. ‘I’ve been trying to get her to settle without being cuddled to sleep.’ There was a slight warning in the woman’s voice, as though she didn’t want Iris to go any closer to the baby. Iris didn’t care.
She stood beside the bassinet now and looked down at the baby who’d grown so much since she’d last seen her four months ago. She looked like Francie even though her face was all red and her nose all snuffly. A tear slid silently down Iris’s cheek as she reached down to pick the baby up.
‘Oh, if you wouldn’t mind leaving her there.’ Tacula came closer to try and stop Iris. ‘As I said, I’m trying to train her to…’
The woman droned on, meaning well, but Iris wasn’t listening. The world around her had disappeared, all except for Dex who she could feel urging her on, urging her to do whatever it was in her heart to do.
Iris cradled the baby in her arms and her heart flooded with such pain, sympathy and love for the orphaned little girl. Anya may not have any idea what was going on, she may not know she’d never see her parents again, she may even be wondering if she’d done something wrong. The facts remained, though, she was less than a year old and she was all alone.
The tears that Iris had been unable to cry a few days ago came hard and fast now as the realisation that she would never see her friends again hit home. Grief became the dominant emotion and as she cradled the child, her heart ached.
Feeling the warmth of someone’s arm around her shoulders, Iris looked, not at all surprised to see Dex standing beside her, urging her to lean into him. He held her. He supported her, offered comfort and gave her the strength she needed to cope.
‘They’re gone, Dex,’ she sobbed. ‘They’re really gone and Anya’s all alone.’ She sniffed and he dabbed at her face with his handkerchief.
Dex looked at the little mite who had snuggled into Iris and had stopped whimpering. Anya’s eyes were now closed, her nose and face blotchy and her thumb slipping into her mouth as she suckled herself to a better sleep.
She was gorgeous and he, too, felt the stirrings of empathy for her. The baby was all alone but he knew Iris would take good care of her. His colleague may not have the first idea on how to be a mother but she had an abundance of love and that in itself would be enough to get her started. Besides, if she stayed in Didja, she would have a world of support and knowledge right at her fingertips. At this thought, at the thought that Iris and Anya might, just possibly, stay longer than the initial six months, Dex’s heart pounded wildly.
To have Iris close, to get to spend more time with her, to…He stopped his thoughts. He wasn’t supposed to be drawing closer to her. He was supposed to be extracting himself from her life simply because she was causing far too much a disruption in his. Dex looked at Iris who was looking at Anya and that same sensation he’d experienced earlier that morning swamped him once more.
Love? Was that what he was feeling towards Iris because if it was, if it was real love and he wasn’t simply deluding himself, then he really needed to put as much distance between them as possible.
After today, he rationalised, not yet willing to move away from woman and child. Today she needed him and he was going to follow through on his promise to support her. She looked so calm and relaxed at the moment and, unbeknownst to her, even more beautiful holding Anya in her arms.
Dex focused on the little girl and knew she was going to steal many hearts. Already, after a matter of mere minutes, he already had feelings for the innocent babe. Was this what his parents had felt when they’d looked down at him? A small baby boy? Abandoned by his mother? Had their hearts filled instantly with love—just as Iris’s had? Had the childless couple vowed to care for him? To love him and to raise him as their own?
In some ways, Iris reminded him a lot of his own mother— a woman who soldiered on, despite whatever life threw at her. Dex dropped a kiss to Iris’s head, knowing she would make a great mother. Her heart really was big and strong and she had so much to offer the orphaned baby.
Iris’s tears started to subside and after blowing her nose, she bent to place a little kiss on Anya’s head. She’d been about to vow to the child that she would take her in, that she would care for her, that she would love her—but something stopped her. Iris frowned and kissed Anya’s head again, lingering for a moment.
‘She’s hot.’
Dex instantly placed a hand on Anya’s forehead. ‘You’re right.’ He turned to face Tacula. ‘You said Anya’s been having trouble settling? Sleeping?’
‘Yes. She’s been whimpering a lot during the last few nights. It’s just because she’s in a strange place. It happens to a lot of them when they first arrive. If she’s taught the structure of a good routine, it shouldn’t take long for that to stop.’
‘She has a fever.’ Iris was angry but she controlled her tone. She placed the child in the bassinet, not interested in any excuses. What mattered now was that Anya was sick and she was just the person to make her be
tter.
‘How long was she in Tarparnii?’ Dex asked as he walked to the kitchen and started pulling open drawers until he found a clean cotton tea-towel. He soaked it in cold water and squeezed it out as the solicitors checked their notes.
‘About six weeks.’
‘Check her ankles and her wrists. Any signs of swelling?’ Dex returned to Iris’s side and now that Iris had removed most of the baby’s clothing, he began to sponge the child down.
‘Oedema at the ankles. Mild at the wrists.’ Iris glanced at him. ‘What am I looking for?’
‘Yullom Cigru fever. It’s quite common in Tarparnii but only in areas where there’s bad sanitation. It mainly affects young children and the elderly. If Francie and Nigel were working in areas with no running water, there’s a good chance Anya’s picked it up.’
‘Yellow what?’ Tacula was asking, but neither of them paid her much heed.
‘Check her tongue. Is there discolouration?’ Dex kept sponging the baby. ‘She’ll need an IV for replacement fluids, a full course of antibiotics and most likely steroids. The disease, if left untreated for too long, can deteriorate the bronchioles. We’ve got to get her strong.’
Iris forced Anya’s mouth open, much to the baby’s chagrin. ‘Discoloured.’
‘Is it contagious?’ The solicitor wanted to know.
‘It is. You should all come to the hospital and be checked. That includes any other children in the house, Tacula. Worst-case scenario would be that you’d need a course of antibiotics so nothing major to worry about,’ Dex said as he handed the wet towel to Iris. Anya was now in full crying mode but at least it proved that her lungs weren’t as bad as they’d thought. ‘Keep sponging her.’ He snapped his phone from his waistband and called for an ambulance.
‘Tacula?’ Iris said over her shoulder. ‘Could you please pack up all of Anya’s things? I’ll take them now.’
