by Lucy Clark
They were different from his other patients because he cared about their mother. That made all the difference in the world. These girls needed him. Sheena needed someone to lean on, someone who knew her well, and with determination coursing through him he decided that he wanted to be that person. First of all, he needed to do what he’d come here to do and focus on this surgery. He’d mentally walked through the operation so many times that it only took a moment to get his thoughts neatly ordered once more.
He raised his gaze to look at the highly skilled staff ready to work with him.
‘Let’s begin.’
CHAPTER FIVE
WILL was exhausted but elated, and as he stripped off his theatre garb excitement started to grow as he thought about the look on Sheena’s face when she saw him heading towards her. She would be tense, nervous, worried. He would smile and she would instantly know that every thing was all right. That her girls were fine.
As he exited Theatres, all ready to give her the good news, he was astounded to discover she wasn’t there. He knew she’d planned to work in the paediatric clinic but clinics would be well and truly finished by now. Perhaps she was on the ward. He headed to Paediatrics, still elated at what he and the team of specialists had achieved.
There was always relief when everything had gone according to plan and there was always a strong sense of satisfaction when both babies were doing well after such intense surgery, but this time, with Ellie and Sarah, the two little girls who had completely captured his heart, he felt as though he’d just been handed the moon. Now he could offer that moon to Sheena.
He couldn’t hide the smile on his face as he entered the paediatric ward, his gaze eagerly scanning for Sheena. Raquel-Maria and Clementine, at the nurses’ station, saw him coming and immediately returned his smile.
‘You’re out! By the look on your face, it’s all good news,’ Raquel-Maria commented.
‘Yes. Where’s Sheena?’
Raquel-Maria shook her head. ‘She’s not here. She was about an hour ago, but then she left. We thought she’d gone to Theatres to wait.’
Will continued to scan the ward, just in case the women were wrong. ‘Try paging her. Calling her. Anything!’ Even as he said the words, he was racking his brain to try and figure out where she might have gone. Where would Sheena go? To be alone? To think? To wait?
‘She’s not answering her phone,’ Raquel-Maria said, concern in her tone. ‘I wonder where she might be?’
The chapel. The words popped into his head and he remembered the other night, as they’d been walking to catch the taxi to Giuseppe’s, she’d mentioned she liked going to the little chapel to think and relax and become one with her thoughts.
‘Never mind, Raquel-Maria.’ Will headed for the ward door. ‘I know where she might be.’ He walked briskly along the long corridors, barely able to contain the urge to run through the hospital, desperate to find her, desperate to give her the good news.
Her girls were fine.
He stepped out into the cool October night air and walked across the courtyard to the small brown-brick chapel. She needed to know. Her girls were safe. She needed to know because already half the hospital had received the news and he didn’t want the mother to be the last to know.
He pushed open the door with an eagerness that surprised him. He needed to see her, to deliver the news that would bring a smile to her face. He wanted to see that smile, so bright, so wide, causing her eyes to sparkle with happiness.
There were several wooden pews on either side of the aisle, the chapel lit with the glow of large candles, the scent of fresh spring flowers filling the air. There was only one person in the chapel, kneeling down, hands resting on the back of the pew in front, head bowed.
Sheena.
Will rushed down, not caring that he was interrupting her thoughts. ‘Sheena!’ He didn’t speak loudly but it was loud enough for her name to echo softly around the walls. She immediately looked up, seeing him coming towards her, entering the row she was in. She rose to her feet, her face filled with anxiety and pain, her heart pounding with ferocity against her ribs such as she’d never felt before.
Will was here. He must have news about her girls.
‘They’re fine. They’re good. They’re better than good.’ The words tumbled from his lips, desperate to give her relief from the torment he could see on her face.
‘Oh. Oh!’ She covered her mouth with one hand as her eyes filled with tears. ‘My girls?’
‘They’re perfect. They handled the surgery with ease. They’re strong, those two. Real fighters.’ There was great pride in his voice as he spoke. ‘There were no complications. Everything went according to plan. Miles and Janessa are monitoring the girls closely in Recovery and everything is perfect. They’re perfect, he repeated, his tone conveying his elation.
‘Oh, Will. Thank you.’ She sniffed and threw her arms about his neck, hugging him close. It was the most natural thing to do, to hold him close as she allowed the emotions of relief and happiness to wash over her. ‘Thank you. Thank you. It seems such an insignificant thing to say when I feel so much more, but I can’t thank you enough.’
Will’s arms automatically slid around her waist, keeping her near. She felt good in his arms. Right. As though she belonged there. As though she’d always belonged there. Will pushed the realisation away, knowing he would ponder it in more depth much later. Now that the initial surgery was complete, he might be able to give more thinking time to figuring out what might happen next.
‘It’s been my pleasure,’ he murmured near her ear, content to breathe her in. ‘Those girls are fighters. Strong. Independent. Determined. Like their mother.’
‘Oh, Will.’ Sheena pulled back to look at him. ‘That’s so …’ She swallowed, only realising then just how incredibly close she was to his mouth. His glorious, masterful mouth. Her gaze dipped from his eyes to look at his lips before she met his eyes again. ‘Sweet,’ she finished on a whisper, and swallowed, the tension and awareness increasing between them until it was so nearly palpable there was nothing left to do but acknowledge it in the only way they knew how.
They stood there, staring at each other for one more second, and Sheena could take it no longer. With her heart filled with thanks, with elation, with hope, she reached up a little higher and urged his head to dip a little lower, causing their mouths to meet.
She thrilled at the instant touch, the light, feathery sensation as though they were both testing the reaction, both wanting this to happen but also very unsure. There were a lot of what-if’s surrounding them and as she stood there, her arms around his neck, her lips brushing once more across his, her breath mingling with his, Sheena shoved all her reservations, all logical thought completely out the door.
This was Will, the man who had not only been instrumental in assuring her girls were safe and healthy but the man who had the ability to set her heart on fire. She wanted this and she could feel it in the way he held her, the way he brushed his mouth over hers, that he wanted it too. Both seemed intrigued to discover whether their experiences over the past ten years had changed anything. The world had always rocked off its axis when they’d been together and with the way he was making her feel now, it appeared that was still the case.
‘Sheena,’ he murmured against her mouth, kissing her again, unable to believe how incredible this felt.
‘Shh,’ she whispered. ‘It feels so good. Just kiss me, Will.’
He did as she’d bidden, not about to let her down. There had always been a frighteningly natural chemistry existing between them and it was clearly still there, even after a decade of separation. Slowly he allowed his mouth to reacquaint itself with hers, knowing what she liked and what would bring her the most joy.
Holding her close, her body pressed against his, her mouth tilted upwards for his pleasure, he continued to bring them both to the heights, not rushing but giving them both exquisite torture. ‘You taste the same. Like always. Sunshine and strawberries.’
His tone was thick, husky and filled with desire.
With her breathing erratic from his masterful kisses, Sheena sighed and relaxed against him, the emotions of the past few days starting to subside. ‘It was always like this. As though fireworks exploded inside me.’ As she rested her head against his chest, her arms slack around his neck, she listened to the thumping of his heart beating beneath his chest. So strong. So vibrant. As it had always been.
‘Do you remember our very first kiss?’ Will asked a moment later, and Sheena couldn’t help but smile.
‘I was just thinking about that myself. We’d just finished a gruelling thirty-six-hour shift with that nasty motor vehicle accident.’
‘We’d been spending quite a bit of time together.’
‘Two Aussies working in London,’ she finished. ‘I was tired and on my way back to my accommodation and you insisted on walking with me.’
‘It was three o’clock in the morning, Sheena,’ he protested. ‘I wanted to make sure you were safe.’
‘You walked me to my door at the old nurses’ home and we stood on the step, in the cold, staring at each other.’
Will eased back and looked down at her. ‘You looked so tired and exhausted but I could tell you were excited, I could see it in your eyes.’
Sheena smiled up at him, her arms still about his neck as they both took a trip down memory lane. ‘You shuffled your feet, you put your hands into your pockets and you tried not to stare at my lips.’
‘You had the most gorgeous mouth … you still do.’
Sheena felt a thrill of delight buzz through her at his words, amazed that after so long apart the deep-seated need for him was still very much alive.
‘I wasn’t sure whether you’d let me kiss you or deck me one.’
‘I was hoping you’d give in to the thing that was between us—it was so electric, wasn’t it?’
‘You hesitated with your key. You didn’t put it straight into the lock and go inside. You stopped and looked at me and you didn’t seem to want to head in.’
‘I didn’t. I wanted you to kiss me.’
‘And I did.’
Sheena sighed. ‘And it was the most perfect kiss I’ve ever experienced.’
‘Really?’ Will smiled, trying not to preen like a peacock at this news.
‘Yes … although this kiss wasn’t so bad either.’
‘Wasn’t so bad?’ He smiled down at her and her heart melted. ‘I think I’m going to ignore that but only because we need to go and see your girls.’
Sheena breathed in deeply and slowly eased out of his arms. ‘Yes. My babies.’ She nodded, although Will could sense a hint of hesitancy in her words.
‘Is something wrong?’
‘What?’ She looked at him in the dim light of the church. ‘No. Nothing’s wrong.’ She smiled and nodded. ‘Let’s go and see them.’
‘Right.’ He stepped back so they could exit from the seats and as they walked down the aisle of the small, quiet chapel, he could sense the excited anticipation radiating from her. She’d been through so much, especially today, and finally she had the opportunity to go and see her daughters after their life-changing surgery.
As they walked through the hospital, it was apparent that the good news had travelled fast and everyone they met seemed to beam brightly with happiness at the news that the girls were doing well.
‘Fantastic news, Sheena,’ one nurse said as they passed in the corridor.
‘So happy for the babies,’ a cleaner said as they rounded a corner.
Will was happy to share in Sheena’s elation as she received comments from her co-workers but what surprised him was the level of elation coursing through him. It was odd simply because he’d performed far more difficult separation surgery, which had dragged on for far longer than today’s operation, and still hadn’t felt this level of happiness. Why was he so happy? So upbeat?
He glanced at the woman walking beside him, the woman who was smiling so brightly he knew her cheek muscles must be hurting. She looked so incredibly beautiful with her eyes sparkling and her cheeks all rosy. He swallowed and licked his lips, surprised to find the taste of Sheena still lingering there.
It was then he realised it wasn’t just the successful operation that had him so happy but the fact that he’d kissed Sheena. It was something he’d promised himself he wouldn’t do, but how was he to know that the attraction he’d felt for this woman had only been lying dormant, waiting to be reawakened with her sweet laugh, her sunny smiles and her alluring scent?
‘There you are,’ the theatre sister remarked as they headed into the theatre block. ‘Janessa and Miles have been expecting you.’
‘Sorry.’ Sheena clasped her hands together as she walked along the corridors and more people offered their happy thoughts at the joyous outcome for the girls. All of it—the sights, the sounds, the smells—became muted. All she could hear as she advanced towards the theatres where the girls were being monitored was the sound of her pounding heart.
Her girls, her beautiful babies, had been separated. They were both alive and progressing well. It was the news she’d only prayed she’d hear, but now that the moment of actually seeing them was upon her, she was gripped with fear. Not fear for her girls but rather fear for the enormous task ahead of her.
Was she up to the task of being both mother and father to her twins? Up until now she hadn’t been able to focus on anything else except the surgery. Now that it was over, she felt as though she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. Her feet started to drag and she licked her suddenly dry lips, her eyes wide with concern.
‘Sheena?’ Will stopped and waited for her when he realised she’d slowed down. ‘What’s wrong?’ he asked, the smile sliding from his face as he watched her closely.
She stopped, swallowed and tried again, feeling silly for voicing her fears out loud. ‘I’m … I’m scared, Will.’
‘Scared? What about? The girls are strong, they’re fighters and they’re fine. They’re both healthy. Of course, they’ll each require further surgery but that’s all minor and quite a few weeks away. For now, though, everything is looking better than expected, better than the surgical teams could have hoped.’
‘I know. I know, and I appreciate everyone’s efforts, their skills, their support, their caring, but … now it’s all up to me.’
Panic was beginning to rise in her voice and anxiety was written all over her face. ‘In six months,’ she said, ‘Miles and Janessa will head off overseas, doing their own thing, helping others, and that’s good. I’m really happy for them. Everyone else here at the hospital has their own lives despite how much they care for my girls. I’ll leave the hospital and I’ll be all alone. I have nowhere to take my girls when we leave here and wherever we end up, I’ll be raising them on my own and what if—?’
Will leaned forward and placed a finger across her lips to stop her talking. He had thought of kissing her to shut her up. It was what he would have done in years gone by and although they’d just shared a few kisses, he had no idea what any of it meant. Had she simply been grateful for what he’d done for her girls? Had she been overcome with relief? Had she used her situation as an excuse to be close to him and, if so, why? What did she want from him? Right now, though, he could see she was confused and anxious about her girls, about her life, her future. Calming her down was the first step to figuring out what was really going on.
‘What if you’re fine? You, the girls—all fine. This is the next stage, Sheena. The next chapter.’ His tone was calm but firm and he held her gaze, watching as her panic slowly subsided as his words wound themselves around her. ‘You’ve been in survival mode since the girls were born, probably even before that with your husband leaving you in the lurch.’ The protective urge he felt towards Sheena came to the fore again and he had to quickly hold it at bay.
‘Everything over the past six months has been building towards this day, this hour, this second. That’s quite intense. All of your energies h
ave been focused on coping with feeding, bathing, changing and sleeping. They’re your girls, Sheena. The babies you thought you’d never have, and for the first time in their lives your girls are currently in separate cribs. Separate! That’s huge.’ He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked down into her eyes, intent on helping her through this.
‘It’s only natural to have questions, to be worried and concerned, but you can’t let that scare you. You’re stronger than that. Let’s go and see them. Soon you’ll be able to hold them. You’ll be able to smother them with kisses, to bath them, to dress them in clothes that don’t need to be specially made. You’ve given them the chance to lead normal, healthy lives and that’s the one thing every mother wants for her children. You’ll be able to cuddle them, one at a time. Or you could have Ellie in one arm and Sarah in the other. And if that gets too much or your arms get too sore, call me. I’m eager to have a cuddle with each of those gorgeous girls. You hold one. I’ll hold the other.’
Sheena couldn’t help but smile at his words. She sighed, feeling calmer, more in control, better able to cope, and it was all thanks to Will. Not only had he assisted with the intense surgical procedure which had separated her girls, he’d put her mind to rest against the fear and trepidation that had been slowly building throughout the past six months and had only just hit her—square in the face—throughout this day.
‘It’s just like you to know exactly what to say to make me feel better. Thank you, Will.’ His words had given her courage and hope. ‘I know it’s not going to be easy. I know I’m going to need support and help, and as I’m not very good at asking for either, I guess I’ll have to learn.’
Will agreed and dropped his hands back to his sides, pleased he’d been able to help out. He’d also been serious when he’d suggested she call him if she needed help. ‘Just take things one step at a time. For now you’re surrounded by people who care for you, Sheena. Once you leave the hospital, don’t forget there are a lot of community support services as well. You won’t be on your own.’
