Midwife in Need

by Fiona McArthur

  ‘Excuse me?’ Abbey put her hand on the girl’s shoulder and the young woman shuddered in fright and stopped. When she turned and saw it was Abbey she relaxed a little.

  ‘I said I was sorry,’ the girl mumbled, and Abbey quickly shook her head.

  ‘No, no. It was my fault. I wasn’t watching the road as carefully as I should and nearly hit you.’ Abbey was assessing the girl for any injuries and thankfully she couldn’t see any. Judging by the streaks of makeup on her face, she’d been crying for a while. She was wearing one of those inexpensive silver necklaces with her name in cursive. Kayla. At least Abbey knew her name now.

  Kayla sniffed. ‘The other car came closer but I really don’t care.’

  She didn’t care! Warning bells rang and Abbey searched for an excuse to detain Kayla until she could find some help. ‘Do you live near here? Can I take you to your home?’

  The young woman’s face contorted and she started to sob. ‘I don’t have a home. He threatened me and I left.’ Kayla turned beseeching eyes to Abbey and Abbey’s soft heart was torn by the fear in the young woman’s face. Abbey blinked away the tears that misted her own eyes. Without thought she stepped closer and gathered Kayla into her arms just as Rohan came up behind Kayla.

  ‘Hell, that was close, Abbey. What were you thinking?’ He spoke over Kayla’s head and glared at her, as if Abbey didn’t feel bad enough.

  ‘I didn’t hit her, Doctor.’ Abbey couldn’t find anything else to say and she couldn’t understand why Rohan only looked angrier.

  ‘Hit who? That cattle truck nearly smeared you all over the road.’ He looked from Abbey to the girl who had just realised there was a third party present and stepped back out of Abbey’s arms.

  Rohan wasn’t satisfied. ‘What did you think I was talking about?’

  Abbey sighed and brushed the hair off her forehead. She had the beginnings of a headache from all the confusion and drama.

  She sighed and gestured to the girl beside her. ‘Kayla here…’ She looked at the girl. ‘It is Kayla, isn’t it?’

  Kayla nodded and started to back suspiciously away. ‘How did you know?’

  Abbey smiled reassuringly and pointed to the girl’s necklace. ‘I guessed.’ She indicated Rohan. ‘This is Dr Roberts.’ She spoke to Rohan. ‘I nearly ran over Kayla a moment ago and we were just going to have a coffee to settle our nerves.’

  Kayla didn’t dispute the coffee idea and Abbey almost sagged with relief that the girl wasn’t going to run away. She looked at Rohan. ‘So you can go back to your surgery and we’ll go on our way.’

  Rohan turned from Abbey to the girl and it was obvious he’d taken in her well-progressed pregnancy and agitated state.

  ‘It might be better,’ he said, ‘if we all go back to my surgery and sit down there. Abbey can make coffee and I can have a listen to Kayla’s baby’s heartbeat and maybe take her blood pressure.’

  He smiled his killer smile at Kayla and the girl almost smiled back. ‘If I’m not mistaken, your feet are a little swollen as well, aren’t they, Kayla?’

  Kayla shrugged, but the fluid in her ankles was indisputable. ‘I don’t have anywhere else to go.’

  So Abbey found herself making coffee in the tiny kitchen off the hallway from Rohan’s consulting room. Through the open door she could see Kayla being fussed over by a handsome man, which, judging by her bemused expression, was something she wasn’t used to.

  When Abbey came in with the coffee, they’d ascertained that Kayla hadn’t actually seen a doctor through her pregnancy, and didn’t really know when her baby was due. Rohan ordered blood tests and an ultrasound and Abbey promised she’d accompany the girl later that afternoon, because Kayla began to look overwhelmed again.

  ‘Where do you live, Kayla?’ Rohan’s question cemented an idea that had been forming in Abbey’s mind as she’d hovered at one side of the room.

  Abbey answered. ‘Kayla’s had to move out of her house and might decide to stay with me for a while.’ She looked across at the girl who looked from Rohan to Abbey with relief. ‘If you’d like to, Kayla?’

  Kayla nodded slowly and some of the worry seeped from her face. ‘If I could? Just until I sort myself out.’

  Rohan’s eyes widened and then narrowed. He pierced Abbey with a hard stare and jerked his head towards the hallway. ‘You have your coffee, Kayla. I want to speak to Sister Wilson for a moment.’ His voice gentled and he said, ‘We’ll sort it out, don’t worry.’

  What was his problem? Abbey considered refusal but, judging by the expression on his face when he looked at her, he might frogmarch her out there if she didn’t go of her own free will.

  She smiled reassuringly at Kayla. ‘Enjoy your coffee. I’ll be back for mine in a minute.’ She shot a glare at Rohan and then preceded him from the room and across the hall to the kitchen.

  It was a bad choice because the room was so small and, with Rohan in there, Abbey felt as if she could hardly breathe.

  ‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’ Rohan’s voice was almost a whisper but Abbey heard every word.

  She tilted her chin at him. ‘That’s twice you’ve sworn at me. I won’t tolerate it.’

  Rohan blinked and ran back over what he’d said. ‘“Hell”? That’s not swearing.’

  Abbey stood her ground. ‘As far as I’m concerned it is, so please refrain in my presence.’

  Rohan shrugged. Was this woman for real? ‘Sorry. I forgot. Convent Abbey.’ He turned sideways a little to rest one powerful hip on the edge of the kitchen bench and effectively block the exit. ‘But you won’t distract me from what I have to say.’

  He crossed his arms and the fabric of his shirt stretched across his chest. Abbey could see the delineation of his muscles and annoyingly that fluttery feeling was back in her stomach.

  Rohan’s expression was stern. ‘Let me see if I have this right. You have never met this girl before today. She has mysteriously lost her place of residence and if I guess correctly she has probably left some less-than-savoury partner who may or may not come looking for her.

  ‘Then, because you nearly run her down, you feel obliged to provide a roof over her head for an indefinite time and run her from pathology to ultrasound when ever she needs you to.’

  He stopped and glanced cynically across at Abbey. ‘Is that right?’

  Abbey was trying to ignore how close he was in the small room, but his words seeped through the mist in her brain. One word jarred. ‘Not “obliged”. There is no obligation—just the normal empathy of one woman for another.’ Abbey’s voice firmed. ‘I’d be happy to help her.’

  She sidled back as far as the kitchenette allowed her and then drew herself up to her full five feet seven and met his eyes. ‘And it’s really none of your business.’

  Rohan stifled some obvious swear word under his breath well enough for Abbey not to guess what it was. ‘Come on, Abbey. She could be anyone. She could be a drug user or a kleptomaniac or even worse. And if there is some domestic issues or even domestic violence, it could all find its way into your house. Do you want that?’

  Abbey couldn’t understand why Rohan was labouring the point. ‘I don’t believe I have to worry about any of those things with Kayla. But if they are issues with her…’ She paused and her voice was implacable. ‘Then she needs my help more than I imagined and I will be there for her if she needs me.’

  Rohan couldn’t believe it. It was his mother all over again. What was it with women? He just hoped to hell—he felt like shouting the word—that Abbey didn’t end up the way his mother had because he wouldn’t be here to save her either.

  He needed to get out of this situation right here and now. If Scott could be called back now, Rohan would be out of that door so fast his feet wouldn’t touch the ground.

  But all he said was, ‘It’s your funeral.’ Rohan winced as he walked away. If he could have changed anything he’d said today it would have been that last word.

  Later, after Kayla had had all h
er tests and Abbey had collected a few necessities for her from the supermarket, they went home to meet Abbey’s aunt.

  ‘And this is my Aunt Sophie. She owns Doris, the car we drove home in.’ Abbey introduced Kayla as a guest and Sophie nodded without showing any surprise.

  ‘Hello, Kayla. I haven’t driven that car for many a year—it belongs to Abbey.’ She looked up at Abbey with a twinkle in her eye and when Abbey refused to be drawn into an old fight she went on, ‘And where are you going to put this one?’

  Abbey shook her head at her aunt’s teasing and smiled at her guest. ‘Don’t worry about Aunt Sophie. She has a good heart even if the outside is a bit gruff.’

  She turned back to her aunt. ‘I thought the room next door to Vivie’s room.’

  Sophie chuckled, waved them away and reached for her form guide. ‘Sounds perfect. We could have a nursery for the babies and call them B1 and B2.’

  * * *

  The next morning Abbey couldn’t help glancing at the clock. Rohan—Dr Roberts, she corrected herself—was due in around eight and she was determined to be efficiently collected, no matter what provocation he offered. She still smarted over his interference over her choice to offer Kayla accommodation and she decided she would refuse to be drawn into any more non-work-related conversations.

  The outside door opened and Abbey fiddled with the papers in front of her as if she hadn’t heard his footsteps approach.

  ‘Good morning, Sister Wilson.’ Rohan looked at the charts in Abbey’s hands and then at his watch. His hat appeared on top of the desk and his voice was cooler and more detached than she’d heard it before.

  As Abbey rose to hand him the charts she couldn’t help the contrary whisper of disappointment at the distance in his manner. ‘Good morning, Doctor,’ she said. ‘We have two women going home this morning and I need checks on their babies prior to discharge.’

  Rohan nodded, still not looking at her, and started down the corridor. ‘I’ll do the ward round first and we can finish in the nursery, then.’

  Abbey frowned as she followed his tall figure. His manner was an about-face from the open friendliness of yesterday and she assured herself she preferred it that way. Then to her horror she heard herself say, ‘So you can be as moody as every other man.’

  Rohan stopped abruptly and Abbey had to swerve not to run into him. As she came level he turned his head. She didn’t care for the sardonic lift of his eyebrows as this time he looked at her fully—head to toe in a sweeping assessment that left nothing out—and she blushed.

  ‘So you blush as well?’ The tone of his voice held more than a tinge of mockery, whether directed at her or at himself she couldn’t tell.

  But the demon inside Abbey, one she hadn’t realised she had, relished the danger this conversation contained. Her eyebrows rose. ‘As well as what, Doctor?’

  He spread his arms. ‘Run a ward, handle obstetric crises, save people from the streets and put doctors in their place when their manners are lacking in politeness.’ His voice hardened. ‘You’re a bloody marvel.’

  Abbey felt as if she’d been slapped. The arrogant pig. He could see the patients himself. Her voice was calm but cool. ‘Well, enjoy the round. This “marvel” will be at the desk if you want me, Doctor.’ She turned on her heel and left him.

  Rohan gazed at the ceiling. He’d intended to create distance between them but that had been unforgivable. What was it about this woman that tipped him off balance? He’d never set out to upset anyone before but, then, no one had endangered his peace of mind like Abbey did—and with such ease.

  His life suited him. A couple of weeks here, a few months there, no commitments and more than enough money to provide the possessions in life that he’d dreamed of as a child. And no emotional entanglements! He didn’t need a conscience wrapped up in a sister’s uniform to illustrate how shallow his life was.

  Unfortunately, he couldn’t forget her stricken look and he felt like a louse. No doubt he would feel worse later if he didn’t do something about it.

  When he went back to the desk she ignored him as she filled out the bed statement list. The air was two degrees cooler down this end of the corridor.

  He stared at her for a moment but she refused to acknowledge him. He gave up waiting for her and practised his charm. ‘Abbey. I’m sorry.’

  She ignored him.

  Crashed and burned. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d apologised to anyone but he’d bet it had been successful. Maybe he was out of practice.

  He put his hand on her shoulder and it was warm and firm under his palm. He resisted the urge to run his fingertips over that line of her neck that intrigued him. He could imagine that would go over like a lead balloon.

  ‘I shouldn’t have sworn, and I won’t in the future. Come and do the round with me and then I’ll get out of your hair.’

  Abbey looked up at him and tried to ignore the heat of his hand seeping into her. At least he’d shown his true colours early in the piece and she knew this apology was all part of the fake-charming act. She stood up abruptly and the move made his hand fall away.

  ‘Apology accepted.’ She didn’t smile as she walked past him and gathered up the charts again. He followed and she could feel his eyes burning into her neck all the way up the corridor.

  Abbey said little for most of the round until they came to Vivie, who was sitting out of bed with her baby in her arms.

  ‘So, Vivie,’ Rohan said, ‘how are the two of you doing?’

  Vivie glanced at Abbey and then licked her lips to summon up the nerve to speak. ‘Fine, thank you, Doctor.’ She looked at her son in her arms and her voice strengthened. ‘He’s a good boy.’

  She smiled at her baby and Rohan smiled with her. ‘Of course he is. He’s got a good mum,’ he said.

  Vivie flushed with pleasure and Abbey could almost forgive him anything when he was like this.

  Rohan checked the baby’s feed chart. ‘So, when were you thinking of going home?’

  ‘Tomorrow or the next day, if it’s all right with you. Though we’re not going home to the caravan park.’ Vivie looked at Abbey. ‘We’re moving to Abbey’s until we find somewhere better than the caravan to live.’

  Abbey saw him close his eyes for a moment.

  ‘Of course you are,’ he said with an admirable lack of expression.

  CHAPTER THREE

  ROHAN raised his eyebrows at Abbey and she knew what he was thinking. When he asked Vivie, ‘So how long have you known Abbey?’ Abbey could have strangled him.

  ‘Abbey was my antenatal class teacher.’ She turned shining eyes to her idol. ‘She’s wonderful.’

  ‘I’m sure she is,’ he said dryly. ‘I’ll check baby tomorrow and then you can decide when you’re ready to leave.’

  Unaware of the undercurrents, Vivie nodded, at peace with her world.

  Abbey accompanied Rohan back to the nursery where she handed him the neonatal stethoscope for the pre-discharge infant examinations. She watched him unwrap and examine one of the babies with the care and attention she was beginning to expect from him. His hands were gentle yet thorough and when he’d assured the mother that her baby was well and without any abnormalities, everyone believed him and smiled with him.

  Even Abbey, until she realised she was falling under his spell again. To distract herself she handed him the infant’s record book to fill out.

  He washed his hands and then repeated the procedure on the second child. Abbey relaxed slightly and began to hope he wasn’t going to say anything about Vivie’s plans.

  Well, why should he? she thought as she cleaned the stethoscope before hanging it back up on the infant resuscitation trolley. They both needed to work with each other for the next ten days before Scott came back, and she’d made it clear she didn’t want his opinion on Kayla.

  The second mother left the nursery reassured and that left Rohan and Abbey in the big room alone. The tension in the air went up a notch as the silence lengthened. Rohan lea
ned back against the windowsill, quite at ease. Then he said, ‘I’m intrigued.’

  ‘Really?’ Abbey’s heart rate jumped ten beats. Maybe she’d been premature in her wishful thinking but she wasn’t playing his game if she could help it.

  ‘I’m sure it’s no business of mine, but just how many people do you have checked into your little convalescent refuge, slash, home away from home?’

  Despite a spurt of irritation, Abbey refused to be drawn. ‘I’m so pleased you agree it’s none of your business,’ she said, and walked out of the nursery before her unruly tongue could get her into more trouble.

  Now all she needed was for him to go. But he didn’t. He followed her back to the desk and leant against it.

  Abbey turned her head stiffly and looked at him. ‘Was there anything else you wanted, Doctor?’

  He sighed, clearly exasperated. ‘I really don’t know why I’m persisting with this. But I have had some experience of the disadvantages of being a good Samaritan, Abbey, and I wonder if you know what can happen.’

  Abbey raised her eyebrows. ‘Somehow, you and the words “good Samaritan” don’t seem synonymous to me.’

  To stay was obviously hopeless but Rohan thought of his mother, and even the tiniest chance of Abbey ending up like her meant he couldn’t leave. Especially Abbey. Though why—especially Abbey—he hadn’t figured out yet.

  He tried one last time. ‘So how do I stop you looking at me in that supercilious way, Sister Wilson?’

  Abbey raised her eyebrows even higher and glanced at the clock. ‘You could leave.’

  Rohan winced. He stood up. He didn’t need this. ‘For a nun, you’re not very forgiving.’

  ‘For a doctor, you don’t mind keeping your patients waiting.’

  When he left, her shoulders slumped with the release of tension. What a fiasco! So much for being calm and collected. She’d behaved like a child. It was so unlike her but he set her nerves twitching and she couldn’t help it.