A Very Special Child

by Jennifer Taylor

  ‘I’m afraid it’s your word against Cathy’s,’ he said repressively, his face taut with disapproval and something which looked suspiciously like pain. It was obvious that he thought she was lying, Laura thought miserably. Didn’t he know anything at all about her, know that she was incapable of doing that? Bearing in mind what he’d said to her earlier, it seemed unlikely, and her heart ached even more.

  She got up, realising there was little she could do to convince him if he was set on thinking the worst. Whether or not this would have repercussions in the future, she had no idea. She was working a three-month trial period and the hospital board had the option to dismiss her at the end of it if they chose to. Would this count against her? she wondered miserably as she left the office. It might.

  ‘Sorry you decided not to take my advice now, are you?’

  Cathy had followed her from the room and Laura turned to face her. ‘What advice? I don’t know what you’re talking about any more than I understand why you lied to Mark just now! You know as well as I do that I told you about Bethany.’

  ‘But it’s what Mark believes that counts, isn’t it? And it’s obvious that he doesn’t believe you, Laura.’ Cathy smiled mockingly. ‘What a shame that all your plans have gone to waste. You should have done what I told you to and steered clear of him.’

  She shrugged. ‘There are other fish in the sea and you might have been able to snare some other poor unsuspecting soul, but not now. Your name is going to be mud once this story gets round. There’s an awful lot of sympathy in this place for Rachel and her niece, and folk won’t take kindly to the fact that you failed to do what you should have done.’

  Cathy walked away, letting the doors to the ward snap shut behind her. Laura took a steadying breath but her heart was racing crazily. She didn’t doubt that the story would be all round the hospital very shortly. Cathy would enjoy being the bearer of such bad tidings! What if people did turn against her? What if Fiona Watts heard the story and let it influence her? She could find herself out of a job before the three months were up! How was she going to manage to pay her bills, not to mention the repairs to her house?

  Panic filled her and she had to bite her lip to hold back a sob. This, coming on top of what had happened between her and Mark earlier, was just too much!

  ‘Are you all right?’

  The concern in Mark’s voice as he came out of the office and found her standing there almost tipped her over the edge. It was only pride that gave her the strength to hold onto the shreds of her composure—that, and an unwillingness to let him think that she was trying to play on his sympathy!

  ‘Fine, thank you,’ she said tautly, turning away.

  ‘Laura, I…’ He stopped, shaking his head when she glanced back, and she couldn’t recall ever seeing such agony on anyone’s face as she saw on his at that moment. ‘Nothing. Forget it.’

  He walked away, summoning the lift and disappearing into it as soon as it arrived. Laura took a deep breath but it couldn’t fill the emptiness which seemed to run soul-deep. Without Mark in her life, her world seemed emptier than ever.

  The next few days were a nightmare. Laura began to dread going into work each day. True to her threat, Cathy had started spreading rumours and Laura soon found that she had to steel herself to face the hostile stares when she went to the canteen for her breaks. In the end she started taking sandwiches for her lunch and eating them in the staffroom to spare herself the daily ordeal. Maybe it was the wrong thing to do because it probably made her appear even more guilty, but she simply couldn’t face the hostility day after day.

  What hurt most, however, was that Rachel was so cool with her. She wished she could make Rachel understand that she wasn’t at fault but, with Cathy embroidering the story, it wasn’t going to be easy. The fact that Tom Hartley had agreed with her diagnosis and had decided that Bethany did have a neuroma which would need to be removed surgically was no consolation. It just made Laura wish that she’d made sure that the surgical registrar had been called in the first place.

  As for Mark, he was so distant whenever he came into the ward that it was pure torture just having to speak to him. She found herself going to all sorts of lengths to avoid him. It was one of the blackest times in her life and she found herself wondering if she would ever come through it.

  She moved out of Mark’s flat because it would have been impossible to remain there in the circumstances. He wasn’t home when she packed up her few belongings, and she was glad. Having to say goodbye to him would have been far too painful in the circumstances. In the end she wrote him a stilted little note, thanking him for his kindness, and left it in the kitchen where he would be bound to see it.

  Although she hated having to do it, she had no choice but to ask Claire if she would put her and Robbie up until her house was ready. Claire agreed without hesitation and went out of her way to make them both feel welcome. Laura knew that her friend was curious about what had happened but she couldn’t bring herself to talk about it. Just the thought that Mark believed her capable of being so deceitful was more than she could bear—she certainly didn’t want to discuss it.

  By the end of the week Laura was close to despair. It was hard to put on a brave face when she got back to Claire’s that night. It had been a particularly bad day because she’d seen Mark several times and he’d been very distant. Added to that, Cathy had been particularly obnoxious, taking her to task at every opportunity she got. Laura had reached the point where she’d started to think it might be better if she handed in her notice because she couldn’t take much more.

  Claire took one look at her dejected face as she opened the front door and sighed heavily. ‘Look, tell me to mind my own business if you want, but what’s wrong, Laura? It’s obvious that you’re upset, and it doesn’t take much to work out that it’s got something to do with Mark. Can’t you tell me what’s happened? It might help.’

  ‘I don’t think anything can help. It’s like some sort of horrible nightmare.…’ She broke off as tears began to stream down her face. She was barely aware of what was happening as Claire chivvied her into the sitting-room and made her sit down.

  ‘Come on, tell me what’s wrong, love. I don’t want to pry but I can’t bear to see you like this,’ Claire said worriedly, patting Laura’s hand.

  Suddenly Laura knew that she had to get it all off her chest. She told Claire everything. When she’d finished, Claire shook her head.

  ‘I can’t understand how anyone could be so nasty! I’ve heard rumours about that Cathy Williams, but even so…’ She sighed. ‘But what is more important is Mark and what he believes—although I could shake him for being such an idiot! How on earth could he think that you were trying to take him for all you could get?’

  ‘Because he doesn’t know me all that well. Everything happened so fast…’ Laura tailed off and gulped.

  ‘Hit you both for six, didn’t it?’ Claire smiled as she saw Laura blush. ‘I could tell from the word go that Mark was smitten with you, but I wasn’t sure you were ready for another relationship, even though I tried to spur you on!’

  ‘I didn’t think I was,’ she confessed quietly. ‘I certainly wasn’t looking for one. At first I felt so guilty and tried to deny my own feelings.’

  ‘And now?’

  Laura smiled, although her eyes were sad. ‘Now I know that I’m in love with Mark, but that still doesn’t change the fact that there isn’t a future for us.’

  ‘You mean because of what’s happened? Look, Laura, I’m sure that Mark just needs time to think this all through. Falling in love with you has obviously hit him hard because it seems to me as though a few of his brain cells must have short-circuited!’ Claire’s tone was wry. ‘But once he realises the mistake he’s made, he’ll come to his senses.’

  Laura shook her head. ‘There isn’t going to be a happy-ever-after for Mark and me. There can’t be.’

  ‘But you said that you’ve got over your guilt about Ian and that you love him!’ C
laire exclaimed.

  ‘I have and I do. But it still isn’t going to happen.’ Laura took a deep breath as she felt the pain hit her afresh. ‘Mark loves children and he would make a wonderful father.’

  ‘So? That seems like a plus factor from where I’m sitting. I mean, I’ve seen how marvellous he is with Robbie.…’

  ‘Yes, he is. But don’t you see that it’s Robbie who’s the stumbling block in all this? How can I expect Mark to take on the responsibility of caring for Robbie? It’s difficult enough for anyone to take on somebody else’s child, let alone when it’s a child with handicaps!’

  She shook her head. ‘It wouldn’t be fair. Not when we could never have children of our own. That’s a risk I can’t take. I would be denying Mark a normal family life and the children he longs for. I just can’t do it.’

  ‘But there’s no proof that you would have a second Down’s child! You know the odds better than I do, Laura. For someone of your age—’

  ‘It shouldn’t happen?’ She laughed flatly. ‘Maybe not, but it did. Don’t get me wrong. I love Robbie and I wouldn’t want to be without him. But would it be right to run the risk of having another child like him and spoiling all Mark’s dreams? I don’t think so.’

  Claire shook her head. ‘I still think you’re wrong but it’s a decision only you can make at the end of the day. I shall just keep my fingers crossed that you’ll come to your senses…both of you…before it’s too late!’

  She got up and grimaced. ‘Oh, that wretched twinge is back again. I’ve had it on and off all afternoon long.’

  She rubbed the small of her back then sighed. ‘Still, not long now and then Braxton-Hicks and his rotten contractions can go take a running jump! Right, Sean is on lates today and won’t be back till eleven. Why don’t we have something to eat then get ourselves a video to watch? Something nice and light, not one of those all-action movies the boys love!’

  ‘Sounds good to me.’ Laura managed to smile, knowing that Claire was doing her best to cheer her up. She got up and hugged her, laughing at the effort it took to get her arms around Claire. ‘It’s great to have friends like you, even though there does seem to be an awful lot of you at the moment!’

  ‘Cheeky monkey!’ Claire laughed as she led the way from the room more at a waddle than a walk. She seemed to be finding it a lot more difficult to get around than she had the previous week, Laura realised, thinking back to the snowball fight and the very active part Claire had taken in it. That had been the night Mark had kissed her and admitted how he felt.…

  She sighed, consigning the memory to her mental waste bin. It certainly wouldn’t help to think back over all the happy times at this point!

  It was a pleasant evening after all. Once the children were in bed, she and Claire settled down to enjoy their film, a romantic comedy which had been a big hit at the box office. It helped keep her mind off her problems, which was a relief.

  Sean telephoned just before eleven to say that he would be late as one of the junior doctors had been sent home with flu and they were short-staffed. They went up to bed soon after that as they were both tired, and Laura fell fast asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. She was dreaming some complicated dream where she was running down a long corridor when a thumping on her bedroom door woke her.

  ‘What is it?’ she asked, jumping up and rushing to the door as she recognised Claire’s voice calling her name. She put a steadying arm around her friend and helped her over to the bed.

  ‘I think I’m in labour,’ Claire panted, her face contorting with pain. She breathed deeply, waiting until the spasm had passed. ‘My waters have broken so I don’t think it’s a false alarm this time.’

  ‘Right, let’s get you to the hospital straight away.’ Laura tried to hide her concern but she couldn’t deny that she was worried. Claire still had a month to go before the baby was due.

  She quickly debated whether she should call an ambulance then decided that immediate action was called for as Claire gasped. Her contractions were coming so close together that it was obvious the baby would be born very shortly, and Laura didn’t want to take any chances. The child would be far safer coming into the world in a well-equipped maternity unit rather than the bedroom!

  The children were very excited when she woke them and told them what was happening. They hurriedly got dressed while she pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweater. Claire was in no state to change out of her nightclothes so a coat thrown over her robe was the solution.

  Ben helped her get his mother into the front seat of the car, his small face full of concern as he saw that she was in pain. ‘Does it hurt a lot, Mum?’ he asked anxiously.

  ‘Quite a lot,’ Claire answered truthfully. She managed to smile as the spasm passed. ‘But it will be worth it!’

  Ben seemed happier after that. He got into the back of the car and made sure that his and Robbie’s seat belts were fastened securely. Laura set off, thanking her lucky stars that the snow had almost gone. It took them very little time to reach the hospital and she rang the bell on the maternity-unit door to summon assistance.

  Claire was taken straight to a delivery suite. She looked pale and drawn and a little apprehensive. ‘It’s so early for the Blimp to be born, isn’t it?’

  Laura patted her hand. ‘Only a few weeks. Everything is going to be fine, Claire. In a short time you’ll have your new baby.’

  ‘Yes…Oh, but Sean doesn’t know that I’m here…!’

  ‘I’ll go and tell him. Don’t worry. You just concentrate on what needs to be done.’ Laura kissed her cheek then stepped aside as the trolley was wheeled into the delivery room. Mentally crossing her fingers that things would go smoothly, she glanced down at the two children.

  ‘Right, gang. First things first. Shall we go and find your daddy, Ben, and tell him what’s happened?’

  ‘Please!’ The boy looked happier once he knew he would see his father. They left Maternity and trailed round the building to the entrance to A and E. Sean was just crossing the waiting area and he stopped dead when he saw them.

  ‘Laura, what’s happened?’

  She grinned at him. ‘Guess!’

  ‘The baby? Really?’ He sounded momentarily stunned before he quickly collected himself. ‘Right, I’ll get straight over there.’

  ‘Can I come, too, Dad?’ Ben asked in an anxious little voice.

  ‘Of course you can.’ Sean put his hand on his son’s shoulder and smiled at him in a way that brought a lump to Laura’s throat. There was such pride in that look, such love. How would it feel to see Mark look at his son that way? she couldn’t help thinking, then realised sadly that it was something she would never experience.

  It took a few minutes before Sean was free to leave the department. He kissed Laura quickly on the cheek on his way to the door. ‘Thanks, Laura. I’m so glad you were there!’

  ‘My pleasure!’

  She smiled as she watched the man and boy hurry away. That both of them were excited about the impending birth was in little doubt. She sighed, feeling rather deflated now that the excitement was over. It was gone two o’clock in the morning—definitely time to go home to bed!

  She looked round for Robbie, wondering where he’d got to. He’d been playing with the toys in the corner but he was nowhere in sight now. She went into the treatment area and quietly called his name, but he didn’t appear from any of the cubicles.

  Laura’s heart skipped a beat as she hurried back to the waiting room but there was still no sign of him. A and E was almost deserted at this hour of the morning and there were just two other people there, an elderly man and woman.

  The old lady beckoned and Laura hurried over to her. ‘If you’re looking for the little lad, he went in there.’

  She pointed to the lift and Laura frowned. ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Aye. I may be getting on but there’s nowt wrong with me eyes,’ the old lady assured her tetchily. ‘He got into the lift while you were talking to that nice youn
g doctor who bandaged me leg.’

  She lifted a gnarled leg, resplendent with its newly applied crêpe bandage, and sighed. ‘Waiting for an ambulance now. Could be ’ere all night at this rate.’

  Laura paused just long enough to thank her before she hurried to the lift. Her heart was hammering as she realised that Robbie could be anywhere in the building by now! She checked the display over the lift doors and saw that it had stopped at the third floor, which was where Children’s Med was situated. Was Robbie there?

  It took her only a few seconds to reach the floor and she felt her knees go weak with relief when she spotted a small familiar figure happily playing in the corridor outside the ward.

  ‘Robbie! Why did you wander off like that?’ she exclaimed, hurrying over to him. ‘It was very naughty of you. I was worried.’

  ‘Me play with the boy,’ Robbie said, smiling guilelessly up at her.

  ‘Which boy?’ Laura asked, looking around.

  ‘Daniel,’ Robbie informed her importantly. He pointed to the kitchen. ‘He in there.’

  Laura shook her head in exasperation. It had to be Daniel Glover, of course. Who else could it be, although what the child was doing wandering around at this hour was anyone’s guess!

  ‘Right, I think I’d better make sure young Daniel gets himself back to bed.’ Taking a firm hold of Robbie’s hand, she hurried to the kitchen and opened the door then gasped as she was met by a cloud of thick black smoke. Flames were licking towards the ceiling, spurting out from something on one of the counters which was on fire.

  Laura couldn’t tell what was burning and didn’t waste time trying. Her main concern was Daniel. She turned to Robbie, bending down so that he would understand how serious the situation was.

  ‘Robbie, go into the ward and tell one of the nurses there’s a fire in the kitchen.’

  Robbie nodded. He seemed quite happy to be sent on the errand and was obviously unaware of the danger. Laura, however wasn’t. The fire was starting to spread as it gained hold, rivulets of flame running along the joints in the ceiling tiles. The whole room would be alight soon and her heart turned over at the thought of the child who was trapped in there.