‘Freya?’
She opened her eyes to him and Richard stared deep into the darkest of greens. He loved this sullen woman and the fight it had taken to gain her trust. He loved how she did not jump to anyone’s command nor readily hand over her guarded heart.
Yet with time she had handed it to him.
And now he watched as she rallied again, and then, deep in the early hours of morning, a promise for the future arrived.
A boy.
He lay on Freya’s stomach, curled up and stunned for half a moment, but then he let out a husky cry.
‘Richard?’ Pat said, and held out scissors for him to cut the cord.
Unexpectedly, he declined.
For once neither Richard’s head, hands nor heart were steady.
The boy was perfect.
Freya pulled him up into her arms and held him, taking in every finger and toe and tasting his breath as he cried.
‘Do we know his name?’ Kelly smiled as she wrote on the little birth tags.
‘William,’ Freya said, and looked down at little William, unable to believe he was really here.
And then everyone melted away and they were left alone to have time to get to know their baby.
Richard had a hold of his son. He held him to his chest in those lovely strong arms.
Freya had never felt so happy and so balanced with the world.
‘There are going to be a lot of people thrilled to know you’re here,’ he said to his son, in that lovely low voice.
And there were.
Yes, soon the phone calls would start, and visitors would be welcomed in, but for now it was phones off and time alone.
For both knew the importance of time.
Time together, spent as a family.
* * * * *
If you enjoyed this story, check out these other great reads from Carol Marinelli
CHRISTMAS BRIDE FOR THE SHEIKH
THEIR ONE NIGHT BABY
THEIR SECRET ROYAL BABY
PLAYBOY ON HER CHRISTMAS LIST
All available now!
Keep reading for an excerpt from BABY MIRACLE IN THE ER by Sue MacKay.
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Baby Miracle in the ER
by Sue MacKay
CHAPTER ONE
‘AHHH!’ TEARS STREAMED DOWN the pregnant woman’s face while fear glared out at paramedic Stephanie Roberts. ‘It can’t be a contraction!’
No, please not that.
Steph pushed her elbows into her sides to control a shudder. The baby was ten weeks too early, according to the garbled comments the woman’s work colleague had uttered as she and Kath, her crew partner, had loaded their patient into the ambulance.
Steph’s heart grew heavy as the woman’s grip on her hand tightened unbearably. ‘Melanie, I want you to breathe deeply and try to stay calm.’
‘Stay calm? When I’m losing my babies again. Tell me how to do that.’ Her voice rose on every word until she was practically screaming. ‘It’s not fair.’
I will do everything I possibly can to prevent that outcome.
Using her free hand to wipe her patient’s forehead, Steph read the heart monitor. All surprisingly normal there.
‘Babies? You’re having twins?’ That would explain the early contraction. Twins often didn’t go the distance in utero, but this early was not good.
‘Yes!’ Melanie huffed. ‘We had IVF.’ Another huff. ‘For the third time.’
That grip on Steph’s hand would break something any second now.
It was nothing compared to the ache in Steph’s heart, though. Having to undergo IVF in the first place came with a load of unbearable pain and stress. Losing the resultant baby or babies would be beyond description. She herself hadn’t got that far, but it had been bad enough—and the consequences even worse. This woman was facing her third round of unbelievable heartbreak if these babies weren’t saved.
Stephanie couldn’t comprehend that—not even with her own experience of being unable to have children.
‘If it’s okay, I’m going to examine you. We need to know what’s going on.’
Maybe there was some miracle floating around that would mean the pain was just a stomach ache. Not that Steph was into miracles. There hadn’t been any going spare when she’d needed one, but Melanie might be luckier.
‘My back’s been aching all morning, my waters broke, and now I’ve had a contraction. I know what that means.’
The woman’s teeth dug so deep into her lip Steph looked for blood. None. Yet.
‘Except I want to deny it so that it isn’t true.’
She doesn’t want me confirming what she suspects. I totally get that. But I’m a paramedic, not a counsellor.
Tugging her hand free, Steph moved along the stretcher and gently lifted her patient’s skirt and lowered her panties. Dilation had begun. She bit back a curse. They weren’t carrying one incubator, let alone two.
Now what? These twins had to be saved. They just had to be. Somehow.
Tucking the clothing back in place, Steph stepped to the front of the ambulance, where Kath was focusing on the road, and spoke quietly and urgently. ‘We haven’t got time to go to Auckland Women’s. Those babies are intent on making an entrance and I doubt they’re going to take their time about it. Head to Auckland Central Hospital as fast as you’re allowed.’
Actually, faster than they were allowed—irresponsible or not. But of course Kath wouldn’t do that. And nor would Steph if she were behind the wheel. Or perhaps she might, knowing what their patient was facing. The speed limit was there for a good reason, but sometimes rules were made to be broken.
‘I’ll let Central ED know the situation.’ Kath reached for the radio handpiece while simultaneously pressing the accelerator a little harder. ‘Sorry I handed you this one.’
Not half as sorry as I am.
‘It’s fine.’ Steph’s heart lurched as she returned to their patient. Life could be so horribly cruel. ‘Has your husband been told what’s happening?’
‘Someone at work rang him. He’s going to meet us at the hospital.’
‘Then we need to let him know where we’re taking you. Where’s your phone?’
‘You just said we’re going to Auckland Central, but my specialist said I have to go to National Women’s if anything goes wrong.’
Those terrified eyes widened, glittering with unshed tears, and Melanie’s chest rose and fell, rose and fell.
‘There isn’t time. I get it.’ The fear became agony. ‘Why do we keep trying? Why are we putting ourselves through this when it never goes right for us? What have I ever done to deserve this? I only want a baby. People have them all the time—easy.’
Steph reached for her hand, let Me
lanie hold tight; too bad if her metatarsals were fractured. Apart from taking obs and willing the ambulance to go faster there wasn’t much else she could do. She certainly couldn’t soften the truth; because she pretty much knew what her patient was going through.
‘Please don’t do this to yourself.’
As if the woman could stop.
If the outcome wasn’t good, those questions would haunt Melanie for months, even years to come. But Steph would make sure that didn’t happen. There was no room for things going wrong. Not this time—not today.
‘Concentrate on breathing normally so you’re not agitating your babies. I know it’s hard, but we have to try.’
‘You think breathing is going to save my babies?’
The eye-roll didn’t quite come off but hurt still stabbed Steph under the ribs.
Because she couldn’t save the babies if they persisted in coming out into the world before reaching the emergency department. That would take a team of gynaecologists and neonatal specialists and a room full of specialised equipment and—oh, look, none of those were on board right now.
And because... Yeah, well. Because some things were never forgotten. No matter how hard she tried, how much she turned her life upside down and all around, Steph understood some of this woman’s anguish too well.
‘Mark’s going to be devastated.’ Melanie gulped.
Concentrate.
‘Your husband?’ she asked softly around the lump of sadness building in her throat. Sadness for Melanie or herself? Both?
‘Yes.’
‘Want me to call him?’
Someone had to let him know their new destination and that his wife was struggling at the moment. Not that Steph wanted to be the one to break his heart, but it seemed he was a stayer—had hung around after the first time this had happened. And the second. Chances were he’d do the same again. Melanie mightn’t understand but there was some luck on her side.
‘Would you?’ Melanie tapped her screen and handed the phone over, her teeth nibbling at her lip.
Right, get this done. Tap the phone icon, listen to the ringing, ignore the thumping in your chest. Get it finished, then focus on making this ride as comfortable as possible.
Kind of impossible, given the circumstances, but she’d do all she could to—
‘Ahhh!’ Her patient’s hands clenched and strain tightened her face.
‘Don’t push, whatever you do.’
Easy said...
Shoving the phone aside, Steph moved to re-examine the woman’s cervix. And cursed under her breath. These babies had an agenda of their own and no one, especially their mother, was about to deflect them. What if the babies popped out before they arrived at the hospital? What could she do to keep their chances of survival alive?
Think, girl, think.
The CPAP for breathing. Blankets for warmth. She could only hope they’d get to ED before any of that was needed.
Another contraction was tightening Melanie’s belly. ‘I can’t do this.’
‘We’re doing it together.’ Steph reached for a chilled hand, squeezed gently before once again examining her patient—and not liking what she was seeing.
Straightening up, she reached for the nitrous oxide. ‘Suck on that next time you have a contraction.’
‘I’m such a failure.’
‘Hey, don’t beat yourself up. Right now we’ve got two babies to think about and how best to increase their chances. So, are you up to sucking on that gas when required?’
A sharp nod.
Steph didn’t have time for any more chit-chat. The baby that had been crowning when she’d last looked was now about to slip out into the world.
Preparing for the birth by strategically placing the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure instrument nearby, and soft, light blankets ready to receive the precious bundle, she held her breath and watched and waited for the inevitable.
The blue of her gloves was a sharp contrast to the pale skin on Melanie’s thighs. It seemed impersonal to be welcoming a newborn into the world with a pair of vinyl-covered hands, but it was safer, and this little tot would need all the protection from infections and bugs it was humanly possible to achieve. It had to survive, and survive well.
Melanie tensed. ‘Here we go again,’ she forced out through gritted teeth.
‘You’re doing fine.’
No point telling her otherwise. Baby was coming, ready or not. OMG. So tiny and vulnerable. And blue.
Steph worked fast but carefully, knew nothing but that she was trying to save the tiniest boy she’d ever laid eyes upon.
Why hadn’t she trained as a paediatrician instead of a nurse?
A tap on her shoulder didn’t stop her.
‘We’ve got this.’ A male command. ‘Fill me in fast.’
A quick sideways glance showed a man in scrubs. A further look around and she gasped with relief. The ambulance had stopped, the doors were open and emergency staff were crowding in.
‘First baby arrived...’ she glanced at her watch ‘...three minutes ago. There’s another coming. They’re ten weeks early.’
She rattled off details and obs, handing over the baby to another scrubbed-up doctor, who immediately began working on the infant.
Suddenly she was redundant. That relief expanded. Those babies weren’t relying on her and now had a fighting chance. Fingers crossed. She’d given her all, but was it enough?
Squeezing through to the front of the ambulance to avoid the crowd of medical staff at the rear, she hopped out through Kath’s door and stood out of the way, watching as the experts delivered the second baby. At least this wee lad went straight into an incubator. The first baby had already disappeared amidst gowned, masked staff with one purpose in their minds—to save his life.
Steph’s chest ached where her heart thumped. These babies had to make it. No other outcome was acceptable.
‘Can you unload the stretcher for us?’ someone asked.
Instantly Steph was at the back of the ambulance, unlocking the wheels as Kath took the weight to roll the stretcher out.
‘Here we go,’ she warned Melanie, who was looking all hollowed out, her face sunken, her eyes glittering with tears, hands limp on her less rotund stomach.
‘Are they—?’
‘Yes,’ Kath said firmly.
Please, please live, Steph begged the babies. Your mum needs you.
Once Melanie had been transferred to a bed Steph leaned close. ‘I’ll be thinking about you. Hang in there and all the best.’
Then she made herself scarce, not looking around the department where she’d worked until two years ago, not wanting those memories on top of what had gone down today.
Her knees were wobbly. Her head thumped. And, damn it, her eyes were tearing up. Quite the professional.
Around the corner, out of everyone’s way and sight, Stephanie stopped to lean her forehead against the cold wall and clasped her hands together on top of her head, her eyes squeezed shut in an attempt to halt the threatening waterfall.
Her first day working as a paramedic in Auckland and history had slapped her around the head. Her one attempt at IVF five years ago had failed and her husband had refused to try again, saying it was a waste of time when the doctors couldn’t find any reason for her infertility.
No problems in his department, apparently. And no relief for her empty arms that longed to hold her own baby. It had hit her hard today. Much harsher than it had in a while. She guessed that was what happened when she returned home to where it had all happened.
‘Stephanie? Is that you?’
The deep, throaty voice spun her name into unwelcome heated memories and warmed her skin to knock sideways the chill that had taken over in the ambulance.
Michael. Don’t move.
It might be that she’d imagined him. Anything was possible today.
‘Hello,’ he said. ‘Welcome back. You’ve been missed around here.’
The air swirled around her, touching down
on the exposed skin of her face, her neck, her hands. A shape lined up beside her. A peek to the right and there was no doubt about it. Her imagination had not been playing games. She wasn’t sure if that was good. Or bad.
Dr Michael Laing’s shoulders and back rested against the wall, those legs that went on for ever were crossed at the ankles and his hands—oh, yeah, she remembered those hands as much as his lips—were jammed into the pockets of his crumpled scrubs. Just as she remembered him—utterly gorgeous, with that never quite styled hair falling over his forehead in soft curls.
When he said, ‘Still as quiet as ever,’ she shivered.
She wasn’t ready for this—not after those babies arriving in her unprepared hands. ‘Hi.’
Now leave me to pull myself together.
Right then her nose ran and she had to sniff.
He dug into a back pocket, held a handkerchief out. ‘Here, use this. I promise it’s clean.’
Did he have to sound exactly the same? Couldn’t he have grown a polyp in his throat? Or permanently lost his voice from too much shouting at the sidelines of a rugby game?
‘Those babies got to you, didn’t they? They would have got me too if I’d been there. Stephanie...’ He paused, gentled his voice. ‘They’re in expert hands, and everyone in PICU will be working their butts off to save them.’
Pushing away from the wall, she eyeballed him. Nearly choked on a sudden inhalation of air. Michael. That open, friendly face, those intense azure eyes still with the thin layer of need he’d hate to be recognised, that tempting mouth...
‘I know. Sorry for being a goof.’
‘Hardly. You’re human.’
His smile was warm. Tentative?
She blew her nose, gave herself breathing space. ‘I’m fine. Really.’
I was until twenty seconds ago. Liar.
She hadn’t been right since she realised her patient’s IVF babies were coming far too early.
His gaze was caring. Oh, how she remembered that caring. It was his middle name.
‘My thoughts exactly. Just having a bit of a kip against the wall. I get it. It’s how I cope with a crisis too.’
Uh-uh. Not so. Her memory was excellent. This man dealt with harrowing issues by striding out for hours, those long legs chewing up kilometre after kilometre as he went over and over whatever was eating him up. Her leg muscles had ached for days after she’d stuck with him for nearly three hours, charging along the city waterfront, listening as he worked his way through grief and anger one particularly dark day.
The Midwife's One-Night Fling Page 16
