The Midwife's Christmas Miracle (Dalverston General Hospital)

by Jennifer Taylor

‘Thanks.’ Max turned away, wondering if he’d imagined the faintly breathy note in her voice. Had that brief moment of contact affected her as much as it had affected him?

  He sighed as he made his way to the lift because it was stupid to think that Lucy had even noticed what had happened. It had been the briefest touch, after all, and he had no idea why he was making such a big deal of it. It certainly wasn’t like him to behave this way.

  Although he appreciated the power of sexual attraction, these days sex was merely a means to satisfy a need. There was never an emotional connection between him and the women he slept with. It had never worried him before because that was exactly what he had wanted: to remain detached. However, all of a sudden he found himself wishing for more. How good it must feel to make love to a woman and know that he was the centre of her universe.

  * * *

  Lucy made arrangements for the diabetes registrar to visit the maternity unit then phoned Amanda to let her know he was on his way. She offered to go back and help, but Amanda assured her they could manage and told her to go for lunch. They had a mum booked in to be induced that afternoon and she needed Lucy there.

  Lucy tidied up then made her way to the staff canteen. The place was packed when she arrived but she spotted Joanna sitting at a table in the corner with a couple of her friends. Once she had paid for her lunch, she went to join them.

  ‘Do you mind if I sit here?’

  ‘Of course not!’ Joanna grinned at her. ‘So how did you get on at clinic? I bet it was busy with Diane being off sick.’

  ‘It was.’ Lucy sat down and started to peel the plastic film off her tuna mayo sandwich. ‘Max was brilliant, though. Even though the list was horrendous he made everyone feel as though he had all the time in the world for them.’

  ‘Uh-oh! It sounds as though we’ve added another member to the Max Curtis fan club,’ Joanna declared, laughing.

  ‘Of course not!’ Lucy blushed. She hadn’t realised that she’d sounded quite so enthusiastic and hurried to explain. ‘It’s just nice to work with someone who obviously cares so much about his patients.’

  ‘Ah, so that’s it, is it? You admire Max’s qualities as a doctor, nothing else?’

  ‘Of course not,’ Lucy stated firmly, trying to ignore the niggling little voice that was whispering it wasn’t true. Had she imagined that brief moment of awareness that had passed between them? she wondered uneasily. It had been over and done with in a nanosecond so it was hard to believe that it hadn’t been her imagination playing tricks.

  ‘I’m not interested in Max, if that’s what you think,’ she reiterated, as much for her own benefit as anyone else’s. She must have sounded convincing because Joanna shrugged.

  ‘Fair enough. It’s probably a good thing, too. At least you won’t end up disappointed.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ Lucy asked in surprise. ‘Why should I be disappointed?’

  ‘Oh, just that there’s no point setting your sights on Max, is there, girls?’ Joanna glanced at the other women who shook their heads. ‘You see, Lucy, dishy though Max is, he has one major flaw—he doesn’t do commitment. He’s quite up-front about it, mind you, makes no bones about the fact that love and marriage aren’t on his agenda, so that’s something in his favour. A lot of men string a woman along but at least whoever Max goes out with knows the score.’

  The conversation moved on to something else but Lucy found it hard to concentrate. What Joanna had told her simply didn’t gel with what she had seen. Max didn’t seem like the type of man who moved from woman to woman in pursuit of personal pleasure. He cared too much about people to enjoy that kind of life in her opinion, although maybe she wasn’t the best person to judge. After what had happened with Richard, she couldn’t claim to be an expert on men, could she?

  A familiar ache filled her heart but for some reason it didn’t seem as painful as it used to be. If she was honest, the thought of Max living the life of an eternal bachelor hurt far more. Maybe it was silly but she felt let down and it was worrying to know that she had made another mistake. From now on she must see Max for what he was: just another man who was out for all he could get.

  * * *

  ‘Thanks for coming.’

  Max shook Adam Sanders’s hand then went back into the side room. Helen Roberts had suffered a hypoglycaemic attack after her blood glucose levels had dropped too low. Although she was stable now, it was a blow after she had done so well. He could see the worry in her eyes when he went over to the bed.

  ‘It was just a blip, Helen. You heard what Dr Sanders said, that you’ve been doing too much and need to rest more. So long as you follow his advice, there’s no reason why it should happen again.’

  ‘I was only trying to get everything ready for when the baby arrives,’ Helen protested. ‘Martin broke his leg last week. One of the bullocks barged into him when he went to feed them, so he’s out of action at the moment. I thought I’d finish setting up the nursery—put up the cot and unpack all the baby clothes, things like that. I wasn’t doing anything more than any other mum would do.’

  ‘But you aren’t just any other mum,’ Max reminded her gently. ‘All that extra work knocked your glucose levels out of kilter. Add to that the growing demands of the baby, combined with the tendency for insulin resistance to increase during pregnancy and you have a recipe for disaster.’

  ‘I know you’re right, Dr Curtis, but it’s so hard. I want to do what other women do and get ready for when my baby arrives.’ Tears began to trickle down her cheeks and he patted her hand comfortingly.

  ‘I understand that, Helen. But you’ve got this far and it seems silly to take any risks. Why not let your husband do the unpacking? He’s probably sick of being laid up with nothing to do and will enjoy it.’

  ‘Heaven knows what state the place will be in after he’s finished!’ Helen declared. ‘Martin isn’t exactly the tidiest of men.’

  ‘I’m sure he’ll make a special effort if you ask him.’

  ‘You’re right. He will.’ Helen wiped her eyes and smiled. ‘He’s just so thrilled about this baby. We thought we might not be able to have a family because of my diabetes, you see, so it’s like a dream come true.’

  ‘It must be.’

  Max dredged up a smile but the comment had struck a chord. He had always loved children and had assumed that he would have some of his own one day. Both his brothers had kids and he’d had no reason to think that he would be any different to them. Finding out that the chances of him ever fathering a child were virtually nil had rocked his whole world. Although he’d thought he had accepted it, he suddenly found himself thinking how marvellous it would be if a miracle happened…

  He cut off that thought. He wasn’t going to put himself through all the heartache of wishing for the impossible to happen. ‘I’d like to keep you in overnight, Helen. Dr Sanders wants to monitor your blood glucose levels for the next twenty-four hours and I’d feel happier if you were here while it’s done.’

  ‘I understand, Dr Curtis.’ Helen sounded resigned. ‘Best to be safe rather than sorry.’

  ‘It’s just a precaution,’ he assured her. ‘I’ll pop back later to check on you. In the meantime, you’re to lie there and rest.’

  Max made his way to the desk. Amanda was talking to Lucy when he arrived and he smiled when they both looked up. ‘Sorry to interrupt, but I wanted you to know that I’m keeping Helen Roberts in overnight. I know it means tying up the side room but I’d feel happier if she was here while everything settles down. One of the diabetes care team will be popping in at intervals to check her blood glucose levels.’

  ‘That’s fine,’ Amanda assured him. ‘In fact, it will be the perfect opportunity for Lucy to meet her. I know Helen was concerned when Maria left. She was worried in case her replacement didn’t have any experience of diabetic pregnancies. You can set her mind at rest, can’t you, Lucy?’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘If there’s anything you aren’t sure about, I’
d be happy to run through it with you,’ Max offered, but Lucy shook her head.

  ‘That won’t be necessary, thank you. I’ve worked with a number of women who had diabetes and I understand the problems they can face during the birth.’

  Her tone was so cool that Max frowned. He had the distinct impression that he had upset her, although for the life of him he couldn’t think what he’d done. When she excused herself, he went to follow her then stopped when Amanda asked him about the patient they were inducing that afternoon. By the time they had sorted everything out, Lucy had disappeared.

  Max was sorely tempted to track her down but in the end he decided not to bother. What could he say to her, anyway? That he was sorry for committing some unknown misdemeanour?

  He sighed as he headed to the canteen for a late lunch. Lucy Harris might be a very attractive woman, but that was as far as it went. He had worked out a life-plan for himself and he had no intention of ditching it just because he suddenly found himself harbouring all these crazy ideas.

  Maybe Lucy was the type of woman who’d been born to have kids, but that had nothing to do with him. The truth was that he was no use to Lucy or any other woman in that respect.

  * * *

  Lucy spent a productive half-hour with Helen Roberts. They discussed Helen’s birth plan and Lucy was pleased to see that although Helen hoped for a normal vaginal birth, she was realistic enough to know it might not be possible. By the time Helen’s husband, Martin, arrived, she felt they had established a genuine rapport.

  ‘You’ve been really great,’ Helen enthused as she gathered up her notes. ‘Maria was very nice but she could be a little intimidating at times, couldn’t she, Martin?’

  ‘She certainly put the wind up me,’ Martin replied drolly. ‘Put it this way, I wouldn’t have crossed her!’

  ‘So long as you’re happy, that’s the main thing,’ Lucy said, not wanting to be drawn into a discussion about her predecessor. It would be highly unprofessional for one thing and very unfair when she had never met the woman. ‘Now, don’t forget that if you’re at all worried then you can always phone me. If I’m tied up then leave a message and I’ll call you back.’

  ‘Thank you. I really appreciate that. You’ve been so kind, just like Dr Curtis has,’ Helen declared. ‘He’s really lovely, isn’t he? I can’t believe that nobody has snapped him up but one of the other mums told me that he isn’t married. Is he seeing anyone, do you know?’

  ‘I’ve no idea.’ Lucy summoned a smile, trying to ignore the hollow ache inside her. She wasn’t sure why she found the idea of Max’s playboy lifestyle so upsetting but she did. ‘I’ve only been here for a couple of days so I haven’t had time to get up to speed with the gossip.’

  ‘Well, make sure you do.’ Helen grinned at her. ‘I don’t know what your situation is, Lucy, but you and Dr Curtis would make a lovely couple, if you want my opinion.’

  ‘Which she doesn’t.’ Martin shook his head when Lucy blushed. ‘Now see what you’ve done, Helen. You’ve embarrassed her.’

  ‘Rubbish!’ Helen said stoutly. ‘It was only a bit of fun. You’re not embarrassed, are you, Lucy?’

  ‘Of course not,’ Lucy lied, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her. She said goodbye and left, but as she made her way to the office she couldn’t help thinking about what Helen had said. If the circumstances had been different, would she have seen Max as a potential partner?

  Her heart sank because she knew it was true. On the surface, at least, Max was just the kind of man she’d always found attractive. It wasn’t just how he looked either. His relaxed and easygoing manner didn’t detract from the fact that he was deeply committed to the welfare of his patients, and that was a definite turn-on. That he didn’t pull rank and treated the nursing staff as equals was another point in his favour. It was his private life she had an issue with, and that really and truly wasn’t any of her business.

  Lucy took a deep breath. What Max did in his free time was up to him.

  Chapter Four

  THE week rolled to an end and Max had the weekend off for once. He spent it at his brother Simon’s house in Leeds. With three boisterous children under the age of ten, it was non-stop chaos from morning till night, but he enjoyed every minute. Being part of a family was a joy, even though it did leave him feeling secretly downhearted about his own life. Although he had a great job and some wonderful friends, it wasn’t the same. He couldn’t help envying his brother his good fortune.

  He drove back to Dalverston early on the Monday morning and went straight to work. When he arrived, everyone was gathered in the staffroom for the monthly team meeting so he poured himself a cup of coffee and went to join them. The meetings had been his idea. Although they were informal affairs, they gave the staff an opportunity to raise any concerns they had. He found it invaluable to be able to discuss any issues before they turned into major problems.

  ‘Morning, everyone.’ He took his seat and glanced around the room. Diane was back from sick leave, looking a little peaky, but obviously feeling better. ‘Good to have you back,’ he said before his gaze moved on. His heart squeezed in an extra beat when he spotted Lucy sitting in the corner. Although he had seen her only briefly in passing since she had refused his offer of help, he had found himself thinking about her frequently, especially over the weekend. As he’d played with his nieces and nephew, he had kept imagining how well she would have fitted in and it was worrying to know that he was thinking along those lines.

  Since his divorce, he had kept his personal life in strictly defined compartments: one for his parents and brothers, and another for the women who made brief appearances on the scene. He had never, ever, mixed the two, yet for some reason he had found himself wishing that he could introduce Lucy to his family.

  ‘Good morning,’ he said with a smile that would hopefully disguise how alarmed he felt. What was it about her that made him want to break all his rules? He wished he knew because maybe then he would be able to do something about it.

  ‘Good morning,’ she replied politely.

  Max frowned when he heard the cool note in her voice. Once again he was left with the impression that he was persona non grata and it was very strange. What had he done to offend her, he wondered, and how could he make amends? And why in heaven’s name did it matter so much?

  There was no time to dwell on it right then, however. By necessity the meetings needed to be brief and there was a lot to cover. They discussed various matters but the issue that concerned everyone most of all was the difficulty they were having obtaining supplies. Recent budget cuts meant that they no longer held as large a stock of basic items in the unit and several times they had run out.

  Max promised to look into it and the meeting broke up. Although the delivery rooms were empty, a couple of mums were due to be discharged that day so there was a lot to do. He tagged on the end as everyone filed out of the room. Lucy was in front of him and it struck him that it would be the ideal opportunity to have a word with her. If he had upset her, it would be better to get the problem out into the open rather than have it niggling away in the background all the time.

  He caught up with her outside the office. ‘Can I have a word with you, Lucy?’

  ‘Of course.’

  She turned to face him and Max was aware of a definite coolness about the look she gave him. Bearing in mind how well they had got on in the clinic, it seemed very strange, and he didn’t waste time beating about the bush.

  ‘Have I done something to upset you?’

  ‘Of course not,’ she replied quickly, but he saw the colour that touched her cheeks and knew that she was fibbing.

  ‘Are you sure?’ He smiled, hoping she would confide in him if he kept things low key. ‘Because I get the distinct impression that I’m in your bad books for some reason.’

  ‘You’re imagining it. Now, if that’s all, I really do need to get on.’

  ‘Of course. But if I have upset you, Lucy, I apologise. The last t
hing I want is for us to be falling out.’

  ‘There’s nothing to apologise for,’ she said tersely, turning away.

  Max sighed as he watched her hurry along the corridor. Despite her protestations, he knew there was something wrong and it was frustrating not to be able to do anything about it. Exasperated with himself for letting it bother him, he went into the office and phoned the purchasing manager, not pulling his punches as he told him what he thought about the new system. It was rare he ever spoke so sharply but it paid dividends that day. The man immediately agreed to increase their stock limits and even promised to have extra supplies delivered by lunchtime.

  Max hung up, knowing that he should be pleased that the matter had been resolved so speedily. However, it was hard to feel any pleasure when there seemed to be a cloud hanging over him. Maybe it was silly, but he hated to think that Lucy was annoyed with him. For some reason her opinion mattered to him more than anyone else’s had done in a very long time.

  * * *

  Lucy went straight to the ward after she left Max. Sophie and baby Alfie were being discharged that morning and she wanted to say goodbye to them. Alfie had developed a mild case of jaundice after his birth and that was why he had been kept in. Extra fluids and phototherapy had soon cleared it up and he was now well enough to go home.

  She pushed open the door, doing her best to calm herself down, but she could feel her nerves humming with tension. She hadn’t known what to say when Max had asked if he’d upset her. She had never considered herself to be an overly demonstrative sort of person, so the fact that he had picked up on her mood had stunned her. Richard certainly hadn’t noticed if she’d been upset. He’d been oblivious to anything that hadn’t directly affected him, in fact. She definitely couldn’t imagine Richard worrying in case he’d offended her, let alone apologising for it!

  Lucy frowned. It wasn’t the first time she had found Richard lacking, yet in the beginning he had appeared so perfect. He’d been handsome, charming, witty, attentive—everything she could have wished for. It was only after they had started living together that she’d discovered he could be incredibly selfish at times too, but she’d been so sure that he was the man she’d wanted to spend her life with that she had made excuses for him.