Miracle Baby for the Midwife

by Tina Beckett

  That would work. “Will we have enough techs to go around?”

  “That’s where having extra staff would help.”

  “Frieda is a tech here at the hospital. We’re friends. She might even donate an extra hour or two a week like some of us who already work at the clinic.”

  Adem set down his cup, hands resting on the table. His head tilted. “You’re donating hours?”

  Uh-oh. He didn’t sound happy about that. “Is that a problem?”

  “I’m just not sure why you would.”

  She was right. He wasn’t thrilled. “The Queen Victoria uses volunteers for a wide range of services. Besides, I don’t want to strain the funding more than necessary. After all, we may not have gotten those portable ultrasound machines if we demanded to be paid for every single second we’re at the clinic. I know I’m entitled to be paid for rest breaks, but I like to donate hours where I can, just to help out.”

  “Understood, Carly.”

  The low gruff way he said her name made her insides quiver in a way that was too delicious for words. And that made her take a mental step back. Yes, he was a doctor, but he was also a man—and one she’d had trouble maintaining her cool around. She really didn’t want to get into another problematic situation with a colleague, the way she had with Kyle. And actually Adem was practically her boss. It was okay to fantasize about the man. But it was absolutely not okay for him to know about those fantasies.

  “Seriously, it’s not a problem, right? I don’t always have something planned every night, and it’s not like I’m putting in a hundred hours a week.”

  She’d gotten some ribbing recently from a couple of her friends who’d tried to get her to go out with them on a few double dates. But once burned... She really didn’t want to jump into another relationship. And working extra hours gave her a ready excuse to turn down those offers.

  I know you’ve been hurt, but there’s such a thing as being too cautious. Wasn’t that what Frieda had said?

  But her relationship with Kyle had left a sour taste in her mouth. And if he really had left her because of her inability to have his baby... She didn’t want to explain her issues to anyone else.

  One side of his mouth kicked up again. “If we were talking about a hundred hours a week, that might be a problem. Since we’re not, then no.”

  It took her a second to realize he was responding to her earlier comment. “I’m not. But I want to make a difference.”

  “Oh, you are. More than you know.” There was a darkness to his gaze that hadn’t been there at the beginning of their conversation.

  She gulped down the last sip of her coffee, which was now tepid, and decided it was time to get out before her straying thoughts gave her away. “Speaking of differences, I’d better get myself over to the clinic and start my shift. Thanks for letting me know about the ultrasound machines. Any idea of their arrival time?”

  “Not yet. But you’ll be one of the first to know. In the meantime, I’ll confirm the certification requirements and put them on the board in the staff lounge at the clinic.”

  “That would be great. Thanks.” She nodded at the silver teapot and, before she could stop herself, added, “Someday I’d like to try Turkish coffee.”

  His eyes focused in on her. “Someday, Carly, I will make some for you.”

  And just like that, the reactions that had been percolating in the background were suddenly right there for all to see—nipples tightening, breathing growing almost frantic.

  Do not get caught up in the man’s charms.

  “Thanks. See you later.”

  “I’m sure you will.”

  With a hard swallow, she forced herself to carry her cup and spoon up to the front of the canteen and deposit them on the conveyor belt. And then she pushed through the door and reentered the real world. A place where Adem was just an ordinary doctor and not someone who hit some of the buttons she’d done her best to deactivate. Evidently a few of them had decided to come back online of their own volition.

  And that was the last thing she needed to happen with this particular man.

  Today. Or any other day.

  * * *

  Adem sat back in his chair after Carly left the canteen and realized how little he knew about her. There was something reserved in her mannerism. Seeing her carrying that dress had surprised him, and he’d very nearly insulted her by blurting out the first thing that had come into his head.

  The woman had a private life. At least she said she did. One where she wore dresses like that for parties he knew nothing about.

  He’d heard about a broken engagement, but never bothered much with gossip, so he didn’t know the circumstances. Not that it was any of his business. It wasn’t like he had a stellar track record in the relationship arena. He’d left that to his brother, who was now married and hoping for children of his own. It seemed that Adem’s attempts to shield him from his parents’ fights might have paid off.

  The image of Carly in a slinky blue dress that he knew would play up that fair skin and red hair swam in his head. Damn.

  It wasn’t like the dress had just made him aware how attractive she was.

  He’d already realized. And noticed. More than once. And was now wishing like hell that he hadn’t.

  * * *

  Carly hung the dress next to the three bridesmaids’ dresses. She was really glad it had worked for Esther. She and Harry made a great couple. And it wasn’t like Carly was jonesing for a white dress with frothy layers. Not anymore. Thank God she’d never gotten around to actually purchasing her own during her engagement. She’d been too busy structuring her life around getting pregnant.

  No, she was happy that some of her childhood and university friends were finding the love of their lives.

  Did Kyle’s exit from her life mean there was no one special for her? Her heart twinged, but nothing stronger than that, which was good after all that had happened. Maybe she’d been more in love with the idea of marriage and a family than in love with him, which in retrospect made her realize that marrying him would have probably been a huge mistake.

  She had a full life. Maybe Carly was more like her mom—who’d worked hard to raise her after her father’s untimely death—than she realized. Her mother had never remarried and seemed to find her fulfillment in her work. She was independent to a fault.

  Like Carly? Probably. But it served her well now. She didn’t need anyone else’s company. At least not permanently. For the first time since the breakup, she realized she was free. Free to do what she wanted with her life, with no interference from anyone. Free to make her own choices about who to sleep with and when.

  She glanced at the blue dress, once again seeing the surprise that had splashed across Adem’s face when he’d realized it was hers. Oh, how she wished he really could see her in it.

  Not going to happen, Carly.

  She closed the door with a firm click. If all went well with Esther, it looked like Carly might be adding another dress to her collection before too long. And her other friends from university? The ones who still weren’t attached?

  She and Izzy Nicholson had met at the international school, along with Raphael Dubois, who was one of the hospital’s obstetricians, while she knew Esther McDonald and Chloe Larson from the midwife track at university. Life had sure given all of them some twists and turns. Chloe had a three-year-old daughter now. School had cemented their bond, and they’d all remained close over the years.

  It made her glad of the decision to remain in the UK and build her life here.

  Her mind swung back to Adem. They had at least two things in common. They were both in England because of their parents. And they’d both decided to stay here as adults.

  So did lots of people. She’d worked at the clinic for a year now—ever since her breakup—and Adem had been there ever since Victoria Clinic opened five
years ago. He’d done her interview, in fact.

  Ha! That interview process had been kind of agonizing actually. His dark good looks had made it hard to think, even as he asked questions about her experience, her right foot doing a little dance as he’d detailed the job requirements. She’d had to uncross her legs to make it stop. At the time, she’d chalked it up to the stress of having her relationship implode in her face.

  But it happened again. Several times, and when he followed her into her dreams one night, she decided maybe she’d better actively avoid him. Which had been almost impossible.

  Well, she could no longer blame her reaction on her breakup, because at the meeting in the canteen, her foot had done its twitchy little best to keep pace with her heart. She’d uncrossed her legs again, planting both of her feet on the ground under the table. Her pulse hadn’t been quite as easy to control.

  And to find out he found her too dull—or unadventurous—to pull off a sexy dress...

  Well, if the chance ever presented itself, maybe she would have to prove him wrong.

  Lord! This was ridiculous. She needed to either get past this or figure out what to do about it. Doing nothing wasn’t an option. One thing her father had taught her at an early age was to pursue something until you figured it out. It was what she needed to do now.

  But how was she supposed to do that when there were these weird itchy emotions popping to the surface one after the other?

  She wasn’t sure. But she’d controlled what she now called the Adem Twinges for the last year, so whatever was happening, she could just push those suckers back down until they got the hint and disappeared for good.

  Her cell phone buzzed on her dresser, making her jump. She swallowed as she walked toward it.

  It’s not him. He has no reason to call you at home.

  She picked it up, and then frowned. Naomi Silver, one of her patients. Naomi was almost nine months pregnant and so far had had a normal pregnancy—even if the events leading up to it hadn’t been. Like Carly, Naomi had had her own fertility problems. She’d had adhesions that had kept her from getting pregnant for the last five years. She and her husband had even adopted a daughter, thinking they’d never have a biological one. And then, out of the blue, she’d gotten pregnant.

  Her phone buzzed again. Naomi never called her at home, so her belly tightened.

  She pressed talk. “Hello?”

  There was no sound, except some kind of weird snuffling sound.

  “Naomi? Are you okay?”

  “I—I’m so scared.”

  Fear struck her heart. “What’s going on? Where are you?”

  “I’m home.” A broken sob hit. “But my head hurts so much. I’m... Could I be having a stroke?”

  Oh, God. A million possible diagnoses went through her head. Migraine. Preeclampsia. Eclampsia. Fetal demise. Her speech didn’t sound slurred, but Carly wasn’t willing to take any chances.

  “Can you get to the hospital?”

  “The clinic?”

  She ran through the possibilities. The clinic could do C-sections in a pinch, but it wasn’t set up with an MRI or other of the more expensive diagnostic equipment. “No. The Queen Victoria.”

  “Yes, I think so. My husband can bring me.”

  “Good. I’ll meet you there.”

  The second she got off the phone, she tore out of her yoga pants and nightshirt and dragged on a black skirt and blouse, shoving her feet into low wedged heels that she normally wore when she was at the main hospital campus. Then she gritted her teeth and did the one thing she wasn’t thrilled about doing. She called the man she’d just been trying to forget. It went to voice mail, but she left a quick message asking if there was any way he could meet her at the hospital.

  And if he was with some woman?

  She swallowed. Images she couldn’t banish swept through her mind.

  Dammit. Now was not the time.

  She glanced at her watch. It was only seven o’clock. If he didn’t get her message, there would either be a neurosurgeon present at the hospital or on call. She dialed the hospital number as she scooped up her car keys. Before she got an answer, her phone buzzed.

  Adem.

  She hung up on the hospital and answered his call. “Hey, I’m sorry to disturb you, but I have a patient coming into the Queen Victoria with some troubling symptoms.”

  “Like what?”

  He didn’t ask why she was calling him—a neurosurgeon for a pregnancy issue. For that she was grateful.

  “She has a terrible headache, and she’s really scared. And Naomi isn’t one to panic without a good reason. Any chance you can ask someone to meet us there? I’m on my way in.”

  “I’m five minutes out. Headed back now. See you soon.”

  The line went dead. And if Naomi’s problem turned out to be a simple migraine?

  She grimaced. Simple migraine. That was an oxymoron if she ever heard one. It could be that a change in blood pressure had set one in motion. Except that many migraine sufferers experienced a lessening of symptoms during pregnancy due to the change in estrogen levels.

  Well, she could hope that’s all it was. And since Adem had volunteered to come without her specifically asking him to, it wasn’t like he was changing plans just for her.

  She hoped, anyway.

  But he could have passed her off to a colleague, if that were the case.

  It took her a little longer to make it to the hospital, since she had to come across town. By the time she arrived, Adem was in the A&E waiting area. He was in jeans and a white button-down shirt, the mixture between ultracasual and business attire a stunning combination that made her mouth go dry. She did her best to shake off her familiar reaction to him.

  “Sorry to ask you to come.”

  “You didn’t.”

  She frowned. “Sorry?”

  “You didn’t ask me to come, so don’t apologize. It was my choice.”

  He was right. It was. But she still felt guilty. “I appreciate it.”

  “Were you on your way out?”

  “Out?”

  “You’re dressed up.”

  She glanced down. Ah, she normally had a lab coat on over her blouse when she was working, and at the clinic she dressed a lot more casually, so maybe she did look different. “No. I tend to wear a skirt when I come in here, since the atmosphere is different from the clinic.”

  “I should have figured.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Before he had a chance to respond, Carly spotted her patient walking up the path, one arm wrapped protectively around her belly, while her husband gripped her other hand, their daughter, Tessa, perched on his hip.

  God. Naomi would be devastated if something happened to this baby. “That’s her.”

  Grabbing a wheelchair, she rushed out the doors, not waiting for Adem. She had Naomi sitting in a flash.

  “What’s happening to her?”

  Her husband Douglas’s eyes were full of concern. Although they were from a deprived area of the city, they did their best to provide for their daughter and unborn baby. “I’m not sure, but—”

  Adem went down on his haunches, a penlight in his hands. “I’m Mr. Kepler. I hear you have quite the headache.”

  “Yes. It’s horrible. I called Douglas home from work. I never, ever do that.”

  Adem glanced up at the other man. “I’m glad you came. We’ll get you inside in a minute. Can you follow the light?” He flicked on his penlight and took her through a set of commands right there outside of the hospital.

  “Your pupils look good,” he said. “Let’s put you in an exam room. Douglas, you and...”

  “Tessa.”

  Adem smiled. “You and Tessa can come in with her, if you’d like.”

  “Yes, please.”

  “C
arly, can you get them in and registered? I’m going to check on something. I’ll be right back.”

  Without another word, he walked back into the hospital. Had he found something troubling, despite his comment about her pupils?

  Douglas wanted to wheel his wife inside, so Carly took Tessa in her arms, talking to the child as they made their way to the admissions desk. She went up to the window and explained the situation.

  “Go on to exam room three. It’s a slow night. We’ll come in and get her information in a minute. I’ll let Mr. Kepler know where to find you.”

  So Adem had stopped at the desk? There was no sign of him right now. Maybe he really was canceling plans. He was dressed to go out to a restaurant. Her heart plummeted.

  Well, so what? Hadn’t he asked her why she was so dressed up?

  None of your business, Carly.

  Maybe not, but she was suddenly glad he thought that some man might want to take her out for a night on the town. She could have shown the neurosurgeon a thing or two, if it had been him. Especially after his reaction to her blue dress.

  Really? Because you haven’t shown a man a thing or two in, like...well...ever. Even her relationship with Kyle had been...sedate. Even as they tried for a baby.

  Maybe Frieda was right. Maybe she really didn’t know how to have fun.

  Why the hell did she keep thinking about that?

  She found the exam room and took Naomi and her husband inside. “Do you think you can get on the exam table? I want to listen to the baby’s heart.” Thankfully she’d remembered to wind her stethoscope and shove it into the pocket of her skirt before coming over.

  Handing the baby back to her father and feeling a little twinge of emotion as he enfolded the child in his arms, she took out her stethoscope. “I’m just going to ease your slacks down.”

  Naomi was wearing the very type of stretchy wear that Carly had changed out of, so rolling down the waistband was a simple affair. A quick kick from the baby, visible through the skin of the woman’s belly, assured her that it was alive. She breathed a word of thanks, warming the scope against her chest before placing it against Naomi’s abdomen. She listened, moving the instrument to a couple of different spots before finding what she was looking for.