by Lucy Clark
Sebastian checked the foetal heart rate and Danny nodded after she’d checked the numbers. They needed to get this baby out, and fast!
‘How’s your neonatal care, Mac?’ she mumbled.
‘It’s coming back to me with a rush.’
‘Good, because the baby’s all yours. That’s it, Geena, almost there.’ A moment later, Danny praised, ‘Well done. Have a rest and now, I don’t want you to push. Remember the shoulders need to rotate and I need to check the baby’s neck.’
‘I want to push, I want to push,’ Geena said with concern.
‘Resist it. You have to.’ Danny was feeling around the baby’s neck and, sure enough, the cord was wrapped around it. ‘The cord’s around the neck, Geena. Don’t push!’ Sebastian supported the baby’s head as Danny quickly worked the cord away. ‘Twice!’ she mumbled, and set to work again.
‘I want to push!’
‘No!’ the three of them said together.
‘You can do it, hon,’ Grant praised. ‘Concentrate.’
‘There!’ Danny breathed an enormous sigh of relief once the cord was free. ‘Push, Geena. One big push and it will all be over.’ Three big pushes later and the baby slid into Danny’s waiting hands. He wasn’t looking good. She checked the umbilical cord for a pulse—it was weak. She handed the baby to Sebastian who started to rub the little body vigorously, not only to get the vernix off but to stimulate the child to breathe.
Danny clamped and cut the cord. ‘Sorry, Grant. No time for formalities.’ She knew he’d cut all the other cords but right now they needed to get this baby breathing.
‘Doesn’t matter. What is it? Another girl?’ Grant asked. Geena had collapsed amongst the pillows.
‘It’s a boy.’
‘Woo-hoo! A boy. A boy at last. Do you hear that, hon? We have a son.’ He kissed his wife.
‘He’s not doing too well,’ Danny told them. ‘The cord was wrapped around his neck twice and his heart rate isn’t the best.’ Sebastian was working on the baby as she spoke.
‘Suction tube,’ he said, and looked around the room. There was no fancy medical equipment here. ‘Dannyella? I need to get this mucus out of the baby’s mouth and nose.’
‘I know.’ She handed him a bowl and a straw.
‘What?’
‘Suck it out with the straw. It works really well. Spit into the bowl.’ She drew up an injection of vitamin K for Geena to stop postpartum haemmorrhage. She glanced at him. His look was one of sheer disbelief.
‘It’s the only way, Mac,’ she added, before administering the injection.
‘Right.’ Sebastian sucked out the mouth and then the nose, his focus back on the baby.
‘Don’t let him die,’ Geena sobbed into the silence. ‘Please. Don’t let him die.’
Sebastian turned the baby upside down and smacked his bottom and was rewarded with a gurgled cough. He turned the child over and placed his mouth over the baby’s mouth and nose and breathed out, pushing air down into the tiny little lungs, willing him to breathe.
‘One minute since birth,’ Danny stated.
Sebastian remained determined. There was no way he was going to let this baby die. He’d never lost one before and he didn’t plan to now.
Finally, a tiny whimper and then a cough came from the small, lifeless little body in his hands and he almost collapsed with relief. The weak but persistent cry continued and there had never been a more welcome sound to the four adults in that room.
Danny glanced across at him as he placed the baby on the prepared mattress, the lampshade on top, the regulated oxygen coming in via a tube. ‘Bonza job, mate.’
‘I take it that means good?’
Danny laughed. This definitely qualified as a ‘capture’ moment. Captured for ever in her mind. ‘Absolutely.’
‘I doubt any cup of tea could ever taste better than this one,’ Sebastian remarked to Maisy after she’d brought a celebratory breakfast out for himself and Dannyella. ‘The water tastes funny, the blend of tea is thoroughly disgusting, but after what we’ve been through so far today, it’s like the cherry on top.’
Maisy laughed. ‘Glad to hear it, lovey. Now, come on, Danny. Eat up before ya breakfast gets cold.’
‘Brunch, you mean.’ Danny pointed to the clock on the wall. ‘It’s almost midday.’
‘Well, whatever the time is, you haven’t eaten. Now eat.’
‘Yes, Maisy,’ Danny remarked.
‘What’s your secret, Maisy?’ Sebastian asked in a conspiratorial whisper.
‘Whatchya talkin’ about, lovey?’
‘How do you get Dannyella to be so meek and mild?’
Maisy threw back her head and laughed. ‘Meek and mild? Our Danny? That’ll be the day.’
‘Well, she does what you say. She’s agreed to eat her food.’
‘I know what’s good for me,’ Danny replied.
Maisy patted Danny on the shoulder. ‘She’s a chip off the old block, she is.’
‘Meaning?’
‘I’ve been lookin’ out for her since the day she came kicking and screaming into this world. Her mother was so mixed up and confused, and although she stuck it out for as long as she could, she wasn’t the maternal type. Was jealous because Danny preferred me to her,’ she explained, subtly boasting.
Sebastian laughed. ‘I can just imagine the racket Dannyella made when she was born.’
‘Nothing like this morning’s delivery, I’m sure,’ Danny added, before eating another mouthful of Maisy’s delicious scrambled eggs.
‘No. This morning’s delivery was…scary.’
‘You can say that again.’
‘How’s young Geena and the babe now?’ Maisy asked with concern.
‘Geena’s resting and little Tommy is being monitored closely.’
‘I must say I was surprised at the hospital being so…up to date, so to speak. I don’t mean any disrespect by that, just to say—’
‘That for an outback hospital, Katherine’s quite well set up?’ Danny finished for him, a teasing glint in her eyes.
He smiled as he sipped his tea again. ‘Yes. Something like that.’
‘They have to be.’ She shrugged. ‘Tommy appears to be a stubborn little tacker—just like his dad. He was impatient to get into this world and my guess is he’ll keep on being impatient for the rest of his life. It’s Grant and Geena I feel sorry for.’ She chuckled.
‘I was never more relieved when Grant walked in with the flying doctor and the nurse. Talk about the cavalry arriving.’
‘We do what we have to do,’ Danny said with a nod, surprised and impressed with the way he’d handled himself. ‘But I’m with you on that one, Mac.’
‘A tad cramped in the aeroplane to Katherine, but it wasn’t a long trip and I did enjoy seeing mother and son settled.’ He shook some Worchestershire sauce onto his eggs with satisfaction.
‘And this time, when you flew, no one vomited on you,’ Danny pointed out.
Sebastian nearly choked on his mouthful.
‘A definite plus, wouldn’t you say, Mac?’
He swallowed quickly, nodded and took a sip of his tea before leaning back in his chair, eyeing her carefully. ‘You enjoy teasing me, don’t you?’ It was a rhetorical question.
‘Hey, you can’t blame a girl for having a bit of fun.’
He cupped his chin in his hand and rubbed his fingers and thumb thoughtfully along his jaw. ‘No, indeed.’
‘What?’
He stared at her again and she began to feel uncomfortable. She shifted in her chair and glanced briefly away before meeting those enigmatic blue eyes once more. ‘What?’
‘Oh, nothing.’
‘Tell me.’
‘It’s nothing,’ he replied again, and went back to eating his breakfast.
‘Now you’ve got me wondering,’ she accused, her skin tingling all over at his encompassing look. It was as though he’d reached out and gently caressed her hair. She was mesmerised. Completely captured. How h
ad he managed to affect her in such a way and so quickly?
He ate a mouthful, swallowed and then smiled. ‘Good.’
She realised then that he’d been teasing her and relaxed a little.
‘What else is on the agenda for today, Dannyella?’
Glad of a neutral topic, she shrugged. ‘Most of it’s been wiped out by the emergency so we just play it by ear.’
‘What about the plans you had for today?’
She shrugged. ‘Unless they’re urgent, I’ll do them tomorrow.’
‘I thought you had a clinic?’
‘I did but people understand.’
‘So, just like that, your clinic is cancelled?’
‘Yes.’
‘Interesting way to work. After a hard emergency, a clinic is cancelled. I could get used to that.’
‘Ha!’ Danny smiled. ‘Mac, you wouldn’t last a month out here. You’ll be itching to get back to your life in England before the end of next week is up.’
He was silent for a moment before saying, ‘You’re probably right.’ He nodded thoughtfully and Danny realised he didn’t look too thrilled at the prospect of returning home.
‘Anyway, as I said, the territory we cover may be vast but we’re a close-knit bunch.’
It was true. He’d been amazed how the neighbours—although they lived miles away—had rallied around Grant and Geena. Someone had come over—driven almost an hour to get there—and packed up the girls and their clothes for a few days so Grant could accompany Geena to the hospital. Meals were being organised so that when Geena came home, she didn’t have to worry about cooking for a while. People were offering help left, right and centre. As far as community spirit went, this one had it in spades.
‘So we just wait for another emergency to happen?’
‘No, well, yes. If one comes, we’ll go, but in the meantime, I suggest we get some sleep.’
‘Why?’
‘Because tonight we celebrate! If you thought the noise here was bad last night, wait until tonight. Everyone will be drinking a toast to little Tommy and the rest of his family, not to mention you and me.’
‘Really?’
‘Absolutely. You’re a hero, Mac. They’re going to be shouting you drinks, slapping you on the back and making sure you don’t get to sleep until at least one in the morning.’
‘Excellent,’ he replied drolly. He finished his food. ‘In that case, I’ll go and shower before following your suggestion of sleep, although how anyone manages to sleep in this heat is beyond me. How hot is it, anyway?’
‘Regularly around the forty-degree mark.’
‘What was the temperature when we left this morning?’
‘Almost thirty.’ She shrugged. ‘You get used to it.’
‘When?’
She laughed. ‘Probably the day you leave. Go and have your shower. I’ll catch ya later tonight.’ She stood and he automatically rose to his feet. There they were again—those charming English manners, making her feel every inch a woman. How could this simple act make her feel so…special?
Neither of them moved, the table between them, as they continued to simply look at each other. Danny felt her knees weaken and her stomach churn with excitement as the moment stretched on. He took a slow and steady breath before clearing his throat.
‘Whereabouts do you live, Dannyella?’ That rich tone was deeper than usual.
‘Two buildings down the street.’ Her mind was in such a flutter she wasn’t sure if she was answering the question properly. All she was conscious of was his nearness.
Another moment of silence where the unspoken words meant so much more than the pleasantries they were exchanging. His look said he was attracted to her and knew she felt the same way about him. In some men this particular look would make them appear conceited, but Danny knew that wasn’t the case with Sebastian.
As though he couldn’t bear it any longer, he looked down at the table and took a small step to the side. ‘What about your father? Does he live there, too?’
‘Yes…well, most of the time.’
‘And flies the helicopter.’ They were back. The charged atmosphere had disappeared and Danny dragged in a deep breath, willing her body to relax. Regardless of this attraction which obviously existed between them, nothing could come of it.
‘Yes. He helps out on some farms around the place and invariably sleeps there, too. He comes and goes.’ She shrugged.
‘No family land?’
‘No. He was forced to sell after the bad drought about ten years ago. We lost all our livestock and then the house burned down. He was lucky to escape.’ She shuddered to even think about it. ‘Thanks for eating breakfast with me.’ She moved away from the table and pointed to the door. ‘I have to go now.’ Before I throw myself into your arms, she added silently. ‘Catch ya later, Mac.’ She kept heading towards the door, forcing her legs to walk away from him.
‘Sleep well, Dannyella—and this time I mean it.’
‘You didn’t mean it last time?’ She had to tease. It was her only defence against the emotions she was experiencing.
‘Don’t be obtuse.’ His smile was at full throttle and Danny found herself right back at square one—completely captivated by him. He shouldn’t do that, she thought as her legs suddenly became like tree roots again. Just when she’d managed to get herself under control, he went and did something gorgeous…like smiling. It should be out-lawed…or at least issued with a warning!
‘Well…bye, then.’ With superhuman effort, she managed to send the appropriate signals from her brain around her body in order to make it work. ‘Thanks, Maisy,’ she called, before turning her back on Sebastian and walking out.
‘Get a grip,’ she lectured herself as she climbed into her car and drove down the street. ‘He may be handsome, witty and intelligent, but he’s also leaving at the end of next week. A nice mild flirtation is OK but you’re starting to go way, way overboard here.’ She’d always preferred to swim rather than sink, but this time she could already feel herself going under.
She had a quick shower before heading to bed, lying beneath the fly net which surrounded her bed, listening to the gentle whirring of the fan. Sebastian MacKenzie. She knew nothing about him, except what her silly schoolgirl heart wanted her to see.
That wasn’t completely true. She knew he wasn’t married—it was typed in black and white on his résumé. She knew he’d trained as a GP, worked in rural England after he’d qualified and held a diploma in anaesthetics and general surgery…but that was about as far as her knowledge went.
Why was he here? Oh, the official letter had mentioned his Ph.D. but why come here to do it? Surely just analysing the practices and conditions of rural GPs in England should have been enough. She thought back to the look of excitement she’d seen in his gaze before he’d left to figure out how to rig up the incubator. There was nothing exciting about it from where she’d stood. If he hadn’t been with her, she doubted whether baby Tommy would have survived.
She sighed and pushed the thought from her head. Sebastian had been with her and both mother and baby were doing fine. Still, it drove home her need for further help out here. She covered a vast amount of territory and although she could get a locum in from time to time, two to three weeks were the maximum.
Sure, she worked closely with the other doctors at Katherine and surrounding districts, but sometimes it just wasn’t enough. The area needed another doctor—even a part-time doctor would be great. Failing that, a community nurse. ‘But who’d want to come way out here in the middle of nowhere?’ She smothered a yawn. ‘Time for sleep, Danny. Think about it later.’
Her eyes closed and she started to dream. A dream where someone was helping her. Strong, capable hands. Someone she could trust. Tall, dark and handsome, too. Her lips curved into a smile and she turned over onto her side, her breathing becoming more even. Someone like Mac. Someone dependable. Someone…she could really lean on.
A girl could dream…couldn’t she?
‘That was one incredible celebration last night,’ Sebastian said on Wednesday morning when Danny came into the pub for breakfast. ‘Do you eat all your meals here, Dannyella?’
‘Sure. Why cook for myself when Maisy’s been doing it for years?’
‘You seem very close.’
‘She’s my dad’s cousin. She helped raise me, even before my mother left.’ It was difficult for Danny to keep the disgust out of her tone. Once her mother had left, she hadn’t made any attempt to see or speak to Danny again.
‘Don’t be too hard on ya mother,’ Maisy said, catching the end of their conversation as she came out from the kitchen. She put a plate of scrambled eggs and toast in front of Danny. ‘Ya poor mum had no idea what it was really like out here and ya’ve got to give her guts for trying. She stuck around for five years, lovey. That’s quite a while for someone who was a city girl at heart.’
Danny shrugged. ‘Just goes to show that city people don’t usually stay too long.’
Maisy laughed. ‘I guess ya right. Ya gotta be born here to really love the land. Anything else I can get ya, Mac?’
‘Uh…no, thank you.’ He watched Dannyella dig into her eggs.
‘Another cuppa tea?’
‘One was quite sufficient, thank you.’ He dragged his gaze away from Dannyella and smiled at Maisy. The other woman was watching him closely and it made him feel rather uncomfortable. ‘Was there something else?’ He raised an eyebrow in question.
‘No. Course not. Right, then, I’ll get some juice for her ladyship and then I’m done. Put the dishes on the sink when you’ve finished, lovey. I’m going to have me shower.’
Danny waved her hand in dismissal. ‘Don’t worry about the juice, Maise. I can get it. Go and have your shower.’
‘Goodo.’
‘It’s nice you’re so close,’ Sebastian remarked once Maisy had left.
‘Are you close to your parents?’ she asked, trying to sound casual. He frowned and seemed to take his time contemplating how to answer. ‘Forget I asked,’ she said quickly, hoping he didn’t think her rude.
‘No, it’s all right. My father died five years ago and my mother still resides in London.’
‘Do you see her often?’