THE GIFT OF A CHILD

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THE GIFT OF A CHILD Page 7

by Sue MacKay


  Max to do the operation? Jodi could not swallow the lump blocking her throat. Max? Too weird. Too family. But she’d always known it would come to this. ‘What about Carleen Murphy? I hear she’s very good.’

  Lucas studied her so long Jodi knew he had to be seeing right into her head, seeing her confusion, her unwillingness to have Jamie’s uncle operate on him. ‘You’ll be meeting with the whole transplant team. We’ll leave deciding who does the operation until afterwards.’

  She couldn’t ask for better than that.

  *

  Mitch wanted to run from the room, to get as far as possible from the kind eyes and disastrous words of Lucas Harrington, to block out the horror. But he couldn’t. He’d run out of time. This was when he stood up to be counted. Acted like the strong male he’d always pretended to be.

  Unwittingly he looked at Jamie. Another look at the boy with the pale face and the small frame. Wished he hadn’t because what he saw made his heart tighten painfully. Surprisingly it continued pumping.

  Face the truth. Face what I’ve been hiding from since Jodi told me about Jamie’s illness. This kid needs a new kidney. He’ll die without it. And I’ve only just met him. My flesh and blood. I don’t want to lose him before I’ve got to know him.

  I don’t want to lose him at all.

  My flesh and blood. My kidneys might be compatible.

  ‘Mitch?’ Jodi nudged him. ‘We’re finished with Lucas for now. I need to take Jamie up to the lab.’

  He saw the pain for Jamie in her eyes. Saw the way she held on to her son for dear life and knew she wouldn’t let him carry Jamie for her. Not now, at this moment, when she’d faced the truth of the situation—again.

  ‘Hell, Jodi, how have you held yourself together through all this?’ He wasn’t managing very well after one doctor’s consultation. Jodi would’ve had plenty of those. She’d done it all alone. Her mother might’ve helped but Alison wasn’t known for dealing with the emotional stuff when it came to her daughter’s needs. Just like him. He could blame the fact he hadn’t had long to get used to having a son who was seriously ill, but that was a cop-out.

  Jodi might’ve been right not to want involve him in Jamie’s life.

  But it was too bloody late. He was involved. Like it or not. And he was coming to like it, horrendous problems or not.

  In the corridor she peered at him over the top of Jamie’s head, those beautiful, suck-him-in eyes filled with resignation. ‘There’s never been any choice. Jamie needs me to be strong, to fight his battles, to love him. If I fail he has nobody.’

  Time to start thinking about these two, not himself. Mitch swallowed hard. ‘He has me. For what it’s worth, I accept I’m his father and therefore have a role to play in his life.’

  As Jodi’s eyes widened in relief he felt a surge of pride. And astonishment. It hadn’t hurt a bit to say that. Would that come later when he thought through the consequences? No, actually, he didn’t think it would.

  You’ve just taken a giant step forward, boyo.

  Then dismay shivered through him, knocking down the good feeling. What about Sydney and that fabulous job he’d been angling to get for over a year now? Was he prepared to give that away? He hadn’t thought about that for a few hours. Relax. Jodi and Jamie could join him over there. After the transplant, of course. Yeah, that would work. Jodi could find work in a general practice if she wanted to, and he’d be able to spend time with Jamie in his downtime. They might even find adjoining apartments somewhere central.

  Definitely a solution to everything. For the first time since he’d opened his eyes to find Jodi in his office, things were looking up.

  If he ignored the axe hanging over them.

  Jamie needed a new kidney. Fast.

  And he had one to spare.

  *

  As Mitch took her elbow and eased her through the throng of people streaming in the opposite direction, Jodi tried to assimilate the full extent of what he’d just said. Did he understand how big the role of father could be? Why wouldn’t he? He’d spent all his adult life avoiding getting into the situation where he’d have to be a dad.

  ‘Mummy, can we go home?’ Jamie sniffled against her neck. ‘I don’t like it here.’

  ‘Oh, sweetheart, I know you don’t.’ She tried to avoid saying an outright no. ‘We’ll go back to the motel soon.’

  Despite the phlebotomist being so careful and gentle, Jamie had still felt the needle that had drawn his blood. His little face had puckered up with resignation. She’d had a sudden urge to pick him up and run. Run from all the uncertainty, the kind medical staff, the big question of Mitch. Run and hide in a warm place where they could pretend none of this was happening. If Mitch hadn’t been there, watching over them like a fierce male protector, she really might’ve taken off.

  ‘I don’t want to go there. I want to go home and see Bambi.’

  ‘Who is Bambi?’ Mitch asked.

  ‘My cat.’ Jamie’s head twisted around as he sought out this man who didn’t seem to understand anything.

  ‘A cat named Bambi? That’s novel.’

  Jodi smiled despite everything. ‘Better than Knickers, which is the name of the boy next door’s puppy.’

  Mitch chuckled. ‘I didn’t realise there was quite such a wide range of pet names out there. Whatever happened to Socks or Blackie?’

  ‘My cat’s not black. He’s ginger,’ Jamie informed him through a sniff.

  ‘And he is really a she, proof being the litter we found in the bottom of the hall cupboard last month.’ Jodi smiled her thanks at Mitch for the diversion. Hopefully they’d got past Jamie’s need to go home for a little while longer, at least until they’d collected his prescription and dosed him up.

  Mitch asked Jamie, ‘Feel like going to the canteen and getting a juice, sport?’

  ‘I think so.’

  ‘What do you say?’ Jodi nudged her boy.

  ‘Thank you, Mitch. Are you going to get Mummy a coffee? She likes one when I have a juice.’

  ‘Then, yes, that’s what we’ll do.’ His hand tugged her left along another corridor. ‘This way. The canteen shouldn’t be too busy at this time of the morning.’

  Thankfully Mitch was right. Only a few people sat at the scattered tables. About to give a sigh of relief, Jodi suddenly froze, her feet unable to propel her any further forward as she stared at the man seated in the far corner reading the newspaper as he drank from a mug.

  Max Maitland.

  She so wasn’t ready for this man. She hadn’t sorted everything out with Mitch yet, so how could she explain to his twin about Jamie? Because the way these two didn’t get on, always tried to outdo the other in absolutely everything, Max was going to want to score points out of her sudden appearance with a child in tow. Mitch. Her head flipped back as she sought his face. But he was staring across the room with the same emotions racing through his eyes as she was feeling.

  ‘Let’s go.’ She nudged him in the side. ‘We can get a juice somewhere else.’ Preferably on the other side of the moon.

  *

  Mitch turned to propel Jodi out of the canteen. He definitely wasn’t ready to have Max learn about his son. Probably never would be, but there’d be no avoiding it. All he asked right at this moment was that they got out of here without being seen so they could go somewhere quiet and discuss how much Max should be told. One day. One whole day, that was all he wanted.

  ‘Why can’t I have it now, Mummy?’ Jamie’s voice rose to a loud squeal. ‘You promised.’

  Mitch bit down on his frustration. The little guy didn’t understand what was going on. ‘We’ll find a better place, okay?’

  ‘Mitch?’ Max called across the room. ‘Disappearing before you’ve even got here?’

  Damn. Luck was definitely not on his side today. But maybe it would be better getting this out of the way. Huh. As if. Resigned, Mitch braced himself and tucked Jodi under his arm to turn around with her—and met the startled glower of his brother as h
e noticed who was with him.

  ‘Jodi? Is that you?’ Max unfolded himself from the chair to stand tall, a smile spreading across his handsome face. ‘What brings you to town?’ Then his eyes widened further still. ‘And who’s this?’

  Mitch felt her tremble but she stepped forward, away from his side. ‘Hello, Max. It’s good to see you. And this is Jamie, my son.’

  Mitch would’ve laughed if the situation hadn’t been so damned serious. Instead he groaned and held his hand tight at his side. Max’s jaw had dropped, and for once he seemed lost for words.

  Jodi crossed the remaining gap to his brother. ‘It’s been a long time but you’re looking as good as ever.’

  She hadn’t said that about him. Mitch studied the expression in her bold eyes. Aha. She was pandering to Max’s ego, softening him up, trying to prevent a tirade of questions. Especially when it was blatantly obvious who Jamie’s father had to be. And what was he doing about the situation? Letting Jodi down.

  ‘Max, Jamie is also my son.’ There were a million things he wanted to add to that bald statement. He and Max had an unvarying pattern to their conversations and arguments, which always included getting one over the other, a power struggle to come out on top. But not today. He couldn’t abide Max saying anything wrong about Jodi or Jamie.

  Max blinked then drawled, ‘Even a blind man could see that.’

  Jodi murmured, ‘Strong Maitland genes.’

  Then Max got his second wind. ‘Jodi, it’s great to see you. Really. I’ve wondered what happened to you.’ And the guy hauled her into his arms for a hug, Jamie and all.

  Mitch glared at his brother’s back. What was it about Jodi Hawke that attracted them both? Jodi had said Max had dropped her and that they didn’t have a strong relationship, not a lot of chemistry between them, but they had gone out for a couple of months.

  Then after she and Max had split he’d been feeling particularly low about his adoptive parents’ bad financial situation and the bankruptcy suit that had been filed against them so he’d given Jodi a call to ask her out for a drink and a meal. One thing had led to another with Jodi that night. The chemistry between them had been hot, sparking and wild. He had to believe her when she said she hadn’t felt anything strong for Max.

  Jodi backed away from Max, the thumping of her heart unnaturally loud. She’d seen the utter disbelief in Max’s eyes, quickly followed by shock when the realisation he had a nephew clanged into place. But he had hugged her as he always had, like a special friend.

  Moistening her dry mouth, she filled him in a bit. ‘I’ve been in Dunedin all the time, working for a general practice when time allows. Jamie keeps me fairly busy.’

  ‘I imagine he does.’ Max was studying Jamie carefully. Seeing the illness? Of course he was. Anyone with half a medical brain would know this wasn’t a child brimming with good health.

  ‘Jamie has cystinosis and he’s been referred to Lucas Harrington. We’ve just come from seeing him.’ Max’s eyes widened, darkened as he absorbed this bit of news. She could see the thought processes going on in that bright intellect as he digested everything. Compassion clashed with surprise. Sadness nudged medical interest.

  ‘The poor little guy,’ was all he finally said, but there was a weight of concern behind each word. He really did care, really did understand what she might be going through.

  ‘Guess you never expected to have a nephew,’ she muttered.

  A Maitland smile lifted the grim outline of his mouth. ‘There’s a good surprise in every day.’

  Stunned, she could only gape at her son’s uncle. No nasty words, no snips at Mitch for obviously not knowing he’d fathered a child. This Max was new to her. Swallowing the lump sliding up her throat, she managed, ‘Thank you. Hopefully you’ll get to see him on a day when he’s got more energy and can chatter to you.’

  ‘I look forward to it.’ Max’s gaze fixed on his nephew, and a flash of hunger zipped through his startled eyes. It was gone so fast she wondered if she was mistaken. Replaced by his usual professional, don’t-think-you-can-touch-me demeanour. But, no, she had seen it, knew he’d be around to see Jamie some time soon. Her heart softened. Bring it on. And sorry, Carleen Murphy, we don’t need you after all. I’ve just touched base with the best surgeon in all respects available for Jamie.

  Jamie’s eyes were closed as he sniffled against her neck. Her hands tightened around his thin body. ‘I’m sorry, Max, but we have to go. Jamie’s exhausted after seeing the specialist and having bloods taken.’

  Mitch reached for Jamie, lifted him into his arms to relieve Jodi of her load, knowing she’d let him go now. She’d reached an understanding with Max that he hadn’t been a part of but which he found he didn’t mind. His brother was Jamie’s best hope and so all animosity had to be set aside. He’d seen the instant Max had comprehended his role in Jamie’s future.

  Mitch also knew the exact moment Max fully understood the implications of Jamie’s disease. There’d been a glint of compassion in the sharp glance Max had flicked him. A big question hovered behind the reality of what he’d just worked out. If Jamie needed a transplant, who was going to be the donor?

  To dodge that bullet, Mitch told him, ‘Jamie’s to be seen in your department next week.’

  Jodi murmured, ‘We haven’t got an appointment yet.’

  Max stood absolutely still, concentrating on Jamie. Finally he shook his head and focused on Jodi. ‘Bring him to see me tomorrow. Three o’clock. All right?’

  And then he was gone, charging out of the canteen, a man on a mission.

  ‘How can he know he’s got a space in his schedule at that time?’ Jodi stared after him.

  ‘He’ll make time. Guaranteed. But, Jodi, just because he’s seeing Jamie tomorrow, it doesn’t mean you can’t have Carleen Murphy do the operation if that’s what you want.’

  She looked at him with those big imploring eyes. ‘I haven’t a clue what or who I want. Except…’ She stopped, and shook her shoulders as though pushing aside something very difficult.

  He fully understood. Especially when it came to having his brother on the case. But they had to put all grievances aside in the interest of getting the absolute best care and help for Jamie. And as much as it galled him to admit it, Max was the best transplant surgeon in the country.

  Jodi leaned in against him for a brief moment. He had to bend his head to hear her say, ‘No, I do know. Max has to do the transplant. If it’s not asking too much of him, considering the family ties.’

  That was something they’d have to wait to find out.

  CHAPTER SIX

  ‘YOU’RE NOT SAYING MUCH.’ Jodi’s understatement jolted him as he concentrated on the motorway traffic. ‘You must be feeling annoyed that Max has found out about Jamie before you’ve had time to get used to the idea.’

  ‘You could say that.’ He pulled out to pass a truck and trailer unit.

  ‘Working in the same hospital, the odds were always tipped that way.’

  ‘We hardly ever bump into each other. Mostly keep to our own areas.’ To avoid each other and the arguments that the hospital staff had come to expect as much as they did.

  ‘What is behind all that antagonism between you two?’

  He breathed deep. ‘Did you know our parents died when we were six?’

  ‘Yes, I think it was you who told me. What happened?’

  He should’ve told her everything years ago. That’s what couples did, shared their pasts as well as their futures. But they hadn’t been planning on a long-term future together. At least, he hadn’t. The closer Jodi had got to him the more he’d pushed her away until she’d left him and he could feel justified for his actions. Self-preservation? Or self-destruction?

  ‘Mitch, talk to me. I need to know more about your past. Jamie will start asking questions as he gets older.’ She hiccupped and twisted her head to stare out the side window, sniffing back tears.

  Mitch’s heart lurched as he glanced across and saw her swallowin
g hard. He had to fight the urge to pull over to the side of the motorway and hug her in a vain attempt to take away her fears. She lived with Jamie’s situation every minute of every day. It must hover on the periphery of her mind, suddenly blinking into full focus whenever she talked about anything but Jamie’s immediate future.

  But until he worked through what his role was then he had to keep his distance from her. At the moment all he could give her was some background stuff. ‘Dad and Mum loved sailing, especially offshore. It was their passion.’ More than their kids had been if they could go away and leave us for months at a time. ‘They were on a trip to Fiji when a storm blew up. There were mayday calls for a few hours, then nothing. An air and sea search went on for days until eventually a few broken planks and a life jacket with the yacht’s name stencilled on it were found a long way from their last known position. The court ruled death by drowning.’

  Jodi turned to look at him through watery eyes. The hand she rested on his arm trembled. ‘That’s dreadful. What happened to you and Max?’

  ‘We were separated and sent to live with different uncles, both brothers of our father. They got to choose one twin each.’ A chill permeated his warm muscles, set bumps on his forearms. Like how did anyone pick between two kids?

  ‘Twins shouldn’t be separated.’

  ‘Want to tell me something I don’t know?’ he snapped. ‘I get that we were a handful, but we’d just lost our parents. Who wouldn’t be?’

  Jodi laid her hand on his arm again. ‘Hey, that’s shocking. Why did neither of them take both of you?’

  ‘The uncles never got on, always competing against each other in everything.’ He sighed. ‘Yeah, like Max and I.’ He concentrated on the car in front, keeping a perfect distance behind it. ‘From what I learned over the years, Harry and Fred carried that competitive streak too far and couldn’t agree about who took us so their wonderful solution was to take one each. And to hell with the consequences for us.’

  It had been like losing an arm to lose his twin, only worse. And there had begun the slow build-up to the animosity that now lay between he and Max. The families had been completely different; the situations and attitudes of their adoptive parents poles apart.

 

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