Gold Coast Angels: Two Tiny Heartbeats

by McArthur, Fiona

  ‘I’m fine.’ She sniffed and sat up straighter. Squared her shoulders and smiled bravely. ‘And no bleeding.’

  ‘Good.’ Relief warmed his belly. ‘Let’s keep it that way.’ He lifted out the paper bag his sister had given him and the packet of antibiotics he’d picked up. ‘Start the antibiotics as soon as you visit the bathroom.’

  He saw her blush and he knew that she felt embarrassed about all this. But it all needed to be done and done properly.

  ‘I brought you a mini-quiche and a yoghurt, in case you were hungry.’ He took them from the bag, too. It had seemed a good idea at the time but now he felt a bit dumb about it. She was in her own home and of course she’d have food in the refrigerator.

  She didn’t look like she thought it was dumb. ‘Thank you. That’s very kind. And I just ran out of yoghurt.’

  He handed her the yoghurt. ‘It’s acidophilus. Always a good idea if you’re on antibiotics.’

  She frowned and then her face cleared as he guessed she got the homeopathic connection of antibiotics and yeast infections and the natural fighting abilities of acidophilus. Because she laughed.

  He wasn’t sure if it was a good thing to be laughed at for thinking about things like that but he was a gynaecologist, too. He actually saw the tension fall from her face and decided it was a good thing even if it was at his expense.

  She grinned at him. ‘Not a lot of girls get that kind of service.’

  ‘Well, you’re special.’ And she was. But just because she didn’t have anybody else and she did still remind him of the sort of support Chloe should have had when she’d had her teen pregnancy. Not that Lucy was a teen. Far from it, but it explained the affinity he felt with her. And the fact that he knew she was more vulnerable than she let on.

  ‘Thank you, kind sir.’ She looked past him to the kitchen. ‘Did you want a cup of tea or anything?’

  ‘Nope.’ He paused. ‘Look. I know I’ve already asked but things are a little different now. If you rest up here, is there anything you really need me to do outside before the owners come?’

  He thought she was going to refuse again, but saw the tiny hesitation. ‘Come on. Spit it out.’

  Her cheeks were pink and he could see she hated to ask. It seemed he needn’t have worried she’d abuse his help. Not that he’d really thought she would, but Chloe had mentioned it again, and he mentally poked his tongue out at his suspicious sister.

  ‘I left the blower down by the beach gate. Could I ask you to put it back in the garden shed for me, please?’ She chewed her lip and he wanted to ask her not to do that. It made him feel uncomfortable.

  He nodded. ‘I’ll do that and poke around to see if there’s anything obvious to tidy up then I’ll be back. Don’t stress if I take a while. Do you have a computer here?’

  ‘No, unfortunately. It’s getting fixed.’

  ‘I brought my tablet computer if you want to go online and search the web.’ He reached into the backpack and withdrew it.

  ‘Wow.’ She peered over the edge of the bed and pointed to his pack. ‘Mary Poppins, eat your heart out. What else have you got in there? Maybe a lampshade and an umbrella?’

  He didn’t get it. A lampshade? Why would he want an umbrella? ‘Who’s Mary Poppins?’

  She grinned and he had to smile back. She had a great smile. ‘Didn’t you watch Disney movies when you were a kid?’ She smiled. ‘My mother was always going out and I was left with a big pile of Disney movies to keep me company.’

  He really wasn’t liking the sound of her childhood. But, then, his had been the opposite. Too strict. ‘Disney must have been too commercial. Not on our Orthodox parents’ video list.’ He glanced at the almost empty bag. ‘Nothing much left in there.’

  He didn’t want to tell her he had a Doppler for listening to foetal heartbeats because he didn’t really want to go there. He wasn’t quite sure why he’d brought it. Maybe just for his own peace of mind in case she asked.

  ‘I’ll just slip out and sort the blower. Take the antibiotics as soon as you can, won’t you?’

  She blushed again. It was kind of cute the way she did that. ‘Yep. Will do.’

  Nick blinked and stepped back. Whoa. Stop that thought. ‘Right. I’ll sort outside, then.’ He spun and headed for the door like the hounds of hell were after him. Maybe Chloe wasn’t so dumb after all and he did need to be careful.

  By the time he’d used the blower around the pool, fished out some palm fronds and cleaned the filter box, he decided he’d devoted enough of his Sunday to Lucy. But when he went back to say goodbye she was asleep.

  And he couldn’t leave until he made sure she and her babies were okay.

  So he sat down beside her bed on the spindly cane chair and watched her sleep.

  Once she mumbled, as if talking to someone, and her hand drifted to her belly as she smiled the softest, gentlest smile, and it tore unexpectedly at the wall he’d built so successfully around his heart so many years ago.

  When she rested her hand over the babies inside her he had to stifle the urge to reach across, lay his hand over hers and feel what she was feeling, assure himself these tiny beings who had somehow pierced his armour were healthy and happy.

  Instead, he reminded himself that this family was not his family—and they needed someone with a heart to give, not someone moulded by callous parents who could cast off their children without a backward glance.

  Nikolai forced his eyes away and checked his email. Browsed the web. Closed his eyes.

  When Lucy woke up, Nick was asleep in the chair beside her bed.

  Was this guy for real? She’d never had anyone care about her like he had. Except maybe Lil and Clem next door, when she’d been a kid and had got lonely while her mother had been out.

  Which reminded her, she needed to let the kind older couple know how she was doing. They were thrilled she had twins coming. Had promised her all manner of equipment they’d finished with. They’d had their own IVF twins the year before she’d moved out and started her training. They’d understand about twins. But that was for after all this worry went away.

  She felt her belly and it seemed softer than before. There were no pains in her back or low in her belly. Maybe it was all going to be okay anyway. She hoped so. When she looked back at Nick he had woken up and was watching her. He smiled and she smiled back.

  ‘Hey, sleepyhead,’ she said.

  ‘Hey, sleepyhead, yourself. I was on my way out and your snoring was so loud I thought I’d better wait till you woke up.’

  As if. ‘I do not snore.’

  ‘So I’ve found out.’ He smiled at her. ‘And you look better. Less tense.’

  She gently touched her belly. ‘And no pain that I know of.’

  He stood up and the chair creaked a little. She had to smile. ‘That’s great. I still think you should have tomorrow off.’

  She’d been thinking that, too. ‘It scared me. I’ll do whatever you recommend, Nick.’

  ‘I’ll talk to Sister May. You’ve still got my number?’

  She nodded and he picked up his backpack and the paper bag she’d left there for him. He raised his brows as he picked it up, checking she’d done the deed, and she nodded.

  Her ears felt hot. ‘I tightened the lid as tight as I could get it.’

  He grinned. ‘Good.’ He slid his tablet in after the paper bag and zipped up the rucksack. ‘Ring me any time and I’ll drop in if you need me. Or even if you just have a question. It’s okay, Lucy. You can ring me and if it’s not a good time I’ll have my phone on silent and will ring you back. Okay?’

  She nodded. ‘Otherwise I’ll see you for our appointment tomorrow.’

  That was good. They could do another check. ‘Why don’t I arrange for you to have another scan beforehand? We can compare it to the one you
had two weeks ago. That way you can be sure everything is fine.’

  She’d been going to ask him for that. Her shoulders dropped with relief. ‘Thanks. That would be good.’

  ‘I’ll ring you with a time when I find out tomorrow. See you then,’ he said, and she could tell he wanted to get going.

  Of course he did. The poor guy had had his whole Sunday hijacked by her and she felt terrible. And special. He’d said she was special but she’d better not get any ideas.

  Because she didn’t want to get all gooey and mushy over a certain obstetrician, one who probably thought of her as the biggest nuisance out, because no man would want to hook up with a pregnant, single mother of twins.

  But seriously! What wasn’t there to love about Nikolai Kefes?

  The guy had created calm out of her sudden plunge into uncertainty, had tidied up the outside of her housesitting mansion so she wouldn’t feel like she’d let the owners down, and had even run to the chemist’s and now the pathology department for her.

  But in reality the last thing she needed was a broken heart to carry along with two babies, because even a twin stroller wouldn’t be big enough to carry all that.

  So she definitely wasn’t going there.

  CHAPTER SIX

  NICK HAD RUNG to say Lucy’s new ultrasound appointment was at twelve o’clock and as she dressed, she wondered who was missing out on their lunch to do the favour for Nick.

  When she was shown into the little room and directed to climb up on the couch in her patient gown, the bombshell blonde ultrasonographer, a different technician from last time, wasn’t behind in letting her know. ‘Dr Kefes wouldn’t take no for an answer so let’s see why these babies of yours are causing him such concern.’

  As she dimmed the lights there was a knock on the door and BB opened it to Nick. ‘Hello, there, Nikolai.’ She laughed and signalled for him to come in. ‘I wondered if you’d show up for this.’

  Lucy blinked at the familiarity in her tone and couldn’t help wondering if these two had been more than just professional colleagues. Not that it was any of her business.

  ‘Hi, Jacqui. Thanks for this. I owe you one.’ Nick followed the woman into the small room, which suddenly became much smaller, and Lucy didn’t like the way he smiled back at the technician. Not that she even had the right to notice who Nick looked at.

  Jacqui seemed pretty happy. ‘Oh, goody. Dinner.’

  He grinned and nodded at Lucy. ‘How are you, Lucy? No more pain?’

  ‘I’m fine, thanks.’ Except for this ridiculous feeling of exclusion she should not be feeling. An exclusion she had no right to complain about when Nick and Jacqui were both going out of their way to help her. She was an ungrateful wretch.

  And they were going out to dinner.

  ‘So let’s see what these kids are up to.’ Jacqui tilted the screen so Lucy, and now Nick, could see the pictures, and thankfully Lucy could concentrate on the still unfamiliar excitement of actually outlining the shapes of her babies. Thankfully, everything else disappeared from her mind.

  With the extra power of the large machine, Lucy could even see their little faces. Could hear and watch the chambers of their hearts all moving as they should. Gaze with wonder as a tiny hand clenched and unclenched. Then a tiny leg kicked.

  They were so tiny, and fragile, and vulnerable. She could have gone into proper labour yesterday, and with lungs too small to breathe for long they would have been gone today.

  An explosion of fear ballooned in her chest and she drew a breath. They were her family. Her babies, who would always love her, and she would always love them. What if she’d lost them?

  Nick must have sensed her distress because he drew closer and rested his hand on her shoulder. Pressed down. With his fingers sending reassuring vibes, she could feel her panic subside a little. ‘It’s okay, Lucy. They look great.’

  She tore her eyes from the screen to search his face. His eyes met hers, intense, reassuring. He nodded. Wordlessly he told her he was telling the truth and she breathed out.

  Suddenly exhausted by the fear that had come from nowhere and was so slow to ebb away, she sank back into the pillow. Okay. It was okay. Nick said everything would be fine.

  ‘Good two-week growth from last time. Do you want to know the sex?’ Jacqui was intent on the screen and had missed the byplay. Probably a good thing, Lucy thought with a tinge of guilt, judging by the way this hospital picked up scandal.

  Nick’s hand lifted away but it was okay. Lucy dragged her mind back to what Jacqui had said. Sex? Not sexes? ‘Are they identical?’

  ‘It looks like it to me.’

  Lucy grinned at that. Identical twins. Awesome, and how cute! And her babies would never be alone because they would have each other. Lucky babies. Did she want to know what sex? ‘No. I don’t think so. I like the idea of a surprise.’

  Jacqui was very good at her job. In no time she’d done all the measurements, estimated both babies’ weights and checked all around the edge of the big placenta to see if there was any sign of bleeding or separation.

  ‘Nope. All looks good. Nice amount of fluid around the babies. Good blood flow through both umbilical cords. Nothing out of the ordinary except there’s two of them. Measure at twenty-two weeks.’ She put the ultrasound handpiece back on its stand and handed Lucy a towel to dry her belly while she concentrated on Nick. ‘Satisfied, Dr Kefes?’

  ‘Very. Thank you, Jacqui.’ Lucy swiped the jelly off her belly and tried not to look at the way Jacqui leant towards Nick. It was none of her business.

  She swung her legs over the edge of the couch but before she could jump down, Nick was there with his hand to help her. ‘Can you follow me to my office, Lucy, and I’ll chase up the results of those tests?’

  She kept her voice upbeat with an effort. ‘Great. That saves me waiting till the later appointment.’

  ‘That’s fine.’ He opened the door for her. ‘I’ll meet you there in a minute.’

  Lucy went past him into the ultrasound waiting room and he shut the door. She wondered with just a tinge of acid just how he was thanking Jacqui until she smacked herself. None of her business.

  Whatever appreciation he’d offered, it didn’t take long because Nick caught up with her outside the lifts.

  * * *

  Meanwhile, above Nick and Lucy and inside the lift that sailed towards them, Callie Richards ground her teeth, silently but no less effectively as she stewed. Cade Coleman! Grrr.

  She could see him in her mind’s eye without turning her head. She didn’t want to look at him. Dark brown, wavy hair. Those light brown eyes assessing her. Always assessing. Coldly. As if she came up short every time. Well, she wasn’t short, she was five feet ten, for heaven’s sake, and she was damn good at her job.

  This last case had been gruelling. Nick had called them in at three a.m. and it hadn’t finished until an hour ago, but by the time she’d spent eight hours trying to ignore Cade Coleman in a room full of people she’d had enough.

  Her nerves had been shredded and the worst part was she didn’t know why she couldn’t just rise above him. Build a bridge. Get over him. All the things that grown-up, footloose women did.

  She jumped when he spoke. ‘How come you didn’t stay long in the recovery room? Those parents will have more questions.’

  ‘Don’t tell me my job. I’ll go back again later.’ She shook her head. ‘Soon.’

  I just need a few minutes to calm down first, she thought despairingly. If this stupid lift could get its act together and get her to the ground floor before she burst into tears.

  She seriously needed sleep. There’d been a long session in the NICU the previous evening and her eyes felt grainy. That was the only reason she was feeling fragile.

  ‘Really?’

  She turned her head i
n time to see him look her up and down and her blood pressure escalated again.

  There was censure in his tone. ‘I heard you were the real heart of this hospital. Hearts don’t leave.’

  Oh, yeah? Not that she thought about it much, but her heart had left years ago. And so apparently had his. Even his brother had warned her when he’d suggested Cade for the job.

  He’d been the one who’d said that happily ever after wasn’t for people like them.

  Those words haunted her. If he wasn’t interested, why didn’t he just leave her alone and stop pushing her buttons?

  But he didn’t. ‘Is this to do with me knocking you back for a dance at the wedding? When you were tipsy?’

  Callie winced. Now, that had been a dumb dare from the girls. ‘Don’t be stupid.’ She certainly regretted draping herself all over him but that was why she hadn’t had a glass of wine since.

  He looked her up and down. ‘Because we could make a date. Dance the night away and more. No strings, no expectations. Get it out of our systems.’

  After being an absolute horror to her all night. Was he joking? ‘Strangely, I decline.’

  He shrugged and she wondered if he was as laid back about it as he looked. ‘Have to find someone else, then.’

  The doors opened and Cade and Callie moved back against the wall. Callie forced a smile and nodded at the little midwife, Lucy. With Nick again?

  She frowned slightly. These two seemed to end up in the same space a fair bit. She glanced at Nick and he barely looked tired, despite the long night.

  He grinned at them both. Where did he get his energy? ‘Thanks for the big night, guys. You were incredible. The parents are still coming to grips with things and I said you’d see them again later. That right, Callie?’

  ‘Half an hour. Just have to sort something first.’

  ‘Great. That’s what I told them.’ He glanced at Cade. ‘Amazing job, Cade.’

  ‘But tense. I think I need some heavy exercise to get the kinks out of my neck.’ He glanced sardonically at Callie and then at Nick. ‘You up for a game of squash later, Nick?’