Prognosis Christmas Baby Read online

  ‘So what are you saying? You look at me and feel guilty and because of that you’re not going to London?’

  ‘Yes. No.’ Nash clenched his fists. Yes, he did feel guilt, he should have been there. But it wasn’t why he was staying. ‘I’m not explaining this very well.’

  ‘So explain it better.’

  Nash took a deep breath. ‘Dancing with you tonight, I had a sudden realisation. It’s never happened to me before, which is possibly why I didn’t recognise it ages ago when it first hit me between the eyes. I mean, I honestly didn’t think it ever would because it just wasn’t on my radar. I have my career and my promise to my sister and that just takes priority.’

  Maggie looked at him even more confused now. ‘So...?’

  Nash sighed. He was making a total hash out of it. ‘I love you, Maggie. I’m in love with you.’

  Maggie stared at him for a moment before groping for the chair behind her and sinking into it. He wouldn’t joke about something like this, would he? Maybe he was confusing his fear for her and the baby last night with something else.

  Nash rushed forward, kneeling before her. She’d gone pale again. Maybe he shouldn’t have dropped this kind of bombshell in her delicate state. ‘Are you okay? I think we should go back to the hospital.’

  Maggie ignored him. ‘Nash, I understand that I gave you a fright yesterday but you really don’t need to make any rash declarations.’

  Oh, God...She didn’t love him back.

  An incredible bleakness swept through Nash as he contemplated life loving a woman who didn’t return his feelings. Even with his love beating a tattoo in his chest, the knowledge was devastating.

  He took her hands. ‘There’s nothing rash about it. I think I’ve known since the day I met you, I just didn’t have any past experience to help me analyse it. I love you. And the baby. I want us to be a family. Together. Here. Not from the opposite side of the world. I’m just sorry it took me so long to get it.’

  Maggie looked into his eyes and started to hope. He looked utterly sincere. His face solemn, his tropical-island eyes serious. There was no sign of laid-back Nash. In fact, he looked in pain, like he couldn’t bear the swell of feelings inside him.

  And she knew he was telling the truth.

  ‘I know that you may not feel the same way and that—’

  Maggie cut him off with her mouth, pressing a hard kiss against his unsuspecting lips. ‘Oh, Nash,’ she whispered as tears welled in her eyes. ‘Stupid man. Of course I feel the same way.’ She gave him a watery smile. ‘I know I wasn’t supposed to fall for you. I know we had an understanding. And I know that I went and mucked that up by falling pregnant. And I know that I’m older than you. But I’m sorry, I did anyway. I just went and fell for you anyway.’

  Nash let her words sink in for a moment, settling around the lump of dread that had started to rise from the pit of his stomach. Pushing it down, dissolving it like a snowman in sunlight. ‘Really?’

  Maggie nodded. ‘Really.’

  Nash suddenly felt lighter than air. He grinned at her. Then he stood, dragging her up with him, lifting her in his arms and twirling her round and round. Maggie laughed and held on tight.

  He finally placed her on the floor. ‘Are you sure, Maggie?’

  She nodded. ‘But what about you? You’re the one who’s going to be lumbered with an older woman.’

  Nash’s head swooped down for a deeply passionate kiss. ‘I love you, Maggie. For the first time in my life I’ve fallen in love with an incredible woman. Last night you were on the floor in a pool of blood and I thought I’d lost you. Age is so irrelevant compared to that.’

  Maggie stood on tiptoes and kissed him. He was right. If last night had taught them anything it was that life was short and was there to be lived. They didn’t talk for a long time then. Their kisses got deeper and eventually they tumbled back onto the lounge behind them.

  Maggie put a finger against his mouth as Nash homed in on her lips. ‘Wait a moment.’

  ‘I’m sorry.’ He took a breath, desperately trying to dampen the fiery furnace burning in his belly. ‘We shouldn’t be doing this. You must be exhausted.’

  She traced his jaw line with her finger. ‘No. I meant we can do this any time. Let’s get the really important thing out of the way. Let’s go and book me an air fare.’

  Nash frowned. ‘What?’

  ‘I’m going to London with you.’

  The furrows in his brow got deeper. ‘It’s okay, Maggie. I don’t have to go to London. I can complete my training here in Australia. I know you don’t want to go and nothing is more important to me than you.’

  Maggie smiled, her heart filling with love. She pushed against his chest and they both struggled into a sitting position. ‘Not even the promise you made to yourself after your sister died? Great Ormond Street’s the best, Nash. The best.’

  ‘Yesterday it was the best. Today it’s just another hospital on the other side of the world, keeping me away from you.’ He slid his hand to her stomach. ‘From the baby.’

  She rested her head against his chest as his words swelled, a lump of pure emotion expanding her chest to an unbearable tightness. He really did love her. He was reforging his set-in-stone career path for her.

  ‘It won’t be on the other side of the world if we’re there with you.’

  ‘Maggie.’ Nash placed a finger under her chin and lifted it so he could see straight into her eyes. ‘It’s not important. I know you don’t want to go.’

  She smiled at him, cupping his face in her hands. ‘I do. I do if you love me. If you want to commit, if you want to be a family with me and the baby, I’ll follow you anywhere, Nash. I just didn’t want to go on some whim to appease your sense of honour and responsibility. I didn’t want to travel to the other side of the world just to see how it panned out. But, Nash, you loving me makes all the difference.’

  Nash’s heart beat painfully in his chest, fighting for room past the constriction in his throat. ‘Really?’

  She nodded. ‘Of course. Wherever you are, that’s where I want to be.’

  ‘Even in the middle of the outback where the nearest supermarket or movie theatre is hundreds of kilometres away?’

  ‘Especially there,’ she whispered.

  Nash shut his eyes and placed a hand over hers. He opened them again and looked into her eyes. The tree lights danced in her irises. ‘What did I do to deserve you?’

  ‘Something good, I think.’

  Nash smiled. ‘Looks like Santa came early,’ he murmured against her mouth.

  Maggie gave a soft laugh, their lips touching. ‘It’s going to be Christmas all year from now on.’

  Nash chuckled. ‘Ho, ho, ho.’

  THE END

  EPILOGUE

  Maggie managed to convince Nash the next morning she was perfectly capable of going into work for her shift. They drove to his place so he could change his clothes and then headed into work full of Christmas spirit, despite not getting much sleep.

  And she was pleased she did. They were able to give Alice and Brett the best Christmas gift they were ever going to get — they extubated Toby. With the tube out, Toby’s silent cries finally had a voice, if a little croaky.

  He was even able to get out of bed and have a proper cuddle with his parents. Best of all, for the first time in weeks, safely snuggled in his mother’s arms, he gave them all a great big smile.

  ‘This is just the best,’ Alice said, looking down at a happy Toby with tears in her eyes. ‘There were a couple of times I thought this day would never come.’

  Nash and Maggie exchanged looks. Toby’s parents hadn’t been alone in their pessimistic view.

  After lunch Nash sidled up to Maggie. ‘Thanks for my gift,’ he murmured, rubbing the gum nuts together. ‘Guess we’ll both be able to keep in touch with our roots while we’re over there.’

  Maggie nodded, the smell of eucalyptus wafting towards her. ‘Guess so.’

  ‘You missed your Sec
ret Santa gift,’ he said.

  She frowned. ‘No, I didn’t. I opened it while you were on round. I got a coffee mug.’

  Nash raised an eyebrow. ‘Really? But I just saw one under the tree for you.’

  Maggie looked puzzled as she walked towards the tree. ‘I must have missed it. It’s probably part of the first gift. They must have become separated,’ she mused as she bent to retrieve the small package wrapped in a red ribbon.

  ‘Hmmm,’ Nash said noncommittally, grinning like an idiot behind her.

  Maggie opened the second gift without giving it a lot of thought, pretty sure it’d probably be some kind of accessory to the first. Maybe a box of tea bags or something.

  It wasn’t until she hit blue velvet that she realised the gift wasn’t from her Secret Santa. But from Nash. She turned to face him, her hands shaking.

  ‘Nash?’

  Nash smiled down at her. ‘Open it,’ he murmured.

  Maggie’s fingers were trembling so badly it seemed to take an age to prise the lid open. When she finally managed it, the ring took her breath away. A large square cut blue sapphire sat on the plump velvet cushion.

  ‘Oh, Nash,’ she whispered, unable to tear her gaze away from it.

  Nash, his own fingers a little on the trembly side, took it out of the box. He’d made such a hash of the last proposal he was determined to make this one special.

  ‘Will you make me the happiest man in the world, Maggie? Will you marry me?’

  Maggie couldn’t believe it. The background noise of the unit faded as the world narrowed down to just the two of them in this moment.

  In a few short months all her dreams had come true. She, the man she loved and their baby were going to become a family. ‘Yes.’ She smiled, looking into his incredible blue eyes. ‘Yes.’

  Applause rang out around the unit as they became aware of their surroundings again. Nash grinned at her as he placed the ring on her finger. ‘Merry Christmas, Maggie May.’

  Maggie stood on tiptoe and wound her arms around his neck. ‘This is going to be a hard Christmas to top.’

  ‘Maybe, but I’m going to spend the rest of my life doing just that,’ he promised.

  And they kissed again in front of their very appreciative audience.

  Read on for Ch 1 of Prognosis Bad Timing.

  PROGNOSIS BAD TIMING – Chapter One

  Two more weeks. Two more weeks. Two more weeks.

  The words reverberated around Charlie Wentworth’s head in time with the squeak in his back wheel.

  Two more weeks until he could start living again.

  The regular Sunday visit with his parents had left him with that familiar bitter taste in his mouth. Between his family’s overt disapproval, the uncertainty over his health and tomorrow’s invasion from the hospital administrator, he had a lot on his mind.

  All he had to do was get through the next fortnight. Go through the motions. Co-operate with the hospital hatchet-wielder. See his patients. Keep focused. Go get the blood test. Wait for the results. Which would be negative. Then he could get on with living.

  Unless they were positive...Then what the hell was he going to do?

  He stepped on the accelerator out of pure frustration, the ancient Mazda straining and protesting. His life had been on hold for what felt like years - the separation, the divorce and now this. Gaining steadily on the car in front, Charlie eased his foot off the pedal. Blowing the gearbox wouldn’t bring the next fortnight to a close any faster. He just had to be patient. Once upon a time he’d had that in abundance.

  Not so much at the moment...

  Carrie Douglas flicked her gaze to the rear-view mirror and tensed as the car behind surged closer. Her headlights stabbed into the darkness and she prepared to dip her high beam for when it overtook. It didn’t, though, falling back to a safe distance again and she relaxed.

  Driving at night on an unfamiliar road made her nervous especially when she was carrying such precious cargo. Dana’s blonde head drew her attention. It was slumped to one side, her cute face relaxed in a deep sleep, her ancient blanky snuggled against her cheek.

  It was at times like these she realised there was only so much a mother could do to protect her child.

  So much more was out of her control.

  Thoughts about the job she was starting tomorrow turned over and over in her mind as she flicked her gaze back to the road. The hospital was sending her in to sort out the financial mess of one of their inner-city outreach programmes.

  As far as projects went it looked pretty tedious but with her combined business and medical degree, she was perfect for the job. And it wouldn’t be long now until her hard work paid dividends.

  There were rumours she was being considered for promotion to department head. Both Anaesthetics and Paediatrics were coming up for renewal. From there it would be an easy springboard into the real management hierarchy. In five years she was hoping to make Deputy Medical Director.

  Glass ceiling be damned!

  It was the only thing in her life that mattered other than Dana. She needed financial security for her daughter and herself and to show everyone that her unplanned career diversion had been successful.

  Losing sight of her goal was not an option.

  She’d even left the family wedding early so she could catch a decent eight hours’ sleep to ensure she was in good condition for tomorrow’s job.

  Carrie saw the headlights of an approaching car illuminate the horizon and adjusted her headlights in preparation. She chewed at her bottom lip, going over everything in her head as the approaching car grew bigger. She glanced in the rear-view mirror again. The car behind was keeping a respectful distance.

  But when she returned her attention to the road in front the oncoming car had started to drift across the centre line.

  “Holy crap!” Carrie stomped on the brake pedal as the fancy red vehicle came at her, putting them on a collision course.

  Her entire life flashed before her eyes as, for a split second, the world stopped. Her heart beat so loudly in her ears nothing else registered. It pounded so frantically in her chest her whole body shook with its agitated rhythm. And then panic and instinct took over and she pulled hard on the steering-wheel.

  Please, God, don’t take me away from Dana.

  Carrie held her breath as the red car passed in a blur and for a moment she thought she was safe. But then the red car clipped the rear of hers and she felt her head snap forward, her seatbelt snap tight and her head fling back again, slamming into her headrest as her vehicle spun wildly round and round in the centre of the road.

  ‘Dana,’ Carrie called, turning frantically, ignoring the pain in her neck as they came to a stop in the middle of the road.

  Her daughter’s eyes fluttered open briefly and then she stuck her thumb in her mouth and stroked her blanky against her cheek. Dana’s grandmother had always said she could sleep through an explosion and for that, tonight, Carrie was thankful, as a surge of relief washed through her body.

  Dana was fine. Dana was fine. Her baby was fine.

  Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

  She laid her forehead against the steering-wheel and took some deep calming breaths, the immediate shock giving away to the euphoric feeling of having just dodged a bullet.

  Charlie swore as he watched the trajectory of the red car on some kind of horrifying slow motion. It had changed on contact with the car in front, flipping, rising up over his Mazda, narrowly missing him as if it had been engineered to do so.

  Like some Hollywood movie stunt.

  He looked in his rear-view mirror as it made contact with the road behind him, smashing into the bitumen with teeth-jarring velocity and rolling several more times before coming to rest on its wheels in a mass of mangled metal and shattered glass. The remaining headlight shone brokenly on the unmoving form lying in the middle of the road.

  It took a few seconds for the doctor in Charlie to respond to the inert form lying on the road, shock blunti
ng his reactions. He opened his door, knowing he had to get to the victim lying on the road. But his eyes flicked to the other car that had come to a standstill in the centre of the road not far from him. The person inside was sitting at the steering-wheel, unmoving.

  Was this person also injured? Were there two potential victims?

  The golden rule of triage — the most critical first. He looked back at the person on the road. Was he even alive? Could he have survived being flung out of a vehicle at high speed? Charlie doubted it.

  Running to the first vehicle, he wrenched open the door.

  ‘Are you OK?’

  Carrie startled at the brisk demand coming back from the quagmire of her shock. Her heart was hammering like a runaway train, her hands still gripping the steering-wheel.

  Was she OK?

  She’d been too concerned with Dana to notice. Her neck hurt a little. It was tender when she twisted it to the very limit of its capabilities but otherwise it seemed OK. Probably some minor whiplash. Still, that could be debilitating if it was bad enough. She’d get an X-ray some time tomorrow to be sure.

  ‘I’m fine.’

  Charlie gave her a quick visual once-over. She didn’t seem to have any obvious injuries. He nodded. ‘I have to go see to the other driver.’ He indicated with his head.

  Carrie nodded, noticing the very still person lying on the road for the first time. ‘Yes,’ she said.

  And then the man was gone.

  Charlie popped the boot of his car and pulled out his medical kit, complete with oxygen and suction. In his line of work, he needed a fully stocked kit ready to go in his car at a moment’s notice, and tonight he was grateful that he’d decided to irritate his father and drive the Mazda.

  If he’d been driving the BMW, he’d have been up the creek without a paddle.

  Sprinting to the inert form, Charlie’s brain processed all the possibilities. It was a man. A middle-aged man. Had he fallen asleep at the wheel or had there been a medical emergency like a heart attack or a stroke that had caused him to veer into their path?