She shook her head and he raised an eyebrow. ‘Well, stand a bit closer, then, and I’ll tell you what I’m doing.’
Paula blushed and did as she was told, sneaking a glance at the broad shoulders as she moved to where he’d indicated she should stand.
Noticing the look, Brooke felt a
stab of jealousy which she quickly suppressed. What was the matter with her? Why should she be jealous?
Brooke watched as Jed applied traction, explaining quietly to Paula and talking occasionally to Alison who had Brooke’s hand in a vice-like grip.
‘It’s important not to use excessive traction,’ he murmured, using the force of the contraction to help his own efforts. ‘It’s descending nicely. Well done, Alison. We’ll soon have this baby out. What’s the heart rate doing, Brooke?’
Brooke glanced at the CTG machine and met his eyes. Frankly, it wasn’t good but she didn’t want to panic Alison.
‘Eighty,’ she said flatly, and Jed nodded, comprehension in his blue eyes.
‘Right. One big push for me, Alison. Come on, baby.’ He pulled gently and the head emerged, blue and mottled, just as Sita slid discreetly into the room with the necessary equipment.
‘OK, I’ve finished with the ventouse now. Well done, Alison.’ Jed worked quickly, removing the cup and getting ready to deliver the rest of the baby. ‘Here he comes.’
The baby slithered into his waiting hands and he lifted it smoothly onto Alison’s abdomen, grinning as it started to yell.
‘I love that sound!’
Brooke breathed a sigh of relief and grinned at him, momentarily forgetting the tension between them. She loved that sound, too.
‘Oh, Alison!’ Tim Neal’s voice was choked with emotion as he gently touched his new baby, and Brooke blinked several times. Bother! Why was she always such a marshmallow?
Fifteen minutes later the cord was cut, the placenta delivered and mother and baby were cuddled up together as if they’d known each other for ever.
‘Well, you didn’t need me here at all,’ Sita declared cheerfully, having checked the baby and pronounced it well.
‘Thank you.’ Tears misted Alison’s eyes as she looked at Jed. ‘You were brilliant, wasn’t he, Tim?’
Her husband looked shell-shocked by the whole experience. ‘He certainly was.’
‘Don’t tell him that. It’s crowded enough in the labour ward without having a doctor with an oversized head,’ Brooke quipped, helping Paula clear up after the delivery. But he had done well, she had to admit it. He’d managed to deliver the baby with the minimum of fuss but she’d seen the skill in his technique.
‘She’s gorgeous.’ Jed smiled down at the baby and touched its tiny cheek with one strong finger.
Brooke froze, her eyes fixed on his face.
‘Do you have children, Doctor?’ Alison smiled up at him and Jed shook his head.
‘Not yet. But one day I hope to.’
Suddenly Brooke felt as though she was suffocating and she mumbled an excuse and left the room.
Dear God, what was she going to do? How was she going to handle this?
* * *
It was nearly ten o’clock by the time the labour ward had calmed down, and as she changed and dragged on her coat Brooke felt exhausted. The prospect of a bus ride home filled her with gloom. What on earth was she going to do about the stupid car?
Pushing the worry aside, she stuck her head round the office door and smiled at Gill. ‘I’m off. My bus goes in five minutes.’
‘Thanks, Brooke!’
Brooke gathered up her bits and pieces from the staffroom and dashed out of the hospital, sprinting across the car park as she saw the lights of the bus approach.