The Midwife's Child

She raised a shaking hand and brushed her tangled dark hair away from her face. She loved Jed so much, so very much, but part of her just wouldn’t allow herself to let go.

‘I—I don’t think there’ll ever be a right time…’

Because she just couldn’t get past her childhood. However hard she tried to be rational, to tell herself that Jed wasn’t like her father, the past was always there, taunting her, reminding her that she would be taking a huge risk with Toby’s happiness. And her own.

He gave a short laugh and turned to face her, his dark eyes burning into hers. ‘Oh, believe me, there will be a right time, Brooke. There is no way you and I can live on the same planet and not rip each other’s clothes off.’

She swallowed hard, her eyes flickering shyly over his very male chest, exposed since she’d all but torn his shirt off. Dark hair covered the smooth swell of muscle and her fingers tingled with need. She wanted to touch him so badly.

‘Jed—we can’t.’ How could she? How could she put her past behind her and expose herself and her child to possible hurt? How could she trust him to be able to tell the difference between wanting her and wanting Toby? She knew how much he loved his son—

He closed his eyes and gave a resigned sigh. ‘It’s getting late and now is not the time to start a heavy conversation. But don’t think that lets you off the hook. There will be other occasions.’

Would there? Unless she could deal with the memories of her childhood she didn’t see how things could ever change. What was the point of more conversation when the problem was buried deep inside herself? The truth was her love for Jed was blocked by images of what her father had done to her, to her mother—images so strong they threatened to prevent her from ever following her heart.

CHAPTER EIGHT

FORTUNATELY the new senior registrar, Brian Wells, had started his post and Ken, the SHO, was improving after a spell of close supervision, so Brooke saw very little of Jed for the next few days.

Five days after she’d moved into Jed’s house, there was a call from Sean Nicholson in A and E to say that he had a thirteen-year-old girl with abdominal pain.

‘He wanted Jed, but he’s doing a gynae list this afternoon,’ Gill said with a frown. ‘I’ve bleeped Brian and he’s going to nip down to A and E. Will you meet him down there? Sounds like he might need moral support.’

‘Why’s Sean calling us?’ Brooke asked, tucking her pen back into her pocket and pressing the button for the lift.

Gill pulled a face. ‘He thinks she’s in labour.’

Brooke’s eyes widened. ‘At thirteen?’

‘Well, Sean’s the best A and E consultant anyone has ever seen, so if he thinks the girl is in labour then I’m willing to bet she is,’ Gill said briskly. ‘Go down, assess her with Brian and get her up here if you’ve got time. If it’s her first baby—and surely it must be at her age—I’m sure you will have time. In the meantime, Suzie and I will get one of the birthing rooms nice and cosy. I suspect she’ll need a lot of TLC.’

Gill was right. Brooke winced as she approached A and E and heard the terrified screams coming from their trolley bay. She arrived at the same time as Brian, who acknowledged her with a friendly nod. Brian Wells was a nice chap and very competent, if rather staid. He didn’t necessarily have Jed’s extraordinary flair and talent, but he was good at his job nonetheless and would undoubtedly be an asset to the department.

Sean grabbed them both before they went behind the curtain, and gestured towards the small office in the trolley bay.

‘She’s thirteen. Obese, unfortunately, which is why she’s managed to conceal the pregnancy, and the poor kid is absolutely terrified. Her mother is with her and I haven’t spoken to her yet because I wanted you guys to confirm the gestation.’

Brian raised an eyebrow. ‘You’re sure she’s pregnant?’

Brooke winced and held her breath, waiting for Sean to cut him down to size. The A and E consultant wasn’t renowned for his patience and didn’t usually take kindly to having his diagnosis questioned.

‘Well, I certainly don’t claim to be much of an obstetrician but I do recognise the sound of a foetal heart when I hear one,’ Sean said dryly, handing the records over and pocketing his pen. ‘But just for the sake of completeness one of the nurses has just gone to do a pregnancy test.’

‘But she’s only thirteen—she can’t be pregnant.’ Brian looked stunned and Brooke smothered a grin. The new senior reg had obviously led a very sheltered existence.

‘You can break the news to the mother, Brian,’ she muttered, noticing Sean’s eyes gleam with unholy laughter as he appreciated the impact that her words would have on the SR. ‘Shall we see the girl first?’

‘Oh, of course.’ Brian Wells looked flustered but straightened his glasses and peered at Sean. ‘Where is she?’

Sean lifted an eyebrow as another scream echoed around the whole department. ‘You need directions?’

Deciding that one of Sean’s acid comments wasn’t far round the corner, Brooke gave him a smile of thanks and walked briskly towards the side room in the trolley bay, hoping that Brian would follow her. He did and she slipped into the room and smiled at the terrified girl who was clinging to the sides of the trolley, her blonde hair limp and tangled.

Brooke took a swift look at her chart for the name. ‘Hello, Carly. I’m Brooke and I’m a…nurse.’ She didn’t want to say that she was a midwife at this stage. ‘What’s been happening to you, sweetheart?’

The girl looked so young she would barely have passed for thirteen, and Brooke felt a pang of sympathy for her, and also for her mother who was looking equally terrified.

‘I’ve had these pains for hours now.’ Carly sobbed and writhed on the trolley. ‘They’re getting worse and worse.’