A Proposal to Remember

At that moment the door opened and Nico strolled back into the room, deep in conversation with his brother.

Zan walked up to him and came straight to the point. ‘Abby needs some pain control. The baby’s OP. She’s four centimetres dilated and she’s starting to get distressed with each contraction. She’s still got a long way to go.’

Carlo frowned. ‘You’re sure it’s OP?’

Zan nodded. ‘She’s got a saucer-shaped depression just below the umbilicus, the head is high and I just examined her and the anterior fontanelle is in the anterior part of the pelvis.’

Nico tensed and looked at his brother. ‘What does all that mean?’

‘Let me examine her and then we’ll talk.’

Carlo sat down on the edge of the bed and kissed his sister-in-law on both cheeks, his affection obvious.

‘Is it bad, angelo?’

Abby nodded, her face white and drawn. ‘I thought second births were supposed to be easier, but this is much, much worse than Rosa.’

Carlo ran a hand over the top of her abdomen, feeling the contraction as it hit, holding Abby’s hand as she gasped.

Carlo talked to her quietly, encouraging and supporting her, his calm tone totally reassuring. Zan watched him, realising with a sick feeling that she loved him as much as ever.

Once the contraction had passed Carlo stood up and examined Abby, his eyes clashing with Zan’s.

‘You were right. She’s OP.’ He frowned. ‘When were you last checked by a doctor?’

Abby blushed. ‘A while ago.’

Nico was looking tense. ‘Is someone going to tell me what’s wrong?’

Finally Carlo stood up. ‘Nothing’s wrong. The baby is lying in the occipitoposterior position,’ he told his brother. ‘We call it OP.’

‘What does that mean?’

Nico wanted medical facts and Carlo gave them willingly.

‘It means that labour will probably be prolonged. The head isn’t flexed and doesn’t fit well onto the cervix. Because of that, it doesn’t stimulate effective contractions. The head has to flex and rotate into the right position so that delivery can occur normally.’

Nico’s eyes narrowed and his gaze was sharp. ‘And if it doesn’t?’

‘She may need forceps or a Caesarean section. Either way it will be easier and safer if she has an epidural in place. It will also be less distressing for her. Zan’s right that she still has a long way to go.’

Nico sucked in a breath. ‘I don’t want someone poking her in the back.’

‘I understand your concern but the anaesthetist is excellent.’ Carlo put a hand on his brother’s shoulder and took a deep breath. ‘If I had a baby with a heart defect I would put it in your hands because you’re my brother and I trust you. You have to do the same with me. You have to think about what’s best for Abby.’

Nico hesitated and then gave a sigh. ‘You’re right, of course.’ He walked over to Abby and hugged her. ‘I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be overprotective. I just hate seeing you in pain.’

‘I love the fact that you’re overprotective,’ Abby said huskily. ‘You think I want a man who doesn’t give a damn about me?’

Zan blinked back tears and went to call the anaesthetist.

When she came back, Carlo had already set up an intravenous infusion.

‘Let’s give her 500 mils of Hartmann’s solution,’ he instructed, and Zan did as he asked, attaching the giving set to the bag and hanging it from the pole.

‘Why do I need that?’

Abby was looking slightly nervous but Carlo was quick to reassure her.