A Proposal to Remember

Carlo smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. ‘She’s doing very well. I have no intention of operating.’

‘But?’

Carlo shook his head, his expression exasperated. ‘Have I ever told you that you make a very bad relative?’

Nico sucked in a breath and paced across the room. ‘You wait until you’re in this position.’

Zan felt a shaft of pain shoot through her. She didn’t want to think of Carlo having children with anyone but her. He’d be a great father.

Suddenly aware that he was looking at her with a keen expression on his face, she dropped her eyes and forced her attention back to the job at hand.

‘I can see the head,’ she said quietly. ‘The baby’s rotated well so you shouldn’t have any problems.’

She opened the delivery pack and got everything ready, then helped move Abby into a more comfortable position.

‘I want to go home now,’ Abby groaned. ‘I’ve had enough.’

Nico slipped an arm around Abby’s shoulders and looked at Zan. ‘How much longer?’

‘Not long, but babies tend to do things at their own pace.’

‘I don’t know how you do this every day.’ Nico ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. ‘I couldn’t stand the stress.’

‘The stress is because you’re the father,’ Carlo pointed out, his eyes flickering to the monitor to check on the baby’s heart-rate. ‘Believe me, it’s different when you’re the doctor.’

‘I never realised how helpless it feels to be the patient,’ Nico muttered, dragging both hands through his hair. ‘I’m never going to be unsympathetic again.’

‘You’re the most sympathetic doctor I know,’ Abby said, touching his face lovingly, her face drawn and tired from pushing. ‘And I love you.’

Nico gave a groan and bent to kiss her. ‘I love you too, tesoro. More than life.’

Envying their close relationship, Zan concentrated on delivering the head, aware that Carlo was watching her closely.

She was grateful that he was there. It was a far from straightforward delivery and if she had problems she had every confidence that he would be able to solve them.

She checked that the cord wasn’t around the neck and then waited for the next contraction to deliver the shoulders.

‘Little boy, Abby,’ she said gruffly, as the baby slithered into her hands. She lifted him onto Abby’s stomach.

‘A boy?’ Nico couldn’t hide his delight and Carlo gave him a hug.

‘Congratulations.’

* * *

An hour later Abby and the baby were washed and installed comfortably in bed, so Zan slipped up to the SCBU to look at Eddie.

Kelly was sitting by the side of a normal cot, gazing wistfully at the sleeping child.

Zan tiptoed up to her, delighted to see that Eddie was no longer in the intensive-care cot. ‘They’ve taken him out of the incubator?’

Kelly nodded. ‘Apparently he’s doing a lot better. His brain scan was normal and his breathing is good, although they’re still having to watch his sats, whatever that means.’

Zan smiled. ‘It’s medical-speak for the amount of oxygen in the blood.’

‘Oh, right.’ Kelly gave her a grateful smile. ‘And they’re still tube-feeding him, although we’re giving him a go at breast-feeding every time he has a feed.’

‘Well done.’