Midwives On Call: From Babies To Bride

And she was being noisy about it, too. They heard a cry of pain. And then another.

And then Sophia’s calm voice. ‘Could you bring a couple of towels, please, Flick? Lean on me, Gemma … Yes, that’s your baby’s head you can feel. Deep breath and give me one good push …’

The wail of a healthy newborn could be heard a moment later and Aiden moved to peer in the bathroom door at the crowded scene. Gemma was still sitting on the toilet and Sophia was guiding her hands to help her hold the slippery baby against her skin. Gemma was sobbing and Sophia looked … as if she was blinking back tears?

‘She’s gorgeous, Gemma. A dear wee girl … Flick, have you got the clamps and scissors? Gemma, would you like to cut the cord?’

‘No …’ Gemma shook her head.

Somehow, Aiden had moved further into the small space without noticing and he was now blocking Flick’s access to the toilet. Some signal passed between Sophia and her student and Aiden found himself holding the clamps in his gloved hands. He attached one a few inches away from the baby and then another to leave an isolated area to cut. He’d done this before and knew to expect how tough it was to cut through the umbilical cord.

He already felt involved in this birthing scene but then Sophia smiled at him again.

‘Can we give baby to Aiden for just a minute, Gemma? I’d like to get you cleaned up and comfortable in bed to wait for the placenta.’

Flick gave him a clean towel and Aiden carefully took charge of the tiny infant, with Sophia’s assistance. This was the closest he’d been to her and he could smell the fragrance of her hair. Almost feel the warmth of her skin through the gloves as their hands brushed. And then he looked at the tiny scrunched-up face of the baby and got completely distracted.

The miracle of birth never failed to amaze him but he never wanted the responsibility of one of these himself. The enormity of bringing a new person into the world and trying to keep them safe for ever was overwhelming. As he backed away, carrying the precious burden in his arms, he looked up to find Sophia watching him.

He couldn’t read the expression in her face but it struck him as poignant and something inside his chest squeezed hard. But then it was gone. She smiled and turned back to her patient.

‘Put your arm around my shoulders and we’ll take this slowly. You might find your legs are pretty shaky.’

The five-minute Apgar score was a perfect ten and Aiden returned the pink, vigorously crying infant to his mother. There was no reason for him to stay on the job any longer and watch as Sophia guided Flick to help the baby latch onto Gemma’s nipple and begin its first breastfeed.

And then Sophia supervised Flick in attending to the delivery of the placenta and checking it for any damage, and it really was time for him to leave. He stripped off his gloves and picked up his helmet and kit.

Flick was giving Gemma a wash with a hot, soapy cloth and Sophia was putting the placenta into a bag. This was it—the best opportunity he was going to get. He stepped closer.

‘I know you were busy last time I asked,’ he said casually. ‘But are you doing anything special after work today?’

Wide, surprised brown eyes met his gaze. ‘Not really,’ she said, ‘but I won’t finish for a while. We usually spend a few hours with a new mother and make sure she’s happy before we go.’

‘Maybe we could meet up later, then?’

Gemma looked up from watching her baby suckle. ‘Are you asking Sophia for a date?’ She grinned.

Flick was staring at Sophia and seemed to be stifling laughter. What was going on here?

Sophia tied the bag and stripped off her gloves. Her cheeks had a rosy glow and she seemed to be carefully avoiding meeting his gaze. ‘It’s not about a date,’ she said. ‘I happen to owe Aiden a coffee, that’s all.’

She made it sound like that was the only reason he might be interested in taking her out. Aiden couldn’t let that pass.

‘Yeah …’ he said slowly. ‘I’m asking for a date. Would you like to come out with me this evening, Sophia?’

‘Um … I …’ Sophia bit her lip. ‘Maybe you can call me later. We’re both at work and this isn’t, you know, very professional.’

‘I don’t mind,’ Gemma said.

‘And I’m not going to tell anybody,’ Flick added. She looked as if she was trying not to smile. ‘Was that a yes I heard there, Soph?’

There was definitely an undercurrent here that Aiden had no way of interpreting but right then Sophia met his gaze again and he didn’t care about anything other than hearing her say that word.

‘Okay. Yes.’ He could see her chest rise as she took a deep breath. ‘I’d love to go on a date with you, Aiden.’

‘Cool. I’ll pick you up about seven? Where do you live?’

‘How ’bout I meet you somewhere? A nice bar, maybe?’

So she didn’t want him to know where she lived? No problem. When you had a three-dates rule, it was probably better not to intrude too far on anyone’s personal space. Aiden named a trendy bar that he knew wasn’t too far from the Victoria, guessing that Sophia probably lived reasonably close to where she worked.

‘I know it.’ She nodded. ‘I’ll meet you there at seven.’

At six-thirty p.m. Sophia was staring at the pile of clothes on her bed.

It might be a cliché but she really didn’t have anything to wear. Nothing that would project the image she wanted anyway, which was one of a confident young woman who wasn’t the least bit desperate. Who was happy to go out and have a bit of fun but wasn’t looking for anything remotely serious.

Something frilly? She didn’t possess frills. Something low-cut that would show a bit of cleavage? No. That might send entirely the wrong message about the kind of fun she was after.

What was she after? And why was she feeling so ridiculously nervous?

‘Oh, for heaven’s sake.’ Wearing only her jeans and bra, Sophia went to rummage in her handbag for her phone. She would text Aiden and tell him she couldn’t make it after all. One of her patients had gone into early labour? Yeah … perfect excuse.

And she wasn’t really breaking her promise, was she? She had said yes. She just wasn’t going to follow through and actually go on the date.

A small problem became apparent the moment she picked up her phone. She didn’t have Aiden’s phone number, did she?

She had absolutely no way of contacting him unless she fronted up at the bar in … oh, help … twenty minutes.

But there was a message on her phone. For a hopeful heartbeat Sophia thought that Aiden might have sent her a message to cancel the date.

No such luck. He didn’t have her number either, did he?

The message was from Emily. ‘I hear you said yes,’ it said. ‘You go, girl. And have fun.’

So Flick had spread the word. Her friends would demand details and she was a hopeless liar. Her voice always got sort of tight and high. She’d never be able to make something up and sound convincing.

Gritting her teeth, Sophia marched back into her bedroom. She jammed her feet into knee-high boots, threw on a camisole top and covered it with a velvet jacket. Pulling the band from her hair, she raked her fingers through the shoulder-length waves and spent no more than thirty seconds in front of the mirror, putting on a slick of lipstick.

Then she grabbed her bag and slammed the door of the cottage behind her. She had less than ten minutes to get to the bar but having to rush was probably a good thing. It would give her less time for her stupid nerves to grow wings.

There was no sign of Sophia.

Aiden ordered a beer and stayed at the bar, an elbow propped and his posture relaxed enough to suggest he was thoroughly enjoying his view of the women coming in through the doors. Enjoying the appreciative looks he got in return even more.

Normally, he would be doing exactly that.

So why did he feel … good grief … nervous?

A little out of control even?

Maybe it was because he was meeting Sophia here, instead of having picked her up first. What if she didn’t show up?

Hey … no problem. There were plenty of very attractive women who seemed to be here unaccompanied by any male friends.

But he hadn’t come here to randomly score. He’d come here because he really wanted to spend some time with Sophia.

And maybe the strength of that want was why he was feeling a bit weird. Why this was assuming an importance that it wasn’t allowed to have.

No problem. Aiden took another fortifying swallow of his beer. This was only a number-one date. No big deal. If it continued to feel weird, he could just pull the plug and there wouldn’t be a number two.

Suddenly, he saw her. Looking small and a little bit lost as she stood near the door and scanned the crowded bar. And then she spotted him and smiled.

The noise of the people around him and the background music seemed to fade away.

The people themselves seemed to fade away. Until there was only himself.

And Sophia.

How weird was that?

CHAPTER FOUR

HE WAS THERE.

He must have spotted her the moment she walked through the door because he was already looking straight at her when Sophia turned her head. She’d been worried she might not even recognise him out of uniform but even in a crowd of people there was no mistaking Aiden Harrison.

Her relieved smile faded as she threaded her way to the bar, however. He hadn’t smiled back. He’d looked a bit stunned even … Had he been surprised that she’d actually turned up? Or maybe he was disappointed that she had. There was no shortage of opportunities in a place like this. She could feel the gaze of other girls on her as she made her way towards the gorgeous guy standing alone at the bar. Envious glances.

‘Hi …’ He was smiling now. ‘Can I get you something to drink?’

‘A white wine would be lovely, thank you.’

‘Do you want to have it here or find a table out in the garden? They have live music here tonight so there won’t be any room to move in here soon.’

So she’d end up dancing or squashed against him at the bar? Sophia sucked in a breath. ‘The garden sounds great.’

There were rustic tables and wrought-iron chairs, flickering candles and the greenery of a rampant grapevine on an overhead pergola. The last unoccupied table they found in a corner with only two chairs was romantic enough to make Sophia hesitate. This was supposed to be fun. Nothing serious.

Aiden put their drinks down on the table. ‘Don’t know about you,’ he said, ‘but I’m starving. Fancy some nachos or a big bowl of fries?’

That was the right note to hit. They were here for a drink and something to eat and it just happened to be with company. They’d be able to hear the music out here without being deafened. A fun night out.

‘Sure. Nachos are my absolute favourite.’

‘Mine, too.’

They grinned at each other. They were on the same page and suddenly everything seemed easy. Over the cheese and bean-laden tortilla chips, the conversation was just as relaxed.

‘It must be a great job, being a SPRINT paramedic.’

‘Best job in the world. I love having no idea of what’s coming next or where I’m going.’

‘I love being out of the hospital environment most of the time, too. You get to connect a lot more with patients when you’re in their own home. Even more when they’ve had a home delivery. I feel like part of the family sometimes.’

But Aiden shook his head at that. ‘It’s the opposite that appeals to me. I get to ride in, do the exciting stuff and then hand the responsibility on to someone else.’

‘Don’t you ever follow your patients up and see what happened?’

‘I’ll talk to the crew that transports them. Or, if I’ve travelled in with them, I might hang around in the emergency department and see how it’s handled from there. Some of the docs are great. If I’m ending a shift, they let me go into Theatre or talk over the results of a CT scan or something. If I can learn something that’s going to help me manage better next time, I’m in.’

‘You should poke your nose into the MMU some time. You’re a bit of a hero up there after that cord prolapse job the other day.’

Aiden shook off the compliment. ‘We were lucky.’ He raised his eyebrows. ‘How’s that baby doing? Do you know?’

Sophia laughed. ‘Of course I know. I’m still doing daily visits. His name is Isaac and he’s doing extremely well. Claire and Greg are over the moon.’

‘Good to know. Did he get a thorough neurological check?’

It was Sophia’s turn to raise her eyebrows. ‘Are you kidding? We’ve got the best doctors there are. He passed every test with flying colours. He might turn out to be a brain surgeon himself one day. Or the prime minister or something. You’ll see him on television and think about what might have happened if you hadn’t been there the day he was born.’

‘I might have a bit of trouble recognising him.’ But Aiden was smiling and Sophia felt … relieved? He did have a connection with his patients that wasn’t purely technical. Maybe he didn’t want to revel in that connection like she did but it was there—whether he wanted it to be or not.

And the idea of him being a maverick medic who rode around the city saving lives and touching those lives only briefly added to his attraction, didn’t it? Gave him a kind of superhero edge?

Oh, yeah … the attraction was growing for sure and it didn’t seem to be one-sided. Eye contact was becoming more frequent and held for a heartbeat longer. Their fingers brushed as they shared the platter of food. The butterflies in Sophia’s gut danced up a storm as she wondered if he would kiss her at the end of this date.

But then what?

She could hear an echo of Em’s voice in the back of her mind. You don’t have to marry the guy. You don’t even have to tell him anything. Just have fun …

Maybe the connection was even stronger than it felt. She could see a flicker in Aiden’s eyes that had nothing to do with the candles around them.

‘I should warn you,’ he said, ‘that I’m not looking for anything serious.’

Good grief … was that shaft of sensation disappointment? Or shame even? Was there something about her that wasn’t attractive enough to warrant any kind of emotional investment?

His smile suggested otherwise. So did the way his hand covered hers, touching her skin with the lightness of a feather—the fingers moving just enough to sound a deliciously seductive note.

‘It’s not that you’re not absolutely gorgeous,’ he murmured. ‘But I have rules. One rule, anyway.’

‘Oh?’ This was confusing. His words were warning her off but his eyes and his touch were inviting her closer. Much closer.

‘A three-dates rule.’

‘A … what?’

‘Three dates. I’ve discovered that’s the perfect number.’

‘Perfect for what?’

‘To get to know someone. To have fun but not to let anything get out of hand. You know … to get … serious.’

He made the word sound like some kind of notifiable disease. Sophia’s head was spinning. Wasn’t this exactly what she was looking for? Fun with a gorgeous guy but within limits. Limits that would mean there was no need to tell him anything about herself that could impinge on the fun. She could pretend there was nothing wrong with her. That she was as desirable as any other young woman who was out there dating. That it was only because of ‘the rule’ that it wouldn’t go any further.

‘I love it,’ she whispered with a smile.

‘Really?’ Aiden’s eyebrows shot up. His fingers tightened over her hand.

‘Really.’ Sophia nodded. ‘I’m not looking for anything serious either. Three dates sounds like exactly the rule that’s been missing from my life.’

‘Wow …’ Aiden’s gaze was frankly admiring. ‘You’re even more amazing than I thought.’ He stood up, still holding Sophia’s hand, so that she was drawn to her feet as well. ‘You do realise that means we’ll have to make the most of each and every date, don’t you?’

The butterflies had congregated into a cluster that throbbed somewhere deep in Sophia’s belly like a drumbeat. She couldn’t look away from Aiden’s gaze, even when he dropped her hand and raised his to touch her face. A finger on her temple that traced a gentle line around her eye, across her cheek and down to the corner of her mouth. Her lips parted in astonishment at the wave of sensation the touch was creating and it was then that Aiden dipped his head and kissed her.

Right there—in a noisy, crowded garden of a trendy bar. Their corner was secluded enough but it was a long way from being private. Not that the kiss got out of hand or anything. The control of those soft, questioning lips on hers suggested that Aiden was a very experienced kisser. The teasing touch of his tongue hinted at where this kiss could go at any moment. Oh, yeah … it ended far sooner than Sophia would have chosen.

What now?

Would Aiden take her home to his place? Should she suggest that he came to hers?

On a first date?

The idea was shocking. Okay, she was doing this to have fun but jumping into bed with someone this fast made it feel wrong. But they only had three dates to play with, didn’t they? Did ‘making the most of them’ imply that they shouldn’t waste any time?

But Aiden was smiling again and Sophia had the feeling that he knew the argument she was having with herself.

‘Let’s plan date number two,’ he said. ‘And give ourselves something to look forward to.’

‘So … how was it, then?’

‘What?’

‘Date numero uno with the cute midwife?’

Aiden shrugged as he looked away from his brother to stare over the veranda railings into the garden of the old house. He upended his bottle to catch a mouthful of his beer. ‘Not bad.’

‘Score?’

Aiden frowned. Nate loved to hear about his love life as much as his job and he’d always been happy to share the details. He couldn’t remember who had come up with the scoring system but it had become a tradition. This was the first time it had occurred to Aiden how degrading it would seem if the women he dated ever knew about it.

Not that he would ever tell them, of course.

But he’d never told any women about the three-dates rule until now, had he? It was a secret, known only to himself and Nate. The astonishment factor of actually sharing the secret with a woman he was on a date with was only surpassed by the totally unexpected way Sophia had embraced the idea.

What was with that? Was there something about him that didn’t make him attractive longer term?

The thought shouldn’t be disturbing but it was. So was the niggle of doubt that he’d come right out and put a limit on how much time he was going to have with the gorgeous Sophia. How the stupidity of that move had been plaguing him ever since he’d left her at the end of their date with no more than another kiss.

She was …

‘That good, huh?’ He could hear the grin in Nate’s voice. ‘Off the scale, was she?’

Aiden merely grunted.

She was perfect, that’s what she was. Absolutely gorgeous. Smart. So easy to talk to. And that all too brief taste of her lips …

Man … The way she’d felt in his arms. The way she’d responded to his kisses. He had a fair idea of exactly where their second date was going to end up and he couldn’t wait. How, in fact, would he be able to enjoy the day on the beach they now had planned for when their next days off coincided? He would be hanging out to get her somewhere a lot more private. Somewhere they could really get to know each other.

But that would mean there was only one date left. And then what?

This had never bothered him before. He’d never even thought ahead like this before.

‘Could be the one, then.’ Nate was nodding. ‘A four-dates woman.’

‘No way.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because I’m not getting into anything serious, that’s why.’

‘Why not?’

This was getting annoying. Aiden had stopped by after work for his usual visit. He just wanted a quiet beer with his brother, not some kind of interrogation.

‘You know why. I’m not interested in getting married or having kids.’

‘Doesn’t mean you can’t have a long-term relationship. Not every woman out there is hanging out to walk down the aisle in a meringue dress or stockpile nappies.’

‘They all get to that point at some stage. I know that from painful experience. And the longer it goes on for, the harder it is when you break it off. I’m not going to be responsible for someone else’s happiness.’

‘Why not?’ There was an edge to Nate’s voice he hadn’t heard before. ‘Because you feel you have to be responsible for mine?’

‘Whoa … where did that come from?’ Aiden glanced over his shoulder as he broke the moment of startled silence. Wasn’t it about time for the boys to all roll their chairs into the dining room for their evening meal? Where was everybody else, anyway? In the lounge, watching reruns of Murderball games? If he stepped away from the corner he could probably see through the window and, if there was a game on, he could distract Nate. He had a feeling that he wasn’t going to like whatever Nathan was about to unbottle.

‘You do, though, don’t you?’ Nathan swivelled his wheelchair with practised ease and trapped Aiden so that it would look like a deliberate evasion if he tried to step past him. ‘You feel responsible for what happened to me and so you think you have to be responsible for me for the rest of your life.’

Of course he felt responsible for what had happened. It had been his fault.

Nate was staring at him. He shook his head. ‘It wasn’t your fault.’

Aiden stared back at him. ‘You were too young to remember what it was like. If I hadn’t lost my rag and yelled back at Dad, he’d never have come after me. He’d never have knocked you down the stairs and broken your neck.’

The horror of that day as a sixteen-year-old whose life had changed for ever in a heartbeat had never gone. Crouched over the crumpled form of his ten-year-old brother at the bottom of the stairs, his hands had been shaking as he’d tried to hold his phone still enough to call for an ambulance. To stop Nathan moving, even as they’d both heard the dreadful sound of the gunshot that had come from an upstairs room.

Maybe the worst horror had been the relief of knowing that he didn’t have to protect Nathan from their father’s tyranny any more—the twisted bitterness that had come from blaming an innocent baby for his wife’s death.

He’d held Nathan’s head still, knowing that moving him could make it worse. And he’d talked to him as he’d crouched there, waiting for help to arrive.

‘I’m here,’ he’d said, over and over again. ‘I’ll look after you. I’ll always look after you.’

‘I remember a lot more than you give me credit for. And you know what? I’ve had enough of this.’

Nate sounded angry. His clever, brave, determined kid brother was letting his irrepressible good humour go for once. He was angry with him.

Finally. There was a relief to be found in that. He deserved the anger. He could handle it. He was the one who could still walk. The one who had a job he loved. Who could get out there and kiss gorgeous women. Nate was allowed to be angry about what had happened in his life. The opportunities he would never have.

‘It was Dad who pushed me down the stairs. Not you. It’s ancient history. Get over it, Aiden. I have.’

‘How can you say that?’ Aiden was shocked. ‘You have to live with that accident for the rest of your life. It should never have happened.’

‘Oh, get off the guilt train,’ Nate snapped. ‘Yeah … I have to live with it for the rest of my life. Me. And you don’t get to feel so guilty about it that you stuff up your own life. I’m not having that put on me, thanks.’

‘I’m not—’

‘Yeah, you are. You baby me. You’re always here, checking up on me. Trying to make life better for me, but guess what? I like my life. I don’t need this.’