One Night That Changed Her Life

She breathed deeply as she put her hand on the door to the delivery room.

Focus, Brighde.

‘Our mum-to-be is Kirsty, twenty-nine years old and forty-one weeks’ gestation with her first baby, so a little overdue. No complications with the pregnancy. She’s been in labour for about twelve hours but just reached nine centimetres. Kirsty is tired but the baby is fine, although it’s quite large. Around four kilograms. Her husband is Matt.’

Xavier pushed open the door and strode into the room, full of confidence. No one would ever imagine he was new to the hospital. He looked as if he’d been here for ever. He looked completely comfortable. She was the one who was unsettled.

Xavier introduced himself to Kirsty and Matt while he washed his hands. He pulled on a pair of gloves while Brighde fastened a gown over his scrubs and resisted the temptation to run her hands down his back. She stepped away as soon as she was done; the further away she could stay the better.

‘Let’s see what’s going on, shall we?’ Xavier said as he crossed to the bed.

Kirsty was still kneeling on the bed with Matt supporting her as she rocked. Brighde expected Xavier to reposition Kirsty. She expected him to ask her to lie down, as that would make it easier for him to see what was going on, but she was pleasantly surprised when he pushed a small wheeled stool over to the bed with his foot and sat behind Kirsty.

‘Good news,’ he said as he finished his examination. ‘You’re fully dilated and I can see the baby’s head. Everything’s good. Are you comfortable in that position?’ He was calm, relaxed, friendly, engaging. He was perfect.

‘No,’ Kirsty half laughed as another contraction gripped her.

‘Sorry, bad choice of words,’ Xavier admitted. ‘What I meant was, would you like to stay in this position or did you want to try something else? From my experience this is often the most comfortable position to give birth but it’s up to you.’

‘I don’t think I can move,’ Kirsty said.

‘All right, stay just like you are. Are you okay, Matt?’

Matt would need to support Kirsty in that position. Kirsty was leaning on his shoulders and he had his arms wrapped around her waist. It was an awkward position for both Matt and Xavier but Xavier didn’t seem fazed by it. Brighde didn’t know many obstetricians who would happily make their own job more uncomfortable. Most still went for the standard, ‘lie on your back, bend your knees and push’.

Brighde had to force herself to focus on the task at hand. She couldn’t afford to be distracted by Xavier although it was hard when all she could see was the width of his shoulders, the dark curls on the back of his head and his long fingers as they rested on the bed. His voice alone was enough to distract her without the additional fact that he was sitting mere inches from her. Her fingers itched to reach out and slide through his hair. She stepped away to check that she had a warm blanket ready for the baby. Knowing she did but needing an activity to keep her hands busy.

But she kept one eye on him.

‘Your baby is doing fine,’ he said as he checked the foetal heart rate monitor before checking Kirsty again. ‘When you feel the next contraction I want you to push. It’s time to meet your baby.’

Brighde took up her place at Xavier’s side, ready for the delivery.

‘Okay, here we go. Push!’ Xavier instructed. ‘Stop now, breathe. Okay, nearly there, you’re doing great, Kirsty. All right, you can push again.’

He delivered the baby’s head before letting Kirsty rest again. The baby’s shoulders would be next and Xavier had to reach and contort himself for this part due to the position he’d left Kirsty in. ‘Okay, one last push. You’re almost there.’

The baby slid out into Xavier’s waiting hands. ‘Congratulations. A healthy boy.’

Kirsty collapsed back onto her haunches and Brighde helped her to lie down. Xavier handed the baby to his mum, laying him on her chest.

The next few minutes were busy but Brighde knew Kirsty and Matt would barely notice as Xavier gave the required injections and Brighde did the Apgar scores. They worked smoothly together and as Xavier got ready to deliver the placenta Brighde took the baby to be weighed, measured and attach the identification bands.

She loved this part of her job. She took any chance she could to hold and cuddle the babies, getting her fix, as she didn’t plan to have children of her own.

‘He’s absolutely perfect,’ Brighde said as she handed him back to Kirsty. ‘I’ll give you some time together,’ she said once the new parents looked settled, ‘and I’ll be back in a little while to help you shower.’

She would attend to the rest of Kirsty’s care later. For now, they just needed some time alone to get acquainted with their new arrival.

Xavier followed her out of the room, untying his apron as he walked. They threw their dirty aprons and gloves into the rubbish and stood, side by side, at the sinks to wash their hands.

Brighde’s skin tingled with his proximity. She still couldn’t quite believe he was here. One part of her wanted to tear off his scrubs, another wanted to scream at him and a third part of her wanted to burst into tears. She had no idea why she felt like crying. She’d been highly emotional lately but she’d been blaming the fact that her brother had found love along with her own inability to stop thinking about Xavier and now he was here, standing beside her, smiling at her, and she had no idea what she was supposed to do.

He wasn’t supposed to be here and he definitely shouldn’t be smiling at her, turning her insides to mush and her legs to jelly.

His pull on her was magnetic. It felt as if all her cells were straining towards him, giving the impression that, if it were possible, they’d leap out of her body and into his. It felt as if he could absorb her, as if she could disappear into him and all that would be left of her would be her empty skin pooled on the floor at his feet. All traces of her gone.

She’d never felt anything like this before.

All her one-night stands had been just that. One night. She’d never seen any of them again and she’d never had to think about how she would feel if she found herself in this exact situation. She certainly hadn’t expected to feel such a strong attraction and her reaction frustrated her.

‘What the hell are you doing here?’ Her voice was quiet but her tone was anything but friendly. She was irritated with herself and annoyed with him. She didn’t want to cause a scene but she had to have some answers, otherwise she knew she would go crazy. ‘Why aren’t you back in Scotland?’

‘Because I live here now.’

What? She never would have slept with him if she’d known he was going to turn up on her doorstep.

‘You live here?’

‘Yes.’

‘What about Scotland?’

‘I said I’d been working in Scotland; I didn’t actually say I was going back.’

* * *

Her brow creased and he knew she was trying to recall the scant conversation they’d had. They hadn’t spent much time talking. She probably knew as little about him as he did about her. Although he could recall every curve of her body, the softness of her skin and the touch of her hand, he didn’t know much beyond that. He hadn’t needed to at the time. He hadn’t even known she was a midwife. He’d assumed she worked in the health profession because she was at the conference but he hadn’t given any thought to what she did for a living. He hadn’t been interested in that.

But now he praised his good fortune in accepting this job at Parkville Private. Working with Brighde could turn out to be a pleasant surprise, although her tone suggested she wasn’t quite as excited about the idea as he was.

‘But you’re not supposed to be here!’ she said, confirming his suspicions that she wasn’t especially pleased to see him. ‘Why are you here?’

‘Have dinner with me and I’ll tell you.’

‘No, thank you.’

‘No?’ He wasn’t sure that he’d heard right. She was turning down his invitation. ‘Really?’ He couldn’t remember the last time he was knocked back.

‘Haven’t you ever had anyone say no to you before?’ she asked, but she was still frowning as if this was all very serious rather than the pleasant coincidence he saw it to be.

‘Not often,’ he admitted. And never straight after he’d spent the night with someone. ‘So, what’s your objection to dinner?’

‘I didn’t expect to see you again.’

‘Nor I you, but that’s no reason not to share a meal.’

‘And I never would have slept with you if I’d known we’d be working together.’

‘It’s just dinner, Brighde. You can show me around Melbourne.’

‘I don’t think so.’

‘Why not? Are you seeing someone?’ That was a possibility he hadn’t thought of until now but it was quite likely. The conference and the one night they’d shared was now months ago. Maybe she wasn’t single any more. That wouldn’t surprise him but it would definitely be a shame.

‘No.’ She shook her head and the golden curls that had come loose from her ponytail bobbed around her shoulders.

‘Well, in that case, how can I convince you to change your mind?’ He wasn’t one to give up easily. And, besides, sex with Brighde had been incredible and he was more than willing to get to know her better and see if she could be persuaded to give it another go.

‘You can’t.’

‘There’s nothing I can do?’

She shook her head again. ‘It’s not you. It’s me.’

Xavier almost laughed until he realised she wasn’t kidding. ‘Seriously? That old chestnut.’ What could he have done to offend her so terribly that she wouldn’t share a meal with him?

‘I mean it. I don’t date and I don’t do dinner.’

‘Ever?’

‘Never.’

He’d never heard anything so ridiculous. Who didn’t date? Even his disastrous last relationship hadn’t put him off the idea of dating. If you didn’t date you were destined to spend your life alone and who wanted to do that? Not him. ‘Why is that?’

‘I’m happy on my own.’

‘That’s a very male attitude. Don’t all women want a partner?’

‘You don’t know much about women, do you?’ she countered.

‘I actually thought I knew women pretty well. I have four sisters and I work as an OB/GYN. I work with women every day.’ Hormonal ones too, but he thought better of mentioning that.

‘Maybe so but there are always exceptions. You can’t put us all in the one basket.’

So it would seem.

‘I don’t need a man to complete me,’ she continued. ‘I might need him for sex but there is more than one way to skin a cat.’

‘You’re very direct.’ Her directness was appealing. Another tick in the box. After playing guessing games with his ex, Brighde’s honesty was refreshing. But it wasn’t getting him what he wanted.

‘I don’t see the point in playing games. Life is short; I intend to live my life by my rules. So, why didn’t you go back to Scotland?’

She looked as if she’d have him on a plane right then and there if it was up to her.

‘I’m Melbourne born and bred. I’ve come home.’

‘So you don’t need me to show you around Melbourne, then.’

‘No.’ He laughed, trying to ease the tension he could feel emanating from her. She was wound up tight. ‘Guilty as charged. But I warn you, I will try again. I’d like to have dinner with you. Just dinner; we won’t call it a date. No expectations, no strings.’ He wasn’t looking for a serious relationship but Brighde wasn’t even looking at him any more.

‘I need to get back to Kirsty,’ she said as she dried her hands. And then she was gone. Leaving him alone and completely confused. And naturally intrigued. She’d thrown him a challenge by knocking him back and he wasn’t about to retreat.

* * *

Anyone listening to her would think she was mad. He probably thought she was mad. But she’d prefer to risk being considered crazy than to risk falling in love. That was not on her agenda. She needed to get away. Far away. From his easy charm and his come-to-bed eyes and his to-die-for body before she made any more mistakes. She could totally understand why he wasn’t often rejected. He was completely gorgeous and the sex had been fantastic but he wasn’t for her. She couldn’t afford to relax her rules. She didn’t do second dates or dinner or whatever he wanted to call it. She couldn’t accept his invitation, no matter how much she was tempted.

So she walked away, even though it was hard to do, and returned to Kirsty and her baby. She had a new mum to care for. A job to do. There was no time to think about what-ifs and to wish things were different.

She helped Kirsty to breastfeed her baby, then shower and dress. She settled her into her room and left Kirsty and Matt alone with their baby. She was due for a tea break but she didn’t want to risk having it in the staff kitchen and bumping into Xavier so she escaped to the nursery, looking for Sarah. She needed to debrief.

Brighde offered to take over from the other nurse on duty so she could take a tea break which allowed her to talk to Sarah without interruption. The nursery was quiet. It was three o’clock in the morning and most of the babies were with their mothers. Sarah was feeding a premmie baby and there was another who needed changing. Brighde picked her up, changing her nappy before holding her for a while. She loved the weight of a newborn baby in her arms. Loved the new baby smell. She would love one of her own if things were different.

‘Are you going to tell me how it went?’ Sarah asked as she settled her charge.

‘Fine,’ Brighde replied. ‘Good, even.’ Xavier was a good doctor but Brighde hadn’t been able to think straight. She needed a plan. A way of knowing she was going to be able to hold herself together and do her job. She couldn’t afford to be distracted.

‘And?’ Sarah queried. ‘You obviously have something on your mind. Spit it out.’

‘He asked me out.’

‘And you said yes?’

‘I don’t do second dates. You know that.’

‘Technically, it’s not a second date. You never really had a first one and a good bonking is not the same thing as a candlelit dinner. And I’ve never seen you so obsessed.’

‘I’m not obsessed,’ Brighde objected.

‘Fascinated then.’

‘Well, there’s a lot to be fascinated about,’ she admitted.

‘There’s no harm in going on a date with him. Especially as you can call this a first date.’

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