‘Really?’ she asked with incredulity.
‘Uh … yeah.’ Before he could say another word, Myrna had come round the counter and embraced him in a large bear hug, even tighter than the one she’d given him when he’d arrived.
‘Oh, I’m so happy. That’s wonderful news,’ Myrna babbled as she let him go, but slipped her arm through his, leading him gently to look at some of the photographs up on the wall. ‘Come and take a look at some of these photographs. She was such a cute little poppet.’ Myrna pointed at one of the photographs.
It was a black and white photograph of a man standing next to an old Tiger Moth, one arm resting on the plane, the other around a girl of about six or seven who was missing her two front teeth, grinning widely, her blonde hair flying in the breeze. Neither of them looked as though they had a care in the world.
‘That’s Janessa?’
‘You guessed it. Her mother took that photograph. That was the day her father bought his first plane. Came out here a lot, they did. Then, of course, when his wife died, he sold that first plane and bought a different one.’ Myrna showed him a different photograph. ‘That’s the glorious
Ruby.
Named the plane after his late wife. Never got over her death and it was over a decade later before he went to join her. Ahh … I tell you, Miles, that wee girl was born to be in the air.’ She pointed to a different photograph in colour, one of Janessa taken only a few years ago, standing with the same man, although this time he looked sick and frail. Both of them were smiling but it was more for appearances than with the carefree spirit of years before.
‘Over a decade later,’ he murmured absent-mindedly as Myrna continued to talk. He shook his head. The poor woman. To lose her mother, her baby, her husband and then her father, too. For someone to come through such pain, such intense suffering gave him an indication of just how strong Janessa really was.
‘A strong sense of family,’ Myrna continued. ‘That’s what our Nessa has here, and we’re all fiercely protective of her. And …’ Myrna glared up at him ‘… none of us want to see her get hurt.’
Miles nodded. ‘Understood.’
Myrna slowly shook her head. ‘Did you
really
kiss her?’
Miles’s smile was automatic. ‘Yes, ma’Am. I didn’t mean to. Just sort of … happened.’
Myrna leaned in closer and patted his arm. ‘That’s the best way,’ she whispered as Janessa walked back into the room.
‘Ready to go, Miles?’ she asked, brisk and efficient and more like the doctor he’d met on his first day at the hospital. There didn’t appear to be any sign of the woman whose mouth had responded so ardently to his. He’d kissed Janessa! A colleague! He still wasn’t sure why he hadn’t been able to keep his distance, still wasn’t sure what was going to happen next, still wasn’t sure how Janessa felt about it.
Myrna turned to face Janessa. ‘Leaving so soon, Nessa?’
Janessa smiled sadly at her friend. ‘Sorry, Myrna, but duty calls.’ She looked at Miles, her expression returning to one of complete seriousness. ‘I’ve just received a call from the hospital.’
‘Problem?’ Miles was instantly alert, turning away from gazing at the photograph of Janessa as a little girl, so cute and adorable.
‘Possibly.’
‘Who called you? Ray? Kaycee? Is it one of the babies?’
Janessa shook her head. ‘Sheena called me. She’s worried.’
‘Sheena’s worried?’ The look on Miles’s face indicated how serious this might actually be.
‘Yes, and you know Sheena. She’s not the worry-wart type.’
‘Get going, then, Nessa.’ Myrna handed Janessa the car keys, which she had put on the counter when she’d arrived. ‘Go and do what you need to do. Don’t worry about
Ruby.
Davie will take care of her. You go and look after Sheena and those babies—and give her our love.’
Janessa nodded and hugged her friend close. ‘I will. Thanks, Myrna.’ She gathered up her backpack, jacket and scarf and headed for the door.
‘It was lovely to meet you, Miles,’ Myrna remarked, giving him a sly little wink that wasn’t at all sly, as Janessa witnessed the exchange. ‘Come back again some time. Soon!’
‘I intend to.’ Miles held the door for Janessa and as they headed to the Jaguar he was surprised when she handed him the keys. ‘Are you sure you want me to drive?’
‘Safest and fastest way back, please.’ She slid into the passenger seat and put on her seat belt. Her fingers rubbed at her temples, trying to calm the headache that had appeared the moment she’d heard Sheena’s worried voice down the phone line.
Miles slid behind the wheel, adjusting the seat before turning to face her. ‘Are you all right, Janessa?’
‘No. No, I’m not.’
‘Worried about Sheena?’
‘Yes.’
‘Has she called Riley?’
‘She wasn’t going to so I did. He’s on his way to review her. He’ll call me the instant he knows what’s going on, given that it’ll take us some time to get back to the hospital.’ She shook her head. ‘I shouldn’t have come down here today. I should have stayed close. Sheena isn’t given to overstatement and fuss. In fact, she abhors it so for her to call and tell me she’s worried means there’s definitely something wrong. Something bad.’ Her voice cracked on the last two words, fear and panic, mixed with self-anger, lacing her tone.
Miles reached over and took her hand firmly in his. ‘We’ll get to her. Riley will call us. It’ll be fine. Sheena and the girls will be fine.’
‘But it isn’t time. If the girls can stay put for at least one more week, things will be better,’ Janessa protested irrationally, drawing an immense amount of comfort from Miles’s touch. She should be withdrawing from him, she should be keeping her distance, especially after the way she’d responded to his kiss.
Miles had kissed her.
really
kissed her! The first time had been just a press of his mouth against hers and both of them had been surprised at the level of intensity that that brief moment had brought forth. Now, after his mouth had devoured her own, she couldn’t believe how much she wanted a repeat. Being so close to him, having his mouth on hers, seeing that burning look in his eyes, caused her heart to pound out a powerful rhythm of want she’d been denying for … well, for ever.
She met his gaze. Even the thought of leaning over and kissing him once more had the ability to bring a blush to her cheeks. How was she supposed to reject his offered comfort, his support, when now was the time when she really needed it? For so long she’d had no one except Sheena to comfort her when things went wrong, and now, right when she needed him, Miles was there for her.
She closed her eyes for a moment, finding it was all too puzzling, too confusing, and she’d be better off focusing her energies on Sheena rather than on trying to decipher the incomprehensible way Miles made her feel. He gave her hand one last little squeeze before letting go and turning the key in the ignition, the Jaguar’s engine purring to life.
‘Everything’s going to be fine.’ His tone was sure and firm and steadfast. ‘We’ll get to Sheena. We’ll be there to help her, to give her what she needs. Everything will be fine,’ he repeated. ‘Believe me.’
Janessa opened her eyes and looked into his dynamic blue depths. She recognised the complete truth in his words. He wasn’t just saying them to calm her down. He really
did
believe that Sheena and the girls would be fine, and Janessa believed him. She believed him! She was stunned to discover that she not only believed him but that she’d somehow become reliant on him.
The thought made her tremble and she quickly slid her sunglasses in place as Miles drove out of the airfield car park. She believed in him. She relied on him. What was next? Would she wake up one morning and discover that she’d fallen in love with him? In love with the man who would one day leave her?
No. She couldn’t do that. She had to remain strong, remain in control. She swallowed as he took her hand in his again and gave it another little reassuring squeeze, the sensation helping to calm her nerves but heightening the way she was drawn to him.
This wasn’t good. If she continued to be affected by him in this way, she would be in real danger.
B
Y THE
time they arrived back at the hospital, Janessa’s mind had worked through almost every scenario there was. She’d had to stop herself from going to the worst-case scenario first because even
thinking
it had brought tears to her eyes.
Sheena was going to be fine. Sheena and the girls were going to be fine. Miles had said so but both of them knew that until they stood before their friend, until they could see face to face that she was indeed all right, everything was mere speculation.
Under Janessa’s directions, Miles drove the car into the emergency bay at the front of the hospital, handing the keys to one of the orderlies who was more than happy to accept the job of parking Janessa’s pride and joy back in the old shed.
As they rushed to the maternity ward, Miles could see the stress and strain on Janessa’s beautiful face. His protective instincts kicked in and he found himself reaching out to hold her hand as they made their way through the long and busy hospital corridors. He was silently pleased when she didn’t reject his touch and, gripping her hand tightly with his own, they continued to walk fast, closing the distance between themselves and their friend.
When they arrived in the ward, the sister gave them a look of relief.
‘There you are. She’s been asking when you’d both arrive. Riley wants to get her to Radiology to do an ultrasound to check on the twins because according to the foetal heart monitors, nothing seems to be wrong and—’
‘We know,’ Miles remarked, keeping calm, even though he could feel nervous and anxious tension radiating from Janessa. ‘Riley’s already called us to let us know Sheena’s status.’ It was only as he stopped to speak to the sister that Janessa disengaged her hand from his and entered her friend’s room. Miles didn’t miss the sister’s look of interest at the fact that they’d been holding hands. No doubt there would be fall-out, gossip, rumours circulating, given that they’d walked halfway through the hospital holding hands, and while he didn’t care what people said about him, the last thing Janessa needed right now was to be the hot topic of discussion at every coffee break. For now, though, it was paramount that he get his head around what was happening with Sheena.
‘Where’s Sheena’s chart?’ he asked, holding out his hand. There were already too many people in Sheena’s private room and the sooner Miles read the observation charts and reports, the sooner he’d have a better idea of what might or might not be happening. Janessa had been very quiet on the drive back and he hadn’t tried to get her to open up or talk. That was one thing he’d learnt over the years—women would talk when they wanted to but when they were quiet and contemplative it was best to leave them to their thoughts.
When Riley had telephoned information through, instead of relaying it to him Janessa had put her phone on loudspeaker and the two of them had been able to hear and talk to the obstetrician about what was happening. He’d appreciated that because it also showed him that where Sheena and the babies were concerned, Janessa really did trust him.
‘Everything is within normal parameters.’
‘That’s what we can’t figure out,’ Sister replied.
‘Riley’s right. We need to ultrasound the babies. Sheena’s blood pressure seems to be slightly raised but that could be simply anxiety. However, if we can’t get Sheena’s blood pressure under control, Adelaide Mercy’s first set of conjoined twins will no doubt be born tonight. Pass me the phone. It’s going to be far easier to have the ultrasound equipment brought to Sheena than the other way around. We need to keep her as stable and as settled as possible.’
Sister did as she was told and within ten minutes the sonographer entered the ward, accompanied by orderlies carefully wheeling the equipment into Sheena’s room. Miles headed into the room after them to find Janessa standing by her friend, holding her hand, ready to offer whatever support was required.
‘There you are, Miles.’ Sheena smiled at him but even Miles could see how tired the mother was. ‘Where have you been?’
‘Doing my job,’ he remarked as he came closer and kissed her cheek. ‘Conferring with Riley and a lot of others.’
‘Is that why he kept going in and out of the room?’ Sheena sighed, leaning back against the pillows, showing her exhaustion. Miles knew right then and there, just looking at the mother, that it was time. Even as the sonographer squeezed lubricant onto Sheena’s abdomen and started to give them pictures of the girls, Miles knew. He’d seen it too many times before.
He looked over at Janessa who, unlike everyone else in the room, wasn’t looking at the screen but was looking at him. There was a question in her eyes, a question of concern, a question of vulnerability, a question of doubt. Miles’s first instinct was to cross to her side, to take her into his arms and to tell her that everything was going to be all right, to reassure her, to give her the strength she’d need so that she could pass it on to Sheena.
He was only mildly surprised at such a need to protect her, to be there for her, given that it wasn’t the first time he’d felt it. Too many times in the past week he’d wanted to do exactly the same thing, to protect and comfort her, and now that he knew how it really felt to have her lips pressed against his, how her mouth was the most perfect fit to his own, the sensations she evoked within him were definitely increasing.
She raised her eyebrows questioningly, as if to say, Is it time? Miles nodded, the action small but conveying so much. Janessa’s beautiful brown eyes were filled with worry before she closed them, drawing in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. Then, when she opened her eyes, Miles recognised the professional neonatologist he’d worked with during the past week. She’d pushed her trepidation and anxiety aside, knowing she wouldn’t be any good to either Sheena or the girls if she wasn’t completely focused on what was about to happen. She’d told him on his first day here that she had the ability to do the job, and now he was seeing her words being put into action.
‘Everything looks fine with the girls,’ Riley commented, but looked at Miles for his reaction.
Miles, instead, looked at Sheena. ‘You’re exhausted. Your blood pressure hasn’t improved in the past hour—in fact, it’s increased.’
‘The incubator has finished her job,’ Sheena remarked, nodding as though she knew this was the way things would go.
‘Almost,’ Miles replied with a smile.
‘You’re the expert here, Miles,’ Riley returned. ‘What’s your verdict?’
‘Based on my experience, now that Sheena’s blood pressure has started to rise, it means the girls are in danger and that things will start to break down. It’s time. If we operate today, we’ll get two healthy girls. If we leave it and monitor Sheena, we run the risk of the girls starting to fail. The thing with conjoined twins is that while you have to acknowledge that mentally they are two separate people, both with their own little personalities, the fact is that if one of them starts to fail, so will the other one. We want
two
healthy babies.’
Janessa nodded. ‘Agreed.’
‘Agreed,’ Riley added. ‘I’ll head to Theatre and get organised. Oh, and someone had better let Charisma and the PR people—’
‘Already taken care of,’ Miles remarked.
‘Excellent.’ Riley nodded and continued out of the room. The sonographer had packed up her equipment and the orderlies were wheeling it out again. The nursing staff had headed out too and within a matter of minutes it was only Janessa, Miles and Sheena left in the room, everyone busy doing what they needed to do in order for these babies to be born safely.
‘Charisma.
Pfftt.
PR.
Pfftt,’
Sheena grumbled. ‘Why can’t I just be left to have my babies in peace? Why am I this big three-ringed circus?’ Tears bubbled over and Janessa instantly comforted her friend.
‘It’s not fair, is it?’ She wiped away Sheena’s tears and looked at her. ‘Everything’s going to be fine.’
‘Is it?’ Anxiety, worry, confusion, pain and heartbreak were in Sheena’s tone. She looked at Janessa and then at Miles, her lower lip wobbling. ‘I’m scared,’ she whispered, and Miles moved closer to place a hand on her shoulder, wanting to reassure her in every way he could.
‘Janessa and I are going to be there every step of the way,’ Miles confirmed. ‘And just think, soon, very soon, you’re going to be able to touch your baby girls. They’re both doing well, Sheena. They’re both as healthy as they can be and you’ve done the most incredible job of carrying them for so long.’
‘Miles is right,’ Janessa agreed. ‘You’ve been the most incredible and powerful incubator. The best in the world.’
Sheena gave her a watery smile and then a little laugh. ‘Thank you.’ She looked at Miles. ‘Thank you both.’ She sighed heavily and then rubbed her abdomen. ‘It’s time, girls. It’s time for the three of us to meet. Oh, what fun we’re going to have.’
Janessa leaned forward and spoke in a stage whisper. ‘And Aunty Janessa promises to buy you both lots of noisy toys to drive your mother crazy.’
Miles laughed and looked at the woman he’d kissed only a few hours ago. She was funny and smart and caring. Strong and brave and sensual. And she was becoming far too important to him.
Sheena’s C-section was performed without complications. Riley, the obstetrician, was not bothered by the cameras in the room, which would record the event for posterity. Miles had always told her that the delivery was the easy part but the reason they’d had meetings to discuss the postnatal care so intricately was so they were completely ready the moment the babies were out.
‘My fifteen minutes of fame and you can’t even see my best angle,’ Sheena had joked as Janessa and Miles, Kaycee and Ray had stood by, waiting for the moment the twins were handed over to them. The instant the girls were carefully placed into their loving care, the neonate team focused on their special little patients. Ray and Kaycee worked closely alongside Miles and Janessa, inserting umbilical lines, steadying the girls’ oxygen as they worked on them beneath large heat lamps over the specially designed crib.
‘The first twenty-four hours are critical,’ Miles had said at the different briefings they’d had during the past week. ‘Even more so than with other babies. Only once Ellie and Sarah are born can we accurately determine exactly what we’re dealing with. All of the ultrasounds and X-rays to date don’t show us everything, hence we need to be as prepared as possible.’
Even now, as Janessa focused on working alongside him, Kaycee putting little knitted beanies on the babies’ heads—one that had ‘Ellie’ stitched in and the other ‘Sarah’, so that staff could tell the girls apart—she recalled Miles’s instructions.
‘One-minute Apgar?’ he asked.
‘Five for Sarah. Four for Ellie,’ Ray reported.
‘Let’s get them moved to the NICU.’ Miles was firm, determined, completely in control of the situation. Janessa was as much in awe of him as before. He had knowledge, he had understanding, and as Ray and Kaycee worked with the orderlies to move the girls and the equipment they were attached to out of the delivery suite, Miles quickly crossed to Sheena’s side.
‘You did good. I’m so proud of you for carrying them for so long. You’ve given them an incredible start in life.’ He brushed some hair out of Sheena’s eyes and smiled at her. Janessa came up and kissed her friend on the forehead.
‘Miles is right. The girls are doing very well. Rest now.’
‘Good advice,’ Sheena remarked, her eyes closing. ‘Think I’ll do just that.’
They were only a few steps behind the girls and once they were settled in the NICU in a room off to the side, enclosed by a curtain to afford privacy, the observations and checks began again.
‘They’re both in much better health than I had hoped,’ Miles remarked after the ten-minute Apgar score on both babies was a nine. They stood there, the two of them, looking at the little girls, tubes and wires attached to them, lying on their backs, arms and legs spread, the specially made cloth nappies fastened in place.
‘Yes.’ She nodded, looking at the little girls who were her goddaughters. ‘And they’re beautiful.’ The instant she said the words tears welled in her eyes, but where before she might have walked away from Miles in the hope that he wouldn’t see her exhibiting such raw emotions, now she didn’t bother.
He knew the truth about her past. He knew she’d lost a baby of her own and he knew, first-hand, the pain she’d suffered. Even though time had moved on, even though the world continued to revolve around them, the pain and the memories and the burning need to be a parent still continued to pulse through both of them.
‘So incredibly beautiful.’ She said each word slowly, carefully and with the utmost meaning. ‘I love them both so much.’ She smiled through the tears that were pricking at her eyes and when Miles placed his arm around her shoulders and drew her close, she didn’t even think of pulling away.
He could feel the emotions coming from her, the love radiating from her for these beautiful babies … babies that weren’t her own.
It seemed right and natural that he should comfort her. It seemed right and natural to stand there with her, the two of them alone for the first time since they’d arrived back at the hospital earlier in the day. The two of them, looking at two little miracles lying joined at the hip. Ellie and Sarah. Both of them breathing rapidly in the oxygen-controlled environment, the machines around them beeping and displaying their vital signs.
‘It’s definitely good,’ he murmured.
‘I can even tell them apart,’ she said with a small smile. ‘Look, Ellie’s face isn’t as round as Sarah’s.’
‘Where?’ Miles peered closer but still didn’t remove his arm from around Janessa’s shoulders. He was offering her comfort, true, but he was also a red-blooded male who was powerfully attracted to this woman. The last time he’d offered her comfort he’d been able to find the strength to pull away. This time, though, he wasn’t finding it easy. Was that because he couldn’t stop thinking about her? Was that because she was becoming incredibly important to him? Was it simply because he’d given in to the burning desire to kiss her? Now that he knew the flavours and sweetness of her lips against his, of how her plump pink lips seemed to have been designed to fit so perfectly against his own, he wanted to keep her as close as possible.