The Midwife's Christmas Miracle Read Online Free PDF Page A

up a smile but the comment had struck a chord. He had always loved children and had assumed that he would have some of his own one day. Both hisbrothers had kids and he’d had no reason to think that he would be any different to them. Finding out that the chances of him ever fathering a child were virtually nil had rocked his whole world. Although he’d thought he had accepted it, he suddenly found himself thinking how marvellous it would be if a miracle happened…
    He cut off that thought. He wasn’t going to put himself through all the heartache of wishing for the impossible to happen. ‘I’d like to keep you in overnight, Helen. Dr Sanders wants to monitor your blood glucose levels for the next twenty-four hours and I’d feel happier if you were here while it’s done.’
    ‘I understand, Dr Curtis.’ Helen sounded resigned. ‘Best to be safe rather than sorry.’
    ‘It’s just a precaution,’ he assured her. ‘I’ll pop back later to check on you. In the meantime, you’re to lie there and rest.’
    Max made his way to the desk. Amanda was talking to Lucy when he arrived and he smiled when they both looked up. ‘Sorry to interrupt, but I wanted you to know that I’m keeping Helen Roberts in overnight. I know it means tying up the side room but I’d feel happier if she was here while everything settles down. One of the diabetes care team will be popping in at intervals to check her blood glucose levels.’
    ‘That’s fine,’ Amanda assured him. ‘In fact, it will be the perfect opportunity for Lucy to meet her. I know Helen was concerned when Maria left. She was worried in case her replacement didn’t have any experience of diabetic pregnancies. You can set her mind at rest, can’t you, Lucy?’
    ‘Of course.’
    ‘If there’s anything you aren’t sure about, I’d be happyto run through it with you,’ Max offered, but Lucy shook her head.
    ‘That won’t be necessary, thank you. I’ve worked with a number of women who had diabetes and I understand the problems they can face during the birth.’
    Her tone was so cool that Max frowned. He had the distinct impression that he had upset her, although for the life of him he couldn’t think what he’d done. When she excused herself, he went to follow her then stopped when Amanda asked him about the patient they were inducing that afternoon. By the time they had sorted everything out, Lucy had disappeared.
    Max was sorely tempted to track her down but in the end he decided not to bother. What could he say to her, anyway? That he was sorry for committing some unknown misdemeanour?
    He sighed as he headed to the canteen for a late lunch. Lucy Harris might be a very attractive woman, but that was as far as it went. He had worked out a life-plan for himself and he had no intention of ditching it just because he suddenly found himself harbouring all these crazy ideas.
    Maybe Lucy was the type of woman who’d been born to have kids, but that had nothing to do with him. The truth was that he was no use to Lucy or any other woman in that respect.
    Lucy spent a productive half-hour with Helen Roberts. They discussed Helen’s birth plan and Lucy was pleased to see that although Helen hoped for a normal vaginal birth, she was realistic enough to know it might not be possible. By the time Helen’s husband, Martin, arrived, she felt they had established a genuine rapport.
    ‘You’ve been really great,’ Helen enthused as she gathered up her notes. ‘Maria was very nice but she could be a little intimidating at times, couldn’t she, Martin?’
    ‘She certainly put the wind up me,’ Martin replied drolly. ‘Put it this way, I wouldn’t have crossed her!’
    ‘So long as you’re happy, that’s the main thing,’ Lucy said, not wanting to be drawn into a discussion about her predecessor. It would be highly unprofessional for one thing and very unfair when she had never met the woman. ‘Now, don’t forget that if you’re at all worried then you can