Fractured by Dawn Barker Read Free Book Online Page B

in front
     of him, recoiling as if they were stained with blood.
    ‘They’ve found him.’ His voice broke into a wail and he looked up at her. ‘I’m too late, Mum, it’s too late …’
    Somehow she managed to reach Tony without collapsing, then she put her arms around his broad back and cradled her sobbing
     son to her chest.
    There was nothing she could say.

CHAPTER SIX
Six weeks before
    Tuesday, 4 August 2009
    Anna had assumed that it would happen naturally. Her contractions would start in the middle of the night and, just like in
     the movies, she would shake Tony’s shoulder and he’d jump up with his dark brown hair all ruffled from sleep. She’d kiss him
     and whisper, ‘The baby’s coming.’ Tony would grin, rush out of bed, dress quickly, help her to the car, then drive them to
     the hospital.
    They were on their way to the hospital now, but there was no rush. There was no panic, no speeding, no weaving through the
     traffic. The road was quiet as they drove against the dregs of the Sydney evening peak hour. She was nine long and heavy days
     overdue. She had tried everything to start labour: long walks, raspberry leaf tea, curries, even sex, despite feeling huge
     and unattractive. But none of it had worked. She was being admitted tonight, and her labour would be induced tomorrow.
    She touched Tony’s left arm. ‘I’m sorry, sweetheart,’ she said, staring straight ahead.
    Tony turned to look at her, frowning, then looked back at the road as he indicated left, towards the hospital. ‘Sorry? What
     for?’
    She shrugged. ‘I didn’t want it to be like this. It feels so unnatural.’
    ‘Babe, don’t be silly, please.’ He placed his hand on top of hers and squeezed it. ‘It’s just the way it is. Tomorrow, this’ll
     all be over and we’ll have our baby.’
    She nodded. He was right, of course he was. There was nothing she could have done differently. She busied herself with changing
     the radio station as the hospital building appeared in front of them.
    They parked the car easily on the ground level of the nearly empty multistorey car park. Opening the door, she swung her legs
     out and eased herself onto her feet. She put her right hand under her swollen belly, and closed the door with her left hand.
     The thud echoed and bounced around her, as did the high-pitched bleep as Tony locked the car. She looked around at the grey
     concrete walls, shining in the sallow fluorescent light, and shivered.
    ‘Ready?’ Tony said.
    She nodded again.
    He picked up the two bags at his feet and they walked out into the twilight. They crossed the quiet hospital grounds. A few
     smartly dressed people walked quickly, looking at pagers or talking on phones. An elderly lady held a bunch of yellow tulips
     as she stared at a board with a map of the hospital on it. A quiver of excitement pierced her disappointment: no, this wouldn’t
     be the natural labour that she’d wanted, but her baby would finally be here tomorrow. She smiled and walked forward to push
     open the heavy glass door into the maternity building.
    They checked in at the reception desk then took the lift to the tenth floor. The doors slid smoothly open and they walked
     out into the ward. The smell of fresh paint made her giddy. The soft, grey carpet was springy, and muffled the sounds around
     them. A nurse showed them to a room, asked Anna some questions then left them to settle in.
    She looked around her. The room was tiny, the single bed taking up most of the space. On one side of the bed was a tall locker
     with a faux-wooden laminate, and on the other was a bedside cabinet with a beige plastic phone on top of it. A sliding door
     led to a small ensuite bathroom.
    ‘Ooh, a chocolate!’ She picked up the foil-wrapped square on the pillow. ‘Only one, though. Do you want it?’
    Tony laughed. ‘No, you can have it. I think you’ll need the energy.’ He put the bags down at the foot of the bed, and looked
     out of the window over