The Midwife's Little Miracle by Fiona McArthur Read Free Book Online Page B

glad.
    ‘Absolutely,’ she said. ‘It might help to ease her into the idea of learning about her body as we go along.’
    Everything had double meanings for him at the moment. He fancied a body lesson—specifically concerning the one beside him on the seat—and every day brought more observations for him to store in his expanding folder of what he’d come to realise was growing into a deep and dangerous attraction to the woman beside him.
    The mystification had started that first day on the mountain. At least he’d figured out what had been wrong with him a month or so ago and he had the walls up, but he was still struggling to stay focussed when he talked to her. ‘So you would be interested in helping Emma?’ Damn. He’d already asked her that.
    ‘Yes.’ She looked at him as if to remind him they’d been there but there was no doubt in hervoice. Forget all that, he told himself. He’d done the right thing in asking.
    Montana frowned as she considered Emma’s dilemma. ‘So how did the parents react to the news?’
    He thought ruefully of the intense week he’d had with both sets of grandparents-to-be. ‘Badly, but they’re coming around. It’s even more tricky because Emma’s mother isn’t well.’
    Montana tilted her head. ‘In what way unwell?’
    Maybe it would help to clarify his thoughts if he ran it by Montana. ‘I wish I knew. Clare still puzzles me but there’s something niggling below the surface. She had a car accident a month ago and is complaining of being vague, clumsy and irritable, which is unlike her. There’s nothing on her cerebral CT scan and I’m not sure but I think I’m closer to working it out.’
    Montana nodded. ‘More worry for poor Emma. You need your mum at times like this.’ She pondered that. ‘And the baby’s father? Is he into relationships?’
    ‘Her boyfriend, Tommy, agrees on keeping the baby, if that’s what you mean?’ He grinned at scatterbrained Tommy being a father. No doubt he’d mature eventually. ‘I think he plans to stay around, but he’s only eighteen. They’ve been together for three years.’
    ‘You’ll be up for a dads’ class then,’ she said mischievously.
    Lord help him, he hadn’t seen himself doing that. ‘I don’t know anything about being a dad!’
    ‘Neither would he so you can both learn as you go along. I could lend you Dawn for an hour for show and tell. You’re pretty good with her.’
    She was teasing him, and he liked it, but he wasn’t pretending to know something he didn’t. ‘I’ll help but you have to come with Dawn.’
    ‘The value will be in the guy aspect. But we’ll talk about that later.’
    Her eyes shone and felt his mood lift with hers. ‘It’s not too much work for you to start with?’
    ‘The clinic and Emma?’ She shook her head vehemently. ‘No. I’d love to help with both of them. I’m starting to climb the walls here without working somewhere.’
    ‘Guilt is good.’ He smiled. ‘Seriously, though, that’s wonderful. I’ll set Emma up for later this week or early next week and talk to Ned about the clinics.’
    Almost a week later Montana watched out of the lounge room window as Andy’s car pulled into the drive.
    A too-thin blonde girl—young woman, she corrected herself—had her head down and didn’t look up at the house when Andy opened the passenger door.
    So he opened doors for everyone. It was such a lovely gesture and it made her appreciate him even more that he would do it for young patients like Emma as well as older adults.
    Montana watched the teenager mumble a thank you and sighed.
    She glanced at the table and chairs she’d set up with pamphlets and a gift pack Misty had sent up from New South Wales.
    It wasn’t so much a statement about learning as information Emma could take away when she left and maybe read at home. But it wouldn’t help if she didn’t want to be here.
    Montana aimed for the whole session to illustrate the fact that a mother’s choices