Wedding on the Baby Ward / Special Care Baby Miracle by Lucy Clark Read Free Book Online Page B

looked at her he made her feel as though she was the only person in the world who mattered to him. She knew it was his
magnetism
that was drawing her closer with every word he spoke.
    ‘You don’t date much?’
    The feeling of embarrassment instantly left her and her eyes snapped open. ‘This isn’t a date, Miles. It’s a business dinner.’
    ‘True. So, tell me about Sheena. How has she really been feeling? Sleeping much? What’s her emotional status? As her friend, I’m sure you can give me a much clearer picture than what her chart and notes tell me.’
    ‘True.’ Relaxing a little, Janessa sipped her wine. ‘She’s … hanging in there. I guess that’s the best way to describe it. Naturally, her emotions are like a roller-coaster ride, but that’s to be expected. She’s also scared, nervous, worried—again, just like any other mother-to-be. But I think she’s also concerned about the publicity the babies will garner once they’re born. I mean, I know and you know that conjoined twins happen more frequently than people realise—’
    ‘One in every two hundred identical twin pregnancies is conjoined.’
    ‘Exactly, and each one of them has their fair share of publicity, although thankfully nowadays the publicity is more centred on the health of the babies and the subsequent operations to separate them rather than the “freakish” angle. Still, Sheena’s worried about that.’
    Miles nodded. ‘It’s a natural concern and one I’ve dealt with in different ways depending on the different services of the hospital where the babies are born. I think, in this instance, with the way your NICU is set up, we’ll be able to secure the girls in a private bay, with screens and curtains so they can still receive the specialist treatment they deserve. Once they’re stabilised, we can move them to a private paediatric ward, but that may not be for some months. It all depends on how healthy they are when they’re born.’
    ‘What about photographers and paparazzi? What about the other mothers in the NICU? What if one of them takes a photo of the babies and sells it to the newspapers? I’m not saying that any of them would, but I’m—’
    ‘You’re just trying to be prepared,’ he finished for her, nodding. ‘I completely understand. My suggestion is to take photographs of the girls within the first twenty-four hours, have your hospital PR people release them with an update on the girls’ health and that should at least stop the temptation for people on the ward taking photographs and selling them.’
    ‘Excellent idea. So clear, so straightforward, so simple. Brilliant.’
    The waiter arrived with their entrées, the minestrone soup sending her gastronomic juices into overdrive. She grinned at Miles as she sipped the hot, tasty liquid, glad to finally be able to eat.
    ‘When was the last time you ate today?’
    ‘Um …’ She swallowed her mouthful and broke off a piece of fresh, crusty bread which had also been brought to the table. ‘Some time early this morning? I’m not sure. I know I’ve had several cups of tea and coffee.’
    ‘Some days are busier than others.’
    ‘Some days I eat more than others.’
    He nodded, knowing exactly what she was talking about. ‘It all pans out in the end.’ Miles lifted his wineglass, holding it out. Janessa picked hers up and chinked it with his. ‘To finding time to have a meal,’ he toasted, and she smiled, relaxing a little more.
    As they ate, the conversation turned to different topics ranging from politics to health-care funding, to recent breakthroughs in medical science and back to Sheena and the twins. By the time they said goodnight to Giuseppe, thanking him for a splendid meal, and had caught a taxi back to the residential wing, Janessa’s stomach was full and her guard had dropped.
    She’d discovered tonight that the brilliant man who had written all the journal articles she liked was also interesting, charming and very funny. Quite a few