The Baby Doctor's Desire

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‘Scald. To Charlie—her little boy, that is. She’s in a bit of a state.’

‘I’ll get someone to page Theatre. Kieran’ll want to know if his son’s injured.’

‘Nephew,’ Holly corrected.

‘What?’ Was she hearing this right?

‘You got it wrong, you dope. So all that ranting to me and Zo at Giovanni’s the other night…You leapt in completely the opposite direction and hit the wrong conclusion by miles. She’s his kid sister.’

‘Oh, my God.’ So Kieran wasn’t married. Tess really was his sister. But she’d been so sure.

‘Jude, you didn’t tell him he was a two-timing, low-life scumbag, did you?’

‘Sort of.’ He’d told her the truth and she’d called him a liar. And she’d been formal and even a bit prissy with him for the past week.

‘I foresee a very large humble-pie job,’ Holly teased. Then her voice sobered. ‘Actually, I’m glad he’s not here. Tess needs to talk to someone professionally and I’d rather it was you.’

Judith frowned. ‘Zo’s the paediatric specialist, not me.’

‘Charlie’s going to be fine. This is a maternity thing. Post-maternity. I can’t discuss things over the phone.’

Post-maternity? Judith thought fast. ‘How old’s the little boy?’

‘Ten months.’

So the chances were it wasn’t a post-partum haemorrhage or severe bleeding after the birth. ‘If I said PND, would I be a million miles away?’ Postnatal depression was very common, and it wasn’t always picked up.

‘About two millimetres, I’d say. Good leap this time, Jude.’

‘I’m on my way,’ Judith said. She called in at the midwives’ station on her way out of the department. ‘Lulu, if anyone needs me, I’m in ED.’ She scribbled a note on the whiteboard. ‘When Kieran comes out of Theatre, can you get him to buzz down to me, please?’

‘Sure,’ the senior midwife said. ‘Problem?’

‘Nothing major,’ Judith said carefully. He hadn’t mentioned his sister in the three weeks he’d been working there, so he must have a good reason. And she didn’t want him to panic. Holly had sounded very matter-of-fact about Charlie’s injury, and she would have told Judith if it had been really serious.

Five minutes later, Holly had introduced Judith to Tess and explained what had happened to Charlie.

‘Kieran’s in Theatre at the moment, so I’m afraid you’ve been lumbered with me,’ Judith said. ‘But you’re very welcome to come and wait in his office. I can get you a cup of coffee or something.’

Tess’s eyes filled with tears. ‘I don’t think I’ll ever drink coffee again!’

‘It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t know he’d pull himself up for the very first time this morning and grab your cup.’ Judith took a touch-and-feel book out of her pocket. ‘How about playing with this, little one, while your mummy and I have a chat?’ She opened the book. ‘Look, here’s a fluffy lamb. Can you stroke his coat?’

Charlie’s eyes brightened and he rubbed the woolly material.

‘It’s a real shock when something like that happens, isn’t it?’ Judith asked, turning back to Tess.

Tess nodded, her face blanching. ‘I panicked. My baby was hurt and it was all my fault. All I could remember was that you’re supposed to cool a burn, so I put his arm under the tap. He was screaming and screaming, and the ambulance man could hardly hear me when I rang for help.’

‘You did the right thing,’ Judith reassured her. ‘Holly says he’ll be fine—because you kept the skin cool, there’s a very good chance he’s not going to have a mark on him.’

‘I was just doing my hair, that was all.’

‘Tell me about it,’ Judith said with a grimace. ‘Why does long hair get so many knots in it? It takes ages to dry, and sometimes I think about having the whole lot cut off.’

‘But you’ve got beautiful hair!’ Tess looked at her. ‘You’re the one who was singing last week, aren’t you?’

Judith nodded. ‘I saw you with Kieran.’ And the way Tess had clung to his arm. She’d thought at the time that Tess was his wife, scared that her husband was going to start seeing someone else. And all the time, she’d been Kieran’s sister, not wanting to go out or face people she didn’t know. He’d tried to explain and Jude had refused to listen. ‘Do you manage to get out much? It must be hard, with a little one.’

‘I don’t mind. I’d rather stay with Charlie anyway.’

‘How about mum-and-baby groups?’

‘They’re a bit cliquey. I did go, but…’ Tess let the idea trail away.

‘Might be worth trying a different one. Some of them are vile, but some of them are really nice,’ Judith suggested. She glanced at her watch. ‘Actually, I’m due a break. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving! How about we go to the café, I shout you a cappuccino and a cake, and Charlie can have some juice and enjoy himself in the play area?’

‘I…’

‘Don’t believe the fibs your brother tells you about hospital food. They refurbished our café here, last year, and the food’s great.’ Judith grinned. ‘Which is just as well, because I can’t cook for toffee.’

‘You can’t? But…what about all the food at your fundraiser?’

‘Not my work—that’s Zoe’s. She’s my best friend, and Holly’s. She does the cooking, I do the singing, and Holls extorts the money. Though maybe we should rope you into selling tickets for us.’

‘Me? But I’m—’

‘Pretty, with a lovely smile, and you’ve got an advantage we haven’t.’ Judith nodded at Charlie. ‘Get him to give one of those gorgeous gummy smiles, and they’ll be queuing up for tickets!’

Eventually, Judith persuaded Tess to join her in the hospital café. Over coffee, Tess started to relax with her and finally started talking. And Judith’s suspicions were confirmed: Tess was definitely suffering from postnatal depression. Though when Tess had explained one or two things, Judith could see why Kieran had missed it.

‘You ought to be getting back. I don’t want to get you into trouble for being late.’

‘I won’t be.’ Judith smiled at her. ‘But it was really nice to meet you, Tess. I hope you’re going to come in and show Charlie off to us on the ward. And come out for a pizza with Holly, Zoe and me one night.’

‘It’s nice of you—’ Tess began.

Before she could refuse politely, Judith cut in. ‘I’m not being nice. I mean it. You’ve met Holls, and Zo’s lovely.’

‘I’m not a doctor.’

‘We don’t talk shop all the time,’ Judith said. ‘And you must be used to that anyway, from Kieran.’

‘Yeah. He’s the best, my brother.’

I’m beginning to realise that, Judith thought.

‘I don’t know what I’d do without him.’

‘Do you want to hang on for him?’ Judith asked.

Tess shook her head. ‘I ought to be getting back. Charlie needs a sleep.’

‘I’ll see you soon, then. Do you want me to tell him about Charlie?’

‘Would you?’ Tess bit her lip. ‘I feel so…so stupid.’

‘Not stupid. Unlucky. It could have happened to anyone, so don’t blame yourself. And of course I’ll tell him. Take care.’

Judith kept an eye out for Kieran and when he came back from Theatre, she took him to one side. ‘Can I have a word, please?’

‘Of course, Dr Powell.’

His voice was clipped and she sighed inwardly. This was going to be worse than she’d feared. But she deserved it. She’d frozen him out for the last week. She just hoped that when she’d explained, he’d understand and forgive her.

‘In private.’

He frowned, but nodded and ushered her into his office.

She closed the door behind them. ‘First of all, I owe you an apology.’

‘What?’

‘I’ve been…less than nice to you for the past week. Since you…’ She swallowed. Since he’d asked her out. Since she’d been so desperate to say yes but so convinced that he was married, she’d been rude to him. ‘Look, I got the wrong end of the stick.’