Oh, God, it had never been like this with Scott. She had thought Scott was a friend and he turned into her husband. This man, though…this man was no friend. This man was her mate-her soulmate-her love…
Her love. The word swept through and through her and she knew with absolute certainty that it was true. She loved Luke Marriott with every ounce of her being.
She loved. She loves. She will love. Forever and ever and ever. And then as Luke’s arms came around her, cradled her and gently lowered her to lie on the warm sand beside him, she knew that whatever he wanted was right with her. If he only wanted her for this moment, then this moment would have to last forever.
And then, from some far-away place, came the sound of a harsh, electronic beep. It grew into a crescendo, splitting the night with its awful insistence. Luke’s mouth stilled where he had been exploring the valley between her breasts. As Nikki grew rigid in his arms, he swore unsteadily and rose.
‘Fate worse than death,’ he said unsteadily. ‘I think we’re wanted, my love.’ He put down a hand and pulled her to her feet, his arm pulling her to his body. Kissing her roughly on the mouth, he put her from him in bitter resolution. ‘The world calls. Let’s see what they have to say.’
‘The world calls’…Nikki stood, confused, as Luke searched his trouser pocket for the beeper. He lifted it high to see its faint light in the moonlight.
‘McDonald baby arriving,’ he read. ‘Assistance required.’
‘McDonald…’ Nikki frowned. ‘But…but Mrs McDonald’s only seven months pregnant.’ She thought back to the last time she had seen Lara McDonald. Last week. And she was only twenty-nine weeks then… ‘I’ll have to go fast,’ she said unsteadily. ‘We’ll have to try to stop labour until we get her to Cairns.’ She was already searching in the sand for her sandals.
‘We’ll walk faster without shoes,’ Luke told her. ‘Come on. Ready for a run, my love?’
They covered the distance back to the car in a time Nikki would have thought was impossible. Luke, however, was in a hurry, and with his hand holding hers anything was possible. He gave Nikki’s feet wings. It was a desperate run, with both knowing the need for urgency, but somehow…somehow it was still part of the magic night. Whatever the night held, Nikki was as one with Luke Marriott. If he ran fast then she was part of him, carried along by emotion.
She was gasping for breath as they neared the car, but as Luke stopped to find the key she started laughing.
‘I feel like a naughty child trying to get home before they find I’m missing,’ she laughed. ‘Oh, Luke, I hope we can stop this labour.’
He looked down at her curiously in the dim light, and his mouth twisted into an answering smile.
‘So do I,’ he murmured…’But whatever we do, we need to do it fast.’
It was an enigmatic statement which Nikki didn’t follow. There was no need to say the obvious, she thought, but then they were in the car, with Luke’s hand on the horn as they turned back out on to the main road towards the hospital.
Nikki turned her face towards the ribbon of bitumen, forcing her thoughts savagely away from the man beside her. Lara McDonald didn’t need a love-struck girl, she needed a competent doctor, and that was just what Nikki had to be.
Nikki was out of the car almost before it had come to a halt at the front door of the hospital, running swiftly up the tiled steps and through the glass doors. The night sister came out to meet her.
‘She’s in the labour ward,’ the sister said. Behind her, a big man in denim work trousers and generous flannelette shirt materialised out of the shadows. He was literally wringing his hands, but ceased momentarily as he reached to clutch Nikki’s arm.
‘The baby’ll die if it comes now,’ he said hoarsely. ‘Doc Russell, it’s too early. And Lara’s had three miscarriages already. This…this is our last chance-’
He broke off to run his hand across his wet cheeks. ‘Oh, God, Doc, you gotta stop it. If this baby doesn’t make it…’
‘Sister, could you find Mr McDonald a cup of strong, sweet tea?’ Nikki said. ‘And then come straight back to the ward. Have you examined Mrs McDonald?’
‘I didn’t like to,’ the sister told her. ‘I thought I might make matters worse.’
‘Good.’ The nurse was right. An internal examination might hurry things even further. She-turned to the labour ward and found Luke by her side.
Two doctors…At least there were two doctors. If the baby was born it would have a much better chance if it could have the undivided attention of Luke while Nikki attended the mother. She smiled gratefully up at Luke as he swung the door wide.
Lara McDonald was a small, wiry woman in her late thirties. She and her husband owned a small sugar farm just out of town, and struggled to make ends meet. Lara’s face reflected it, weathered and lined from years of too much sun and hard work.
Her face was further lined now, creased in agony as a spasm ripped through her. Her eyes were wide with terror, and as Nikki approached she reached out to clutch her hand.
‘Stop it,’ she whispered frantically. ‘You’ve got to stop it.’
Nikki kept hold of the hand until the worst of the spasm passed. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Luke scrubbing and getting into gown and gloves. Once more she was grateful for two doctors. It meant she could stay where she was.
‘Let’s not panic,’ she said gently. ‘Wait until we see what’s going on. When did you start having pains?’
‘After dinner. About…about an hour ago?’
‘Have you had a show? Any bleeding?’
‘No.’ A fresh spasm hit and the hand clutched again.
Then Luke was at the table. The night sister had returned, and together she and Nikki lifted away Lara’s cotton dress. Nikki frowned as the fabric fell to the side. Lara was mid-spasm but her swollen abdomen was smooth and still. Nikki put a hand on the firm flesh. Nothing. This wasn’t a contraction.
She looked a question to Luke. Swiftly he performed a gentle examination, his face clearing as he did.
‘There’s no dilation at all,’ he told Nikki. ‘Mrs McDonald, what did you have for dinner?’
‘I…’ Lara was wincing through pain. ‘I don’t…’ Then she paused. ‘Curry,’ she said suddenly. ‘We had curry.’
‘Do you often have curry?’ Luke’s voice was clipped and professional, demanding the woman’s attention.
‘No…’ She managed a faint smile. ‘But…but I really wanted it. So Bill went down to Innisfail to get some for me. He got three tubs…’
Luke grinned. ‘And you ate the lot.’
‘Well, Bill didn’t like it.’
Luke shook his head. Nikki found herself relaxing, the tension oozing out of her. Three tubs of curry when unaccustomed to it…
‘Mrs McDonald, you’re not in labour,’ she said gently. ‘I’m sure of it. What’s happening to you is caused by your system reacting to curry. Probably your pregnancy has made you a bit more prone to tummy upsets than usual, and the curry is making itself felt.’
‘Is that all?’ The woman’s eyes widened. She stared wildly from Nikki to Luke and then back to Nikki. Slowly the frantic terror behind her eyes faded. Still clutching her stomach, she fell back on to the pillows, exhausted. ‘Oh, my God,’ she whispered fervently. ‘Oh, thank you.’
‘Any time.’ Nikki grinned. She looked up to see Luke’s smile reflecting her own. Relief was making her light-headed, she thought suddenly. She felt like singing. Or maybe…maybe it wasn’t all relief.
‘We’ll give you an injection to settle your tummy, and we’ll keep you overnight,’ Nikki reassured her patient, forcing her attention away from Luke. ‘But you’ll live to eat curry again.’
‘And…and the baby…?’
‘It seems he’s enjoying the new sensations you’ve been causing him too much to want to leave,’ Luke grinned. ‘I bet he emerges in two months demanding more vindaloo and chapattis.’