Marion Lennox - The Doctors’ Baby

The fourth book in the Parents Wanted series, 2002

DR. EMILY MAINWARING had been awake all night, delivering twins. She was probably asleep and dreaming, but right in her waiting room was

Her ideal man!

But This was Bay Beach. She was in the middle of morning surgery, and staring was hardly professional. Instant marriage wasnt on the cards either. So somehow she forced herself back to being a twenty-nine-year-old country doctor instead of a lovesick teenager staring at a total stranger.

Mrs Robin?

The elderly Mrs Robin rose with relief. Shed been waiting far too long. Every other patient looked at her with envy, and the stranger looked up as well.

Whew! He was even more good-looking eye to eye, and when their gazes locked

For a moment, Em allowed herself to keep looking. Doctor assessing potential patient.

Ha! There was nothing professional in the way she was looking at this man.

For a start, he was large, in a strong-boned, muscular, six-feet-of-virile-male sort of way. Then he had the most gorgeous, burnt-red hair, crinkling into curls that were a bit unruly, and made you just want to run your fingers

Thats enough of that! Concentrate on work! she told herself sharply. The last thing she needed this morning was distraction, and if a pair of twinkling green eyes had the capacity to knock her sideways then maybe she was even more tired than shed thought.

Im very sorry, she told the rest of the waiting room, the stranger included. But Ive had a couple of emergencies. Im running almost an hour late. If anyone would like to sit on the beach and come back in a while

It wasnt likely. These people were farmers or fishermen, and a visit to the doctor was a social occasion. Theyd sit placidly enough, outwardly reading magazines but in reality soaking up every piece of gossip they could get.

Such as who the redhead was.

And she might have known theyd find out.

Hes Anna Lunns big brother, Mrs Robin told her before she even started on her litany of ills. Hes three years older than Anna, and his names Jonas. Ooh, isnt he lovely? When he came in with Anna, I thought maybe she had a new fella, and that wouldnt hurt at all since that no-good Kevin walked out. But if this cant be her new man, then its good that she has a brother kind enough to bring her to the doctors, dont you think?

Yes. It was. Anna Lunn was barely thirty, yet already weighed down with poverty and kids. But whyEm glanced down her list and saw the appointment, and she couldnt suppress her misgivings.

Anna had made a special appointment and shed brought her brother along for support. Em just knew this wasnt going to be a five-minute consultation for a pap smear.

But there was little point in worrying about it now. With an inward sigh she mentally added another half-hour to her day and turned her attention to Mrs Robins blood pressure.

Charlie Henderson collapsed before shed finished. Booked in for his regular coronary check, the fisherman was so old that he looked shrivelled and preserved for ever. Hed tucked himself into a corner of the waiting room and had been contentedly observing the kids and chaos and general confusion. Now, just as Em started writing Mrs Robinss prescription, his eyes rolled in his head, he crumpled and slid soundlessly onto the floor.

Em! Her receptionist was banging on Ems door before he hit the carpet, and Em was by his side almost as fast.

The old man was deathly white, cold and clammy. Em did a fast check of his airway and found no obstruction.

And she found no pulse.

Get the crash cart, she snapped at Amy. She gave Charlie four deep breaths and ripped his shirt wide to bare his chest. There was no time for niceties here. and there was no time to move him. This looked like total cardiac arrest.

And Amy wasnt her usual receptionist. Lou was off sick. Amy was standing in and, at eighteen, she had no medical training at all.

Em was on her own.

She could only try, and she must try now. To attempt resuscitation with all these people watching was dreadful, but there was no time for anything else.

Could you clear the room? she demanded between breaths, not looking up from what she was doing, and not even hopeful that anybody would listen. She couldnt care. She was breathing for her old friend, pumping down on his chest in an attempt at cardiopulmonary resuscitation as she waited for the crash cart.

And then, from above

Could you all move outside? Now! It was a male voice, backing up her order with harsh authority.

Em blinked, wondering who the voice belonged to. It was rich and deep and seemed accustomed to command, but she was kneeling on the floor beside the old man and her attention was totally with him.

Breathe Please, Charlie, breathe

As you see, this is an emergency and we need room to work, the voice continued. If your needs not urgent, can you make an appointment later. Otherwise wait outside. Now!

And then suddenly, magically, Red-Hair was kneeling on the other side of Charlie. The crash cart was beside them and she had someone placing jelly on the paddles as if hed done it countless times before. As she rolled Charlie onto his back, he helped adjust him-just as if he knew what he was doing.

Who on earth was he?

There was no time to ask. All she could do was move with him, fitting a proper mouthpiece now the trolley was here. Normally she wouldnt have tried to breathe into a patient without a mouthpiece, but Charlie was special. Charlie was her friend.

Charlie

She had to stay professional. There was no room for emotion if they were to save the old mans life. With the mouthpiece fitted, she gave him four more quick breaths, then the deep voice cut in.

Move back. Now.

He shifted away. She did too, and then it was the strangers hands that fitted the paddles over Charlies bare chest. He knew exactly what he was doing, and she could only be thankful.

Please

The charge hit and Charlies body jerked in convulsion. Nothing. They both stared at the trace. It showed no heart activity at all.

They must keep trying! Em gave him four more deep breaths. Then

Back again.

The strangers hands brought the paddles down once more. A jerk-yet still the trace showed nothing.

She breathed for the old man again. Over and over. Still nothing.

And finally Em sat back on her heels and closed her eyes. Enough, she whispered. Hes gone.

There was absolute silence.

Amy, standing behind them in white-faced horror, drew in her breath and started to cry, her tears streaming silently down her face. She was too young for this, Em thought wearily. And, aged all of twenty-nine, Em felt suddenly far too old. She rose stiffly to her feet and crossed to give her receptionist a hug.

Come on, Amy. This is OK. Charlie wouldnt have wanted it any other way.

That, at least, was the truth. Charlie lived and breathed for Bay Beach gossip. He was eighty-nine, hed known hed had a dicky heart for years, and to go out dramatically in the doctors waiting room, rather than by himself at home, was just the sort of ending hed think fitting.

Ring Sarah Bond, Amy, Em said wearily, as Amy sniffed and tried to pull herself together. Sarahs Charlies niece. Tell her whats happened. She wont be too surprised. And then could you ring the undertaker?