The Surgeon's Miracle Baby. Carol Marinelli

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      ‘You have to tell him!’

      Pouring two glasses of wine, Maggie pushed one towards Louise. ‘And don’t tell me you can’t have a drink because you’re feeding—this is strictly medicinal!’

      ‘Believe me, I’m not going to.’ Taking a sip, Louise let out a long, exaggerated sigh, utterly exhausted physically from her first long day back at work and drained emotionally from the never-ending roller-coaster ride she’d embarked on the day she’d laid eyes on Daniel Ashwood.

      ‘They call him Danny!’

      ‘Of course they do.’ Maggie grinned. ‘I was Margaret until I met you—you Aussies change everyone’s names!’

      ‘You really didn’t know he was working there?’ Louise checked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion, but Maggie shook her head.

      ‘I’m as stunned as you are! Come on, Louise, it’s a massive hospital and there’s not exactly a huge demand for surgeons in the psychiatric ward—it’s not just the patients that are shut off from the rest of the world in the psych unit.’

      ‘I can’t believe he’s working in the same hospital. I mean, of all the places he could have ended up…’

      ‘That’s the only bit that’s not so hard to believe,’ Maggie said. ‘Come on, Louise, when you decided to move to the city, why did you pick Melbourne General?’

      ‘Because it’s the biggest hospital, because it has everything…’

      ‘Someone of Daniel’s calibre was hardly going to end up in a 200-bed suburban hospital,’ Maggie pointed out. ‘It’s why he’s in Australia that intrigues me! He has to know, Louise.’

      ‘He doesn’t want to know!’ Louise snapped, and then regretted it. ‘I’m sorry, Maggie, I don’t mean to take it out on you. I just can’t believe it didn’t even enter his head that Declan could be his! I’m serious,’ she said as Maggie gave her a very disbelieving look. ‘He wasn’t avoiding the issue—he honestly didn’t seem to think there could possibly be one!’

      ‘He’s a doctor, for heaven’s sake,’ Maggie argued. ‘You don’t have to be a mathematical genius to work out that you broke up last year and you’ve got a three-month-old baby!’

      ‘Ah, but I was out for a good time!’ Louise said with a distinct edge to her voice. ‘According to Daniel’s thinking, Declan could be anyone’s!’ Tears filled Louise’s eyes. ‘Is that what he thinks of me?’

      ‘It’s what he thinks of himself that worries me,’ Maggie said cryptically. ‘Louise, you have to look after yourself here. Stop trying to work out what he’s thinking—I don’t think you’re ever going to really know.’

      ‘When we were together,’ Louise gulped, closing her eyes at the bitter-sweet memory, ‘I felt as if I’d found my soulmate. I can remember seeing him on the ward that first time I did the doctors’ round—all aloof and snooty in his suit, just as he always was with everyone—then we did the ward round, and it was the first time I’d actually spoken to him, probably the first time he ever really looked at me. I remember saying something and he laughed, and I knew from everyone’s reaction that he was acting out of character. I just knew from the little I’d seen of him that he was distant and not very friendly, but with me he was like another person.’

      ‘He adored you,’ Maggie said gently, as a massive salty tear rolled down Louise’s cheek.

      ‘After that ward round he came back and I knew he was going to ask me out. I was just so completely and utterly sure that he’d come back…’

      ‘And he did.’ Maggie nodded.

      ‘It wasn’t just about having a good time and some sort of casual holiday fling,’ Louise insisted, despite the fact Maggie wasn’t disputing what she said, despite the evidence to the contrary, despite Daniel telling her face to face that it had been just that. ‘Those four weeks we were together were the closest I’ve ever been to another person, and Daniel can deny it all he likes but I know that at the time he felt it, too. I just don’t know why he suddenly changed his mind.’

      ‘Look, all you can do here is watch out for yourself. Frankly, I’m all for telling him. If he doesn’t want to offer emotional support then slug him for the financial. After all, he can afford it and you do need the money.’

      ‘I don’t,’ Louise insisted. ‘I’ve got three months’ work pencilled in, I’m doing fine.’

      ‘Are you?’ Maggie checked. ‘You’ve got a pile of bills stuffed behind the microwave—’

      ‘As soon as I get paid, they’ll be gone,’ Louise swiftly retorted, but Maggie just stared. ‘And I’m going to start looking for a place this weekend.’ She felt a twinge at the thought of not living with Maggie any more, but while their small flat was fine for two single girls living a carefree existence, it wasn’t suitable for raising a child and had only ever been a stopgap for her. ‘In a few weeks things will be fine. Fine,’ she said again, as if by repeating it she was somehow assuring it would all happen.

      ‘Declan’s dad is a consultant surgeon,’ Maggie said softly. ‘He’s raking it in.’

      ‘I know,’ Louise gulped, ‘and sometimes it terrifies me. Sometimes I think I should take him for everything he’s worth because Declan deserves it.’

      ‘And other times?’ Maggie pushed gently.

      ‘I look at my parents—their marriage ended because of a brief affair my father had six months before he met my mum. Every month a fight broke out when it was time for Dad to pay his maintenance—’

      ‘Louise—’ Maggie attempted, but Louise stopped her right there.

      ‘Daniel and I were together for four weeks,’ Louise said. ‘I don’t want him paying for his mistake for the rest of his life, the way my dad did.’

      ‘Even if you have to?’

      ‘That’s the difference.’ Ignoring her wine, Louise stood up, wandered over to the tiny kitchenette and flicked on the kettle. ‘I don’t see it as a mistake. Yes, Daniel may be a consultant, but clearly he didn’t think I’d make a very good consultant’s wife. This is about so much more than money.’

      ‘What if he asks you out now?’

      ‘As if!’ Louise scoffed. ‘And even if he did, there’s no way I’d go.’

      ‘Why not?’

      Louise thought for a moment before answering. ‘Because I can’t imagine trying to fill him in on the last year of my life and somehow managing to omit the fact that Declan’s his.’

      ‘Would it be the end of the world if he found out?’

      ‘The end of his world probably. He doesn’t want children.’

      ‘But he’s got one! And if things don’t work out between the two of you, at the very least you know he’s a decent guy and you’ll have some financial support. Louise, lies catch up in the end and you’re living with a time bomb. A cute one at that.’

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