The Bush Doctor's Challenge. Carol Marinelli

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СКАЧАТЬ drew the body of the babe first downward and then forward, the baby over Shelly’s abdomen as the last inches of the birth canal were negotiated, until finally, with a relief that literally overwhelmed Abby, the head was out, the baby was out and safe, taking a huge breath, its little eyes blinking in indignation as it was delivered. Abby placed the slippery bundle on Shelly’s stomach, whose hands moved down to scoop the babe up to her, tears streaming down her face as Kell rubbed the stunned little baby vigorously with a towel.

      ‘A little girl,’ she gasped. ‘I’ve got a little girl.’

      ‘A beautiful little girl, too.’ Kell’s words were coming out almost as choked as Shelly’s and to Abby’s amazement she watched as a sparkle of tears flashed in his dark eyes. ‘Look how blonde she is—she’s her father’s daughter all right.’

      ‘And she’s OK?’

      Better than OK. One little girl was pinking up before their very eyes as Kell continued to rub, her dark red lips parted to allow a furious scream to escape.

      As Kell dashed off to find a duvet Abby clamped and cut the cord, the placenta delivering with satisfying ease. Wrapping a bundle of towels around the baby and a large bath sheet around a shivering Shelly, she stood for a moment, just revelling in the sheer and utter miracle of birth.

      ‘Abby.’ Kell was at the door, only his face peering around as he pushed the duvet through the gap. ‘Cover Shelly up, I’ve got a little guy here who’s woken up with a bit of a fright.’

      ‘Matthew?’ Shelly gasped, tearing her eyes away from her newborn as Abby quickly tucked the duvet around the pair. ‘He must be terrified.’

      ‘He’ll be fine,’ Abby said assuredly, but Shelly begged to differ.

      ‘He won’t understand.’ Her eyes met Abby’s. ‘You don’t understand. Matthew’s got Down’s syndrome. Ross and I had planned how we were going to introduce him. I was supposed to be in bed, the baby in a crib, Ross was going to—’

      ‘Do you want me to help you into the bedroom, get you settled a bit before he sees you?’

      Shelly shook her head. ‘He’s awake now, you’d better just tell Kell to bring him in.’

      Abby nodded and, doing a quick check to make sure there was nothing that might scare Matthew, she went to open the laundry door.

      ‘Abby.’ Turning, Abby smiled at Shelly, her hand on the doorhandle. ‘Would you hold her for me? It might make things a bit…’ Her voice trailed off and Abby stood there, looking at the mother cradling the daughter she had just delivered, and suddenly the lump that had been missing in her throat till now was so big it threatened to choke her.

      ‘I’d be glad to.’

      A mother’s love…

      Taking the swaddled bundle, Abby stared into the most innocent of all faces. Every fibre in Shelly’s being would be telling her she should be holding her baby, and yet a deep maternal instinct also told her that a little guy needed her now. Needed his mum to hold her arms out to him, to tell him what had taken place while he’d quietly slept.

      Carefully holding the baby close, Abby pulled open the laundry door.

      Two blue eyes met hers, two blue bewildered little eyes in a sleep-crumpled face.

      ‘This is Abby, Matty,’ Kell crooned gently. ‘She’s Tennengarrah’s new doctor.’ Wisely Kell didn’t acknowledge the baby Abby was holding, leaving that introduction to Shelly.

      ‘Matthew.’ Shelly’s arms were outstretched, her tired face managing a bright smile, her voice, her attention, all focussed on her son. ‘Did you get a fright, sweetheart?’

      He didn’t say anything, just nodded seriously as Kell carefully passed him to his mother. ‘There’s nothing to be scared of Matthew. Abby and Kell have been looking after Mummy, and look who’s finally here.’

      Taking her cue, Abby stepped forward, holding the infant where her big brother could get a proper look, and the lump in her throat swelled like bread in water as Matthew peered into the swaddle of towel.

      ‘Baby.’ His little face broke into a smile that met each ear and the whole room seemed to relax a notch, the tension seeping out as two inquisitive eyes searched his new sister’s face. ‘My baby!’ Matthew squealed excitedly.

      ‘That’s right big guy, it’s your baby sister.’ Kell laughed, one eye on Matthew, the other on a wilting Shelly. Scooping Matthew out of a tired Shelly’s arms, he held the little boy closer, allowing him to touch the tiny face. ‘That’s right, don’t touch her eyes, and just give her little cheek a stroke. I’ll bet she can’t wait for you to give her a big cuddle, but do you know what, little guy? First we have to get Mummy into bed, and I’m gonna need a hand. Do you think you can help me?’

      Put like that, how could Matthew refuse?

      Somehow, in a matter of minutes Kell had them organised. A now over-excited Matthew turned back the sheets on the bed and plumped pillows as Kell guided a very wobbly Shelly to the main bedroom. Abby followed, carrying the newborn as carefully as if she were the crown jewels, staring down into that tiny wide-eyed face, unable to believe the feelings this ten-minute-old baby was unleashing.

      Oh, Abby had held babies before, well, sort of. She’d examined more tiny chests than most people had had cooked dinners, probed more little abdomens than she cared to remember, even bounced the odd baby or two on her knee during her time on the children’s ward.

      But to hold one so new, so close and for so long was doing the strangest things to her.

      To know that unaided by a huge team, she had brought this wanted, precious life into the world suddenly made that medical degree seem a touch more personal.

      ‘You were great.’ Kell was sitting on the bed and Abby did a double take when she stepped in the bedroom. ‘Shelly’s just in the loo,’ he explained, patting the bed beside him.

      ‘I only did great thanks to you,’ Abby admitted, not even bothering to look up. The face of the baby held far too much appeal.

      But then again…her eyes flicked up and they were met by Kell’s black, coal chips.

      ‘I was just giving myself a big pat on the back about how well I’d done, but I’m the first to admit that I nearly had a full-scale panic attack when I saw the baby was breech. Heaven only knows what would have happened if you hadn’t been there.’

      ‘It would have been exactly the same,’ Kell said with the same assurance he had used with Shelly. ‘A couple of minutes of internal panic and it would have all clicked. You know that as well as I do.’

      ‘I hope so. Were you even a little bit worried?’

      ‘No, I never worry.’ Abby gave him a disbelieving look but Kell just stood up and rapped on the en suite door. ‘Are you all right, Shelly?’

      ‘A couple more minutes,’ came the distant reply, and Kell frowned.

      ‘Don’t you go fainting on me now, Shelly. Two more minutes or I’ll come in and fetch you myself.’ Smiling, he came back from the door. ‘Hey, Matty, why don’t you go and get a toy for СКАЧАТЬ