Page 38 of Prognosis Temporary

CHAPTER SEVEN

Two months later Calliewaved at Ginny as she pulled out from the kerb. Her seven-month-pregnant belly was on proud display in the form-fitting dress and she looked better every time Callie saw her — blooming, in fact. She was doing so well with her reduced medication and looking forward to the arrival of their baby girl.

Ginny had joked that Callie had better get a move on or she’d be too old, and Callie had laughed. But even standing there, with Ginny’s belly round and firm in front of her, Callie had felt nothing.

Sure, she’d felt happy for Ginny and Brad but, apart from that weird moment during the twelve week ultrasound, there had been no crashing urge to join the club. No desire to have her own belly full with child. Zack had been her one chance at experiencing motherhood, albeit it second-hand, and she was perfectly okay with that.

She must have been hiding behind a door when maternal instincts had been given out.

Still, despite this apparent flaw, Callie was deep-down-in-her-bones happy. The sun was shining, it was Friday afternoon, her patients were well.

What more could she ask for?

She certainly couldn’t ask any more of Sebastian. Things were working out better than she had ever imagined. Somehow she and Sebastian seemed to have the work/personal balance right. She’d fretted that things would be awkward at work, that their colleagues would treat them differently if/when they found out, or would disapprove of such a potentially disastrous match.

A few years back two of Jambalyn’s staff had been involved in a tempestuous relationship that had come to a messy end and they’d all spent months walking on eggshells around the office.

But everyone had been blasé about it and Geraldine had announced, ‘Thank the Lord for that,’ when they were sprung one afternoon after work in Sebastian’s office, stealing a kiss.

Callie had also fretted that seeing so much of each other – during and after work - would be a recipe for disaster.

But she’d been wrong.

Maybe the fact that they always went home to their own beds to sleep, that they weren’t spending twenty-four seven with each other, had been the key.

Sebastian had been right, it seemed. They were perfect for each other. They were both in it for the same reasons - to have fun and enjoy each other without the expectations of a formal relationship. Neither of them wanted marriage or kids so the pressure wasn’t on to make anything more of it than it was.

Which was sex.

Lots and lots and lots of truly amazing, fabulous sex that just kept getting better and better. It certainly hadn’t fizzled out, as Sebastian had suggested on the plane. If anything, their appetite for each other seemed to be increasing.

Burning out of control, actually.

Callie was going to miss it when Sebastian went back to Melbourne. She was going to miss it a lot. Along with the other things. Like the laughter. And the dining out. The movies. The Sunday drives after sprawling out on her deck, eating pastries for brunch and bingeing stuff on Netflix.

She smiled, she’d really loved Netflix and chill...

She was still smiling a minute later when her phone rang and she pushed the button so she could talk hands free.

‘Callie?’

Callie’s smile broadened at the voice that was as familiar to her now as her own. ‘I was just thinking about you.’

‘That’s nice.’

It was an innocuous enough reply but Sebastian sounded tense and her smile slipped. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘I’ve just taken a call from Frank Jessop’s wife. He’s agitated and she’s concerned.’

Frank was a Vietnam vet who suffered from PTSD marked by severe flashbacks. ‘You want me to divert there?’

‘Please. I’m on my way but you’re closer and with this afternoon traffic I could be half an hour.’

She nodded. ‘That’s fine. I’m only a few minutes away. See you when you get there.’

‘Callie...’

She’d been about to hang up but the strained note in his voice stopped her.

---