Page 63 of Prognosis Temporary

Ginny smiled. ‘Sallie it is. Is that okay with you guys?’

Callie nodded because the lump in her throat had also trebled and she didn’t think she could speak without bursting into tears. Sebastian grinned. ‘It’s perfect,’ he said.

‘Congratulations, you two,’ the paramedic said as he slapped Sebastian on the back. ‘You’ve just been immortalised.’

Sebastian chuckled. ‘We’ll try not to let it go to our heads.’

‘Rightio, let’s shake a leg.’

Callie and Sebastian followed the procession to the front door. ‘Would you mind locking up?’ Brad asked, absently handing his keys over, eyes only for his wife and daughter.

Sebastian took them. ‘Of course. Go, don’t worry about it. We’ll bring the keys up in a bit once your girls are settled.’

Brad looked at Sebastian then at Callie. ‘My girls...’ He shook his head. ‘I’m a father,’ he said, his voice full of wonder and pride.

Callie smiled. Both Ginny and Brad were sporting that strange mix of exhaustion - astonishment and elation - like they were the only two people in the world to have ever performed such an amazing feat.

‘Go,’ she urged as Ginny and the baby were loaded into the back of the ambulance.

Brad didn’t need any further encouragement and Callie and Sebastian watched as he practically ran to the waiting ambulance.

Sebastian laughed. ‘That is one proud daddy.’

‘I’m so happy for them,’ Callie said. So happy she could burst into tears.

The paramedic shut the door and Callie turned to go back inside, her gaze falling to where the neatly packed hospital bag had been before.

‘Sebastian,’ she said urgently. ‘The bag. It’s in our car. She’ll need it.’

‘Crap, hang on.’

He took the stairs two at a time, Callie laughing at him as he dashed to the car, her heart overflowing with love and all the beautiful things she had witnessed today. Not even entering the living room which looked like a war zone killed the buzz.

Callie set about picking up the packaging the paramedics had left strewn around. Donning another pair of gloves, she gathered the soiled linen. She could hear the low rumbling idle of the ambulance and saw Sebastian chatting to one of the paramedics through the window.

She picked up the towels in the hallway as well and made her way quickly to the laundry. Now the excitement was over she was nervous and activity gave her something else to do other than think about Sebastian and his wild promises from earlier today.

Thinking about their baby.

Callie threw the towels into the washing machine, added soap powder she found in a cupboard and started the washing cycle. She made a mental note to let Brad know that the towels would be waiting for him when he got home. After that was done she gathered the linen that hadn’t been used and put it back in the linen cupboard.

One item remained. A soft baby-pink muslin wrap. Callie looked down towards the end of the hall to where the pink glow beckoned. She turned towards it, the wrap clutched to her chest, her feet not under her conscious control. A mere hour ago she’d wanted to flee the nursery so badly she’d practically run from it when she’d had the chance. But now it called to her.

Like a homing beacon.

She reached the doorway and hesitated for a moment before tiptoeing into the middle of the room. It was so...pink. Yet what had seemed too much an hour ago suddenly seemed just right. The perfect room for a perfect baby girl. Even the pink unicorns didn’t seem over-the-top now.

Callie lifted the muslin to her face and inhaled deeply. The soap and powder smell was intoxicating and she dragged in another enormous lungful of pure baby essence.

‘Smells good, doesn’t it?’

Callie startled, dropping the wrap as she whirled to face the door. ‘Sorry, I didn’t hear you.’

He crossed to her and bent to pick it up, bringing it to his face as he also sucked in the aroma before handing it back to Callie. ‘It’s been a big day,’ he murmured.

Callie turned toward the cot. All during Ginny’s labour she’d deliberately tried not to think about the baby. Their baby. But standing in this pink room, next to this man, looking at the cot, it was impossible not to.

Her hand fell to her belly, her fingers spreading down low. She sensed Sebastian crossing the distance between them and she shut her eyes as the heat of him hovered just behind.

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