Page 44 of Prognosis Christmas Baby

Maggie had no idea how long her morning sickness was going to last but knew she couldn’t afford excessive time off work now she was looking down the barrel of single motherhood.

Like a million other women before her, she knew she just had to push through.

‘Have you had something to eat?’ Nash asked, not liking how peaky she looked.

Maggie placed a hand across her mouth, her stomach revolting at the thought. It gave a funny lurch that, for once, had nothing to do with him. ‘Not a good idea right now.’

‘It might help.’

She shook her head. At the moment nothing seemed to help. Sleep was the only relief she got. ‘Let’s just get this over with.’ Then she could lose herself in the blissfully nausea-free world of slumber.

‘You okay to keep doing this while I change?’ she asked.

Nash lifted a navy pack. ‘Sure. Almost done.’

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They were loaded intoa hospital transport van twenty minutes later. Thankfully at this early hour traffic was non-existent and they were at the airport in fifteen minutes. Another fifteen minutes saw them airborne and Maggie was glad for the engine noise in the little fixed-wing plane making conversation impossible.

Being buckled in next to Nash in the cramped confines was bad enough and she shut her eyes, determined to stave off the nausea by dozing for the paltry hour and a bit it would take to get to their destination.

Nash inspected her face, her black lashes throwing shadows on her cheekbones. She looked exhausted, her creamy complexion wan, her cheekbones a little more prominent. The pregnancy was obviously already taking its toll on her.

‘Here,’ he said, raising his voice to be heard over the noise of the engines as he nudged her arm.

Maggie opened her eyes reluctantly, to find Nash holding up a stick of chewing gum. Before she even knew what she was doing she was reaching for it. Something sweet that wouldn’t sit in her belly like a rock.

A lifesaver!

‘Thanks,’ she said, ripping off the wrapper and stuffing it in her mouth before closing her eyes again.

Nash blinked as it disappeared in one second flat and made a mental note to always have a packet on him. And then he sobered when he remembered he was only here for a few more weeks.

He’d been thinking a lot the last few days and wasn’t any closer to a solution. But maybe if they actually talked about it?

Rationally? They did have an hour...

He lowered his mouth to the vicinity of her ear. ‘Are we going to talk or just ignore each other?’ he asked.

Maggie opened her eyes and turned to face him. He was disturbingly close, his mouth within easy reach. The gum was having a marvellous effect on her constitution but with all the extraneous noise she really wasn’t up to a discussion they’d have to yell at each other anyway.

‘Ignore each other,’ she confirmed, returning her head to its neutral position and closing her eyes.

Nash smiled despite himself. Okay, fine. It wasn’t exactly easy to talk in the plane. But they were going to talk have this conversation - today.

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They landed in Rockhamptonand jumped into the waiting ambulance with their equipment for the two-minute drive to the hospital.

Thankfully, the pick-up was easy enough with everything already pretty much done for them. The quick actions of a local anaesthetist had diagnosed the surgical emergency and performed a tracheostomy, so all the child needed was transport to a primary care facility.

All up they were at the Rocky General for half an hour before leaving in the ambulance again for the airport and by seven a.m. they were pushing through the swing doors of the PICU. It was another hour before the patient was settled, notes were written, equipment packed away and they were ready to leave.

‘Come on,’ Nash said, catching her as she was about to get into her car. ‘I’ll buy you breakfast.’

She sighed. ‘No. Please. I’m really tired.’

Nash could see she was tired – hell, he was tired too - but he wanted this sorted. Now. ‘Yes,’ he insisted gently.

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