Page 35 of Knot Just Their Nanny
“But she’s refusing her bottle,” Ben says, the worry flooding his voice.
“Try a syringe for cool boiled water, just little bits at a time,” Dr Evans suggests easily.
“Yes,” I agree quickly. “We can do that.”
Dr Evans smiles and turns back to Mia, doing up her onesie again. “You’ve given your mummy and daddy quite a scare, haven’t you, little one?”
“Erm,” I start, but Ben shakes his head. I close my mouth, understanding he doesn’t want to get into our situation, which is fine. As long as he doesn’t mind the good doctor thinking I’m Mia’s mum.
“If she is still refusing fluids and has stopped wetting her nappy by tonight, bring her back, and we’ll admit her with an IV.”
“Okay,” I say with a brisk nod as Ben appears to go further into a meltdown.
Dr Evans writes up a few notes and hands us a small card with the emergency contact number for the paediatric ward. “Any concerns at all, don’t hesitate to call,” she says with such sincerity that it’s hard not to feel comforted.
We thank her profusely and stand to leave. Mia is now cradled in Ben’s arms and goes back to sleep instantly.
As we walk back through the corridors towards the waiting area, I can feel Ben’s tension increase with each step. “She’s going to be fine,” I reassure him.
Ben offers me a weak smile. “Yeah.”
We grab the car seat and bag we left in the waiting room in our hurry to get Mia seen and step into the sunlight streaming through the front doors of the hospital.
The drive home is less tense than the ride in, but still enough to send my omega instincts into overdrive. Mia dozes in her car seat all the way back home, and as soon as we arrive, Ben scoops her up. “I’ll try her with a bottle.”
“Okay,” I say, smiling as I gather up the baby bag and follow him inside.
Back in the nursery, Mia refuses her bottle, protesting loudly and sending Ben into a further downward spiral.
Working efficiently, I get the cool boiled water into a sterilised bottle, syringe some of it out and hand it to him. He glares at it as if I handed him a snake.
“Here,” I say, taking Mia from him and sitting in the armchair with her nestled close to me. I hold my hand out for the syringe and attempt to get water into Mia’s mouth, but she’s gritting her gums, making it impossible to get anything past them. “It’s okay, we’ll try again in a bit,” I reassure Ben.
He nods, looking anxious. I pass her back over as I rise, and he takes her gently. He sits in the chair, just staring at her.
“I’ll be back to give her another dose of Calpol in a bit,” I murmur, leaving them alone as I make my way back downstairs.
Putting the kettle on for a pot of tea, Ben needs one and so do I after this hectic morning, I jump when the front door bursts open and Liam rushes in with Henry hot on his heels.
“Everything okay?” Liam asks, looking around, “Ben bolted like a bat of hell was after him. Henry and I have been panicking. Neither of you were answering your phones.”
“Mia has a high fever, so we took her to Urgent Care. We’re back now,” I say.
He nods, running a hand through his hair. “Is she okay?”
“We think so. Just teething or a mild viral infection.”
“Oh, good,” he says, breathing out. “Kettle on?”
Smiling, I say, “Yeah.” Giving Henry a quick smile and a nod, I pour tea into the pot and then one straight into a mug for Ben. Taking it upstairs, I enter the nursery quietly, and Ben looks up. “Need to keep your fluids up as well,” I say softly.
“Thanks,” he says. “Does she need more Calpol?”
“Yes. I’ll do it. Put her on the changing table.”
He nods, grateful that I’m not abandoning him to the task. I measure out the medicine and administer it gently as Ben stands close by, observing the process.
“I’ll change her while I’m here,” I murmur, and he nods.
