Bride on the Children's Ward / Marriage Reunited: Baby on the Way (33 page)

Just saying the words had a fresh wave of panic crashing over him. He fought the instinct to look away from Liz. Hell, he couldn’t hide from her at this critical point. He had to do better. She had no choice but to have the baby now and his job was to help her. They were in this together.

Danny’s raw oath ripped through the air, summing up Jack’s feelings exactly. Then came a more moderate, ‘Good luck.’

‘Thanks.’ He swallowed.
We’ll need it.
But he didn’t let the words escape. ‘It’s too risky for us to try to come back into town. Green Gully’s getting pretty deep. Ernie’s shack is close so that’s where we’re headed now. Can you put Tony Costello on standby up at the hospital in case we have any problems? Over.’

‘Will do. I’ll let the McLeods know you’ve found Liz, too. Peg’s been on the phone.’

‘Thanks, Danny.’

‘Sarah sends her love. Me, too. Over and out.’

Jack signed off and hung up the handset. ‘Set, gorgeous?’

‘Yes.’

‘Good girl.’ He lifted her hand to his mouth, pressing his lips to her chilled fingers. ‘It’s not far.’

A few minutes later he turned into the concealed driveway and wound up a steep drive to brake in front of a ramshackle miner’s hut. A chimney flue poked out of the rusted iron roof, promising the possibility of warmth within.

‘Here we are, sweetheart. Home sweet home for the next few hours. I’ll go and open up.’

‘Won’t it be locked?’

‘Minor obstacle. I know where Ernie keeps a spare key.’

‘Under the mat?’ Liz murmured.

‘How’d you guess?’

She rewarded him with a small chuckle. ‘I know Ernie.’

Jack’s breath steamed in the frosty air as he crossed the short distance to the hut. Dry wood was stacked to the eaves under the verandah, despite his past advice that it was a fire hazard. Thank goodness Ernie was a stubborn old beggar who didn’t listen to well-meant advice from his local firebrigade chief.

The air inside was a little musty, but the single room was tidy and a box of kindling stood beside the pot-belly. And he knew the steel cabinet always held a good supply of securely stored tinned food. He lit the gas lamp and trimmed the wick to provide a comfortable light. Then he found a foam mattress rolled up in a sealed box and laid it out on the bed.

Liz had her eyes closed when he went back to the car. ‘Okay, darling, your palace awaits.’

She looped her arm around his neck as he scooped her off the seat, still bundled up warmly in the sleeping bag. She was so small and fragile. How on earth was she going to manage the task before her? He clenched his jaw, hugging her close as he carried her inside to put her on the bed.

Stepping back, he curled his hands into fists in an effort to dissipate his fear. ‘Sweetheart, I’m going to get the fire going.’

‘Okay.’

He could hear her breathing her way through another contraction as he brought in some wood and prepared a bed of kindling in the firebox. Soon the comforting crackle of burning logs filled the cabin.

‘That should do it.’ He dusted off his hands and turned to catch Liz watching him with dark, sombre eyes. He smiled with an assurance he was far from feeling. ‘Okay, what can I get you? A cuppa? Warm compress?’

‘Please. To both. With some sugar if Ernie has it.’

‘Ernie has everything.’ He set a billy full of water on the small portable gas stove. ‘God bless him and his comfortable weekends away from Mrs T. in the bush.’

‘Yes.’ She sounded subdued. ‘Jack, I’ll need a mirror so I can check progress later.’

‘Okay.’ He walked to the door.

‘Wh-where are you going? You’re not going to leave me? Are you?’ The panic-filled words tore his heart.

‘Hey, darlin’, no way.’ He crossed to the bed in two strides and gathered her into his arms. ‘I’m just going to be outside. All you need to do is yell if you need me. I want to get the rest of my kit while it’s not raining and I’ll check Ernie’s bathroom for a mirror. Okay?’

‘O-okay.’ But her arms came around him and she hung on tightly for a long moment. When she pulled back slightly she managed a small smile, her eyes clinging to his through a veil of moisture. ‘I guess there’s no chance now of that epidural I was s-so adamant about
n-not
having, is there? Or a Caesarean.’

‘Hey. You’re not going to need them. You can do this.’ He brushed her damp hair back from her face and kissed her forehead. ‘We’ve been to all the classes and we know what to do, don’t we? We’re just going to take all the time we need to get this right.’

‘But wh-what if I can’t do it?’

‘You can. You know you can, Liz.’ He swallowed.

Another contraction hit her. She slid to kneel on the floor as the pain demanded her concentration for long seconds. He moved with her, holding her hands. Her fingernails dug sharply into his palms as she puffed. The discomfort gave him a tiny, welcome respite from his own anxiety.

When her breathing eased, she looked at him again, worry etched sharply into her features. ‘What if you’re right? What if the baby’s too big? What if she’s breech? What if she gets stuck? What if—?’

‘Stop it, Liz. She won’t get stuck,’ said Jack decisively, as if willing it could make it so. Seeing her like this, so vulnerable, wrenched at him. She was always so in control, so capable. ‘Remember what you told me. Remember what Julie said? Nature works these things out.’

Her eyes were black holes of fear and he could feel her trembling. He swallowed hard, grabbing for control, desperately searching for something to say that might help her.

‘There’s been no indication there would be a problem on any of your scans, has there?’

He waited until she shook her head. ‘Your body’s ready for this.’

She was relying on him to stay calm, but the truth of the matter was, he was terrified. He couldn’t let it show. The birth was going to happen here and now. The only way he could help was by convincing Liz that they could do it. All of his misgivings about a natural delivery had to be put aside. He had no choice—
they
had no choice.

‘I shouldn’t have gone out today,’ she moaned, her voice thick with unshed tears. ‘Oh, God, what if I’ve put our daughter at risk by being so bloody-minded?’

‘You haven’t. Liz, you have to let go, let your body do the job. Trust yourself.’

Her eyes closed. Was she shutting him out?

God, if he couldn’t convince her that she could deliver their daughter, he’d have failed her. If she didn’t relax, she was in for an even more difficult time. What if she really couldn’t do this? What if he lost her, lost them both? He couldn’t let that happen.
Wouldn’t
let that happen. But he’d never felt so powerless in his life.

‘I trust you, darlin’.’ His voice was hoarse with suppressed emotion. ‘You can do this.’

I
N THE
subdued light of the cabin, moisture glistened along Liz’s eyelashes. A fat tear gathered to roll down her cheek to the edge of her jaw.

If he could have, Jack would willingly have suffered the pain for her. But all he could do was give her support and encouragement. This agony wasn’t his. It wasn’t his body struggling to give birth. He hadn’t fully understood how helpless he would feel.

How much longer could he be strong in the face of her fear? Even knowing how infectious someone else’s terror could be wasn’t helping him quash his own. But if he went under, he’d make her job that much harder.

He mustn’t succumb.

A snippet from the prenatal class came back with sudden clarity. ‘Remember what Julie said about the transition phase? How you’d feel as though everything was too much, too hard?’ He held his breath as he waited for her response. ‘Liz?’

Finally, she nodded.

‘She said it’ll pass. Remember?’
Soon. Let it be soon.
He listened to the deep, shuddering breath she took, prayed she would find the serenity to go on.

‘Yes.’ She inhaled again, held the air a moment then exhaled. When she opened her eyes again to look at him she seemed steadier. ‘Yes. You’re right. I remember.’

‘I love you.’

She smiled tremulously. ‘I love you, too.’

‘You’re an amazing and brave and beautiful woman, Mrs Campbell.’ He lifted a hand to cup her cheek, ran his thumb across the soft skin. The changes that were taking place within her body even as he sat here with her had him in awe.

‘Thank you.’ She turned her lips to his palm. ‘I…I don’t know how I’d have coped if you weren’t here.’

‘You would have, sweetheart. But I’m glad I’m here, too.’ He grinned at her. ‘Besides, it’s the least I could do since I’m partly responsible for getting you in this state in the first place.’

She didn’t smile as he’d intended. Instead, her eyes filled and her chin wobbled.

‘Jack, I’m sorry.’ Her breath hitched as she looked down at her hands.

‘Hey, what for?’

‘F-for trapping you with this pregnancy.’

‘Hell, darling, where did that come from? I thought we’d been through this.’ He struggled to change gears to keep up with her.

‘I—I know. I’m just s-so afraid you’re going to end up hating me and our daughter.’

He lifted her chin so she looked at him directly. ‘This is because of your visit with Patrice, isn’t it?’

Her eyes clung to his, her anguish clear. ‘Dad was forced to marry Mum because she got pregnant with me. Th-they made each other so miserable and bitter. I don’t want that for us, for Emma.’

‘I’m
not
the man your father was and you’re not like your mother. I want you and I
want
our daughter.’

‘D-do you?’

‘Yes. How could I not, sweetheart? You’re everything I need.’

After a moment, her tired face moved into a tentative smile.

‘We’re not going to make a mess of our marriage the way your parents did.’ He gave her a quick kiss. ‘Got it?’

‘Got it.’

‘Good.’ He grinned. ‘No more of this nonsense. We’ve got important things to do, okay?’

‘O-okay.’

He looked over to where the billy was steaming. ‘How about I make you that warm compress and something to drink?’

With hot and cold water mixed to a reasonable temperature, he wet a towel and wrung it out. Liz was still kneeling beside the bed. He helped her adjust her clothing so he could tuck the warm, damp pad against her lower back.

‘That feels good.’ She sighed as the heat seeped into her tired muscles. ‘Thanks.’

Out of the corner of her eye she watched him walk back to the stove. A moment later he was back, pressing an enamel mug into her hand. He crouched beside her, his hand rubbing large circles across her back.

‘Okay for a few minutes while I go out and get my kit, sweetheart?’

‘Yes. I’m fine now.’ As she spoke, she realised it was true.

Jack had given her that. He’d pulled her back from the edge of the panic that had threatened to tear her apart. He was so strong. His confidence in her warmed her, lifted her spirits. Made her really believe she could get through this with his help.

She watched the door close behind him. What had happened to her? Any medical student worth their salt knew panic and tension made pain worse. And hadn’t she seen it time after time in the emergency department? Yet, in the grip of her own fright, she’d forgotten until Jack had reminded her of Julie’s words. She smiled wryly. The learning curve of pregnancy was far steeper than she’d expected.

Her smile slipped. If Jack hadn’t come to find her she’d have been alone with all her fears.

His love and determination had given her the reassurance she’d needed about their marriage, about their future. They weren’t going to make the same mistakes her parents had—they could choose to be happy.

And he was right about this birth, too—she had to trust her body to do what it needed to. This time she couldn’t use just her medical training, she had to use the unfamiliar tools of intuition and faith.

And right now her body was telling her she needed to move. She pushed herself to her feet as Jack came back into the cabin. A warm gush of liquid flowed down her thighs as she straightened up.

‘Oh, blast!’

At her yelp he came instantly to her side, his face sharp with concern. ‘What’s wrong? Should you be standing?’

‘My waters have just broken.’

She heard him swallow. ‘So the baby’s coming right now?’

‘Not this very minute, but soon, I think.’ She smiled at him, but he didn’t return it.

‘Let me help you sit. Should you lie down?’ He tried to turn her back towards the bed.

‘I’m fine, Jack.’ She reached up to touch his face. ‘Jack. Darling, I’m fine. I need to stand just now, maybe move around a bit.’

‘Oh. Okay.’ He ran a hand through his hair and suddenly looked a little lost. ‘What can I do?’

‘Help me change out of these wet clothes, please, darling.’

She looked down on his dark head as he bent to strip off her damp leggings then wipe the moisture from her legs with a towel. The tenderness of his intimate care melted her heart.

She reached out and touched the exposed nape of his neck.

He looked up, his eyes meeting hers for a long, silent moment.

‘Thank you for coming to find me.’

‘I had to, Liz,’ he said, rising to his feet and taking her in his arms, one hand resting on her belly. ‘I knew you needed me.’

‘I do need you. Always.’ She rested her head on his shoulder, rejoicing in the strength and comfort he gave her.

‘I’ve got a flannelette shirt in my kit that’ll keep you warm.’

After he’d helped her into the roomy garment, she rolled the sleeves up and tied the front ends together above her bulge.

‘The latest in delivery-suite fashion.’

‘You look stunning.’

‘Oh, sure.’

‘I’ve never meant anything more in my life, darling.’ He kissed her hard. ‘Okay, what’s next?’

An hour and a half later Liz watched as Emma Elizabeth Campbell made her entrance into the world straight into Jack’s strong, sure hands. He lifted the baby reverently to place her on Liz’s stomach.

‘She’s beautiful.’ His husky voice was filled with the same wonder that Liz felt.

‘Yes, she is, isn’t she?’ She stroked her daughter’s cheek, smiling when the baby turned her head, her little mouth making sucking motions. ‘I think she’s hungry.’

‘I guess being born is hard work,’ he said in hushed tones.

As she manoeuvred Emma’s mouth to her nipple, Liz heard him draw in a sharp breath. She looked up to see his eyes glistening with moisture, his throat working. ‘Darling? What’s wrong?’

‘I’m—I’m a dad.’ When he met her gaze his was dark and intense. ‘I want to be a
good
dad.’

She felt her throat close on a hot lump of emotion. After all Jack had done for her here today, the thought that he had any doubts about himself was intolerable. She could help him, that was her choice, her responsibility. To make sure he knew he was a welcome part of Emma’s life always.

‘You will be a good father, darling. You already are. The very best. Thanks to you, our daughter arrived safely.’

‘That was you, sweetheart. You did an awesome job.’

‘
We
did an awesome job here today. I couldn’t have done it without your support. You never faltered, never thought we couldn’t do it.’

His eyes slid away from hers guiltily.

She laughed softly, the urge to cry receding slightly. ‘Well, you never let me
see
your doubts. You were strong when I needed you to be and that takes courage. You gave me the confidence to believe I could do this. We’re a great team.’

‘We are, aren’t we?’ He gave her his gorgeous cocky grin. ‘I love you.’

‘And I love you, Jack Campbell. Emma’s very lucky to have you.’ She smiled at him through fresh tears in her eyes. ‘And so am I.’

Jack’s lips came down to claim hers in a tender caress.