Alessi sitting there with Jessica, the twins’ older sister.
‘Excuse me.’ Alessi glanced up as she came in. ‘I was just speaking with Donna, and Jessica asked if she could have a word. I just came to the nearest room.’
‘That’s fine.’ Isla smiled. ‘I’ll leave you to it.’
‘No, don’t go,’ Alessi said. ‘Jessica was just telling me that she’s too nervous to see the twins but that her mother thinks that she should.’
‘Do you want to see them?’ Isla asked.
‘I don’t know,’ Jessica admitted. ‘I’ve seen their photos and there are so many machines.’
‘NICU can be a scary place,’ Isla said. ‘Alessi is actually coming to speak to my Teenage Mums-To-Be group, in a few weeks’ time, to prepare them in case their babies have to go there. It can be a bit overwhelming but once you get past the machines you’ll see your brothers.’
‘That is what I was just telling Jessica,’ Alessi agreed. ‘They are very cute. Elijah is very much the big brother. Stoic and very strong, he doesn’t like to cry or make a fuss …’
‘And Archie?’ Jessica asked, and Isla heard the twist in the young girl’s voice.
‘He’s way too cute,’ Alessi said, and Isla smiled at the genuine warmth in his voice as he went on to tell Jessica about her youngest brother. ‘His eyes have just opened and he loves the sound of voices, he really does calm down when he hears someone say his name.’
‘I used to talk to him when Mum was pregnant,’ Jessica said.
‘Then he would know your voice.’ Alessi smiled but then looked over when Isla’s cool voice broke in.
‘Are you scared to love them, Jessica?’ she asked, and Alessi could only blink in surprise. Isla asked the tough questions and had clearly got straight to the difficult point because Jessica nodded and started crying. ‘I’m guessing you already do love them,’ Isla said.
‘They might die, though.’
‘I know,’ Isla said. ‘And I know that is so hard to even begin to deal with, but whatever is going to happen you can still have some time with them and let yourself be their big sister. Would you like me to come and spend some time with them with you?’
Clearly it was what Jessica did want because half an hour later, instead of collapsing on the sofa and being grateful that it was the start of Friday night and the end of a long week, Isla was up on NICU with Jessica.
There was no place she would rather be, though. Watching as Jessica’s fear was replaced by smiles, seeing little Archie’s eyes flicker and possibly, possibly a hint of a smile on his lips was time well spent indeed. They took photos and Jessica let her friends know all about her two brothers via social media.
‘I’m off.’ Alessi stood by the incubator. He had changed out of scrubs and was wearing black jeans and a gunmetal-grey top and he looked like the man who had made her heart flip over on sight all those months ago. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow,’ he said to Isla.
‘There’s a big ball tomorrow night,’ Isla explained to Jessica. ‘Alessi’s getting an award.’
‘And I’ll see you on Monday,’ he said to little Archie. ‘In the meantime, behave.’ He nodded his head in the direction of the corridor and Isla excused herself from Jessica, who was holding her brother’s tiny hand. ‘It’s good she’s had some time with them.’
‘I know.’ Isla smiled. ‘It’s going to be tough on her. How do you think Archie—’
‘It’s minute by minute,’ Alessi interrupted, the inevitable answer because there were no guarantees in NICU and especially not with a baby who was so fragile and small. ‘Just take the good times, that’s all you can do sometimes. Are you off now?’
Isla paused before answering; she had a feeling, more than a feeling that they were on the edge of something. That if she said yes, then she’d be joining him for dinner tonight, or for drinks, or for …
Isla looked into his black eyes and there was an absence of fear. Yes, she knew, given his reputation, it could only ever be fleeting. She knew, too, that she couldn’t tell him her truth—he would surely run a mile—yet she knew she was ready.
For him.
Yet, while she wanted to say yes, some things came first. ‘I think I’m going to be here for as long as Jessica wants me to be.’
‘Fair enough.’ Alessi smiled. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, then.’
‘You shall.’
‘Funny, but I’m actually looking forward to it now.’
She knew what he meant and her answer told him the same. ‘So am I.’
ISLA WASN’T FEELING quite so brave the next morning, though there was still a flutter of anticipation in her stomach for the coming night as she downed a grapefruit juice before heading into work for a couple of hours.
‘Haven’t you got a ball that you’re supposed to be getting ready for?’ Darcie teased as they headed out the door.
‘I’m getting my hair done at two,’ Isla said.
‘I guess you’ve got this type of thing down to an art. Still, if I were going to a ball instead of working this weekend, I’d need more than a hair appointment to get me ball-ready! What are you wearing?’
‘Black,’ Isla said. ‘Or red, I haven’t decided. All I know is that I’ve got a mountain in my inbox that needs to be scaled. The weekends when I’m not officially there are the only times I can get anything done on the paperwork front.’
Instead of taking the tram, they walked. Darcie wasn’t on until nine and Isla wasn’t officially working anyway, so they took their time, enjoying the morning and stopping at Isla’s favourite café. She picked up a coffee and a pastry to have at her desk and Darcie did the same.
‘I love the food here,’ Darcie groaned. She’d really taken to the café culture of Melbourne and Isla was only too happy to show her her favourite haunts. Once on the MMU, Darcie took her breakfast to the staffroom to get handover from Sean, and instead of saying hi to the staff Isla headed straight for the quiet of her office. She was just unlocking the door when she saw Alessi walking down the corridor.
‘I thought you were off this weekend?’ Isla frowned.
‘Not any more—I got called in at four,’ Alessi said. ‘I’ve just been speaking with Donna and her husband.’
He followed her into the office. ‘Archie had a large cerebral haemorrhage overnight. We’re taking down all the equipment and letting nature take its course. Emily is about to take them up to NICU to have some time with him.’
‘Oh, poor Donna …’
‘Poor
