my family ringing again and asking where I am,’ he said, ‘and that is one alarm that I am going to ignore!’
Isla smiled as he turned off his phone and gave the group his full attention.
He went through many things and then asked if anyone had questions, which they all did, even Ruby.
‘What happens if a baby is disabled?’ Ruby asked.
Isla had sat in on a meeting just that morning about her baby. There was talk of out-of-utero surgery, if a suitable doctor could be found, though Ruby didn’t know about this yet.
She was in a very fragile place and Isla was very proud of her for asking questions.
‘Many of the babies I look after will have disabilities,’ Alessi said. ‘When you say what happens …’
‘Do you care as much about them?’ Ruby asked. ‘Or do you think the mother should have got rid of it? What happens if the baby is up for adoption?’
There was a long stretch of silence and Isla fought not to step in yet she glanced at Alessi and knew that she didn’t have to. He was taking care with his answer as he looked at the hostile and very scared girl.
‘The only thing I would think in that instance,’ Alessi said, ‘was that by the time the mother and baby get to be in my care, a lot of very difficult decisions have already been made and a lot of obstacles faced.’
He hesitated for a moment before continuing. ‘A lot of my babies will leave the unit and require a lot of extra care just to do normal things. Many, too, leave healthy. My job, my goal, is to hand the baby to its carer, whoever that may be, in the best possible health. That is my goal every day when I go into work. You ask if I care as much. I care about every one of my patients. Some need more care than others and I see that they get it.’
She couldn’t not tell him about the pregnancy. Isla had long known that but it was confirmed then.
She was keeping her baby and so the decisions that would be made for its care would involve Alessi also.
She looked at his wide, lovely smile as he even managed to get a small laugh from Ruby, and Isla imagined his expression when she told him they were bound for ever—that the cool and together ‘I’ve got this covered’ Isla hadn’t even been on the Pill.
She deserved his reaction, she expected the row, and she’d prefer that than Alessi choosing to do the right thing, to marry her, stick together …
‘Now, I’m going to have to leave.’ Alessi broke into her introspection. ‘I have some time for some questions but it is my parents’ fortieth anniversary tonight and I am already in trouble for being late.’
He didn’t rush them through the questions, though. Ruby had no more but she took a generous helping of sandwiches with her and left, while a couple of girls hung around to speak with Alessi. ‘I’ll return this,’ Isla offered, unplugging the incubator, knowing that Alessi had other places he needed to be.
She wheeled the incubator back up to NICU and chatted with the nurses there for a while.
‘How’s Elijah?’ Isla asked.
‘Well, it’s still early days,’ the senior nurse said. ‘He gave us all a terrible time last week but he seems to be holding his own at the moment. Donna will be coming in soon to bring in some breast milk. She generally comes in at this time if you want to hang around.’
‘Not tonight,’ Isla said.
Tonight she needed to get her head around her decision—somehow she would tell Alessi, but away from here, Isla thought as she walked back down to MMU.
‘Oh!’ As Isla pushed open the door, there was Alessi.
Alone.
‘I thought you had to get to your parents’ …’
‘They can wait,’ Alessi said. ‘This can’t. I want to know what happened, Isla. I want to know what’s going on.’
Isla took a deep breath.
‘Any time now, Isla,’ he said. His phone was ringing and he saw that it was Allegra, no doubt demanding to know where he was.
‘I’ll be there as soon as I can!’ Alessi had to keep himself from shouting and Isla screwed her eyes shut as he switched to Greek.
When he ended the call she met his eyes and it was time for the truth. ‘I’m pregnant, Alessi.’
His reaction was nothing like she had expected. His face had already been pale, Isla realised, but it paled a little further and then he gave her a very small smile.
‘Can you hold that thought?’
‘Sorry?’ Isla blinked.
‘Allegra is at the party and doesn’t want to make a fuss but she thinks she might be in labour.’
‘Oh!’
‘She sounds as if she’s in labour.’
‘Meaning?’
‘One conversation, two contractions.’
‘She needs to get here.’
‘Try telling her that,’ Alessi said, and handed her his phone. ‘While we get there.’
IT WAS THE strangest car ride.
Isla’s news hung between them while both were grateful for the pause.
Alessi wanted some time with his thoughts rather than say something he might later regret. Is it mine? was, for Alessi, the obvious question.
In turn, Isla was relieved that her secret was out and that the world was still turning.
‘I think I’ve left it too late to get to hospital …’ Allegra, from the echo Isla could hear, was in the bathroom.
‘That’s fine.’ Isla’s voice was calm. ‘We’re a couple of minutes away. I’m going to call for backup. Are you in the bathroom?’
‘Yes.’
‘Where’s Steve?’
‘Can I hang up on you and text him?’ Allegra asked. ‘I don’t want the whole family piling in.’
‘Give me his number,’ Isla said. ‘I’ll text him from my phone, you just keep talking to me.’
‘My waters just broke.’
‘Okay,’ Isla said. ‘What colour is the fluid?’ She heard Alessi let out a tense breath as it became obvious from the conversation that things were moving along rather rapidly.
