nurse came over then—it was Rosie—and Dominic explained why he was here and she waved him on.
Really, he could have just popped in, but he had wanted the separation, for this was not a doctor visiting.
It was a brother, a brother-in-law and an uncle that had come to visit this morning.
He looked through the glass as he approached and saw the little family.
Lorna was holding William, who was attached to monitors, but he looked rested and pink in his mother’s arms.
And there was Jamie hovering over them.
Dominic could have waited until his parents arrived to drop in on them, but he had never needed the shield of his parents. He had just needed the ability to look his brother and Lorna in the eye.
Without hurt or malice.
‘Hey.’
He knocked on the open door and Lorna looked up and he could see that she was startled.
Jamie stood up a touch straighter and was clearly nervous at Dominic’s unexpected arrival.
‘How is he doing?’ Dominic asked.
‘Better,’ Jamie said. ‘They’ve got him on something called beta...’ He struggled with all the new terminology.
‘Beta-blockers.’ Dominic nodded. ‘They slow the heart down and steady things.’
‘I think I might need some,’ Lorna said, and let out a nervous laugh as she made a feeble joke.
Oh, it seemed such a long time ago since they had been together and so much had happened since then.
‘Well, you’ve had a very difficult time with William.’
Dominic chose his words carefully, refusing to allude to the situation between the three of them.
It was over with.
He gave her a smile and saw that she relaxed.
‘I got this for William,’ Dominic said, and handed over the wrapped present to Lorna.
She opened it while holding William, and with all his drips and things it took a while, but when Lorna saw what it was she smiled. It was a little Scottie dog, wearing a tartan bow.
‘He’s gorgeous,’ she said. ‘We didn’t think to bring any toys with us. It will be nice to have something for his cot here.’
‘Here,’ Dominic said, and handed Jamie the card. Knowing how useless Jamie was with money Dominic had put in a generous cheque. It wasn’t for the baby though. ‘I thought you could get something for the nursery or a pusher or whatever.’
‘Thank you.’
But it was the words on the card that mattered the most to Jamie and he read them again.
Dear Lorna and Jamie,
Congratulations on the birth of William.
I am thrilled to be an uncle and looking forward to watching him grow up. I know you’ll be amazing parents.
Love, Dominic
And Jamie knew that his brother always meant every word.
‘Do you want a hold of him?’ Jamie asked, and his voice was a bit choked. ‘Or maybe...’ He hesitated, worried that it might be too much for his brother, but Dominic had meant every word.
He was ready now to be in his nephew’s life.
‘I’d love to hold him.’
Dominic held many babies in a day’s work but he hadn’t held a baby outside of that parameter, ever.
And it was very different.
William really was a gorgeous baby and had the MacBride chin and long, long hands and feet. The change of arms woke him and he opened up his eyes and gave his uncle a smile.
‘You don’t remember me from last week, do you?’ Dominic said to him. ‘Because I was sticking needles in you then.’
‘He’s looking better though?’ Lorna anxiously asked.
‘He is. And I know you must be terrified but we’re a tough lot and I’m sure that he’s going to be fine.’ Dominic held him for a couple of moments and, as he did, it occurred to him that in the not too distant future he would be holding a baby of his own.
How could you ever walk away from your own child?
Dominic wasn’t one to let his emotions run away with him, but as he looked at the little baby, he felt a choke of emotion on behalf of Victoria.
He made a choice then to be patient, a choice that he would wait for however long it took for her to trust in him.
Not just as a father.
He had far greater plans for them than that.
Dominic handed the baby back to his mother and then he shook his brother’s hand.
‘Congratulations,’ Dominic said, and he could finally look him in the eye and smile.
‘Oh!’
He turned at the sound of his mother’s voice and saw the concern in his father’s expression.
‘I was just dropping in to see how William was doing,’ Dominic explained.
‘Is everything okay?’ William Senior asked as he came in.
‘All’s good,’ Dominic said. ‘I’ll see you back at home. And, Lorna,’ he added. ‘If you want a proper dinner or to stay at my home, then you’re very welcome.’ He turned to his mother. ‘But I’ve been working all night, remember, so can you please keep it down.’
And they were back to being a family.
Dominic made his way back to Accident and Emergency. He had a coffee and killed time, watching as a nurse rolled her eyes as she did her best to hold on to her temper as she spoke with someone on the phone.
‘I am sorry about that but I wasn’t working last night. I’ll try and find out for you.’ She pressed Mute and let out a hiss. ‘That man!’
‘Who?’
‘Professor Christie over at Riverside.’
‘What does he want?’
‘A transfer last night...’ She shook her head. ‘Don’t worry, I know you’re not on.’
‘It’s fine.’
He picked up the phone and on the other end of the line he heard the great Professor Christie berate a member of staff.
‘Hello,’
