of very sophisticated equipment to make an environment close to as good as your uterus is for your babies. We need to get you to a big hospital before your labour gets any further along. Do you understand?’
Shannon, Georgia and Del all nodded.
Max smiled at the three noddies. ‘I’ll be speaking to a doctor who will find where and when you’ll be going and when I know I’ll come back and tell you.
‘In the meantime, Georgia is going to give you two more tablets twenty minutes apart. Maybe later also an injection that will help the babies lungs mature for when they are born. Let Georgia know if you think your labour is getting stronger, OK?’
‘Than’ ’ou.’ Del’s quiet voice stopped Georgia as she turned away. So Del could speak. Trust Max to have elicited a response when she couldn’t. Were any women immune to the man?
‘You’re welcome, Del.’ He gave the young girl one of his special smiles and Del smiled mistily back.
Max stood up and examined the CTG tracing. ‘Your contractions have slowed a little to fiveminutely so the first dose of drug is working. Georgia will give you another tablet now.’
He looked up at Georgia. ‘I’ll be in the office on the phone if you need me.’
In the next twenty minutes Del’s contractions slowed to ten-minutely but they didn’t stop. Flo had been outside to see if the fog had lifted but the mountain still lay shrouded.
Georgia sought Max out as he finished the admission letter for whichever hospital would finally take her.
‘Del’s contractions are strong and very regular, sitting at ten minutes apart.’
He spread his hands. ‘There’s a chance one of the outlying Sydney hospitals may take her, otherwise she may have to go on to Canberra.’
‘If they don’t decide soon, she’ll get her wish and deliver here.’ Max seemed very calm considering they might have premature twins on their hands. ‘We’ll send her out by road ambulance to the base hospital until the fixed-wing aircraft can land.’
Georgia frowned. She’d tried that. ‘They refused her.’
‘With the airfields shut, they’ve OK’d it now. They said they’d even send the escort. But if she’s in strong labour they won’t take her on the plane either so she’ll have to go somewhere.’
Georgia smiled. Max had really done some ringing around. ‘You wanted the joys of rural obstetrics.’
He grinned at her. ‘Aren’t you having fun?’
‘The more the merrier.’
Max looked at her. ‘You may have spoken too soon.’ The screech of tyres could be heard coming hard round the bend into the hospital and they looked at each other as another screech heralded the arrival of someone in a great hurry.
A tall, bearded man rushed in, his eyes panicky with emotion. ‘Help us. My wife, Susie, is in the car, and she’s having the baby right now.’
Georgia tapped Max’s arm. ‘You go. I’ll get the emergency kit and a warm blanket and meet you there.’ Max nodded and jogged after the man.
Georgia hurried to collect the small tray, a warm blanket and infant rug from the hot box and a wheelchair in case they could move the woman to a more comfortable place for delivery.
By the time Georgia arrived they needed the warm blanket for the baby and the cord clamp and scissors.
The husband was calmer now that he wasn’t alone to cope and it was a very relieved family that moved into the ward to ensure all was well.
Susie clutched her baby to her as if she didn’t know where he’d come from.
‘It’s all a shock but you did beautifully,’ Max said with a smile. ‘Your son didn’t mind in the least being born in the car. He’ll probably grow up to be a rally driver.’
Flo stuck her head into the room. ‘There’s a phone call for you, Doctor.’ Max nodded to indicate he was returning to the other room, and Georgia had to smile at his mode of communication. Very appropriate for Del.
Susie shuddered. ‘Not if he drives like his father did on the way here. The fog made it a nightmare.’
‘Susie’s blood pressure is up,’ Gerry said mournfully.
‘Mine would be, too,’ Georgia said with a smile. ‘Perhaps you could just check it again in fifteen minutes, please. I’ll go back to Del if you settle everyone and maybe offer a cup of tea in here.’
‘Sure.’ Gerry was happy to have something to do with all the excitement. ‘Flo’s had all the fun this morning,’ she said.
Fifteen minutes later the ambulance arrived to take Del to the base hospital until the fog lifted, and Georgia only just finished all the transfer papers in time.
Max put the phone down. ‘They don’t want the steroids given or any more nifedipine.’
‘Do they want us to check her cervical dilatation before she leaves?’ Usually patients were assessed to ensure delivery wasn’t imminent or likely to occur during the transport period.
‘None of those things,’ Max said with a frown. ‘I queried it but the consultant was adamant.’
‘Things change all the time. Must be a new study out that I haven’t heard of,’ Georgia said, but it did seem strange to her as well.
Georgia signed and printed her name and packaged her letter and Max’s letter to the consultant stating what they’d done to go with Del.
A midwife from the base hospital had arrived as escort, which meant Georgia didn’t have to call anyone in to cover for her.
Suddenly the ward was quiet. All they had to do was clean up and prepare for the next person to come in.
After all the excitement it was a bit of an anticlimax and she wished Max could stay and have a coffee with her but she didn’t ask because it felt needy.
He waved and left and instead Flo and Gerry helped Georgia restock the trays.
‘This tray thing works pretty well.’ Flo repacked with satisfaction.
‘I wonder which one we get to use next,’ Gerry said gloomily, and Georgia laughed.
When Max walked in after work that night, Georgia had Elsa on a rug on the floor in the lounge. Elsa was stretched out on her tummy, kicking her legs with her nappy off as if trying to swim.
For Max, seeing mother and daughter so relaxed in his home, squeezed his heart so hard it was almost chest pain.
He despaired of ever being a part of their closeness. He should just enjoy this now because since the other night Georgia had created a distance between them he could feel growing every day.
At this moment she was laughing at the fierce expression on Elsa’s face as she tried to propel herself forward.
Georgia
