Midwife in the Family Way by Fiona McArthur Page A

insects.’ She watched the car drive away with a worried frown. ‘Do you think she’ll manage? He’s a big man.’
    Gianni shrugged. ‘It is the right of a wife to care for her husband. And vice versa. If he’s too much for her to handle then we can care for him here. Or if he becomes more unwell, he’ll be transferred out to Brisbane.’ They turned to go back inside. ‘I think your Christine needs to try, and you seem to have a good support system here.’
    â€˜We do.’ She stripped the bed and wiped it over. To her surprise, Gianni returned the monitors to their place against the wall and cleared the paper litter. She hadn’t imagined he was used to helping nurses. To cover her confusion, Emma rattled on. ‘I’ve spoken to Montana. We’ll finish the shift one down but she’ll cover Christine’s shifts for the next few days with my friend Tammy.’
    Gianni helped her tuck the sheet in and then watched her as she slid the new cover over a pillow. ‘It is a very efficient service here. I’ve never worked in a hospital that feels as close knit and supportive as your Lyrebird Lake.’
    â€˜Thank you.’ She looked at him and could tell he was sincere. No doubt it would be totally different to his work conditions. ‘I imagine it’s pretty fraught when you arrive at disasters with very little back-up. Here we have Andy for the doctors and the hospital admin, and Montana for the nurses, and they’re both greattroubleshooters. They’ve been here since before Grace was born.’
    â€˜And one day, your daughter, Grace, she will work here too?’ He smiled and she nodded.
    She just hoped she was well enough to see that. Emma glanced around the tidy room and realised there was just the two of them now the influx of patients had cleared. ‘Cup of tea? Might be a good idea to have lunch—this place is feast or a famine with patients.’
    Gianni also looked around and she could see his surprise that the ward was empty. ‘You finished everyone. They have gone home? Well done when we weren’t looking.’
    She felt a little glow from his praise. A glow was safe enough. As long as he didn’t touch her. ‘You’d written in their notes, so no problem. We’re a good team.’
    There was a pause as they both thought about what she’d said, and suddenly the banter died. ‘Everyone who works here is a good team,’ Emma said, and turned away. ‘Have you any lunch or do you want to go to the kiosk and buy something? I’ve brought mine.’ Not that she felt like eating. ‘I’ll watch the door.’
    â€˜Louisa has packed my lunch. Like a bambino . She gives me fruit, as well.’ He shrugged and grinned, and she saw for a moment the small boy he’d been many years ago.
    â€˜Lucky you.’ Bummer, Emma thought. So much for him leaving for a brief respite. She chewed her lip. Of course Louisa would enjoy looking after a man again.For herself, she wished Louisa hadn’t. Five minutes to get her head together would have been very welcome.
    They moved to the tea room through an open door adjacent to the emergency entry and both sighed as they sank with relief onto the chairs in the little room.
    He was so close. Emma slid across to the far edge of her chair. The space was much too small to sit comfortably with Gianni, Emma grumbled to herself. Strange when she’d had many a pleasant break in here with Christine.
    He opened his lunch and bit into a roll with relish. Emma looked at her salad and put the lid back on it. How did you behave normally with a man you barely knew yet knew intimately? Where did she look? What could she say and how could she make her body ignore the fact that he’d touched every inch of her with magic and she him?
    She picked up a magazine and fanned herself before she realised what she was doing. Horrified she’d given