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      ‘Right,’ he said, as if to himself, and then he addressed Kathy. ‘You’re going to feel a sting from the local anaesthetic and then a bit of pressure. I’ll need you to stay as still as you can—do you understand that?’

      ‘I do—but what if I get a contraction.’

      ‘It’s fine. I’m used to them. I’ll work around it.’

      He went through everything that she could expect to feel, and as the next contraction came he put on gloves, waiting for the pain to diminish before the procedure commenced.

      ‘I’m sorry,’ Ben said suddenly.

      ‘It’s fine,’ Richard responded. ‘It’s awful to see someone you love in pain. However, by all accounts your partner has been doing marvellously. Let’s try and make this last bit a whole lot easier for her, shall we?’

      Whoa! Freya thought as she held on to Kathy. He had somehow accepted the apology while reminding the husband just who this day was about.

      ‘Why don’t you come this side?’ Freya suggested to Ben. She knew he was really just terribly anxious. ‘You can hold Kathy’s hand.’

      This time he didn’t shake his head and came and took his wife’s hand.

      Richard worked quietly and soon the epidural was in. Kathy lay back on the delivery bed.

      ‘You’ll need to stay in bed now,’ Richard reminded her as he disposed of his sharps and then removed his gloves. ‘Thank you, Freya. Can I leave my mess to you? I believe I’m wanted in D3.’

      ‘Sure.’

      Freya checked Kathy’s obs, and those of the baby, and by the time she had tidied up Kathy was indeed starting to feel the benefits of the epidural.

      ‘You should try and get a little rest now,’ Freya suggested. ‘I’ll be in and out, and there’s the call bell if you have any concerns at all.’

      ‘Freya!’

      Her name was called the second she stepped out of the room. ‘Can you go and take the baby in D7?’

      Freya nodded and headed to delivery suite number seven. ‘Taking’ a baby was wonderful indeed. It combined all the joy with barely a hint of the pain.

      Stepping in to the delivery suite, she found the atmosphere was lovely and peaceful. Kelly, one of the other midwives was there, along with the soon-to-be father, who had his arms wrapped around his wife’s shoulders.

      In fact Kelly was so calm that even when she told Freya that Dr Mina and the anaesthetist had been paged she did it in such an open way that there was no jolt of alarm from the mother.

      ‘The baby is small for the dates and the head is smaller than expected,’ she said, and Freya checked all the equipment was ready.

      Despite the unexpectedly small head, everything seemed to be under control.

      ‘Try not to push, Sita,’ Kelly said. ‘Just pant.’

      ‘Okay,’ Sita said, and fought against the urge.

      ‘Good girl,’ said Kelly. Her focus was totally on the delivery, and she didn’t look over when the door opened.

      ‘Hello, there,’ Richard said quietly, and Kelly calmly told him the reason for him being paged.

      ‘Thirty-seven weeks and small for dates,’ Kelly explained.

      The room was getting crowded. Stella had come in after Richard, followed by Dr Mina just as the head was delivered. And now there was Guy Masters, the paediatrician on call, whom Freya had already met.

      ‘Well done, Sita,’ Dr Mina said. ‘Just breathe and do as Kelly says. Dr Masters is a paediatrician and he’s here to check your baby.’

      The head really was tiny, and Freya found she was holding her breath as the body slithered out. But even as she accepted him he started to cry. His huge eyes were blinking at the light and his little face was wrinkled.

      He was utterly gorgeous, Freya thought as she held this tiny piece of the future in her hands. Tiny, but perfect. And as she rubbed him down Guy was already examining him.

      ‘One that is better out than in,’ Guy said.

      The baby had clearly not been getting sufficient nutrition in-utero, but he was angry and defiant and utterly perfect.

      ‘I don’t think we need you, Richard,’ he said as loud cries pierced the room and the baby pinked up beautifully.

      ‘Not with those lungs,’ Richard agreed. And it was just as well he wasn’t needed because his pager was going off.

      He left unnoticed by all, Freya thought. All except her.

      ‘I think he’s ready to meet his mum,’ Guy said, and Freya popped a little hat on the baby to keep him warm, wrapped him, then carried him over to his waiting parents.

      She smiled as she watched a family being born. Freya loved delivering babies, but taking them was special too. They always tried to deliver them straight to the mother, but sometimes, as with this unexpected small size, the baby needed a proper examination. Apart from his size this one was doing just fine. Another perfect new life.

      * * *

      The day seemed to be running away from her. Busy, a bit crazy, and after her hectic morning she could only take a coffee break on the run at the desk.

      There, Dr Mina was speaking with Richard and Kelly was chatting with Stella about a film they were going to see at the weekend.

      ‘It’s supposed to be really good,’ Freya commented, subtly fishing to be asked to go with them, but Kelly just nodded her head.

      Freya took her lunch in the staff room, and just as she returned she was told that Kathy was ready to push.

      When she got to the delivery room Ben was white with fear and Freya gave him a smile.

      ‘I thought you’d gone home,’ Ben said.

      ‘And miss out on this?’ Freya asked.

      Ben proved to be a champion when it came to coaxing Kathy to push. It was clearly an excellent epidural, because she could feel the sensation and some pressure but had no pain.

      ‘Another big push,’ Freya encouraged. ‘Come on—a really big one, right down into your bottom.’

      This time it was Kelly who arrived to take the baby and soon Freya delivered a chunky baby boy. He was gorgeous, and there were tears from both Ben and Kathy as he lay on her stomach, blinking at the world.

      ‘Are you going to cut the cord, Dad?’ Kelly asked, and Ben came over with tears in his eyes to have that special moment with his son.

      Baby Hudson didn’t have a name yet, but by the time Freya was ready for home he’d had his first feed and Kathy had had a well-earned cup of tea.

      It hadn’t been a particularly busy day, or so Freya had been told, and yet she was exhausted.

      The high of Baby Hudson’s birth lasted right through the Tube journey, but faded as she began the walk for home.

      Freya had never been surrounded by more people, and yet she had never felt more alone.

      There was a social club at the hospital, but she was hardly going to walk in on her own, and making friends was proving a lot more difficult than she had anticipated.

      However, later, rather than sit alone with her noodles, Freya reminded herself that she did indeed have friends and called Alison.

      ‘How are things?’ Alison asked.

      ‘Busy,’ Freya said. ‘Well, work is—the social life, not so much.’

      ‘But you’re in London!’ Alison said.

      ‘I know...’ Freya sighed,

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