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is it?’ Georgina asked. ‘What’s happening to my babies?’

      ‘It’s something called twin-to-twin transfusion,’ Ella explained. ‘You know you’ve got two sets of identical twins.’

      ‘Two boys and two girls—Graham, Rupert, Lily and Rose,’ Georgina said.

      ‘Lovely names,’ Oliver said. ‘Two of my nieces are called Lily and Rose.’

      ‘What’s wrong with them?’ Georgina asked.

      ‘Lily and Rose are both fine,’ Ella reassured her. ‘But Graham and Rupert have a problem.

      Normally identical twins share a placenta, and the blood flows evenly between the babies, so they both get the same amount of blood flow and nutrition. But sometimes there’s a problem with the blood vessels so one twin gets too much and one doesn’t get enough. The twin that gets too much blood wees more, and that produces more amniotic fluid round him, and the twin that doesn’t get enough wees less and has less amniotic fluid. That’s why it’s called twin-to-twin transfusion.’

      ‘Are they—will they be all right?’ Georgina asked. ‘And was it something I did?’

      ‘It’s definitely not anything you did,’ Oliver said. ‘It just happens, sometimes.’

      ‘You did the best thing by coming straight in to us when you weren’t feeling right,’ Ella added.

      ‘And we’ll do our very best to keep them healthy,’ Oliver said. ‘There are several things we can do, but I’d like to bring in a specialist who’s very, very experienced at doing surgery in the womb.’

      ‘You’re going to operate on one of the boys while they’re still inside me?’ Georgina asked, looking shocked.

      ‘That depends on what Juliet thinks is the best thing to do,’ Oliver said, ‘but it’s a possibility. You can discuss your options with Dr Warren, too. I know he’s been your named doctor since day one, so it’s important that you talk to him.’

      ‘So when’s this going to happen?’ Georgina asked. ‘Today? Because I want Leo here.’

      ‘Ella told me he’s coming from New York. Don’t worry, it won’t be today,’ Oliver said, ‘so there’s plenty of time for him to get here.’

      ‘We’re going to keep you in for a few days,’ Ella said. ‘I want to monitor the babies, so we’ll be hooking you up with some wires, and we’ll keep you comfortable until Juliet gets here.’

      ‘Can’t Charlie do the operation?’ Georgina asked.

      ‘Juliet has much more experience,’ Oliver said. ‘And I’m sure Charlie will be in to see you as soon as he’s out of Theatre and he will explain everything. I’m due in clinic, but if you need me then Ella will give me a call.’

      ‘Thank you,’ Georgina said.

      Charlie came in as soon as he was out of Theatre. ‘I’m so sorry I wasn’t here, Georgie.’ Standing by the bed, he quickly read her case notes. He had been informed there was a situation on the way from Theatre. ‘Ella, who diagnosed the TTT?’

      Ella filled him in on everything except Juliet’s potential involvement; it wasn’t her place to tell Charlie.

      ‘I understand it’s a little overwhelming, Georgie,’ Charlie said. ‘But there are treatment options. Don’t think the worst. We might not have to deliver the babies early.’

      ‘Oliver said the babies might have an operation in my womb,’ Georgina said.

      ‘It’s a possibility, but we’ll discuss every option with you and Leo and we’ll go ahead the way you want us to go,’ Charlie reassured her.

      Ella stayed with Georgina until the end of her shift; but then she discovered that Lexie, the midwife who was meant to take over from her for the night shift, had gone down with the vomiting bug.

      ‘Don’t worry. I’ll stay with you, Georgie,’ Ella promised.

      ‘But—you’ve been working all day.’

      ‘That’s fine,’ Ella said with a smile. ‘You’re one of my mums, and I’m not leaving you while you’re worried.’

      Clearly Oliver wasn’t happy about the situation when he heard about it, because he came to the door of Georgina’s room. ‘A word, Ella?’

      ‘How did you get on with Juliet?’ she asked, hoping to head him off.

      ‘She’ll be here on Monday. But that wasn’t what I wanted to talk to you about.’ He sighed. ‘Ella, you can’t work a double shift.’

      Ordering her about again. ‘Watch me,’ Ella said grimly. ‘You know the situation. Lexie’s gone down with the virus.’

      ‘Health and Safety would have the biggest hissy fit in the world.’

      Ella shrugged. ‘Their problem. I’m not leaving Georgie.’

      ‘I can get an agency nurse in to cover Lexie’s shift. Ella, you need to look after yourself.’ His face tightened. ‘And our baby.’

      ‘Georgie’s worried as it is,’ Ella pointed out. ‘I’m not leaving her to be looked after by someone she’s never met before. She knows me and she’s comfortable with me.’

      ‘And you’re putting your health at risk.’

      ‘OK, then. I’m off duty—and I’m visiting someone in Teddy’s.’

      ‘Now you’re being ridiculous.’ Oliver scowled at her.

      ‘I’m not. I care about my mums, and I’m not deserting someone who right now is on her own and worried sick about her babies. Georgie’s mum has the vomiting bug, so she can’t come in, and her husband’s on a plane back from New York. That means that Georgie’s on her own, knowing there’s something wrong with one of her babies and worrying that the worst is going to happen. I’m not just walking out of that door and leaving her to it.’

      Oliver sighed. Why did Ella feel that she had to prove herself over and over again? ‘You’re a good midwife, Ella. Everyone in Teddy’s knows that.’

      She lifted her chin. ‘Thank you.’

      ‘But you also have to remember that you’re pregnant. You can’t work a twenty-four-hour shift. I wouldn’t let a non-pregnant member of staff do that, let alone one who’s pregnant.’

      Ella shrugged. ‘Then I’m a visitor who’s staying.’

      A stubborn visitor. ‘Just promise me you’ll put your feet up, you won’t rush around, and you’ll eat properly.’

      ‘I’m not stupid, Oliver.’

      ‘I know that.’

      ‘I’m not going to do anything reckless or anything that could hurt the baby. But I can’t just walk away and leave Georgie worrying. Can’t you see that?’

      Yes, he could. Because Ella was sweet and kind and was always the first to offer help. ‘All right,’ he said. ‘You can stay with her as a visitor, provided you put your feet up and rest properly. But you are absolutely not working. I’ll get agency cover.’

      ‘As long as the agency midwife knows that I’m Georgie’s named midwife and to run everything past me,’ Ella insisted.

      If he didn’t agree, he knew Ella would find a way of breaking the rules and work a double shift. ‘All right,’ he said.

      But two could play that game. And he made quite sure that Ella had a proper evening meal, because he brought it in to her himself on a tray. ‘No arguments,’ he said.

      And he could

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