LITMIR.BIZ

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did some paperwork to fill in the time and then headed over to the room they used for TMTB. She turned on the urn and put out a couple of plates of biscuits and set up. Usually there were five to ten young mums, all at various stages of pregnancy.

      As Isla was setting up a young girl put her head around the door. She was clearly nervous and Isla gave her a warm smile.

      ‘Are you looking for Teenage Mums-To-Be?’ Isla asked, and the girl gave a tentative nod.

      ‘Then you’re in the right place. I’m Isla.’

      ‘Ruby.’

      ‘I’m just setting up but come in and help yourself to a drink. The rest of the group should start arriving any time now.’

      Isla watched as the young girl came in. She was incredibly slim and, Isla guessed, around sixteen years old. She was wearing shorts and a large T-shirt and if she hadn’t been here, Isla wouldn’t have guessed that she was pregnant. It was good that she was here so early in her pregnancy, Isla thought, but when she looked over to where Ruby was making a drink her heart sank as she saw the young girl slipping a few biscuits into her pocket and then a few more.

      She was hungry, Isla realised.

      Pregnant and hungry.

      ‘I’ll be back in a moment, Ruby,’ Isla said, and headed back to the ward. In her office Isla rang down to Catering and asked for sandwiches and a fruit platter and some jugs of juice to be sent up. There were some perks to being a manager because her request went through unquestioned and Isla only wished that she had thought of this long ago. Still, TMTB was a relatively new project and they were all still feeling their way.

      Gradually the other girls started to arrive and at seven the group started and introductions were made. Harriet was nineteen and this was her first pregnancy. She had already been told that her baby was going to have significant issues.

      ‘He’s going to have to have an operation as soon as he’s born,’ Harriet said. ‘I don’t really understand what is happening, but Mum said that she’ll come to my next appointment with me.’

      ‘That’s good,’ Isla said. ‘It’s really helpful to have someone with you at these appointments because sometimes you can forget to ask a question or later not remember what was said.’

      Then it was Alison’s turn. She was about four weeks away from her delivery date and very excited. ‘I didn’t even want to be pregnant,’ Alison admitted, ‘and now I can’t wait.’

      Isla smiled. This was one of the reasons that she loved this group so much. It was very helpful for others to realise that the conflicting emotions they might be feeling weren’t reserved for them. Here the girls got to share in each other’s journeys and Isla had seen that Ruby was listening intently, though she was guarded when it was her turn to speak.

      ‘I’m Ruby,’ she said. ‘I’m fourteen weeks pregnant.’

      ‘How old are you, Ruby?’ Isla asked, and suspicious eyes looked back at her before she answered the question.

      ‘Seventeen.’ She was immediately defensive. ‘My mum wanted me to have an abortion but I’m not getting rid of it.’

      ‘How are things with you and Mum at the moment?’ Isla gently pushed, and Ruby shrugged.

      ‘I haven’t really seen much of her. I’m staying with friends at the moment.’ Isla made a mental note to look at Ruby’s file and see if there was anything more that she could do to support her during this difficult time. She would talk to her away from the group, Isla decided, but for now she moved on.

      Alison had some questions about delivery and pain control and said that she didn’t want to stay in bed.

      ‘You don’t have to,’ Isla said. ‘We usually encourage mothers to move around during labour—walking around is wonderful.’

      There were always a lot of questions. Isla loved the enthusiasm of the teenage mums and more often than not both the questions and answers were interspersed with a lot of laughter.

      It was that sound of laughter that alerted Alessi as he walked out of Maternity, having just checked in again on Donna.

      He hadn’t stopped all day and seeing a huge trolley laden with food being delivered to the room, he assumed that there was an administration meeting going on.

      He was starving and, completely shameless, he followed the trolley into the room, to be greeted by a sight that he wasn’t expecting!

      Isla felt awkward around Alessi and possibly she had every reason to now as he put his head around the door just in time to capture her in a deep squat on the floor as she showed the girls how that position opened up the pelvis nicely!

      Here, though, was not the place to be awkward and so, instead of hurriedly standing, as was her instinct, she remained in a rather embarrassing position and gave him a very bright smile as the girls turned round to see who had interrupted the group.

      ‘Did you smell the food, Alessi?’ Isla asked.

      ‘I did.’ Alessi grinned. ‘Sorry to disturb you. I thought it might be a work meeting and I could steal a few sandwiches. I’ll let you guys get on.’

      ‘Shall we feed him?’ Isla said to the girls, and they all agreed that they should. Well, of course they did—Alessi was seriously gorgeous. He went over to the trolley and as he selected some sandwiches and fruit Isla introduced him.

      ‘Alessi is one of our neonatologists. Some of you may have quite a bit to do with him once your baby is here.’

      He gave a small wave but instead of taking his food and walking off he turned to the group. ‘For feeding me you can ask any questions that you want.’

      Isla was more than pleasantly surprised and, yes, the girls, especially Harriet, did have questions that they wanted to ask, and Isla knew she had lost her audience.

      ‘Why don’t we all get something to eat?’ Isla suggested, and before she’d even finished the sentence chairs were scraping as the girls headed over for supper and to talk to the gorgeous doctor who had joined them.

      She was going to provide food each time, Isla decided, watching as Ruby and another young mum really did fill up their plates. They were hungry, seriously hungry, Isla realised, kicking herself that she hadn’t thought to do this before.

      Well, that would change now.

      ‘We’ll have pizza next time,’ Isla said, and she saw Ruby’s ears prick up. Anything that brought these young mums back to the group was more than worth it. Not only did their questions get answered but through meeting regularly friendships were forged, and it also meant that Isla could keep an extra eye on these vulnerable young girls.

      Alessi was really fantastic with them, answering Harriet’s questions easily. ‘Do you want me to come again?’ Alessi asked Isla. ‘I could prepare a talk if you like.’

      ‘That would be great,’ Isla said. ‘We meet each fortnight.’

      Alessi pulled out his phone and checked his calendar. ‘I already have a meeting scheduled for the next one and the fortnight after that is my parents’ wedding anniversary …’ He thought for a moment. ‘What time does it finish?’

      ‘About eight thirty or nine,’ Isla said.

      ‘That’s fine, then,’ Alessi said, then turned to the group. ‘Think up some questions for me.’ He smiled at Harriet and then said goodbye to them and left. There were a few wolf whistles as he went and Isla laughed, glad to see the lift to the group that Alessi had given.

      And also terribly aware of the lift in her.

      After she finished up, instead of heading straight for home Isla went up to the ward.

      She guessed he’d be there and she was right.

      ‘Aren’t you finished?’ Isla asked.

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