The Army Doctor's Christmas Baby (4 page)

"Anything's possible. Although I think he's still hung
up on his wife. That's probably why he won't date. He got very upset the other
night when he showed me her studio."

Kelly cuddled Zoe closer, rubbing the baby's back in
soothing circles. She shouldn't probe into Sean's personal life, but she was
curious. "Do you know anything about his wife?"

"I never met her. Olivia and Radley didn't like her
much, though. Radley thought she was selfish. The whole world revolved around
her and what she wanted. Sean's career had to take second place."

"Interesting." And not at all what Kelly had
expected to hear. "One thing's for sure, she was a beauty."

"Are you surprised?"

Kelly pictured Sean. "I guess not." With Sean's
looks, he could have his pick of the most beautiful women. So why didn't he?

The kettle boiled. Kelly made a pot of tea and they chatted
about babies and ate cookies, breaking off small pieces to give the children.

"I'd better take these two little darlings back home for
some lunch," Kelly said. "If you need me for anything, don't hesitate
to call. You have my mobile number."

"Thanks. I might do that. Cam got paged yesterday evening
to fly out to pick up some casualties. I'm not sure when he'll be home. I have
Radley and Olivia not far away, but it doesn't hurt to have another person to
call just in case. I really don't want to give birth in the back of a
taxi."

Alice struggled to stand and Kelly rounded the table,
offering her an arm. She and Alice embraced and she held her for a few moments.
"I'm sure everything will work out fine with the baby. I
am
here if
you need me. I'm not a midwife, but I know a lot about pediatrics."

She wanted to reassure Alice. She had always liked her, yet
her feelings for Cameron had made her hold back from letting them become good
friends. It was long past time she got to know Alice better.

Chapter Four

Sean stripped off his clothes and hung his uniform on a
hanger, then pulled on the pants and top of his green scrubs. He pushed his
feet into the white plastic clogs he wore in the OR and checked the time.
Normally he'd be heading home now. Today he would miss putting his daughters to
bed, and having dinner with Kelly.

He enjoyed his quiet evenings alone with Kelly, chatting
about army life. From her he'd learned what it was like working as a trauma
nurse in a field hospital, giving front line care to battlefield casualties.
Plastic surgeons weren't utilized that early in the treatment process. His
expertise came in later, so he would never experience overseas deployment. But
it sounded like a challenge she'd enjoyed.

His phone rang and his secretary informed him the army
Aeromed aircraft under Cameron's command had just landed at Brize Norton. The flight
had brought in the seriously injured soldier Sean was preparing for. An
ambulance was bringing the man straight to the hospital. That gave Sean about
fifteen minutes before he was needed in the OR.

He dialed his home number. Kelly picked up almost
immediately and he explained he would be late.

"No problem. Hope the procedure is a success. I'll see
you later."

"Don't bother to wait up for me."

"Okay."

With a strange reluctance, Sean cut the connection. He
stared at his phone, imagining Kelly in the kitchen, preparing dinner for the
girls. Blowing out a breath, he dropped his phone in his locker along with his
wallet and other valuables. It was time to clear his mind and focus on the
operation ahead.

Sean headed down the hall to the area for scrubbing up, put
on his cap and mask, then washed his hands and arms. Radley came in and did the
same, then they held out their hands to be gloved and gowned.

A nurse popped her head around the door. "They're
bringing the patient in now."

"Thanks."

Sean followed Radley into the restricted area of the
surgical suite. The OR was alive with activity as machines bleeped and the
medical team prepared the patient.

The man's injured right arm was supported on a special table
extension. A nurse cut the dressing away. Sean examined the blast damage, his
heart falling. The limb was a mess, the man's lower arm seriously compromised.
The injury itself had caused severe trauma, but it looked as though whoever had
removed the damaged bone, tissue, and shrapnel in the field hospital had
excised too much tissue, creating a larger wound.

"They've made the job of reconstructive surgery almost
impossible," Radley said, his voice grim.

"I'd say the viability of the limb is in
question," Sean added.

"Let's take it one step at a time." Radley gave
some instructions to the team. A nurse fitted his eye loupes on for him and
then did the same for Sean so they had a magnified view for the fine surgical
procedure.

"I hope none of you had anything planned this
evening," Radley said. "We'll be here awhile."

Sean put his head down and started the slow, careful process
of assessment, dictating a plan for reconstruction into a microphone.
"I'll take a skin graft from his shoulder for this section." He pointed
at the man's forearm.

Radley nodded, concentrating on the tendons to the fingers.
That was their pattern, how they worked so well together. Radley did the
internal work, repairing bones, ligaments, and tendons, while Sean concentrated
on creating a visually acceptable outcome for the patient, often grafting skin,
muscle, and bone from other parts of the body to restore the use of a limb.

They worked side by side for hours, exchanging comments and
suggestions, their concentration absolute. Sometimes Sean forgot there was
anyone else in the room except the patient and Radley. After a long time, they
stepped back to assess the situation.

Sean blinked, his eyes bleary. "We've made progress,
but I don't know what we're going to do about the hole in the back of his
hand."

"There are ligaments and bones missing as well. If
we're going to give him a fighting chance of walking away from this with a
functioning hand, we'll need to replace them."

"With what?" Sean said.

Radley met Sean's gaze over his mask. "That's the
question."

Sean glanced around at the weary team who'd all been working
for hours. "We've done what we can for now. Let's call it a day. We'll
have a case meeting tomorrow morning and discuss how we'll move forward."

They stepped aside as a nurse moved in to apply a dressing
to the arm. The patient had been through a difficult procedure and needed a
chance to recover some strength before the next stage.

Sean and Radley walked out. They stripped off their masks,
gowns, and gloves, dumped them in the receptacles provided, then headed back
towards their rooms together.

"By the way," Radley said, "I meant to ask.
How did you get along with the bunny girl?"

"I'm employing her."

Radley's eyebrows rose.

"To look after my twins."

"Ah." Radley chuckled. "Cameron and Alice
seemed to think you needed help getting a date."

"Yeah, right." A pretty nurse sashayed towards
them, batting her eyelashes in their direction. "When I want a date, I'll
choose my own."

Despite his words, he secretly thought Cameron and Alice had
done a darn good job by choosing Kelly.

He smiled, thoughts of her drifting through his weary mind
like a balm to his soul.

"So, any ideas about the reconstruction of the
patient's hand?"

Sean's expression sobered. "I'll review the
literature."

"Good idea. We'll talk tomorrow."

They parted company when Sean reached his office door. He
stripped and put on his uniform. A splash of cold water on his face would help
him stay awake on the way home. Then he headed down to his car.

By the time he tapped in the gate code and stopped in front
of River View House, it was nearly midnight. He cut the sports car engine and
sat for a moment, pinching the bridge of his nose. There must be a way to
repair the man's hand to make it both functional and visually acceptable. If
another surgical team had come up against this issue and solved it, he could
copy what had been done before. If not, he would have to be creative. Often
surgery like this was as much art as science.

He climbed out and fitted his key in the front door lock. As
he closed the door behind him, footsteps sounded.

Kelly stood in the kitchen doorway at the end of the hall,
the low light shining through her long waves of dark red hair, giving her a
shimmering mahogany halo. "Hello. How did the operation go?"

She had waited up for him. A burst of pleasure pushed back
the tide of weariness for a moment. "Good as far as it goes. The man will
need a number of surgeries before we're finished."

"Don't dwell on it now. It's time to switch off. You should
eat and get some sleep."

Sean blinked his gritty eyes. He was pleased to see her, but
all he wanted to do was fall into bed. He glanced up the stairs and she moved
towards him. "Eat first."

She was all business as she splayed a palm on his back to
propel him in the direction of the kitchen. He sat on a stool at the island,
the delicious smell of coffee and toast making his mouth water. He hadn't
realized how hungry he was.

Kelly poured him a cup of coffee with two sugars and cream,
just as he liked it. She pulled a toasted cheese and ham sandwich from under
the heat, cut it up, and passed him the plate. "I knew you wouldn't want
too much to eat, but you need something."

"Thanks." It was more than Eleanor had ever done
for him, or Monique for that matter. She left him a cold sandwich if he was
going to be late.

Kelly leaned her elbows on the other side of the island and
watched him eat, like a mother making sure her child cleaned his plate.

"I know how it feels to be exhausted after a long
operation. It wipes out your appetite, even when you really need to eat,"
she said. "It got like that during busy periods in the field hospital.
After the worst engagements, we were working nonstop for three or four days
with barely a moment to eat or drink and certainly no sleep."

"I guess what I do is tame by comparison."

"I've watched surgeons work, the total concentration
they need. You must have been in the OR for about four hours. Even with the
modern facilities of a high-tech hospital, that's exhausting."

She took his dirty plate and slotted it in the dishwasher.
"Okay, Colonel Fabian, sir, time for bed. We don't want you falling asleep
in the kitchen."

"It wouldn't be the first time."

"No. I thought not." Kelly stood over him as he
dragged himself up from the stool.

How strange it was to have a woman here who understood what
he did and how he felt. If he'd married Kelly instead of Eleanor, he'd have
been much happier.

***

Kelly woke to the sound of a baby whimpering. She kept her
bedroom door ajar to hear the twins at night. She'd become so attuned to them,
even the slightest murmur of distress pulled her from sleep.

She rubbed her eyes and slipped from the bed. Putting on a
fleece jacket over her pajamas to ward off the chill, she padded barefoot down
the hall to the next bedroom.

Although she hadn't heard him, Sean had beaten her there.
Silhouetted by moonlight, he sat on a rocking chair in front of the window with
one of his daughters held close, her head resting on his shoulder.

A wave of warm emotions stole through Kelly at the adorable
sight of Sean cuddling his baby daughter. He had been wiped out when he arrived
home, barely able to keep his eyes open. Although she'd had ample proof he was
a hands-on dad, doing everything he could for his daughters while he was here,
she hadn't expected him to stir until morning, let alone get out of bed to tend
to his child.

A quick glance at the cribs confirmed her suspicion it was
Zoe.

"Is it her teeth?" Kelly whispered, not wanting to
disturb Annabelle who slept on.

Sean's head came up and he blinked sleepily. "I think
so. When did she last have something for the discomfort?"

"Before bedtime, so it's fine to give her another
dose."

"Okay. I'll fetch the medicine." He started to get
up.

"No. Let me. You stay there."

Kelly went downstairs to retrieve the bottle of pain-relief
syrup and a dosing spoon, then hurried back.

Sean rocked slowly in the chair, his cheek against Zoe's
hair. He turned his head as Kelly entered and sat straighter, adjusting Zoe so
she could take her painkiller.

Kelly crouched beside them and filled the spoon."

Here you are, poppet. This will make you feel better."

The little girl pressed her face into Sean's chest.

"Hey, munchkin, look at Daddy." Sean eased her
away and cupped her chin in his hand. "This will stop your tooth hurting.
Will you be a good girl and take the medicine for Daddy?"

She nodded. When Kelly offered the spoon again, Zoe opened
her mouth and took it without complaint.

As Kelly screwed on the bottle lid, Zoe snuggled deeper into
Sean's arms, curling up like a baby animal in a nest, obviously comforted by
her father's touch.

Both father and daughter looked adorable with their golden
hair mussed and their sleepy faces. Kelly laid an affectionate hand on Sean's
arm and smiled at the Superman logo on the front of his pajama top. Whoever had
given him that was spot-on. She doubted it was the sort of gift his wife would
have thought of, though.

According to Alice, Sean's wife hadn't supported his career.
That wasn't uncommon in the army; partners often got fed up with their army
spouses being away. But Sean's wife was one of the lucky ones. His medical
specialty meant he had always been posted in the UK.

How could any woman not support a husband who spent his time
saving the lives of soldiers who protected this country's freedoms and
democratic way of life?

If Sean had been her husband, she would have supported him
and then some. "Shall I take over so you can get some sleep?"

"No, I've got this. I missed putting the girls to bed.
It's good to spend a little time with Zoe now."

"Okay." Kelly rose, reluctantly removing her hand
from his arm, and placed the medicine bottle on the changing unit at his side.
"It's nearly four, so she can have another dose about breakfast
time."

He nodded. There was no reason for her to stay. She should
go back to bed, but her feet didn't move. The warm, sleepy atmosphere and the
gentle sound of the babies' breathing lulled her. She wanted to curl up in the
other chair, to be part of this intimate family moment and watch Sean and Zoe
together.

"Can I get you anything, Sean? A drink, maybe."

"Actually, a glass of water would be great. I didn't
drink as much as I should yesterday. I'm a little dehydrated."

Pleased to help, she hurried downstairs again and returned
with a glass of iced water from the fridge dispenser.

She handed it across and watched him down all of it. He
blinked sleepily. Without thought, Kelly placed her hand over his against Zoe's
back. She was drawn to touch him, wanted to snuggle up with him and his baby.

His gaze rose to meet hers. For a moment they stared at each
other in the moonlight, her whole body alive at the simple contact of his skin
against hers.

This man was so much more than a good-looking face, he was
kind and gentle. She was already halfway in love with him.

If Sean asked her to stay here, she would change her plans
in a heartbeat. She had avoided relationships because she couldn't have
children and most men wanted a family. But Sean already had his daughters.
Maybe he and his babies were the answer to her prayers, a ready-made family who
needed a wife and mother to make them complete.