Christmas Kisses Collection. Louise Allen
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With half an hour until she had to be with Georgina, Juliet decided to pop in and check on Bea. After stepping out of the elevator, she rounded the corner and saw Bea and Emma happily helping the childcare assistant to put Christmas decorations along the hallway window ledges of the crèche. It was difficult with her arm in the cast but she was managing to pass the sparkly tinsel to the young woman and Bea beamed with delight as she watched it being secured in place with tape. Juliet grew prouder of her daughter by the minute. She had adjusted to the move, albeit only for a few weeks, so well. She had made friends, not dwelled on her broken arm and was loving the opportunity to do new things.
Juliet wished she were as resilient. She was still carrying around scars that should have long healed. It was as if she had her broken heart in a cast, and she had spent almost five years dwelling on it. She certainly needed to take a leaf out of her four-year-old daughter’s book on how to cope with adversity and still enjoy life. She was still allowing Bea’s father to affect her life’s choices. To affect the way she saw other men. She was punishing all men for the mistakes of one and feeling sorry for herself in the unnecessary process. Her daughter was a better example to her than she was being in return.
And, she quite harshly reminded herself, she hadn’t lost the person she had committed to spending her life with the way Charlie had. She had been seduced and dumped by a man she barely knew and it hurt. But she had the most wonderful daughter to love while Charlie had no one. He had lost the woman he loved. His scars would with good reason run deeper. She needed to put on her ‘big girl’ panties and stop letting the past rule her future.
Juliet decided to get in the Christmas spirit and offer to help with the decorations. But as she drew closer she discovered the three of them had a fourth helper.
‘Charlie,’ Bea called out sweetly. ‘We need more tinthel.’
Juliet moved back out of sight and watched as Charlie stepped from inside the crèche and ruffled Bea’s hair. ‘Of course, boss. I’ll get it for you now.’ With that, he walked back inside the doorway and emerged carrying a large box with tinsel overflowing from the top. He placed it within Bea’s little reach and then stepped back. ‘Do you need any more help?’
‘No, thank you, Charlie. You can go and meet my mummy about the babies but maybe you can come back and help.’
‘I certainly will.’
Juliet realised the identity of the taskmaster that Charlie was meeting. She controlled the urge to laugh at the way Bea was throwing around orders and at the same time blink back tears as she watched a man who had lost his wife act almost like a father to her daughter.
Bea’s banter with Charlie was so relaxed. Her orders were delivered in a cute voice, and with the best intention of getting the job done, but they were orders nonetheless. And she was only four. What made it more poignant was the fact that Charlie was taking them. She sincerely doubted anyone older than Bea could get away with being so forthright with a man like Charlie.
She suddenly worried that Bea might be auditioning him for the role of her daddy. Juliet felt torn as she walked away in silence. She and Bea would not be in the Cotswolds for ever and she didn’t want her daughter to get too attached, but at the same time it was wonderful to see Bea so happy in Charlie’s company. She bit her lip as she suspected with little effort it might be easy for her to become attached to Dr Warren herself. Particularly with what she now knew about him.
With her mind spinning, Juliet headed back to Georgina Abbiati’s room. She needed to focus on the real reason for her travelling to Teddy’s. And it was not to become involved with a complicated man. No matter how wonderfully he treated her daughter. And no matter how she felt herself warming to the handsome widower.
‘So do you feel comfortable and understand fully everything I’ve told you about Friday’s procedure?’
‘I think so, Dr Turner. I mean, we’ve made our decision and we’re not backing down now. Sorry, Charlie, but I think we’ve made the right decision,’ Georgina said with a slight waver obvious in her voice.
Charlie nodded and, true to his word, said nothing.
‘But I do have two more questions if you have time,’ Georgina continued.
‘Of course. I have all the time it takes to make you feel at ease and comfortable. Fire away,’ Juliet said as she took one final glance at the morning’s observations of her patient, including the results from the daily ultrasound she had requested. The boys’ condition had remained stable and the girls were unaffected.
‘I know I will have a local anaesthetic and sedation, but will I feel anything at all?’
Juliet had been asked the same question many times. ‘There will be no pain, perhaps a small amount of dull tugging, but also there is a slight risk your uterus can react to any interference with contractions. Not sufficient in most cases to bring on labour but it may feel that way to you. There will be no pain, just tightness if a contraction occurs.’
‘Will Charlie be in the theatre too?’ Leo asked as he looked over towards Charlie. ‘Just in case Georgina goes into labour.’
Juliet turned to Charlie and with equally baited breath awaited his response. She wasn’t sure if Oliver Darrington was still to make the final decision on the attending OBGYN or attend himself.
‘Of course,’ he announced with conviction and keeping his focus on Georgina and Leo.
His words allowed Juliet to take the next breath and a smile spread over her face.
‘I’m your OBGYN, and, while I have the utmost faith in the skills of Dr Turner and the team, I’m your back-up plan. If the need arises, and I’m not pre-empting it, but should the laser surgery hasten labour, I will be bringing Rupert and his siblings into the world.’
Juliet was happy with his explanation. It had not been delivered in a manner that would elevate the Abbiatis’ fears, in fact just the opposite, and for that she was grateful. Charlie was playing fair.
‘And I’ll be very happy to have Dr Warren in Theatre. No one knows you better than your OBGYN so his presence and skills are invaluable.’
Juliet could see from the corner of her eye that Charlie had turned his head in her direction. But she didn’t reciprocate. It had the potential to be a moment that she was not ready to face. Mutual admiration and respect, coupled with what she had witnessed downstairs with Charlie helping Bea. It would have been an emotional overload that she could not afford at that time.
She was feeling more than a little vulnerable. To her feelings and to Charlie Warren.
Charlie was many things and increasingly she was seeing he might even have the potential to be wonderful, but she was not looking for a man. Wonderful or not. She doubted her heart would survive. Besides, she was not staying and she did not want to start something she could not finish.
‘If that’s all for the moment, and you know you can page me any time, I will head off to brief the theatre staff.’
‘Georgie, Leo,’ Charlie began as he edged closer to Juliet’s direction, ‘I’m in that meeting too, so we will see you later. Rest lots, try not to stress and write down any questions so you can ask either Dr Turner or myself when we call in.’
‘That went well,’ Juliet began as they walked down the corridor towards the elevators. She still did not make eye contact. ‘I’m glad you’ll be in Theatre. It wasn’t articulated on the list.’
‘I was waiting to be invited. You’re the lead surgeon, so it was a professional consideration on my behalf to wait until I was asked.’
‘I was going to do that today.’
Charlie eyed her suspiciously.