Free Twins for Christmas by Alison Roberts

been complete op po sites.
    But Rory had changed. He had faced solitude for the first time in his life, and there was nothing quite like Outback Australia to give you that experience. He’d been wrong in thinking he had to face his past tonight. He’d done that, hadn’t he? He was in a very different place than he had been six months ago.
    Different enough to think that his future could change? That he could marry and have a family dependent on him?
    No. If he stopped to think about it he knew the prospect would be terrifying. ‘I don’t   think   you need a wheelchair, but let’s see, shall we?’ Rory put Eve carefully back on the floor. ‘Testing…’ he said solemnly. ‘Weight-bearing? Check. Walking? Check.’ He tugged one of Eve’s braids gently. ‘Better?’
    Eve nodded and grinned.
    ‘Can you say thank you?’ Lucy prompted.
    Eve shook her head, but as Lucy was leading her back to the relatives’ room, she turned to smile at Rory.
    ‘Thank you,’ she whispered.
    Rory smiled back, but he could feel a painful lump in his throat. God, he’d missed this. That touch on his heart when he’d been able to make a difference. To take away someone’s pain. To make life a little bit better. Especially for a child.
    But he couldn’t go back. He’d moved on now. It was time, in fact, to make sure his mother was in the best of care and then go home. They were just waiting for a consult from the cardiology registrar and for a bed to come available on the ward now. The Code Red was over and there was nothing else Rory needed to do. Apart from making sure he left an opening for further communication with Kate, that was. He couldn’t leave with things the way they were. He leaned over the counter.
    ‘Why did you tell me?’ he asked quietly. ‘If you didn’t want me to be involved?’
    ‘You had a right to know.’
    ‘Do I have a right to be involved, as well?’
    ‘Of course.’ Kate seemed to be taking a steadying breath, but she didn’t look up. ‘If you’re not somewhere down a mine in Outback Australia.’
    ‘I won’t be,’ Rory said, knowing it was true. ‘I’m not going back, Kate. I’m staying right here.’ For his mother. And now more for Kate.
    Braden Foster was dumping some patient notes on the end of the counter where Eve had been sitting. His head turned sharply sideways.
    ‘You’re coming back?’ He moved to grip Rory’s shoulder. ‘That’s the best Christmas present I could get. I’ve only been filling in, you know. We were all waiting for you to reappear.’
    No.   He’d moved on. Yet why did Braden’s words give him a curious thrill that felt oddly like excitement? He didn’t want to come back to this. Or maybe he did want to. But he couldn’t. Yes, he’d won with Michael tonight, but that statistical bomb was still ticking and it was that much closer to detonating.
    Maybe he’d felt that he might have coped because Kate was there, but she wouldn’t be around to help him pick up the pieces if he did come back, would she?
    She’d be away from work. Raising his children.
    Without him.
     
     

CHAPTER EIGHT
    T HERE WAS ONE HOUR   and twenty-nine minutes left until the start of Christmas Day.
     
    Twenty-nine minutes until Kate’s shift was due to finish.
    ‘You OK, Kate?’
    ‘I’m fine, thanks, Braden.’
    ‘Still busy?’
    ‘Not really. I’m up to date with the paperwork, and I’ve just spent some time with Mary Ballantyne going over the head injury watch-list. She’s a bit worried about taking Wally home.’
    ‘I’ll talk to her. His CT scan was absolutely fine. It’s only a mild concussion.’
    Kate nodded. ‘He was lucky. How’s Michael doing?’
    ‘Very well. But they’ll keep him in ICU until they’re sure the airway isn’t compromised by any swelling.’ Braden Foster moved to one side to allow an orderly to approach the desk.
    ‘I’m here for a Mrs McCulloch?’ the orderly said to Kate. ‘To go to the cardiology ward.’
    ‘Cubicle