Free Christmas Babies by Mona Risk

understand.” A frown of
anxiety pleated Sandra’s forehead. “You can’t have epilepsy?”
    “In fact, I do. Had all the tests
to prove it. We thought these pills would control it. They did for a week, but
now the symptoms are escalating. Listen, Nick is waiting for me for a
c-section. Ask Kathy to sub for me. Tell her I’ll return the favor whenever she
wants. I have to go to Miami right away to see Dr. Lu, my neurologist.”
    “I’ll call Kathy. Then I’ll have
Hailey replace me here, and I’ll drive you.”
    “I don’t need—”
    “Don’t argue with me. Save your
strength.”
    Madelyn closed her eyes. Maybe it
was better to have Sandra with her. So much angst clouded her mind at the
moment she could risk an accident, especially with the rush hour traffic on the
highway.
    Efficient as always, Sandra led
her to her car. In less than five minutes, they zoomed down the freeway. “Relax
and try to sleep,” the nurse wisely advised.
    “I can’t.”
    “In that case, tell me your
story.”
    ****
    “Where’s Madelyn?” Nick frowned
when he saw Kathy walk in the OR.
    “Don’t know. Sandra called me on
her behalf and asked me to assist you.”
    Befuddlement froze him for a few
seconds. Madelyn would never skip surgery without notifying the obstetrician in
charge. What was wrong with her? Yet he wouldn’t reveal his worry in front of
his staff.
    “Okay. Let’s start.” He
approached the operating bed. “The patient is on term. I don’t expect
complications.”
    “Thank you, doctor.” A young man dressed
as a medic and holding a camera hovered around his expectant wife and shot
pictures in all directions.
    “Give us space, please.” Nick motioned
him away and proceeded with the C-section. A moment later, he extracted an
eight pounder boy and handed him to Kathy.
    “Beautiful big boy,” he told the
happy dad.
    “Thank you, doctor. Thank you so
much.” His eye glued to the camera, the man repeated his words of gratitude
like a litany but didn’t interrupt his videotaping. “Thank...”
    Eager to find out what happened
to Madelyn, Nick closed the patient’s gaping abdomen. “How’s the baby?”
    “Perfect,” Kathy said. “Normal
vitals. I’ll check him again tonight. I’ll probably discharge him tomorrow.”
    “Same with the mom. You can wheel
her to recovery,” he ordered the nurses.
    “Thank you, doctors. Thank you.”
The new father walked behind his wife’s gurney and raised his camera for a few
last pictures until the door of Recovery automatically closed in his face.
    Pleased to contribute to a new
family’s joy, Nick tapped him on the shoulder. “Congratulations.” He pointed to
a door. “This way. Why don’t you have a coffee at the cafeteria while your wife
recovers? Then you can both enjoy your new baby.”
    “Thank you, doctor.”
    They were done here. Nick threw
his operating gown, mask, and gloves and strutted out of the OR. “Why on earth
had Madelyn skipped the scheduled delivery?” he mumbled under his breath the
question that had kept swirling in his mind during the procedure. She’d never
done that before.
    He went straight to her office,
knocked, and turned the knob without waiting for an answer. The room was empty,
but he noticed her clothes hanging on the hook behind the door. So she was
still in her scrubs. And at the hospital.
    Probably in the NICU, a place she
seemed to favor. He shook his head indulgently. It made sense for a
neonatologist to spend a lot of time with the preemies. Yeah, but recently
she’d visited the newborns every moment she wasn’t in Delivery—particularly the
twins she’d called Liana and Celia. Not good for her morale. And not wise, professionally.
    Nick retreated out of her office
and strode to the Children floor. Two nurses oversaw the regular nursery,
changing, feeding, and checking about twenty healthy newborns.
    “Hi Dr. Preston,” they both said
with bright smiles as he grabbed a sterile gown to cover his scrubs.