The Surgeon's Family Wish Read Free

he’d come to do a twelve-month exchange and Annabel, in her thirties, having spent all her working life caring for the children of others, had been happy to discover her pregnancy with the amiable American as her partner.
    But when he heard that the two of them had made a child, everything had changed. He’d confessed that he was married and that had been the end of the affair. After the first shock of his deceit and the realisation that she was faced with the prospect of becoming a single mother, Annabel had rallied and had been looking forward to having a child of her own. Since she’d lost it the days were empty and her heart like a stone.
    It was the reason why she’d moved north to get away from painful memories of betrayal and loss. But agonising parents such as Aaron Lewis need have no fear. Her dedication to the job was as strong as ever. No one would be able to say that she put her own heartache before that of others, and as an autumn sun poked its head through the curtains she rolled over and slept.
    * * *
    Lucy was awake and crying.
    â€˜My head hurts, Daddy,’ she whimpered.
    â€˜Yes, I know,’ Aaron said gently. ‘We’ll give yousomething to make it feel better in a moment, Lucy, but first tell me, can you see me all right?’
    She blinked weakly.
    â€˜Yes. You’ve got your blue shirt on.’
    â€˜Can you see Grandma?’
    Without moving her head, Lucy looked sideways to where Mary was sitting.
    â€˜Yes. Why is she crying?’
    â€˜Because you’re awake...and getting better.’
    â€˜What happened to me?’
    Aaron took a deep breath.
    â€˜Let’s see if you can remember.’
    Her bruised little face was crumpled with the effort of thinking back but she didn’t disappoint him.
    â€˜I fell off the climbing frame and there was something there. I banged my head on it.’
    â€˜Good girl,’ he said gently, and his mother’s tears turned to smiles. ‘The doctor who mended your poorly head is coming to see you and then we’ll give you something to make it feel better.’
    It was the same as before. He heard the door behind him open and shut and she was standing beside him, the pale-faced doctor who had been there for Lucy when he hadn’t been.
    â€˜Hello, Lucy,’ she said quietly. ‘How are you feeling?’
    â€˜My head hurts,’ she said fretfully.
    â€˜I’m sure that it does. You gave it a nasty knock and I had to put you together again like they tried to do for Humpty Dumpty. Sister is going to give you something to stop it hurting and a nice cool drink. Then later on we’ll take some pictures of your head.’
    â€˜Will that hurt?’ Lucy asked.
    â€˜We’ll be very gentle,’ Annabel promised, then turnedto the tall figure beside her. ‘Does she remember what happened?’
    â€˜Yes, thank goodness.’
    His eyes were moist and if he hadn’t been Head of Paediatrics she would have put a comforting hand out to him, but she’d never operated on the child of a top doctor before, she thought wryly, and didn’t know what the rules were.
    Aaron’s glance had switched to his mother.
    â€˜Go home and get some rest,’ he told her gently. ‘You’ve had an anxious time. I wish you could have been spared it. The folks in Reception will get you a taxi and I’ll use your car when I come home, which will be a while yet.’
    â€˜All right,’ she agreed, getting to her feet. ‘Now that I’ve seen Lucy awake I feel better.’ Planting a kiss on her granddaughter’s bruised cheek, she went.
    As a nurse gave the little girl something for the pain and a drink in a cup with a spout so that she didn’t have to move, Annabel said, ‘You are lucky to have such a wonderful mother. Does she live with you?’
    He was staring at her with raised brows and she felt her cheeks reddening. Aaron Lewis must think her