Wishing for a Miracle Read Free Page B

simply nodded once and then held out her hand for the nappy harness. Then she edged—carefully—into the first space of upturned seats so that she could sit and use both arms and hands for her next task.
    â€˜It’s OK, sweetheart,’ she told the rigid bundle on her lap. ‘I’m going to put these special straps around you and then Mac’s going to get you out of here and carry you right up to the top.’
    â€˜No-o-o!’ Arms tightened their vice-like grip around Julia’s neck.
    â€˜I need to go back and look after the other people. Like your mummy. You’ll be fine, Carla, I promise.’
    But the child was shaking now. Whimpering with fear.
    â€˜Mac is a very nice man,’ Julia told her.
    â€˜Cheers, mate,’ came with the chuckle in her earphones.
    â€˜And he really, really likes children,’ Julia added. ‘Looking after little girls like you is absolutely his favourite thing to do.’
    The earphones stayed silent this time. What was Mac thinking? Remembering occasions when he’d pouredhis heart and soul into trying to save a child? The heartbreak when he hadn’t been successful?
    Carla had relaxed fractionally. Enough for Julia to be able to slip the straps into position and then close and tighten buckles. She hoped the silence wasn’t because Mac was putting two and two together somehow. That he had noticed at some point over the last weeks the way she avoided prolonged contact with paediatric patients if possible. The way she was so good at distancing herself by taking on any case that was preferably complicated and adult.
    No. She was pretty confident she kept personal issues well away from her work. Out of her life, in fact, because she wasn’t letting anyone close enough to discover the truth.
    â€˜I’m going to tell Mummy how brave you are,’ Julia told Carla. ‘As soon as I get back down to her. Do you think she’ll be proud of you?’
    Carla didn’t nod but her head moved so that she could look up at Julia.
    â€˜ I’m proud of you.’ Julia smiled. ‘Mac will be, too, you’ll see.’
    She eased herself to her feet. Carla was still tense and she cried out in terror when Julia lifted her into Mac’s waiting hands but then she was in his strong, secure grasp and the child looked up and saw the face of the man above her.
    Mac’s smile was as reassuring as a hug.
    â€˜Hi, there, peanut,’ he said. ‘Going to come for a wee ride with me?’
    And this time Carla nodded and, as Mac clipped thebuckle of her harness to his own and instructed the child to put her arms around his neck and hold on tight, she turned her head and Julia could see that she was—incredibly—smiling herself.
    Mac was simply the best when it came to dealing with children. It had made it easier to step back herself and not get people asking awkward questions.
    â€˜Your job,’ she could say to Mac with total sincerity. ‘You’re the best .’
    He was. He adored kids and she knew him, while he probably wouldn’t admit it on station, he was aching for some of his own. And why not? He was in his mid-thirties and by now the absolute obsession with his career had to be ebbing enough for him to realise he might be running out of time to find someone to make a family with. He needed to get on with it.
    He’d have gorgeous children and he’d make the best father ever.
    And some incredibly lucky woman was going to be his wife and the mother of those children.
    Julia turned and began climbing back down as soon as she saw Mac and Carla beginning their upward journey. She had to be just as slow and careful as she had been the first time she had done this despite it seeming easier having done it before. She couldn’t afford to fall.
    The descent was too slow. It allowed too much time for errant thoughts and emotions to seep into her mind and body.
    Inappropriate things but she