Kasey Michaels - Maitland Maternity - Triplets, Quads and Quints

Her friends, too, at the hospital, never mentioned the fact that she was to be a single mother. They were happy for her. Everything was perfect.

Most of all, she was happy about her babies. Thrilled, in fact. She had enough money to eliminate a lot of the problems most single parents had. And she knew what her babies needed that money couldn’t buy: love. Her babies would know she loved them. They’d know how special they were to her. Like she would have if her mother had lived. A shiver ran over her body. Yes, her girls would be loved.

And then along came Hunter Callaghan. What was he doing here? Obviously, he hadn’t known who she was, that she was here, or he wouldn’t have come. Or maybe he figured he shouldn’t let his personal life interfere with his career. And being head of the McCallum Wing was a definite feather in his cap. There were only two or three comparative situations in the country.

Well, she could be professional. She’d deny his involvement with her pregnancy and continue as before.

Her mind drifted back to picture Hunter, standing there in his expensive suit, looking fit and handsome. Probably all the nurses had been drooling over him already. They’d certainly talked about the fact that he wasn’t married.

Which reminded her of the file in her hands. She opened the folder and read through Hunter’s impressive credentials. He was certainly qualified.

But she didn’t want him to have anything to do with her babies’ birth. Not even as an observer. He was to keep away. He’d walked out on her, left her alone in that hotel room without even asking her if she was okay. He’d broken her heart. She wasn’t going to do the same thing to the girls.

“Is she all right?” Bri heard someone ask. Before she could react, Lisa opened the door to escort in one of Bri’s best friends, Annabelle Reardon, a delivery nurse at Maitland.

“Of course I’m all right,” Bri answered as they came in, but she didn’t rise from her chair. Her friends didn’t expect that these days.

“But gossip said you fainted,” Annabelle said, alarm in her voice.

“Annabelle, you’re being way too dramatic. I’m fine. See for yourself,” Bri said, spreading her arms wide.

Taking her at her word, Annabelle pulled a chair over to the rocker and sat down to take Bri’s pulse. Bri dismissed Lisa with a nod over Annabelle’s shoulder.

“You know, you’re acting like my mother, and I’m ten years older than you,” Bri pointed out with a grin. “Not ten years, Bri. You’re exaggerating. Your pulse is normal,” she said as she put Bri’s wrist back on the chair.

“Of course it is, because nothing’s wrong. I just rushed a little too much because the great Dr. Callaghan got here early.”

“You don’t like him?”

Bri warned herself to be careful. “Of course, what little I know. I was referring to the nurses’ enthusiasm for his, um, appearance.”

“You’ve heard the roar of appreciation?” Annabelle asked with a grin. “Mind you, I don’t think he compares to our Dr. Beaumont.”

“Of course not. You’ve got a crush on him.”

Annabelle’s cheeks flushed bright red. “Don’t be ridiculous. But I can’t help but admire him.”

Bri let her get away with that white lie. She worried about her friend. Annabelle was only twenty-three and Zach Beaumont was thirty-six. But who was she to pretend to be an expert about relationships? She was going to be a single mother.

“I doubt that anyone will complain about having another single doctor around here. Especially a handsome one.”

“You think he’s handsome?” Annabelle asked, her expression alert.

Bri struggled to remain calm. “I was speaking generally, friend. No one seven months pregnant with triplets is going to get excited about a man. They cause these situations. And then walk away from them,” she couldn’t help adding.

“You’ve never said who—” Annabelle began and then broke off.

“No I haven’t. And I won’t. The man involved didn’t want any future with me. These are my babies. No one else’s.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” There was a moment of silence, as if Annabelle was remembering the past seven months. “How’s Maggie?”

Bri sighed. “She’s fine. Not pregnant.” Her sister-in-law, Adam’s wife, had been trying to get pregnant for some time. Her inability to conceive had put a real strain on her marriage. When Bri had announced her pregnancy, however, Maggie had been as supportive as a real sister. Just thinking about the courage and generosity Maggie had shown brought tears to her eyes.

“It’s unfair,” she whispered, closing her eyes.

“Maybe things will change soon,” Annabelle said. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Bri forced her eyes open and pasted a smile on her face. “Oh, it’s those hormones, Annabelle. You know how those affect us expectant mothers.”

“Yeah. And anyway, Madeline’s a miracle worker, so probably Maggie will have a baby before we know it.”

Bri had believed that at first. Madeline Sheppard was one of the fertility experts at the McCallum Multiple Birth Wing. But so far, there were no results. Bri feared for Adam’s marriage. Maggie seemed unable to think of anything else.

The door opened again and another friend, neonatal nurse April Sullivan rushed in. Instead of speaking to Bri, she looked at Annabelle. “Is she all right?”

Bri chuckled. “You’d think you’d ask me, silly,” she said, reaching out for April’s hand.

“She seems to be okay,” Annabelle answered anyway.

“Okay, now that I’ve had a professional opinion, I’ll ask you,” April said to Bri, with a grin at Annabelle.

“Oh, you nurses! I’m fine, April. What are you doing here?”

“Well, word has flown all over the hospital that you fainted. You know how excited we all are about your babies. So I took a break to come make sure you’re all right.”

“Not all over the hospital?”

Both ladies nodded.

“Oh, no, that means I’ll have a lot of visitors.”

As if on cue, the door burst open and a handsome man, with hazel eyes just like Bri’s, burst into the room. “Are you all right?” he demanded, ignoring her other guests.

Bri grinned at her younger—by three minutes—brother. “Of course I am. I just tried to hurry too much. How did you hear?”

Though he’d at least asked her first, Caleb now looked at the other two women. “I was running an errand for Dad. Is she telling the truth?”

“Caleb!” Bri protested, still grinning. It wouldn’t have been the first time she’d tried to con her brothers, and they both knew it.

“As far as we can tell. Abby was there, and she seemed to think everything was fine,” April said.

“All right,” Caleb said with a sigh.

Bri relaxed again, glad her brother was satisfied. Until he spoke again.

“I’ll be back around five to take you home. I don’t want you driving anymore. I’ll bring you to work each day and take you home.”

“You’ll do no such thing. I am not an invalid. I’m pregnant, that’s all. I’m perfectly capable of driving a car.”

“Bri, you’ll do as you’re told,” he ordered in his sternest voice. It wasn’t the first time he’d tried to give Bri orders.

“I’ll do as my doctor orders me, dear brother, and Abby assures me I should continue to lead a normal life until she says differently.”

“But I did tell you to rest, didn’t I?” Abby said from behind Caleb. “How can you rest with the room full of people?”

“Abby, don’t tell me you’ve taken time to come back and check on me,” Bri protested.

“Yes, and it’s a good thing. Everybody out. I want my patient to rest. Lisa is going to bring you your lunch, Bri. I don’t want you traipsing down to the cafeteria. In fact, I want you in that chair or on the sofa from now until two when you’ll have to make an appearance at the welcoming party.”