Fiona McArthur - Midwives On Call At Christmas

Because seeing Tara every year for the rest of his life didn’t seem an unreasonable thing. But that was crazy.

After breakfast they went back to check out the beach. Simon kept saying she’d eaten and she wasn’t allowed to swim for an hour but, seriously, she only wanted to splash in the waves anyway.

They stripped down to swimsuits and she kicked a skid of water his way.

After some serious splashing in his direction Simon stopped watching her with a smile on his face and started to chase her. She was pretty fast.

But he was faster. When he caught her and lifted her, spun her, held against his strong broad chest like a prize, it was as exciting as falling through the air this morning.

She’d always watched others do this, dreamt of doing it herself one day with some hero, and now here she was, with this gorgeous guy tossing her around like she was a lightweight as he shuffled on the sand and pretended to throw her into the water. She squeaked in mock terror, feeling like she was in a movie, a fabulous romantic movie, and while she knew it was just that, a fantasy that would stop when the hour or two was up, she was darned well going to enjoy every fabulous second of it.

Plus it was her birthday. She was the birthday girl and Simon would not let her forget it. That was very cool.

Then Simon walked purposefully forward through the knee-high waves until he sank into the surf with her still in his arms and the cold salt water foamed around them. She could feel the core of warmth where their skins still connected and she couldn’t do anything except turn her face to him and lean in for a kiss. A salty, exuberant kiss that was her way of saying thank you.

He must have been waiting because his arms tightened even more firmly around her and the kiss spiralled into a hot, hungry, searing feast of strength and softness and sliding tongues that were as hot as the water was cold around them. She grabbed on tighter and jammed her breasts harder against his chest and they didn’t come up for air until a bigger than normal wave smacked them in the head and they broke apart coughing and spluttering and finally laughing.

Phew. She’d needed that bucket of reality because she’d been getting swept away in the fantasy of it all.

She swam away from him, bobbed with the waves, their feet still touching the golden sand below their toes but rising up and down with the cool green waves as her heart rate slowly began to settle.

This had to be the best birthday ever.

BACK AT THE manse life carried on as usual. Maeve slowed down even more as her baby grew and weighed her down, but her nausea had eased, although her mood remained sombre. Tara suspected she held unrequited affection for the baby’s father and wondered if maybe someone should try again to contact him by phone. But that was for Maeve and she had enough happening.

Last night another of Tara’s caseload women had had her baby and Tara had been up most of the night, but when she’d woken after lunch she’d felt strangely unsettled so she’d come out to the manger on the front lawn to find her peace.

Everything was so … Christmassy. She felt like a minor character who’d forgotten her lines. Presents were appearing under the tree inside and she’d started to buy little gifts for everyone but lacked the experience to know how much to spend so had gone for quirky.

With combined family enthusiasm Louisa had managed to assemble her Christmas nativity scene on the front lawn. Tara had been surprised that the little straw-filled crib was empty despite the adoring looks and nods from the mechanical Mary, Joseph and the three wise men, until Simon had whispered that baby Jesus would arrive on Christmas morning.

There was something very centred about the anticipation of the baby that appealed to Tara. When she needed to get away to think she ended up on the garden seat that had a clear view of the people and animals in front of the manger. The whole concept of sharing their front lawn with the town took a bit of getting used to so she tried to come when it was deserted.

Those crazy manger animals nodded twenty-four seven and at night floodlights bathed the area.

During the day it wasn’t unusual for children to drop by on the way home from school to check out the display and in the evenings families wandered down and oohed and ahhed and discussed what was new this year.

Angus and Mia had brought back an outdoor train set that ran on solar lights, and it chugged around the lighted Christmas tree on the lawn with pretend presents in the carriages behind. That one was a big hit with the little boys. Tara was secretly very impressed with it too.

Then she noticed Simon coming towards her with a determined stride and her pulse rate jumped at the grin he was sending her way. She’d been busy with her caseload women and hadn’t seen him for more than a few minutes in the last few days since the parachute jump and beach. It was probably for the best because she was taking heed of her sensible side.

‘There’s a parcel for you, Tara.’ He handed her a thick, flat package and she took it and turned it over in her hands but really she was absorbing the vibration between them as Simon sat down. There was a little gap between their bodies and the air seemed to be vibrating in the space. Very unsettling. He nudged her.

‘Go on. Open it.’

Something was going on because there was definite mischief in his eyes as he waited for her to open the parcel.

She glanced down at the address. ‘It’s from the parachuting club.’

‘Let me guess. You’ve become a life member.’

She had to laugh at that. ‘Only if they want a resident midwife—but I don’t imagine there’s a lot of call for parachuting pregnant ladies.’

‘Perhaps not.’ He was still waiting for her to open it obviously.

‘Aren’t you going to leave me in peace?’ She looked across and raised her eyes. ‘Sticky beak?’

‘Yep.’

She smiled and began to ease open the package, careful not to tear any of the envelope.

He huffed out his impatience. But he was pretending. ‘Rip it!’

‘No.’ Shook her head. ‘Envelopes can be re-used. And it’s not like I get many parcels.’

He folded his arms and she could feel his eagerness. She began to suspect what it was. Oh, my. ‘Did you buy me the package, Simon?’

She surprised a look of wariness on his face she hadn’t expected. He didn’t say anything, just waited for her to pull it out.

When she did she couldn’t speak. It was a bound volume of at least a hundred photos from right at the beginning of her instruction session to the moment she actually launched into space and all the way down until they landed. And then she saw the DVD.

She’d seen the camera on Lawrence’s arm but had assumed it was there for safety reasons and had been sort of aware they’d been filming some of the jump. Not the whole lot!

If she thought about it she’d guessed some people might change their mind and buy packages after the jump. She’d lusted after one but had decided it was an expense she hadn’t needed.

And Simon had bought her the full extravaganza. How did she thank him for something so huge—it was too huge—but it wasn’t the sort of gift you could give back and say, You keep it. He just kept taking her breath away.

His voice was worried when she didn’t say anything. ‘Hope that’s okay? I know how independent you are. But I just thought everyone would like to see your adventure too—without having to jump,’ he added hastily. ‘I can afford it, you know.’

‘I guess you can. And it was a lovely thing to do. Probably the loveliest thing anyone has done for me—except maybe the birthday cake the other day.’ She leaned across and kissed his cheek but it was a dutiful kiss. ‘But that’s it. Don’t start buying presents for me, Simon. I move a lot and can’t build up possessions.’ Or unreal expectations.