Susan Carlisle - A Forever Family - Their Miracle Child

Jade considered the very handsome passenger beside her and she appreciated he was trying to distract her. She felt she knew him better now after they’d worked together for two days and, of course, the enlightening lunch. It concerned her more that she was increasingly finding him as attractive on the inside as on the outside.

Without warning, the plane dropped, and Mitchell instinctively reached his hand across to Jade’s and held it tightly.

She didn’t pull away. His skin was so warm. His grip so firm. It wasn’t the turbulence that took her breath. She swallowed and tried not to look down to her lap, where his hand was protectively covering hers. His touch was unsettling but she had to admit silently, although it was ridiculous, that she suddenly felt better. Again. This was the second time that Mitchell had made her fears disappear with his touch. It was silly to think that his hand on hers could protect her in an emergency landing. But it felt as if it could. It also felt wonderful to have someone want to reassure her. And hold her.

Jade knew what she had to do. And it was very different from what she wanted to do. She wanted to let him protect her for a few minutes longer. She wanted to relish that feeling of his skin against hers. But she needed to pull away and take care of herself. She had been doing it alone and there was no reason to change that now. She couldn’t rely on Mitchell. She couldn’t let him in.

‘I fell into it literally,’ she said, pulling her hand free to supposedly check the time on her wristwatch. ‘I was fourteen and I’d been skateboarding and took a tumble down some steps. I was attempting a stupid manoeuvre that didn’t pan out and I was admitted to A and E for a broken wrist. Before that I had no idea what I wanted to do but, watching the nurses, I decided that was my career path.’

‘So why neo and midwifery after an A and E admission?’ he asked, aware that she had strategically withdrawn her hand and set the purely professional boundaries yet again. He wasn’t about to push that boundary.

‘On student placement I felt at home both in NICU and Obstetrics. I trained to be a midwife but also wanted to work in Neonatal so undertook additional training so I could work across both. What about you?’

‘I left school and backpacked around Australia and then headed to Asia and Africa,’ he returned quickly, not wanting a lull in conversation that would let Jade think about the size of the plane and the worsening weather outside. ‘I saw what was needed in the developing countries that I visited and decided that I needed to qualify to be of any use so I headed home, applied to study medicine at Adelaide Uni and then specialised. It was a long haul but worth it. Once I was qualified and had completed my residency I returned to Africa and signed on with Médecins Sans Frontières. I worked in small villages and two refugee camps. They had squat when it came to medical equipment, but as a team we did save lives and improve the quality of those who may have been handicapped without early intervention.’

Jade had had no idea that he had been providing lifesaving medical assistance to people who would otherwise be denied access to even the most basic health care. Suddenly she realised that the man she had judged as irresponsible was, in fact, quite the opposite. He didn’t want ties but he certainly wanted to give to those who needed him most. Mitchell was quite complicated and not a man just after a good time.

‘But now you’re home,’ she said, not really sure why she did and even less sure of why she kept going with that line of questioning. ‘Will you stay here or head back overseas?’ It was none of her business and she wasn’t sure why she wanted to know.

Mitchell paused to think. He hadn’t made plans, he never really had after his initial decision to study medicine. Everything else had just seemed to happen. He’d gone where opportunities and challenges arose and where he could avoid commitment. Mitchell had lived his adult life with a ‘fly by the seat of his pants’ attitude to life and he liked it that way.

‘I heard that there was an opening they couldn’t fill in NICU at the Eastern and thought it would be a good chance to catch up with family. Haven’t really thought about how long or what my plan is, I’ll just take it as it comes.’

The plane entered heavy grey clouds and rocked from side to side a little.

‘I’m afraid the storm front arrived a little early,’ the pilot announced. ‘Might get a little rough but shouldn’t be too long before we’re through to the other side.’

Jade felt her breathing stall as the plane lurched and jolted. She swallowed anxiously but very quickly the plane steadied and so did her breathing. She looked nervously from the window at the solid wall of grey and white fluff surrounding the small plane. She had to be brave, and with Mitchell so close she found it a little easier. It was only slight turbulence and perhaps the worst was already over.

Suddenly the plane dropped about fifty feet from its flight path. Steadiness disappeared as Jade felt her stomach churn and her heart begin to pound. She gripped the armrests, her knuckles quickly turning white. Without thinking, Mitchell’s arms held her tightly. He didn’t care that she had tried to build a barrier. He ignored what she wanted and gave her what he knew at that moment she needed. Security and a sense that everything would be okay.

Mitchell had travelled in enough light aircraft over the years to know they would be fine but she didn’t have that experience. He understood her fear was very real and he didn’t hesitate to reach out to her.

Jade didn’t pull away, even after the turbulence subsided. She felt like she had found her safe harbour with Mitchell. And this time she wasn’t about to tell it any other way, to him or to herself. It was the truth. He made her sense of fear lessen and it was as if she could halve the worry, knowing he was there to lean on. She could not remember the last time she’d felt that she could rely on someone, more particularly a man. She had never let herself feel that way.

As she looked down at the strong hand that was covering hers so warmly and the arm that was holding her tight, she wondered if Maureen and Arthur had raised two exceptional sons.

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