‘Should Margaret and Doug get counselling? Should we hospitalise Margaret for the duration of her pregnancy?’
‘I’ve tried the counselling route at the moment as Margaret does seem to like being at home but given she still has about another six weeks to go, perhaps we should consider hospitalisation.’
‘What does Ethan think of the situation?’
Margaret was the one patient they’d discussed yesterday when CJ had been in the lounge room with her feet up when he’d arrived home from clinic. ‘He said it doesn’t look good. Margaret may still miscarry at any stage.’
Donna sighed. ‘Has Ethan seen this type of thing before? Foetal Alcohol Syndrome?’
CJ thought back to what he’d confessed about his wife. ‘He has, as a matter of fact, and because of that, he’s done a lot of research into it.’
‘Good.’
‘The main problem Margaret faces is that if she doesn’t stop drinking now, the likelihood that the baby will be born with some sort of deformity will increase. I’ve been reading up on it, too, but even now it might be too late and the baby might not even survive.’
‘Does Margaret know this?’
‘I’ve told her the facts. Ethan’s told her the facts. I know the social worker came and saw her when she was in hospital and talked to her about the possibility of birth defects. We’re doing all we can and we’re not trying to scare her but rather inform her.’ CJ sighed with exasperation. ‘In the end, though—’
‘It’s up to Margaret.’
‘Exactly.’
‘I’ll get Ethan to discuss the idea of prolonged hospitalisation with Margaret’s obstetrician.’
‘OK.’
‘Or...you could tell him.’
‘Me? Ask Ethan to talk to Margaret’s obstetrician?’
‘Yes. You live in the same house as him. It’s not like you don’t talk at all.’
CJ shook her head quickly. ‘No. No. It’s much better coming from you.’
Donna eyed her carefully. ‘Does Ethan know you’ve seen Margaret?’
‘Ethan isn’t the boss of me,’ CJ stated, lifting her chin a little.
‘He told me he’s been insisting you rest.’
‘Insisting is a mild word. He won’t let me do anything! Just because—’ CJ stopped. Although she wanted to tell Donna what Ethan had shared with her, had told her about his wife and his unborn child, she didn’t want to break his confidence. ‘Because I’m pregnant, he thinks I’m useless.’
‘You sound very indignant about it.’ Donna was looking at her as though she was sure CJ was hiding something. ‘Yet when I tell you to rest, you don’t sound nearly so put out.’ A smile started to form on Donna’s lips. ‘I think you’re a little bit attracted to our new locum. At least, that’s the sense I got last week when you were standing in the waiting room about to kiss him!’
CJ gasped. ‘You saw us!’
‘It was purely by accident. I came out of my consulting room to check something with Tania but saw the two of you and quickly retreated.’ Donna shifted forward in her seat. ‘So? What was it like?’
CJ thought back to that day and slowly shook her head. ‘It wasn’t really a kiss per se.’ Not compared to the ones they’d shared later on. ‘More like a moment when we brushed lips.’
‘A moment?’
‘Half a moment. It was very brief, very light, very...’ CJ trailed off, sighing softly before adding, ‘Very nice.’
‘So you are avoiding him. That’s why you’re out most nights. Visiting me, visiting Tania, visiting a plethora of other people.’
‘What? Do you hold regular meetings to discuss my whereabouts?’
Donna laughed. ‘Are you avoiding Ethan because of the way he makes you feel?’
CJ straightened her back and flicked her pigtails over her shoulder, determined to deny her friend’s words, but the instant she opened her mouth, she slouched and covered her face with her hands. It was no use. ‘He’s so nice and wonderful and caring, as well as frustrating, infuriating and...sexy.’ She dropped her hands. ‘I like the way he smells. I like the way he walks. I like the way he talks. I really like him and that scares the living daylights out of me.’
‘What’s the problem?’
‘Problem? Where do I start?’ She spread her hands wide. ‘How about the fact that his life is in Sydney and mine is here? How about the fact that I’ve already been burned by one man, that I’m not about to throw myself back into the fire. And the last reason why it just wouldn’t work.’ She pointed to her belly. ‘I’m about to have a baby! All my time and attention and care is about to be completely focused on figuring out how to be a parent.’ With her emotions in overdrive, while she’d been talking, tears had sprung to her eyes and she reached for a tissue and blew her nose. A moment later she closed her eyes and said softly, ‘Here I am, on the brink of having Quinten’s baby, and all I can think about is Ethan Janeway. I mean, what man in his right mind would be attracted to me? Look at me! I’m huge!’
‘You’re pregnant and you’re all baby. You’ve watched your weight carefully and have hardly put any extra on, even with all your late night pickle and chocolate spread snacking.’
CJ gasped. ‘He told you about that!’
‘It’s hardly a secret, CJ, but it wasn’t Ethan, it was Idris at the grocery store.’
‘Oh.’
‘Once the baby’s born, it won’t take you long to get your figure back. You’ll be your normal size again and everything will feel better.’
CJ dabbed at her eyes before blowing her nose. ‘I know. It’s all silly, it’s all emotional but...’ She sighed. ‘It was so nice to think that he might be attracted to me, especially when I’m huge like this. Do you have any idea what that did for my self-esteem?’
‘I can imagine. What’s your plan, then? To go out visiting people at night until the baby’s born?’
‘Sounds good to me.’
‘Does Ethan know where you are?’
She shook her head. ‘I don’t think so but I don’t answer to him.’
‘That doesn’t sound like you.’
‘Quinten needed to know where I was at all times and
