Prognosis Christmas Baby - Amy Andrews Page 0,57

on the floor in a pool of blood and I thought I’d lost you. Age is so irrelevant compared to that.’

Maggie stood on tiptoes and kissed him. He was right. If last night had taught them anything it was that life was short and was there to be lived. They didn’t talk for a long time then. Their kisses got deeper and eventually they tumbled back onto the lounge behind them.

Maggie put a finger against his mouth as Nash homed in on her lips. ‘Wait a moment.’

‘I’m sorry.’ He took a breath, desperately trying to dampen the fiery furnace burning in his belly. ‘We shouldn’t be doing this. You must be exhausted.’

She traced his jaw line with her finger. ‘No. I meant we can do this any time. Let’s get the really important thing out of the way. Let’s go and book me an air fare.’

Nash frowned. ‘What?’

‘I’m going to London with you.’

The furrows in his brow got deeper. ‘It’s okay, Maggie. I don’t have to go to London. I can complete my training here in Australia. I know you don’t want to go and nothing is more important to me than you.’

Maggie smiled, her heart filling with love. She pushed against his chest and they both struggled into a sitting position. ‘Not even the promise you made to yourself after your sister died? Great Ormond Street’s the best, Nash. The best.’

‘Yesterday it was the best. Today it’s just another hospital on the other side of the world, keeping me away from you.’ He slid his hand to her stomach. ‘From the baby.’

She rested her head against his chest as his words swelled, a lump of pure emotion expanding her chest to an unbearable tightness. He really did love her. He was reforging his set-in-stone career path for her.

‘It won’t be on the other side of the world if we’re there with you.’

‘Maggie.’ Nash placed a finger under her chin and lifted it so he could see straight into her eyes. ‘It’s not important. I know you don’t want to go.’

She smiled at him, cupping his face in her hands. ‘I do. I do if you love me. If you want to commit, if you want to be a family with me and the baby, I’ll follow you anywhere, Nash. I just didn’t want to go on some whim to appease your sense of honour and responsibility. I didn’t want to travel to the other side of the world just to see how it panned out. But, Nash, you loving me makes all the difference.’

Nash’s heart beat painfully in his chest, fighting for room past the constriction in his throat. ‘Really?’

She nodded. ‘Of course. Wherever you are, that’s where I want to be.’

‘Even in the middle of the outback where the nearest supermarket or movie theatre is hundreds of kilometres away?’

‘Especially there,’ she whispered.

Nash shut his eyes and placed a hand over hers. He opened them again and looked into her eyes. The tree lights danced in her irises. ‘What did I do to deserve you?’

‘Something good, I think.’

Nash smiled. ‘Looks like Santa came early,’ he murmured against her mouth.

Maggie gave a soft laugh, their lips touching. ‘It’s going to be Christmas all year from now on.’

Nash chuckled. ‘Ho, ho, ho.’

THE END

EPILOGUE

Maggie managed to convince Nash the next morning she was perfectly capable of going into work for her shift. They drove to his place so he could change his clothes and then headed into work full of Christmas spirit, despite not getting much sleep.

And she was pleased she did. They were able to give Alice and Brett the best Christmas gift they were ever going to get — they extubated Toby. With the tube out, Toby’s silent cries finally had a voice, if a little croaky.

He was even able to get out of bed and have a proper cuddle with his parents. Best of all, for the first time in weeks, safely snuggled in his mother’s arms, he gave them all a great big smile.

‘This is just the best,’ Alice said, looking down at a happy Toby with tears in her eyes. ‘There were a couple of times I thought this day would never come.’

Nash and Maggie exchanged looks. Toby’s parents hadn’t been alone in their pessimistic view.

After lunch Nash sidled up to Maggie. ‘Thanks for my gift,’ he murmured, rubbing the gum nuts together. ‘Guess we’ll both be able to keep in touch with our roots while we’re over there.’

Maggie nodded, the smell of eucalyptus wafting towards her.