of person who would always put the needs of others before her own, all the more so when that other was their unborn child.
Behind his closed eyelids Max cursed himself for the fact that she was pregnant. They already had a family, three children. He found himself wishing passionately that the coming baby had never been conceived, hating it almost for the danger it represented to Maddy, and hating himself even more for what he was feeling. Surely the best thing that could happen now for all their sakes would be for this pregnancy to end.
Couldn't nature step in on Maddy's behalf and remove from her the danger to her life?
Guilt burned like bitter gall in Max's throat and belly as he acknowledged the grim horror of what he was thinking. The death of his own child before it had even known life.
'Surely if Maddy's life was at risk you could just act,' he began, but the consultant was shaking his head.
'We would strongly recommend a termination if your wife's life were in jeopardy, but we would need to consult with her first,' he told Max sternly.
He felt sorry for Max, but the needs of his patient were his prime concern. His patients, in this case—
both Maddy and her unborn child. And there was another problem that he still had to raise with Max.
A little brusquely he did so. 'Your wife is eighteen weeks pregnant,' the consultant reminded Max stee-pling his fingertips together. 'Twenty weeks is the latest time I personally would want to perform a termination. After that...'
'After that, what?' Max could hear the raw fear in his own voice, taste it in his mouth. 'That only leaves two weeks to bring Maddy's blood pressure down.'
'I'm aware of that,' the obstetrician conceded qui-edy. 'It is unfortunate that your wife missed her earlier antenatal appointments. Had she not done so we could have picked up the problems that much earlier.' He glanced away from Max before looking back at him to tell him bluntly, 'I do understand how you must be feeling, but I've had prem babies under my care who have survived birth at twenty-three weeks. To abort—'
He stopped compassionately as he saw the emotion Max was struggling to keep under control.
'Maddy will never agree to sacrifice her baby,' Max told him. 'She'd sacrifice herself first.' When the consultant said nothing, Max protested furiously, 'For God's sake, in all humanity you can't expect...I should be the one to make the decision, to take responsibility. She's my wife. We already have three children.'
Max could feel the burn of his own emotions sting-ing the backs of his eyes. Was this then fate's punish-ment for him? That in celebrating their love, in his reaffirmation of his vows to love her, he had quite literally sowed the seed of Maddy's death?
'We're talking about a situation that may never oc-cur,' the consultant reminded Max firmly. 'If your wife responds well and quickly to treatment, then all will be well. It is, of course, essential at the moment that she is not subjected to any kind of...upset or...pressure.' He gave Max a long look. 'I hope I make myself clear.'
Max made a terse nod of his head. He knew that the obstetrician was warning him not to discuss the situation with Maddy or allow her to see his own distress. 'I understand,' he confirmed. 'I have to go home now...to collect our children from school, but I'd like your permission to bring them in to see her.'
He paused and waited.
'Yes, I can agree to that,' the doctor told him.
'...and for me to be able to stay the night here with her,' Max continued swiftly.
With a small sigh the consultant nodded his head.
'But I must warn you, any sign that your wife is being upset or distressed in any way by either the presence of her children or her husband and I shall have to ask you to leave.'
Grimly Max inclined his head.
JENNY'S MOBILE rang just as she was about to leave the supermarket and drive to Olivia's. When she answered it she heard Max's voice.
'Mum...'
'Max.' She could detect the tension in
Behind his closed eyelids Max cursed himself for the fact that she was pregnant. They already had a family, three children. He found himself wishing passionately that the coming baby had never been conceived, hating it almost for the danger it represented to Maddy, and hating himself even more for what he was feeling. Surely the best thing that could happen now for all their sakes would be for this pregnancy to end.
Couldn't nature step in on Maddy's behalf and remove from her the danger to her life?
Guilt burned like bitter gall in Max's throat and belly as he acknowledged the grim horror of what he was thinking. The death of his own child before it had even known life.
'Surely if Maddy's life was at risk you could just act,' he began, but the consultant was shaking his head.
'We would strongly recommend a termination if your wife's life were in jeopardy, but we would need to consult with her first,' he told Max sternly.
He felt sorry for Max, but the needs of his patient were his prime concern. His patients, in this case—
both Maddy and her unborn child. And there was another problem that he still had to raise with Max.
A little brusquely he did so. 'Your wife is eighteen weeks pregnant,' the consultant reminded Max stee-pling his fingertips together. 'Twenty weeks is the latest time I personally would want to perform a termination. After that...'
'After that, what?' Max could hear the raw fear in his own voice, taste it in his mouth. 'That only leaves two weeks to bring Maddy's blood pressure down.'
'I'm aware of that,' the obstetrician conceded qui-edy. 'It is unfortunate that your wife missed her earlier antenatal appointments. Had she not done so we could have picked up the problems that much earlier.' He glanced away from Max before looking back at him to tell him bluntly, 'I do understand how you must be feeling, but I've had prem babies under my care who have survived birth at twenty-three weeks. To abort—'
He stopped compassionately as he saw the emotion Max was struggling to keep under control.
'Maddy will never agree to sacrifice her baby,' Max told him. 'She'd sacrifice herself first.' When the consultant said nothing, Max protested furiously, 'For God's sake, in all humanity you can't expect...I should be the one to make the decision, to take responsibility. She's my wife. We already have three children.'
Max could feel the burn of his own emotions sting-ing the backs of his eyes. Was this then fate's punish-ment for him? That in celebrating their love, in his reaffirmation of his vows to love her, he had quite literally sowed the seed of Maddy's death?
'We're talking about a situation that may never oc-cur,' the consultant reminded Max firmly. 'If your wife responds well and quickly to treatment, then all will be well. It is, of course, essential at the moment that she is not subjected to any kind of...upset or...pressure.' He gave Max a long look. 'I hope I make myself clear.'
Max made a terse nod of his head. He knew that the obstetrician was warning him not to discuss the situation with Maddy or allow her to see his own distress. 'I understand,' he confirmed. 'I have to go home now...to collect our children from school, but I'd like your permission to bring them in to see her.'
He paused and waited.
'Yes, I can agree to that,' the doctor told him.
'...and for me to be able to stay the night here with her,' Max continued swiftly.
With a small sigh the consultant nodded his head.
'But I must warn you, any sign that your wife is being upset or distressed in any way by either the presence of her children or her husband and I shall have to ask you to leave.'
Grimly Max inclined his head.
JENNY'S MOBILE rang just as she was about to leave the supermarket and drive to Olivia's. When she answered it she heard Max's voice.
'Mum...'
'Max.' She could detect the tension in
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