The Army Doctor's Christmas Baby by Helen Scott Taylor Page B

she
was another stupid female besotted with Colonel Fab. She was.
    Both Radley and Sean wore microphones. Their easy banter
made it clear they were good friends and comfortable working together. They
started the operation, narrating the steps of the procedure, explaining their
thoughts and actions while cameras filmed from three angles, projecting the
images on screens in the gallery.
    Silence fell as everyone watched, totally absorbed by what
was going on below. Daniel leaned forward, his chin in his hand, eyes fixed on
his brother.
    Everything proceeded the way Sean had described to her with
only a couple of hiccups. Kelly wanted to stay for the whole procedure, but
after two hours, it was time to get the girls from the day care. She
reluctantly stood and tried to squeeze past Daniel. He rose and headed out as
well.
    "You didn't need to come with me," she said when
they reached the corridor.
    He pulled out his phone and checked the screen.
"Actually, I did. I have a flight to New York this evening. My phone
vibrated a few minutes ago to alert me it was time to leave. I'll walk you
out."
    They headed to the elevator and climbed in. "So, what
did you think?" Kelly asked.
    Daniel nodded slowly. "I wish I could stay until the
end. That's just the sort of work I should be involved in, using my skills to
make a real difference. I feel like I'm coasting right now, not sure which
direction to go. But I need to do something meaningful. I can't keep doing what
I'm doing for the rest of my life or I'll go crazy."
    "So you've decided to join the army?"
    "Probably. I want to talk to Sean about it first. My
father will go ballistic if I leave the London practice, but I can't live my
life to please him. Sean was strong enough to make the break and follow his
heart. I must as well."
    The elevator's polite computerized voice announced the main
floor. They stepped off and headed across the marble and stainless steel foyer
to the exit.
    "So, are you and Sean a hot item, then?" Daniel
cast her a mischievous smile.
    "I guess."
    "You don't sound certain." A hint of disapproval
crept into his voice. "Sean's been hurt badly. Don't mess with him."
    "I'm not planning on doing that." If anyone ended
up hurt, she was pretty sure it would be her. "The thing is, I'm not certain
Sean's ready for a long-term relationship. Isn't he still in love with his
wife?"
    Daniel laughed without humor, the sudden harsh sound
surprising her. "You need to ask him about Eleanor."
    Kelly stared at him, wishing he would elaborate.
    "Seriously. Ask him," he said, stopping beside a
very expensive sports car with the license plate FAB 1.
    He obviously wasn't going to tell her about Eleanor. With a
sigh, she admired the car.
    "Very nice. Almost worth the price of your soul."
    He chuckled. "I used to think so."
    "Good luck with your career-changing decision,"
she said. "I really do recommend the army. I loved it and so does
Sean."
    With a burst of anticipation, she hurried across the car
park to pick up the babies. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve. She couldn't wait to
see the girls' cute little faces when they visited Santa Claus in the
afternoon. Taking her children to see Santa was a fantasy of hers. Zoe and
Annabelle might not be hers, but she was starting to love them as much as if
they were.
    ***
    Kelly leaned into Zoe's crib and tucked the little girl up,
kissing her forehead. "Night night, sweetie. Sleep tight." As she
crossed to Annabelle's crib for a final kiss, she heard the front door open
downstairs.
    "I hear your daddy."
    So did Annabelle. She sat up, gripping the wooden bars of
her crib, and shook the side. "Dada," she shouted.
    "Hang on, poppet. I'll go and fetch him."
    Buzzing with anticipation, Kelly headed for the top of the
stairs.
    Sean sat on the hall chair, pulling off his shoes. He stood,
hung his hat in the cupboard, and ran his fingers back through his golden hair.
She longed to charge downstairs and throw herself into his arms, but she didn't
know how he'd