Page 7 of A Merry Little Christmas

Merry let out a breath. ‘Good. I can do that. So I can go home?’

‘Not yet.’ He shook his head gravely. ‘Your blood pressure is high. I’m going to keep you in for a day or so. I’d like to monitor you and, judging from the way you’ve refreshed your emails several times since I’ve been talking to you, I suspect you could do with forty-eight hours of complete rest.’

For a fleeting moment, the idea of lying down for two days with nothing to do except say yes to tea and toast, brought in bed to her like this morning, was very appealing. But there was no way she could agree to that; she had far too much else on her plate besides complimentary toast.

‘I’m afraid that won’t be possible,’ she said, pulling herself upright.

The doctor raised his eyebrows. ‘It is possible, and most certainly preferable to the alternative.’

‘Thank you, yes, I can see her.’ Cole’s voice floated to her from the entrance of the ward.

Merry spotted him at the nurses’ station and her heart squeezed with a mix of joy and relief at the sight of him. Thank goodness he was home.

‘Guten Tag.’ She waved sheepishly to him as he strode towards her bed.

‘Good morning, Mrs Robinson, and good morning, doctor, please excuse me while I kiss my wife.’

He kissed her lips tenderly and stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb. His hair was tousled, and he smelled of cold morning air and toothpaste, and Merry felt a rush of love for her handsome husband.

His eyes scanned hers and he touched a hand lightly to her baby bump. ‘How are you? Are you very uncomfortable? Do you know what’s going to happen next?’

‘Fine, not too bad,’ Merry replied, counting her responses with her fingers, ‘and the doctor was just telling me that we don’t need to do anything.’

Dr Hill reprised his stern look, but, thankfully, Cole missed it.

‘I’m so sorry I wasn’t with you last night,’ he murmured. ‘We were lucky to get the last two seats on this morning’s flight. Dad came to the airport to collect Astrid, so I could come straight to the hospital.’

‘It couldn’t be helped, and Nell and Olek looked after me.’

Merry reached up to put her arms around his neck and he gave a soft groan as he enveloped her with a hug – a long hug which went on so long that she started to giggle.

‘Sorry about my husband’s protracted greeting,’ she said, addressing the doctor when Cole finally released her. ‘We haven’t seen each other for five days.’

‘No apology necessary,’ the doctor said, smoothing his wiry moustache with his forefinger and thumb. ‘The longer the hug, the better. If I could prescribe hugging on the NHS, I would. Your body is now releasing a hormone called oxytocin, which will help to lower your blood pressure.’

Cole frowned. ‘Is her blood pressure too high?’

‘It’s nothing to worry about,’ Merry answered hurriedly. ‘I feel fine now. The baby isn’t coming early, which was my big worry, and I’m really ready to go.’

‘I know you are,’ said the doctor. ‘There’s no better place than home, but I’m afraid you’re going to have to put up with Hotel NHS for a bit longer.’

‘Why, is there a problem?’ Cole stiffened, gripping Merry’s hand.

‘Seriously, doctor, I’ll be fine at home. I can watch and wait there.’ As much as she was delighted about Cole’s arrival, she would have preferred him not to hear what the doctor had to say so that she could cherry-pick what she wanted him to know. He was such a worrier.

‘Watch and wait for what?’ Cole asked, wide-eyed, proving her point.

‘Just for baby Robinson to arrive,’ she answered. ‘No big deal.’

Dr Hill let out a barely audible sigh. ‘Now that your waters have broken, you’re at a greater risk, not only of infection, but also of going into labour. Have you got a busy week planned?’

‘Um …’ Merry chewed her lip, wondering how honest on a scale of one to ten she should be.

Cole laughed. ‘My wife lives every day as if it’s her last, she has a never-ending to-do list, which gets longer as the day progresses.’

‘Cancel everything except the essentials for the next few weeks,’ said Dr Hill. ‘Doctor’s orders.’

‘Everything is essential.’ Merry was full of indignation.