AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘How?’ Madison asked.
Nita sighed. ‘I know that it’s not really done for people to go out together on the same ward, especially students with senior doctors, but as this is the last week of my rotation, I thought maybe…’ She sighed again. ‘I can’t believe I was that stupid. Of course a man that gorgeous was going to be attached.’
‘Theo?’ She’d thought for a while that Nita had a crush on the consultant. But Nita had said the man she’d asked out was attached. Would Theo have told anyone that he was seeing her?
‘Theo,’ Nita confirmed. ‘It took me a week to get my nerve up to ask him. He was really nice about it—and I think that’s made it worse.’ She looked miserable. ‘He just said that he was really flattered but, sorry, he was already involved with someone. He said they kept it low key but it was really serious.’
Theo had told someone that he was really serious about her? Did this mean he was really thinking about a future with her? Or had he just tried to be kind and let Nita down gently?
He certainly couldn’t have told Nita who he was seeing, or the student would never have confided in her.
‘Never mind,’ she said reassuringly. ‘I’m sure there won’t be any awkwardness between you in this last week of your attachment, because you’re both too professional to let that happen.’ She hugged Nita swiftly. ‘Don’t take it to heart. You’re not the first who’s said something they wished they could take back, and you won’t be the last. You weren’t to know he was already seeing someone.’
‘I suppose not. I wonder who it is?’ Nita looked speculative. ‘His face went all soft and dreamy when he talked about her.’
Exactly what Katrina had said.
Madison’s heart missed another beat and she really hoped that she didn’t look equally dreamy when Theo’s name was mentioned. Because, if she did, before too long someone would notice and make the connection. And neither of them was ready to go public. Not until the stalemate was broken.
‘Well, we’d better get back to our list,’ Madison said with a smile.
At the end of the day, they saw Mrs Reeves again.
‘We’ve had the blood results back,’ Madison said. ‘And it’s pretty conclusive.’ She looked at the dark urine sample. ‘Can I ask you, are you drinking plenty?’
‘Drinking lots and weeing lots,’ Mrs Reeves said wryly.
‘Dark urine is another sign,’ Madison explained. ‘I know this is driving you crazy, and the only real cure for the condition is to give birth—so I’m going to induce you at thirty-seven weeks.’
‘Is the baby all right?’ Mrs Reeves asked, looking worried.
‘Yes. There’s no scientific evidence to say that your condition will affect your baby’s growth or development,’ Madison reassured her. ‘Though obviously it’s uncomfortable for you.’
‘You can say that again.’ Mrs Reeves scratched the palms of her hands. ‘So I just have to put up with this itching for another three weeks?’
‘Yes, but I should warn you it might last for another three weeks after the baby’s born and your hormones have settled down again.’
‘I think I’m going to go mad,’ Mrs Reeves said softly. ‘Isn’t there anything at all you can give me?’
‘I know it’s horrible for you. There is a drug that can reduce the bile salts in your blood,’ Madison said, ‘but it’s not licensed for use in pregnancy and I don’t know of any trials we can piggyback. What I can do is give you a prescription for some cream that will help. And then there are the obvious self-help things like wearing cotton clothing, bathing your skin with cool water and trying to press rather than scratch your skin—the last thing you need on top of the itching is an infection because scratching has broken your skin and some bacteria have taken advantage.’
‘It might also be worth trying classes to help you relax, like yoga,’ Nita suggested. ‘Stress can make itching worse and relaxation can make it a bit better.’
‘I’m also going to prescribe some vitamin K for you, because this condition means your body can’t absorb the vitamin as well as it normally would from your diet,’ Madison said. ‘You’ll need to take the powder in water every day.’
‘What does vitamin K do?’ Mrs Reeve asked.
‘If you have enough vitamin K, you’re at less risk of bleeding heavily after the baby’s born. The baby will also need an injection of vitamin K at birth, but that’s routine for all babies—absolutely nothing to worry about,’ Madison reassured her.
