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‘Yes, Dr Ransom, I am pregnant. I was planning to have worked out who should be my replacement and have her up to speed before I told you. I apologise for the manner in which you found out. It wasn’t what I intended.’ Proud of how she held it together, Meg knew she’d taken formal to a new high, but there was no instruction manual for handling such a situation.
She held her head high, but the look on Doc’s face made her wish for a dark moon. Then she wouldn’t have to see his disappointment. But then, the bomber wouldn’t have menaced them and she wouldn’t have been in this awkward spot.
‘How many months?’ At last, he spoke.
‘About four. I missed seeing Seamus by two days or we’d have tried to get married before he shipped out.’
‘I see. Does anyone at Currajong know? Your—replacement?’
‘I’ve told no one. You were to be the first. You are the first.’
‘Thank you for that.’ His gaze caught and held hers.
‘Are you going to send me away now? It’s not impacting on my work, and I feel well. Surprisingly well.’
Doc rubbed the back of his neck then shoved both hands in his pockets. ‘I should.’ He turned away, walked a few steps and looked over the stretch of open country. She had no idea what he was thinking, although—when had she ever known for sure?
He turned back but didn’t approach. ‘Do you want to leave the unit now?’
‘I don’t want to leave until I have to.’
He nodded and fell silent. He hadn’t told her to go. Maybe he wouldn’t put her on the first train south. Maybe he’d let her stay on for a while.
Praying she’d interpreted that silence correctly, she took a step towards him. ‘Besides, you’re sending Sister Smith back to Brisbane. We’ll be short-staffed until a replacement arrives for her. While I can do my job properly, I want to stay here, and I was thinking—’ What would Doc think of her suggestion? New mothers were supposed to be with their babies. They were supposed to want to stay with their babies, but Meg couldn’t imagine experiencing such a feeling. Not when there was so much work to do here. Not when she was needed in an active role in the war effort.
‘If I can find someone to care for my baby, I’d like to come back after the birth.’
Doc’s nod was non-committal, but before he replied, another jeep pulled up beside them.
Dr Newton called out, ‘Anyone hurt? We were still at the meeting site when that bomb hit and— Geoff, Meg, I didn’t see it was you.’
Doc approached the jeep. ‘We pulled off and took shelter when that bugger flew straight over and dropped his load. No damage done.’
‘The all clear sounded. Sure you’re both okay?’ Don Newton peered in Margaret’s direction.
Moving out of the shadow of the trees, an idle thought about hiding in moon-shadows played in her mind. ‘I’m fine although I might have a bruise or two from flinging myself onto the ground. It looks like our chaps hit the Jap’s plane.’
‘Here’s hoping. Well, if you’re both okay . . .’ Dr Newton put the jeep in gear and gave them a casual wave. ‘I expect we’ll read all about it in the Townsville Bulletin in a few days. Geoff, don’t forget to send me that article on vascular developments. Night.’ He pulled away leaving them to dust themselves off and clamber back into their jeep.
With a pang of regret for their interrupted discussion, Meg waited for Doc to resume the conversation, but he drove home in silence, only speaking to wish her a good night before leaving her to her thoughts. She strolled along the driveway, seeing activity in the veranda ward as nurses settled patients into their beds after the raid. Sneaking into her hut so as not to disturb the others if they had gone to bed proved useless. She eased the door open to find three pairs of eyes turn to her.
‘You’re awake still?’
‘Why would you think we’d be asleep after another bombing raid?’ Gerry asked. ‘Eva treated us to another attack of hysteria. That girl would be useless anywhere near a front line.’
If Meg had given the nurse another thought, she’d have expected nothing less. She shrugged and, seeing they were keen to talk, told them about seeing the enemy plane and taking cover and the bomb.
‘Ah, that explains the dirt on your skirt and grass in your hair.’
‘What?’ Meg jumped up and looked at her reflection, plucking a grass stem from her hair and brushing off her skirt. ‘Oh dear. I hoped not to have to fit in doing more laundry for a few days, but this dirt isn’t going to come out.’
‘So . . . did you only take cover because of the plane, or did Doc—you know?’ Seated on the end of her bunk, Gerry nudged Meg and gave her an exaggerated wink.
‘Gerry! Honestly, you know—’
‘You’re an engaged person, I know. You tell us that so often I sometimes wonder if you feel you have to remind yourself. Come on, Maggie, I’m only kidding. But it could have been fun.’
Desperate to divert Gerry from her comments, Meg shook her head. ‘I’m beginning to wonder about these raids that are hardly raids. Either the Japs have lousy aim, or their plan isn’t to bomb the heck out of us, but to tire us into making mistakes. I know the pilot dropped one bomb this time. It landed not far from us.’ Her near miss elicited shocked exclamations. Jokes about Doc and a good time vanished.
