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‘Great. We’re just going to clean up and give you three a few moments of privacy, but we’ll be within calling distance. Marie, I’ll be back in a minute. But call me if you feel like the afterbirth is going to come more quickly.’

‘OK.’ She looked up and caught Liv’s gaze. ‘Thank you. So, so much. Thank you.’

‘You’re more than welcome.’ Liv’s voice caught in her throat as she headed to the bathroom.

* * *

Callum found her sitting on the edge of the bath a few moments later, staring at her hands still encased in their bloody gloves. He shook the yellow hazmat bag open and placed it on the side. ‘Thought you’d be needing this.’

‘Thanks.’ Liv’s voice was shaky.

‘You were amazing,’ he told her honestly. ‘You just saved his life.’

‘Yeah, I think I just did, didn’t I?’ She stripped off the gloves and dumped them in the bag before soaping up her hands.

‘No question about it.’ He handed her a towel.

‘Thanks.’ She dried her hands, avoiding his gaze.

‘Out with it.’

‘What?’

‘There’s clearly something bothering you, Liv. You can trust me. What is it?’

She rounded on him, hands on hips. ‘What the hell happened, Callum? Why is Marie here at home when she should have been in a hospital? Where is the ambulance and paramedics? Do you know how dangerous this was? How often an umbilical cord prolapse requires an emergency C-section? What if I hadn’t been able to relieve the pressure on the cord? What if forceps hadn’t been enough? Callum, what if I hadn’t been here?’

‘But you are here, Liv, and you were able to help. More than that, you saved a life. You were amazing.’

‘But I shouldn’t have had to be!’ she hissed angrily. ‘Marie should never have been put in this position. We shouldn’t have been put in this position.’ She sank back down onto the edge of the bath. ‘What happened?’

‘Apparently, Marie went to the hospital yesterday, but wasn’t dilated and the pains were intermittent enough to be put down to Braxton Hicks. Her first baby was late, and the labour was lengthy. She was two and a half weeks from her due date, so the hospital sent her home. Her waters broke an hour or so ago, and an ambulance was dispatched but apparently there was an accident that meant the call was re-prioritised.’

‘Wow. So much for eight minutes.’

‘Eight minutes? I don’t think ambulances have ever been that quick round here.’

‘No, I guess not.’ Liv sighed and seemed to crumple where she sat. Before he’d even thought about it, his arms were around her and he’d pulled her against his chest where he held her.

Eventually she pushed away from him. ‘Sorry, I just . . . felt a bit overwhelmed.’

‘You really don’t need to explain. I understand.’

‘I know you do.’

‘This situation should never have happened, but you being here meant it was OK. You’re bloody brilliant, Liv.’

She shot him a grateful, slightly embarrassed smile. ‘I should go and check on our patients.’

‘We should.’ He stepped aside and gave her a grin. ‘After you, Dr Emery.’

‘Well, thank you very much, Dr Macpearson.’

She knocked on the bedroom doorframe. ‘So, how are you three doing?’

‘We’re really good.’ Marie smiled at her tiredly. ‘I think he’s getting his colour nicely now, don’t you?’

‘Let’s have a look.’ Liv gently pulled away the blanket and smiled. ‘I agree, he is looking good. Almost as if nothing unusual had happened at all.’