Maitland Maternity: Triplets, Quads and Quints

Chapter Four

Seven months later

Briana McCallum was on the first floor of the new wing of Maitland Maternity Hospital, the McCallum Wing, dedicated to her mother, talking to the head of nursing, when the phone rang. Mrs. Rodgers interrupted their conversation to take the call, then handed the phone to Briana. “It’s for you.”

Bri took the phone, expecting the caller to be her assistant. She wasn’t disappointed. “What is it, Lisa?”

“The new doctor’s here! R. J. Maitland wants you to come meet him at once.”

“I thought he wasn’t supposed to arrive until two o’clock,” Bri complained. She hated all the politics involved in her job.

“He got here early. Come on. I told Mr. Maitland you’d be in his office in five minutes.”

“All right. I’m on my way.”

She struggled up from her chair as she handed the phone back to Mrs. Rodgers. “Okay, I think I’ve got a grasp of the problem, Mrs. Rodgers. I’ll get back to you as soon as I’ve worked out a solution. But the new obstetrics chief for the wing has arrived early and I’ve got to go be a part of the welcoming committee.”

“Oh!” Mary Rodgers said with excitement. “Dr. Callaghan? That’s wonderful. I’m so looking forward to meeting him!”

Bri smiled tolerantly. She’d had nothing to do with choosing the new doctor, but she’d heard plenty of praise about him. Their head doctor, Dr. Wellborn, had collapsed with a heart attack ten days before the new wing opened. He was recovering, but he’d be unable to take up his appointment. Bri had had her hands full trying to make the adjustments necessary for everything to be up and running smoothly. She’d scarcely had time to note that a committee had hurriedly formed, much less looked at the candidates. She had her own fish to fry.

Now, having survived the opening, she could turn her attention to the newcomer. She sent up a prayer that the new man would be easy to work with. He should be. He’d have the best equipment and staff that money could buy.

It suddenly occurred to her that the reception she’d planned for that afternoon might need to be moved. Instead of heading for R. J. Maitland’s office, she stopped by hers.

“Lisa? Did Mr. Maitland say—” She broke off as she realized her assistant’s office was filled with people.

“Oh, here she is!” Lisa exclaimed, drawing her attention.

R. J. Maitland, director of the Maitland Maternity complex, stepped forward. “Bri, we gave up waiting for you. Here’s Dr. Hunter Callaghan, waiting to meet you.”

Bri actually felt the blood drain out of her face as she turned to look at the only man she’d ever known named Hunter.

That’s the last thing she remembered.

DR. HUNTER CALLAGHAN, recently of Chicago, stared down at Briana McCallum, who’d just wilted onto the floor. Same beautiful hazel eyes, he’d noted before she’d closed them. Same silky light-brown hair framing her beautiful face. Same peaches-and-cream complexion, until all the blood had drained out of her face.

But there was a big difference between this Briana and the Briana he’d left sleeping in a hotel-room bed in New York City seven months ago.

This Briana was very definitely pregnant. Almost full-term, if he was any judge. So she’d been pregnant with another man’s baby when he’d met her. She’d said she had no boyfriend, hadn’t she? That she was alone? That was the impression he remembered. Obviously she was not only a wealthy woman, but a liar, too.

Dr. Abby Maitland McDermott, who was chief ob-gyn at Maitland Maternity and who had accompanied her brother R.J. and Hunter, bent over and took Bri’s pulse as she chastised Lisa. “I told you to keep her from rushing around, Lisa. Having triplets carries enough pressure without adding to it.”

Hunter stiffened. “She’s having triplets?”

“Yeah, we’re all excited that one of our first customers is our own administrator,” Abby told him with a grin.

“How far along is she?” Hunter asked, a slight tremble in his voice that he hoped no one noticed.

“Help me lift her to the sofa. Everyone stand back and give her some room to breathe,” Abby ordered.

Hunter stepped forward and put his hands on Briana. Lifting her shoulders, he slid his arm under her and lifted. Her head rolled over against his chest. As it had in the deli. Gently, he placed her on the sofa.

“She’s seven months along and doing well. I don’t know what caused today’s fainting episode, but we’ll check her out. Lisa, call and tell my staff I want a room for Bri.”

“Oh, Doctor, she won’t like that. Can’t you wait until she comes to and ask her?” the assistant pleaded.

“No, I’m her doctor. I get to decide what kind of treatment she receives. Get a bed.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Lisa said.

“Don’t get me a bed, Lisa,” a faint voice Hunter had never forgotten spoke up. “I’m fine, Abby. You’re right. I rushed because your brother is such a bear when he’s kept waiting.” Bri accompanied her words with a weak smile.

Hunter watched her, waiting to see if she remembered being introduced to him.

“I apologize for all the trouble, Dr. Callaghan. Not a particularly graceful way to welcome you to the McCallum Wing,” she said in her soft voice, but Hunter noted she didn’t look at him.

Swinging her feet off the sofa, she looked at R. J. Maitland. “I wanted to know if you want the reception set up for now, or leave it at two o’clock?”

“It can stay at two,” the director said.

“But I’d really like to check you out, Bri,” Abby said. “At twenty-eight weeks, you’re doing well, but I’d like you to carry the girls a little longer.”

“I intend to, Abby,” she assured her, her smile sassier this time. “Now, I have a list of problems to deal with before the reception this afternoon, so if you and our new head of obstetrics will excuse me, I’ll get busy.” She smiled at the rest of the group, several other members of the Maitland family, and stood.

They all began to leave the office. Hunter, however, stood his ground. Finally, R. J. Maitland said, “Hunter, you coming?”

“I need a word with my new administrator,” he said. A hazel-eyed gaze collided with his.

Abby stepped forward once again. “I’d rather Bri not deal with much right now. In fact, though she said she was going to deal with problems, I’m ordering her back on the couch to rest.” She smiled at Bri, and Hunter was filled with jealousy when Bri smiled back. Bri hadn’t smiled at him that way.

“I just wanted to set up a time for a meeting with her,” Hunter explained.

“Oh, Lisa? Does Bri have a time cleared to meet with Dr. Callaghan?” R.J. asked.

“She set aside some time tomorrow morning. She thought he might be too busy with the welcome until then.”

“I knew Bri would have,” R.J. said with a sigh. “She’s so damned efficient it wears you out just thinking about it.”

“Fine. I’ll see you then, Ms. McCallum.” Hunter said, trying to sound impersonal. But it wasn’t easy. His mind was all ajumble. She could be carrying his child—children! He could go from bachelor to father of three in the space of a few weeks—if her babies were his.

He walked out of the office with R.J. “So she’s having three girls? Fraternal?” He hoped R.J. would believe the huskiness of his voice was excitement about the new job.

“No, identical.”

“Is her husband pleased?” He held his breath for Maitland’s response. “She’s not married.”

“But surely the babies’ father is participating in the pregnancy,” he pressed.

“She’s never named anyone as father. Refuses to do so. Says these are her babies.” R.J. changed the subject to the medical equipment available, and Hunter could do nothing but go along with him. Otherwise, it would’ve appeared odd.

But he hadn’t seen the last of Briana McCallum today. And he suspected she knew it, too.

ONCE THE DOOR had closed behind her visitors, Briana slid back down to sit on the sofa before she fell on her face. Her knees were so wobbly, she knew she couldn’t walk.

“Bri?” her assistant demanded, alarm in her voice. “Are you really sick? Do you need the hospital bed Dr. Abby asked for?”

“No, Lisa. But I could use a bottle of apple juice.” She kept juice and nutrition bars in the small kitchen area beside her office. Lisa scurried away at once and returned with the apple juice.

“Are the girls all right?” she asked as she handed the juice to Briana.

“The girls are fine. Where is the file on Dr. Callaghan? I meant to read it before he arrived, and his early arrival has thrown me off.” She hoped that excuse made sense to Lisa. “Could you bring it to me so I can review it while I’m catching my breath?”

Lisa scurried off to Bri’s office to find the file on her desk and bring it back to her. Then, clutching the file and her juice, Bri stood. “I’m going to get into my rocker and study the file.”

Lisa escorted her to the rocker in her office overlooking a spectacular view of Austin, and saw her settled. Then she asked if Bri needed anything else and assured her she should just call if she didn’t feel well.

Gently, Bri smiled. “I know, Lisa. Thanks for taking such good care of me, but I’m fine.” Now that I’ve recovered from seeing the girls’ daddy come through the door. What a shock.

She’d actually thought she’d never see Hunter again. Some nights she’d prayed she’d never see him again. Others she’d prayed the opposite. The memory of their one time together still promised it would be heaven to be with him again. The anger and pain of his dismissal of her contradicted that thought.

What did he think? With any luck, he wouldn’t realize he was the father. But Abby had been pretty specific about the length of her pregnancy. Maybe she could convince Hunter she’d gotten off the plane and been met by an old lover who’d begged her forgiveness. She examined that thought from several angles. How could he dispute it?

That’s what she’d tell him. As long as she denied his involvement, he’d leave her alone. And that’s what she wanted, she assured herself staunchly. To be left alone.

In the seven months since she’d left the hotel in New York, she’d adjusted to the changes in her life. She was prepared for the birth of her children, three precious little girls. Her family was supportive, though Caleb still wanted to go beat up the father, whoever he was.

Her friends, too, at the hospital, never mentioned the fact that she was to be a single mother. They were happy for her. Everything was perfect.

Most of all, she was happy about her babies. Thrilled, in fact. She had enough money to eliminate a lot of the problems most single parents had. And she knew what her babies needed that money couldn’t buy: love. Her babies would know she loved them. They’d know how special they were to her. Like she would have if her mother had lived. A shiver ran over her body. Yes, her girls would be loved.

And then along came Hunter Callaghan. What was he doing here? Obviously, he hadn’t known who she was, that she was here, or he wouldn’t have come. Or maybe he figured he shouldn’t let his personal life interfere with his career. And being head of the McCallum Wing was a definite feather in his cap. There were only two or three comparative situations in the country.

Well, she could be professional. She’d deny his involvement with her pregnancy and continue as before.

Her mind drifted back to picture Hunter, standing there in his expensive suit, looking fit and handsome. Probably all the nurses had been drooling over him already. They’d certainly talked about the fact that he wasn’t married.

Which reminded her of the file in her hands. She opened the folder and read through Hunter’s impressive credentials. He was certainly qualified.

But she didn’t want him to have anything to do with her babies’ birth. Not even as an observer. He was to keep away. He’d walked out on her, left her alone in that hotel room without even asking her if she was okay. He’d broken her heart. She wasn’t going to do the same thing to the girls.

“Is she all right?” Bri heard someone ask. Before she could react, Lisa opened the door to escort in one of Bri’s best friends, Annabelle Reardon, a delivery nurse at Maitland.

“Of course I’m all right,” Bri answered as they came in, but she didn’t rise from her chair. Her friends didn’t expect that these days.

“But gossip said you fainted,” Annabelle said, alarm in her voice.

“Annabelle, you’re being way too dramatic. I’m fine. See for yourself,” Bri said, spreading her arms wide.

Taking her at her word, Annabelle pulled a chair over to the rocker and sat down to take Bri’s pulse. Bri dismissed Lisa with a nod over Annabelle’s shoulder.

“You know, you’re acting like my mother, and I’m ten years older than you,” Bri pointed out with a grin. “Not ten years, Bri. You’re exaggerating. Your pulse is normal,” she said as she put Bri’s wrist back on the chair.

“Of course it is, because nothing’s wrong. I just rushed a little too much because the great Dr. Callaghan got here early.”

“You don’t like him?”

Bri warned herself to be careful. “Of course, what little I know. I was referring to the nurses’ enthusiasm for his, um, appearance.”

“You’ve heard the roar of appreciation?” Annabelle asked with a grin. “Mind you, I don’t think he compares to our Dr. Beaumont.”

“Of course not. You’ve got a crush on him.”

Annabelle’s cheeks flushed bright red. “Don’t be ridiculous. But I can’t help but admire him.”

Bri let her get away with that white lie. She worried about her friend. Annabelle was only twenty-three and Zach Beaumont was thirty-six. But who was she to pretend to be an expert about relationships? She was going to be a single mother.

“I doubt that anyone will complain about having another single doctor around here. Especially a handsome one.”

“You think he’s handsome?” Annabelle asked, her expression alert.

Bri struggled to remain calm. “I was speaking generally, friend. No one seven months pregnant with triplets is going to get excited about a man. They cause these situations. And then walk away from them,” she couldn’t help adding.

“You’ve never said who—” Annabelle began and then broke off.

“No I haven’t. And I won’t. The man involved didn’t want any future with me. These are my babies. No one else’s.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” There was a moment of silence, as if Annabelle was remembering the past seven months. “How’s Maggie?”

Bri sighed. “She’s fine. Not pregnant.” Her sister-in-law, Adam’s wife, had been trying to get pregnant for some time. Her inability to conceive had put a real strain on her marriage. When Bri had announced her pregnancy, however, Maggie had been as supportive as a real sister. Just thinking about the courage and generosity Maggie had shown brought tears to her eyes.

“It’s unfair,” she whispered, closing her eyes.

“Maybe things will change soon,” Annabelle said. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Bri forced her eyes open and pasted a smile on her face. “Oh, it’s those hormones, Annabelle. You know how those affect us expectant mothers.”

“Yeah. And anyway, Madeline’s a miracle worker, so probably Maggie will have a baby before we know it.”

Bri had believed that at first. Madeline Sheppard was one of the fertility experts at the McCallum Multiple Birth Wing. But so far, there were no results. Bri feared for Adam’s marriage. Maggie seemed unable to think of anything else.

The door opened again and another friend, neonatal nurse April Sullivan rushed in. Instead of speaking to Bri, she looked at Annabelle. “Is she all right?”

Bri chuckled. “You’d think you’d ask me, silly,” she said, reaching out for April’s hand.

“She seems to be okay,” Annabelle answered anyway.

“Okay, now that I’ve had a professional opinion, I’ll ask you,” April said to Bri, with a grin at Annabelle.

“Oh, you nurses! I’m fine, April. What are you doing here?”

“Well, word has flown all over the hospital that you fainted. You know how excited we all are about your babies. So I took a break to come make sure you’re all right.”

“Not all over the hospital?”

Both ladies nodded.

“Oh, no, that means I’ll have a lot of visitors.”

As if on cue, the door burst open and a handsome man, with hazel eyes just like Bri’s, burst into the room. “Are you all right?” he demanded, ignoring her other guests.

Bri grinned at her younger—by three minutes—brother. “Of course I am. I just tried to hurry too much. How did you hear?”

Though he’d at least asked her first, Caleb now looked at the other two women. “I was running an errand for Dad. Is she telling the truth?”

“Caleb!” Bri protested, still grinning. It wouldn’t have been the first time she’d tried to con her brothers, and they both knew it.

“As far as we can tell. Abby was there, and she seemed to think everything was fine,” April said.

“All right,” Caleb said with a sigh.

Bri relaxed again, glad her brother was satisfied. Until he spoke again.

“I’ll be back around five to take you home. I don’t want you driving anymore. I’ll bring you to work each day and take you home.”

“You’ll do no such thing. I am not an invalid. I’m pregnant, that’s all. I’m perfectly capable of driving a car.”

“Bri, you’ll do as you’re told,” he ordered in his sternest voice. It wasn’t the first time he’d tried to give Bri orders.

“I’ll do as my doctor orders me, dear brother, and Abby assures me I should continue to lead a normal life until she says differently.”

“But I did tell you to rest, didn’t I?” Abby said from behind Caleb. “How can you rest with the room full of people?”

“Abby, don’t tell me you’ve taken time to come back and check on me,” Bri protested.

“Yes, and it’s a good thing. Everybody out. I want my patient to rest. Lisa is going to bring you your lunch, Bri. I don’t want you traipsing down to the cafeteria. In fact, I want you in that chair or on the sofa from now until two when you’ll have to make an appearance at the welcoming party.”

“But Abby, I’ll need to make sure my directions are being carried out before it starts,” Bri protested.

“Send Lisa. I mean it, Bri. Either you cooperate or I put you in that hospital bed.”

Bri sighed and looked at her brother and friends. “Okay, guys, I guess you’d better go. Oh, Abby, tell Caleb I can still drive myself to work,” she asked hurriedly as her brother was turning toward the door.

He paused and stared at Abby.

After looking at first Caleb and then Bri, Abby said, “For now, she can still drive herself to work.”

Caleb frowned, but gave an abrupt nod and left the room. The two nurses followed, with offers to do anything for Bri thrown over their shoulders.

Finally, with only Abby in the room, the doctor moved to her side and picked up her wrist.

“Annabelle already checked my pulse.”

“Good for her,” Abby said mildly, continuing to watch her wristwatch.

Bri shook her head in disgust. “Well?”

“Your pulse is fine. But I do have a question for you.”

“Sure. I ate breakfast, I promise, and I’ve taken it easy.”

“I know you have. What I don’t know is why you fainted at the sight of Dr. Hunter Callaghan.”

Chapter Five

“I—I guess I hurried too much when Lisa called me. You know how your brother is about wanting everything to run smoothly.”

“Don’t give me that garbage about R.J. scaring you. I’ve seen you go toe-to-toe with him when you think he’s wrong.”

Bri thought desperately. “I have several problems I need to deal with. I guess I went on overload. I don’t have as big a capacity for trouble right now.”

Abby stared at her a little longer. Then she reached over and felt Bri’s cheeks, as if she were a mother checking her child for fever.

“Is your back hurting?”

“No, not at all.”

“Are you having any pains anywhere?”

“None, other than when one of the girls gets under my ribs and gives me a swift kick.” There wasn’t a lot of room for three babies, even with her stomach as big as it was.