The Maverick's Bride-To-Order. Stella Bagwell

to do with me. Was my own mother like this young girl once?

      ‘I’ll put it in your notes. You do know that I’ll be here for you throughout this, Rhea? Any time. You’ll be able to call me, night or day. I’ll give you my contact details.’ She passed over a small card that had the hospital numbers and Callie’s own personal mobile number on it too.

      Rhea stuffed it into her bag. ‘I don’t want anyone judging me.’

      ‘No one will do that.’

      ‘You don’t know what I’ve been through.’

      ‘No. But I’m hoping that at some point you’ll trust me enough to tell me.’

      She meant it. Sincerely she meant it. And she hoped Rhea could sense that. It was at times like these that Callie’s job meant the world to her. It was at times like these when she felt she could really help someone—and this young girl clearly needed help for something.

      If only she’d let me in. If only she’d let me help her so that another baby doesn’t grow up feeling like I did as a child. Unwanted and unloved.

      ‘Don’t you need to take my blood pressure or something?’

      Rhea broke the silence and Callie nodded, glad that Rhea was offering her something.

      ‘Of course. I need to take blood, too.’

      ‘I brought this.’ Rhea reached into her bag and took out a small jar with a urine sample in it. ‘I washed it out before I used it.’

      ‘That’s great—thanks.’ She would need another sample if this one was more than two hours old. It was hospital policy. However, she wasn’t going to say that. Rhea had offered her a little something. That would have to do for now.

      Rhea’s blood pressure was fine, as was her urine sample. Nothing out of the ordinary and all well within parameters. Physically, she seemed fine. It was just emotionally that something was off.

      ‘You know, I’m really looking forward to getting to know you better throughout this, Rhea.’

      ‘Yeah, well, don’t go thinking you’ll get me to change my mind.’

      ‘That’s not my place.’

      ‘No, it isn’t. No one has the right to judge me for giving this thing away.’

      ‘No, they haven’t.’ I was going to give a baby away myself. ‘But please don’t call the baby a “thing”. Call it what it is.’

      Rhea stood up to go and slung her bag over her shoulder. ‘It’s a thing. It will always be a thing. It’ll never be anything else.’ And she stormed from the clinic.

      Callie watched her go, bewildered and amazed. In some ways Rhea seemed so strong, but in others she was just a tiny young girl, terrified and afraid.

       And what am I afraid of?

      Callie’s hand went to her own stomach, as yet still unchanged in size. She didn’t even know she was doing it until her phone beeped a text message alert and she was brought back into the present. As she rummaged in her bag for her phone thoughts echoed through her mind.

      Don’t go getting attached.

      You have no idea if you’re keeping it either.