Adopted: One Baby

He strode forward and pushed the red button, and Lorna had ample opportunity to see that his denim jeans clung equally tightly to his firm buttocks. There was an arrogant confidence in every line of his body. Sexual simply because of the way he moved.

She hated that. It made her feel so uncomfortable. Some memory jagged, like cobwebs on nails. She’d seen him before. Or someone like him?

Had she seen him in one of Vikki’s photographs?

‘It doesn’t usually take this long to get an answer,’ he said, peering through the strengthened glass aperture.

‘I—I wouldn’t know.’

He glanced over his shoulder and then back, as a young and harried-looking student midwife pulled the door open.

‘Sister’s not finished her shift yet.’

‘No worries. Can you tell her I’ll wait in the Bistro. Oh, and I’ve brought this up for Baby Drummond—’

‘Why?’ The question shot from Lorna like a bullet from a gun, scarcely allowing time for her to register that the younger woman had clearly recognised him.

‘Sorry?’

‘W-why have you brought that for my niece?’ she asked, pointing at the teddy bear.

‘Niece?’ He turned and really studied her. He’d not done that before, and it made her feel flustered. ‘That must make you Lorna Drummond. I’d never have recognised you.’

Lorna pulled a distracted hand through her blonde hair. ‘Have we met?’

He held out his hand. ‘Raphael McKinnion. Ellie’s brother.’

Raphael McKinnion. Rafe McKinnion.

She allowed him to take her hand, feeling as though her stomach had been invaded by several hundred butterflies.

Ellie’s elder brother. At fourteen she’d have thought she’d died and gone to heaven if her best friend’s brother had so much as spoken to her. Now he was shaking her hand.

And still holding a pink teddy bear intended for her niece. Was Raphael McKinnion the reason Vikki had come back to Sittiford?

Her sister wouldn’t have been intimidated by a man like Rafe McKinnion. If she’d wanted him she’d have crooked her little finger and he’d have come running. All men had. Always. Like moths around a candle.

Whereas she… found them threatening. Just about as threatening as they usually found her. Lorna swallowed the hard lump in her throat. ‘And the bear?’

‘Oh, that. I’m afraid you’re going to find he’s just the tip of the iceberg. The hospital has been inundated with soft toys,’ he responded, with a swift smile at the student midwife—who melted in a pool of hormones.

Lorna felt a flicker of irritation. Nothing had changed in Rafe’s life then.

‘Why?’ Her voice sounded unnecessarily clipped.

‘Your sister’s accident has been in all the local papers. It’s touched a nerve, and people have responded in their hundreds.’

But not, apparently, the baby’s father. Lorna felt as if a big black cloak was being wrapped tightly around her. It was trapping her, stifling her…

And there was no escape.

Everyone expected her to take this baby. But how? She’d never even held a baby. Not once. She couldn’t do it. It just wasn’t in her. A feeling of nausea surged through her.

‘I’m sorry about Vikki,’ he said, watching her. ‘We all are.’

‘Th-thank you. I…’ She reached a hand up to hold her head as the walls started to close in on her. She felt so hot. Hot, and a little confused. Colours started to blur and the walls disappeared into blackness.

And then nothing…

‘She’s fainted.’

Lorna heard the words as though they were being spoken down a long dark tunnel.

‘Rafe, fetch a chair from my office and bring it out here, will you? Let’s get her sitting down and off the floor. She’s going to ruin her skirt down there, and it looks like it cost a fortune.’

It didn’t seem worth speaking. Lorna’s head was thumping and her eyelids felt unbelievably heavy.

‘Lorna? Lorna? Can you hear me?’ The female voice was quite authoritative, so she opened her eyes. ‘You’re going to be fine. You’ve just fainted.’ Then, seconds later, ‘Bring the chair over here.’

Which didn’t appear to be directed at her, so Lorna let her eyes shut again.

‘Lorna?’ A hand moved under her arm. ‘Come on, now, let’s get you up on a seat. That’s it. Now, put your head between your knees.’

Strange, embarrassing, but after a moment or two the world began to steady. She was aware of small rhythmic movements across her back, and a quiet-voiced conversation happening way above her.

‘I’m sorry. Really, I…’she began as she struggled to sit up.

‘Take it steady,’ said the voice that had been directing it all. Then the woman who owned it knelt down in front of her and smiled. ‘Feeling better?’

Familiar features swam in front of her face. ‘Ellie! I’m so glad to see you.’ Thank God it was Ellie. If she’d ever needed a friendly face this was the time. In all the trauma it hadn’t even occurred to her to hope her old schoolfriend might be on duty.

Ellie would know how unfair it was to expect her to take on responsibility for Vikki’s baby.

‘How are you feeling now?’

Terrible. ‘Fine. Better,’ she conceded, putting a hand up to steady her head. ‘In a minute. I’ll be fine in a minute.’

‘There’s no hurry. Take your time.’

Lorna leant forward and rested her pulsating head on her hands. She’d never fainted in her entire life. Slowly she sat back up. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘Don’t be daft.’ Ellie broke off from her conversation and knelt down to Lorna’s level. ‘I ought to call someone, but—’

‘No! Please don’t. I should have stopped for something to eat. That’s all this is.’

Ellie bit her lip. ‘Let’s see how you are in a little while. After we’ve got a cup of tea inside you. Rafe?’ She turned her head to look up at her brother. ‘Can you help support Lorna? She might be a bit unsteady. I’ll manage the chair.’

The hand under her elbow felt strong. Lorna took a shaky breath and then responded. The room swam a little, and she reached out to clutch at the nearest support. Soft leather was beneath her fingers, and she looked up into Rafe McKinnion’s strong face. ‘My bag…’