Two beers and a very filling meal later, Aidan admitted that he owed me.
“Why?” I asked diffidently, sipping my beer.
“Your patient today should have been mine. If you hadn’t been there, I would have stuffed up and I don’t know what would have happened. I’m terrified of babies.” From his wide-eyed expression, it looked like this was not a joke but the truth.
For the first time, I smiled. “How can you be afraid of babies?”
He looked embarrassed. “I’m the youngest of eight kids back in Ireland. One of my aunties came over here and married an Australian, so I came over here to do my internship, when I finished my medicine degree. I’ve never delivered a baby and this one would have been my first. Mum never let me hold any of my nieces and nephews, because she was afraid I’d drop the babies. I guess I got scared I’d drop them, too. They’re so tiny!” He spread out his big hands, wide enough to cradle the premature baby I’d delivered this afternoon.
“Ah.” I nodded, understanding. His fear was like that of most first-time fathers, or at least the few I’d seen. Most of the babies I’d delivered never knew their fathers. This was probably for the best.
I finished my beer as he drained his second. We both stood up at the same time. Together, we walked to the cashier and paid for our meal.
Outside the pub, he thanked me for joining him for dinner.
I replied in kind and headed into the darkness toward my car before he could follow.
YOU ARE READING
Water and Fire - A Short Story
ChickLitWorking as a student midwife in an Australian country hospital is never easy, but Belinda finds more trouble than most. There's the intern doctor who follows her around like an overgrown puppy, the dangerous local wildlife and her own secrets she m...
