Midwives On-Call. Alison Roberts

of my life. We have been together through good times and bad …’ There was a long pause before he continued. ‘We were blessed with three children, Geo, Alessandro and Allegra, tonight we sit in Geo’s as a family, always.’

      Alessi must have ditched the car because he was right behind her as she headed to the bathroom.

      ‘Watch the door,’ Isla said, and took a deep breath and stepped inside.

      She’d delivered many women on the bathroom floor but she’d only deeply loved one of them.

      Make that two, Isla thought as she stepped in and saw Allegra’s red face and damp curls. Steve was there beside her and he blew out a breath of relief as Isla came over. ‘Talk about timing,’ Steve said.

      ‘Perfect timing.’ Isla smiled, dropping to her knees, knowing what to do.

      ‘It’s coming.’

      Oh, it was.

      ‘Get behind Allegra, Steve,’ Isla said. ‘Help pull her legs back.’

      ‘Where’s Alessi?’ Steve asked.

      ‘Gnawing on the door with his teeth.’ Isla smiled.

      ‘He must trust you,’ Allegra said.

      Alessi did.

      But with no equipment, no help to hand, it tested Alessi on so many levels and it was a Herculean effort to stand outside.

      Last time, with Niko, Allegra had nearly died.

      It wasn’t like last time, Alessi told himself.

      Isla was there.

      Isla was pregnant.

      It was then that he properly acknowledged it. He looked at his parents, who were scanning the gathered crowd, waiting for their children to start speaking. A crowd was starting to gather where Alessi was playing doorman and a paramedic was climbing the stairs, wearing a crash helmet, which was possibly a giveaway.

      ‘Yes,’ Alessi said when his mother raced over. ‘Allegra is having the baby.’

      ‘Why aren’t you in there?’ Yolanda demanded.

      ‘Isla’s there. She’ll call if she needs me.’

      Alessi closed his eyes.

      She just had called.

      Private, deep, she had told him she was pregnant and he was eternally grateful for the drama of tonight, for not demanding to know if the baby was his, in some Neanderthal reaction.

      Whatever the answer, he was there for her, too.

      Alessi knew it.

      Isla didn’t.

      ‘Is everything okay?’ Steve asked, his eyes anxious.

      ‘Everything,’ Isla said, ‘is perfect.’

      Allegra pushed and when she couldn’t push, she pushed some more and then let out a scream, not that anyone would hear outside, where there was music and chattering and laughter. And as Allegra rested her body against her husband, Isla demanded more from her.

      ‘Again.’

      ‘No.’

      ‘One more, come on …’

      ‘Do what Isla says.’ Steve was both supportive and firm. Behind his wife, he held up her thighs and helped Allegra bring their child into the world.

      Their baby was almost here—the head was out and with the next push it would be delivered. The door opened at that moment and Isla smiled as Aiden Harrison, a rapid-response paramedic who had arrived on motorbike, stepped quietly inside.

      ‘Put your hands down, Allegra,’ Isla said.

      Allegra did and together she and Isla delivered the baby.

      It was a gorgeous fat baby girl with big cheeks and chunky arms and legs, who cried on entering the world and was born with her eyes open. Allegra and Steve wept when they saw her, their strong, healthy baby, and so, too, did Isla.

      Not a lot, but some tears did spill out, especially as Steve cut the cord.

      ‘I think you’ve stopped the party.’ Isla smiled through her tears because the noise outside had faded.

      ‘Steve …’ Allegra said. ‘Maybe you could let them know that everything is okay?’ She glanced up from her beautiful daughter. ‘And let Alessi in, poor guy.’

      His face was as white as chalk but he smiled when he stepped in and saw his niece.

      It was so completely different from the last time.

      Then, it had needed to be all sterile equipment and everyone avoiding meeting his eyes. Then it had been his sister and nephew on different intensive care units and the joy of childbirth completely missing.

      Now smiling faces greeted him and the surroundings didn’t matter.

      A backup ambulance had arrived and as Allegra was transferred to a stretcher it was Alessi who held the baby.

      There were repercussions to his job. He generally dealt with the babies that had run into complications, with the battlers to survive, but this little girl was feisty, dark, hungry, angry … Alessi looked into very dark navy eyes that in a matter of weeks would be as black as his.

      She needed no help from him, just love, and this little lady had it.

      So, too, did Isla.

      He loved her—of that he was completely sure.

       CHAPTER FIFTEEN

      A PROCESSION OF cars followed the ambulance to the hospital and once there a celebration ensued.

      Isla was more than used to the excitement within a Greek family when a baby was born but it was all multiplied tonight, because this little lady had been born on her grandparents’ fortieth wedding anniversary. Isla was aware, too, of the exhaustion having so many people around might cause for a new mum, but Alessi sorted it and suggested that the party continue back at his place.

      ‘Thank you so much, Isla,’ Allegra said as Isla went to go. ‘It might not have been the ideal location but it really was the best birth.’

      ‘It was wonderful.’ Isla smiled. ‘You made it look very easy.’

      ‘It has been the best wedding anniversary present ever.’ Yolanda was ecstatic. Niko was asleep on her shoulder and would be staying with his yaya tonight, but first they headed back to Alessi’s, stopping for champagne on the way.

      The mood was elated as corks popped and Alessi watched as Isla took a glass and pretended to take a sip so as not to draw attention to the fact she wasn’t drinking.

      ‘Are you okay?’ he asked.

      ‘Of course.’ Isla smiled.

      ‘Isla?’ Alessi checked, because he could see that she was struggling.

      ‘I’m a bit tired,’ Isla admitted, which was the understatement of the year. She was exhausted. The high of the birth was fading and the enormity of her revelation was starting to make itself known. They hadn’t had a chance to discuss it and from the way things were going it would be a good while yet till they could.

      ‘Go and lie down,’ Alessi suggested.

      ‘I can’t just go to bed in the middle of a party. My father would have kittens if I—’

      ‘He’s not here, though. Isla, you can do no wrong today, you just safely delivered Allegra’s baby. I know they are a bit over the top but they really are so grateful and relieved.’

      ‘I think it’s lovely how happy they are,’ Isla said.

      He