The Surgeon's Family Wish by Abigail Gordon

been waiting, while the mother was breast-feeding a new baby, with a toddler clinging to her skirts. Both of them were anxious to know when they could see him.
    â€˜You can see him now,’ Annabel told them. ‘But only for a moment. Your little boy will be in Intensive Care to begin with, then once we are satisfied with his condition he’ll be put on the ward.’
    * * *
    At midday Annabel went for a quick bite. Aaron was in front of her in the queue in the staff restaurant.
    Surprisingly he had Lucy with him, and when the little girl saw her she tugged at his sleeve and said, ‘Annabel is behind us, Daddy.’
    He swung round and as their glances met asked, ‘Would you care to join us?’
    â€˜I’d love to,’ she told him with a smile for Lucy.
    When the three of them were seated Annabel asked, ‘So, to what do we owe the pleasure of Lucy’s company?’
    â€˜My mother is staying with an old friend overnight and when Lucy woke up with a sore throat this morning I didn’t fancy sending her to school. I was expecting to leave her with the housekeeper who comes in daily but she rang in to say she’d had a family bereavement, so I had to bring her with me. She’s been helping my secretary, haven’t you?’
    â€˜And what about the sore throat?’ Annabel asked. ‘Is it any better?’
    â€˜Not much,’ Lucy told her, and Aaron laughed.
    â€˜I think this young lady is enjoying bad health. She doesn’t want to be bundled off to school for the afternoon.’
    â€˜It’s not the ideal place for her, though, is it, if she’s got a throat infection?’ Annabel said. ‘A hospital full of sick children.’
    â€˜Maybe not,’ he agreed drily, ‘but under the circumstances have you any other suggestions?’
    â€˜I might have.’
    â€˜Such as?’
    â€˜I’ve finished for the day. The two operations I had planned for this afternoon have been cancelled. The parents of the first child rang in this morning to say that he’d got a heavy cold and the second, a young girl due for a tonsillectomy, has moved house of all things without the family letting us know, and can’t be contacted.’
    â€˜So?’
    â€˜I’ll take Lucy back to your place and look after her until you’ve finished here.’
    If Aaron had any doubts about the suggestion his daughter hadn’t. Lucy clapped her hands and cried, ‘Yes, please, Annabel. Can we play at doctors and patients?’
    â€˜We’ll do whatever you like if your daddy says it’s all right.’
    â€˜Yes, of course,’ he agreed, ‘but are you sure you want to spend the afternoon being bandaged from head to foot? I have no doubt about which of you will be the doctor.’
    â€˜I’ll put up with it,’ she said with a smile. ‘Just as long as I don’t have to take a dose of castor oil.’
    â€˜Or have an enema,’ he remarked.
    As their shared laughter washed over her Lucy asked, ‘What is one of those?’
    * * *
    As Annabel put the key in the lock of the front door of Aaron’s house it was a peculiar feeling. She was a stranger entering another woman’s home. A home from which she was long gone. And beside her was Eloise’s daughter, the enchanting Lucy.
    It was a sensation that she hadn’t experienced on her two previous visits, but on those occasions both Aaron and his mother had been present. Today it was different. She felt as if the house had been waiting for her, waiting for her to make her mark, but wasn’t sure what was expected of her.
    Did Eloise, wherever she might be, know that she was in love with her husband? she wondered. And if she did, did she approve? Would she be willing to allow Lucy into her safekeeping if ever Aaron told her he loved her as much as she loved him?
    Without any such kind of thoughts plaguing her mind her small charge suggested,