“Your blood pressure is a little low, and you’re due for your 12-week scan. So, I’m going to run some tests.”
“Oh...” Zoe’s shoulders slumped at the news.
The doctor placed her hand on Zoe’s arm. “Just think, in a few hours you’re going to see the ultrasound of your baby. That will make up for it all.”
“I can’t wait.”
“But Max isn’t here.” Zoe couldn’t hide the emotion in her voice.
“Well, tell him to come,” said Dr. Khatri.
“He’s nearly three hours away.”
“Then he better hurry. I want to get the scans done as soon as possible to be sure everything is on track.”
Bloody hell. Zoe sighed.
This wasn’t at all how the shopping trip was meant to end up.
Max finished collecting the eggs, placing them carefully in his Akubra hat, before slowly closing the door and locking the hens in for the night. It was late afternoon. Jim had finished installing the satellite and the truck driver had called to tell him the cattle had arrived safely.
Bluey trotted next to him as he walked back to the house, wondering how Zoe was getting on with the shopping trip. A text a few hours ago only told him that they’d arrived in Adelaide and were going to have lunch soon.
“Just you and me tonight, boy,” he said, kicking his boots off at the back door, and heading inside, glad to be finally out of the heat of the day. Bluey followed him, his face happy that he could once more get the privileges he’d lost when Zoe had moved in.
Zoe.He missed her right now.
Max put the eggs in the fridge, took out a beer, and was about to head back outside to sit on the veranda and watch the sunset when his cell rang. He put the beer on the table—disappointed to see his mom’s name flashing on the screen and not Zoe’s—and he answered it.
“Hi, Max.”
“Hi, Mom. How’s the shopping trip going? Run out of money already?”
“I’m sure it’s nothing…”
His heart thundered in his chest while his thoughts went immediately to Zoe.
What the hell had happened?
The baby?
Were they all right?
“Zoe’s been taken to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.”
“What?”
“Kate and I are on our way there. Well, we’re going back to the hotel to pick up her overnight bag, then to the hospital.”
Fuck.
His hands shook.
He near collapsed on the kitchen chair nearest to him.
“Max, you there?”
He pulled himself together. “What happened, Mom?”
