“There are some gaps, unfortunately.” He turned to face her. “Like where you should give birth. You can book in at the regional hospital…”

“That’s a long drive.” Paula recalled the weekend she and Dan had spent in a tiny cabin at Wallaston, the seaside town that was the biggest in their region. It had taken well over an hour to get there. Between Paula’s bouts of nausea and Dan’s dozing in front of the football on television, it wasn’t what you would call the romantic getaway as described in the caravan park brochure. So much had happened since their May wedding, they had both been glad of the opportunity to relax. Paula smiled at the recollection – the weekend hadn’t been all nausea and sleeping.

Lachlan handed over some papers. “Or there’s a choice of hospitals in Adelaide. Quite a few mothers from here choose one of them.”

That was even further away. Paula took the pamphlets without even looking at them. “But you said everything’s fine. I’m quite happy for you to deliver our baby here.”

“Not an option, I’m afraid. The local hospital isn’t able to do obstetrics and that suits me. Babies are unpredictable and I’m on call enough as it is. One of the downsides of living here is that you have to travel to have your baby.”

Paula looked down quickly as tears brimmed in her eyes. She bit her lip. Where had they come from? “But how will I know…what if…?”

“You’ll have plenty of time, especially with a first baby. But if you’re worried you can always stay down in Adelaide for the last few weeks so you’re closer to the hospital. Have you got someone you could stay with? Miss Woodcroft will be living there by then, won’t she?”

“Well, yes…but…” Paula frowned. The thought of spending any longer than a day with Dan’s aunt was not one she cared to entertain. Rowena Woodcroft was a woman used to doing things her way. Paula admired many of Rowena’s qualities and had even come to like the woman who was both mother and father to Dan but, even so, she could only tolerate her in small doses.

“You discuss it with Dan.” Lachlan walked her to the door. “You’ve got a bit of time but you should book in somewhere soon.”

Paula was amazed; the excitement of her healthy pregnancy overshadowed by the idea of travelling away to have the baby. She thought of Jane on the neighbouring farm with her two little boys. They were both born before Dan and Paula had married but she had assumed they had been delivered at the local hospital. She’d have to talk to Jane about it. Maybe tonight there’d be a chance over dinner.