Ava sighed. That made sense, and one of the most difficult parts for the Indigenous parents was not to have their babies born on country. Ava had been told many times that in Aboriginal culture the land was everything.

The problem was it was so darn far to get out here if things went wrong that the risk factors stacked up against any expectant mums. They had the emergency clinic, but if a mum needed help during birth, there were really only the nursing staff and one non-obstetric doctor for nearly five hundred kilometres. Ava had no desire to deal with a post-birth haemorrhage like the one she’d had with Zac in Alice Springs – Big Jim’s brother’s baby, in fact – without backup.

Ava rubbed her suddenly itchy hands. She had an odd feeling about this. ‘I remember my mother telling me Jim was born prematurely here. It’s probably coming from there. Lucky Jim was a tough little baby before they flew him out to the NICU.’

She checked her watch. Amelia had been ten weeks early, but Ava didn’t want to think of sadness any more today. ‘Perhaps if we go and speak to Jim and his mother, they can persuade Jessamine to feel okay about coming into town if we explain there are other girls there she can talk to.’

Denise screwed up her nose. ‘Don’t like your chances.’

‘Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll come, and hopefully together we can convince Jessamine to wait for her baby nearer to medical help.’ Much nearer. And much sooner.

‘Before we catch a baby here.’ Denise laughed. It wasn’t funny, Ava thought, but the nurse arrived and smiled at Denise’s infectious mirth, and Ava found herself relaxing again.

Two hours later, after dressing an ulcerated leg, inserting three stitches in a cut finger, and washing out a sand-filled eye, Ava drove out with Denise to the desert community on the outskirts of town. Her first sight of Jessamine made her brow furrow.

To Ava, the young woman seemed big around the middle, even in the baggy dress which was a few sizes too large for her, her pregnant belly hanging ominously low for someone not supposedly near term. Had Jessamine put on body weight under that dress, or was the billowing fabric concealing a big baby?

Hiding her concern, she smiled. ‘Hello, Jessamine. I’m Denise’s friend, Ava, the midwife who lives on Setabilly Station. Nice to meet you.’

Jessamine didn’t answer and the silence stretched. Ava waited, still smiling; she had no urge to rush it. ‘I heard there was another baby due sometime over here, so I thought I’d drop by and see if you’re going okay.’

Jessamine kicked some dirt at her feet and didn’t look up. ‘I’m good.’