‘We’ve worked together before, you know,’ Denise told Zac. The whole procedure was completed quickly, before Jessamine could change her mind.

Very soon after the injection Ava delivered the enormous placenta, and after a quick check down below, she encouraged Jessamine to roll over so she could massage the mother’s stomach. The idea was to reduce the placental site on her uterus and squeeze off any haemorrhage vessels. To Ava’s immense relief, everything settled with remarkably little fuss and they all breathed more easily for the moment.

Zac made light work of helping Jessamine up to the day bed to lie down. Ava and Zac put the babies back against their mum’s skin, while Jill put a warmed blanket across the trio. Done.

Ava laughed and stood back, stripping off her gloves. ‘Oh my. Now that’s an exciting event. Alice Springs maternity will be horrified, and jealous, that we had such a fabulous outcome here. Brilliant birthing, Jessamine.’ She couldn’t help thinking, That’s one way to keep off the labour-ward bed: a few kilometres of walking. ‘But don’t go starting a trend.’

Both babies looked less than three kilograms, and to Ava’s surprise Jessamine didn’t seem perturbed that there were two. ‘Jim will be real pleased,’ she said quietly. ‘They’re both good, eh?’ she asked Zac. ‘They can stay on country?’

Ava knew she couldn’t promise that. Everything might be fine, but they were too isolated. ‘I don’t think so. But we’ll wait for the team. You’ve done amazingly well, Jessamine. But twins! Your poor uterus is stretched and tired. I’m sorry. They’ll want you to go to hospital for at least a day or two so they can watch you don’t bleed, and these boys need to be putting on weight.’

Jessamine’s face dropped. ‘I don’t want to go.’

‘We know.’ Zac crouched down. ‘But these little boys need their mum, and having two babies at once makes your uterus risky. If something happened to you, their life would be sad. It’s best to go to the hospital and then you can come back in a day or two when everything is settled. You were amazing.’

She sighed and there was a long pause. Ava held her breath. Finally Jessamine said, ‘At least they’re born here.’

Zac nodded. ‘A big story they will hear from you when they grow up.’ Zac lifted his stethoscope. ‘Can I have a listen to them while you have a cuddle?’

Good job, Zac, Ava wanted to say, but she glanced at the clock. Jessamine had been there for less than an hour and so much had happened. They were having a very big week.

Chapter Twelve

Zac