NOT CALLING HIM.

"Have they had many applicants for the role?' Alora asked.

"There have been few, but only two standouts...two women who are looking at a Job share,' Kylie said.

"You could think about doing that,' Alora suggested.

"I don't like sharing at the best of times and especially not my fucking Job,' Kylie said. "Still, I'm going to have to work something out. I can't believe how quickly my due date is coming up.'

Kylie had always heard women saying that their pregnancy seemed to drag on for ever, yet hers seemed to be galloping along at breakneck speed. she just hopes, everything works out for the better.

Work was as unrelenting as ever and she did her level best not to bring any aches and pains with her, but by the end of the day she was exhausted. The nursery hadn't been sorted out; instead, her days off were spent looking at child-care centres. All to no avail. Even the creche at the hospital wasn't geared to a baby whose single parent worked such erratic hours.

"If I'm going to work, then I'm going to have to get a nanny,' Kylie conceded as she added sugar to her tea. "But, that even comes with it's own set of problems, I just wish I can a very good one.'

"Such as?'

"I have a two-bedroom home.' She sighed. "A small two-bedroom home.'

"And, you don't like sharing.' Alora smiled. " Can't you get somewhere bigger?'

"I'm going to have to at some stage but the thing is, I love my home. I've just got it exactly how I want it but, yes, I guess I'm going to have to look at moving. Not yet, though,' she said. "I think I will stay put for now and once I've had baby I will think about the house for sale, meaning on the market. I will have to wait for six months to move..."

"So you're planning to have your house on the market, find another one and move, all with a new baby?'

"It's a baby,' Kylie said. "I'm not going to be working..."She let out a sigh. "I haven't got a clue, have I?'

"Well, if anyone could do it all, then it would be you,' Alora said. "Though I just can't imagine how I'd have managed when the twins were tiny. Just having people viewing the house when you are trying to feed or you have just got..." Alora hestiated "...it off to sleep..."

"You were about to say him.' Kylie smiled.

"No, I wasn't,' Alora refuted. "What I'm actually trying to say is that I wouldn't count on getting too much done during those six months of maternity leave. It isn't extended holiday, Kylie. If you are considering moving to somewhere bigger, it might be a good idea to start the ball rolling now..."

"I guess.' She sighed. "Even if the new place does need work. I could do that while I'm ..." She stopped when she saw Alora's small eyebrow laughed and then laughed. "Okay, I'm going to accept that I have no real idea as to the disruption this small person is going to make to my life when he arrives.' Kylie waited for Alora to say something, but she didn't. "I want to find out what I'm having.'

"Well, then, it's good that you've got an appointment to see me this evening.'

"Alora!' Kylie protested, because now that she had made up her mind, she wanted to know straight away. "Fucking, tell me. Tell me, Alora.'

"No, I won't fucking tell you here and I'm serious about that. We agreed that catch-ups were for friend talk and my office, young lady is for official baby talk..."

"Come on, I need to know Alora,' Kylie whined.

"Stop behaving like a baby and wait..."

"I'm not going to wait. No way,'

"Yes, way,'

"No way,'

"Yes, way?'

Kylie rolled her eyes and surrendered. "Okay, I give up. Fair enough,' she grumbled.

"And speaking as friend and not a doctor, have you..."

"I need to quickly get back,' Kylie interrupted. she didn't want to get into that conversation with Alora again, and explain that she still hasn't spoken with Ken.

She knew, though, that she needed to contact him.

Tonight, she decided, she'd deal with it tonight but almost immediately she changed her mind. It was surely better to ring around the hospitals around the day. It will sound more professional to any of his colleagues than calling at night and she certainly didn't want to create any gossip for him.

Alora started to head to outpatients, when she was holding antenatal clinics all day, kylie will be her last patient. "I will see you at five. Hopefully, I shouldn't be running late. Come and have dinner after,' she suggested. We might even make it in time to see the twins before they go down for the night.'

   "I would love that. I honestly don't know how you do. Kylie admitted. "Do you feel like you're missing out?'

     "Sometimes,' Alora nodded. "I worry more, though, that they are missing out on me and I completely over compensate when I do see them and rot up all of Nigel's routines. I know I'm lucky, though. I don't have to worry about them while I'm here and I can concentrate on work, knowing that they are at home with their dad.' She gave her friend a smile. "You need your only Nigel.' 

    Kylie smiled back but the thing was, she didn't want her own Nigel.

She wanted... Kylie halted, her thoughts right there. Ken wasn't the man she thought, she had met and even if he was it was supposed to have been a one night stand. He had said that to her face that he didn't want to be tied to any one person or place and she can't really imagine his reaction when he found out she was having his baby.