West Wing to Maternity Wing!(32)

A hand caught his wrist. 'Lincoln. You're back. Great. Meet your new surgical co-ordinator.'

Brian Frew, the man behind the organisation of all the Amazon Aid  expeditions, looked extremely pleased with himself. 'Lincoln, meet Amy.  Amy, meet Lincoln.'

He froze. He'd never seen her wearing red before. It wasn't a colour  normally associated with women with red hair. But Amy looked stunning.  She gave him a wide smile. 'Told you I had a surprise for you.' She  stretched her hand out towards him. 'Pleased to meet you, Dr Adams.'

His eyes fixed on Zach. Now approaching his first birthday, he was  obviously developing well. He still had that lean look about him-common  for babies born prematurely-and would probably never be a chunky  toddler.

Amy had obviously been keeping hold of him in a vise-like grip and with  one arm outstretched towards Lincoln Zach was currently making a break  for freedom. Lincoln clasped Amy's outstretched hand and reached with  the other for Zachary, who bounced over into his arms and started  tugging at the leather thong around his neck.

'Hi, little guy. How are you?' he whispered. Green. His eyes were green  now-just like his mother's. And they were straight. The patch he'd worn  for a few months over one eye must have worked.

Amy cleared her throat. Brian was looking frantically from side to side,  obviously wondering what was wrong. 'Can you give us a minute, please,  Brian?' Amy's voice was strong and determined, with only the slightest  waver. Brian nodded nervously and sloped off towards the door.

She stepped forward, into Lincoln's space, her face only inches from his.

'You're my co-ordinator?'

'I told you I'd applied for a new job in San Francisco. It almost seemed  as if the job description was written for me. I decided it was time for  me to show how much I wanted to be here. I left you a message on the  satellite phone last week.'

He shook his head. 'I never got any messages. The satellite phone died  last week, that's why I didn't phone to say I was on my way home.' She  was right in front of him and he had Zachary in his arms. Ten long  months he'd waited for this.

She smiled. A happy smile. A healthy smile. 'Well, now you're back in  the country I intend to try and keep you here for a while.' There was a  wicked glint in her eyes. This was the Amy he had known. A confident  woman, who knew what she wanted.

The implication was clear.

He took a deep breath. It almost felt as if his life were flashing  before his eyes. Was he dreaming this? At some point on the plane he'd  drifted off and his dream had definitely resembled this one. Could he  still be sleeping on the plane?

No. His plane dream would never have included that obnoxious reporter.  He looked at the green eyes in front of him. They were sparkling. And  they were definitely there-this wasn't wishful thinking. There was only  one thing he could ask her. 'How are you, Amy?'

She moved even closer, sliding one arm around behind Zach's squirming  body and the other palm flat on Lincoln's chest. His eyes drifted  downwards. Her chest was pressing towards him. Both sides of her chest.

She followed his gaze downwards and smiled. 'I guess I should have said I  had two surprises for you. I took the steps I needed to. I figured  since you already didn't object to scar tissue, you could handle a  little more. I'm healed. I'm whole.' She lifted her head, staring  directly into his eyes. 'I have a wonderful counsellor-I'd like you to  meet her. And I am now "officially" … ' she gave a little curtsey ' … five  years cancer-free.'

He took a deep breath, his heart pounding in his chest. 'That's great news. I'm happy for you. But what does this mean for us?'

He watched her, waiting for her to speak. Hoping and praying she'd say the words he was looking for.

'I have some unfinished business.'

Not what he'd expected. It sounded so formal. But, then, she was Miss Unpredictable. Could he really live a life like this?

'Business? With me?' He raised his eyebrow at her.

She nodded. Her hand moved from his chest, around his waist and down to  his behind. 'I've done everything I can. I've taken care of what I can.  Physically, mentally, emotionally, I'm ready, Linc. I'm ready to start  again. And I'm hoping you are too.' Her eyes held his. Her lips were  trembling. Was she about to cry?         

     
 

'I just need to ask you one question.'

'What's that?'

'Can you take me as I am? Can you live with only ever having one child?  Can you live with a woman who can't give you any children? Are you ready  to give me another chance? Because I can promise you I'll never hurt  you again. You've given me a lot of time to think about things. Can you  give me a chance again?'

He smiled. Little did she know what he held in his bag. The future he  had already planned. He kissed her forehead, then her eyelids, then her  cheeks. 'I think I can manage that,' he whispered. 'And I've got a  little surprise for you too-one I'll tell you about later.'

She took a deep breath. 'Good.' She leaned in and wrapped her arms  around his neck, with Zach between them. 'Well, in that case, I've come  to get my One That Got Away.' The tears were gleaming in her eyes.  'Because it was always you, Linc.'

And this time the tears were in his eyes too.