Page 45 of One Night with the Doctor

Callie took hers and sat at the table. She removed the lid and inhaled the rich, earthy fragrance of her double shot espresso, waiting for the delicious buzz as it hit her olfactory system. It was a shock when a powerful surge of nausea took hold instead. Callie pushed the cup away violently, the liquid sloshing over the sides and onto the table.

‘Ugh.’ She clapped a hand to her mouth, relieved that it vanished as quickly as it appeared. ‘That smells awful.’

Geraldine raised an eyebrow and lifted the mug to her face. ‘Smells like coffee to me,’ she murmured.

Callie shuddered. ‘Must be that bout of food poisoning I had last week. I still feel a little delicate and things seem to taste different.’

Geraldine blew on her coffee, watching Callie over the rim. ‘Are you absolutely sure it was food poisoning?’

‘Yep.’ She nodded. ‘Sebastian was ill too. We think it must have been something in the takeaway we’d had the night before. He got over his quicker than me, though.’

Geraldine took a sip. ‘Funnily enough, I couldn’t stand the smell of coffee when I was pregnant with Tahlia. The merest whiff and I was throwing up like there was no tomorrow.’

There was something in Geraldine’s voice that made Callie’s eyes narrow. For crying out loud – she was not pregnant. ‘Geri,’ she warned.

The older woman shrugged. ‘I’m just saying.’

‘Well, don’t.’

‘You and Seb are being careful?’

Callie rolled her eyes. ‘Of course, Mother.’ Except yeah, there was that one time…

‘Hmm,’ Geri said, placing the cup on the table and crossing her arms over her ample bosom. ‘And you’ve had a period lately?’

Callie did not like the speculation in her friend’s eyes or the direction of her thinking. ‘Yes. Last week.’

‘Yep, that can happen. I had my period until I was five months pregnant with Damon.’

‘Geri.’

‘Tired?’ she persisted, ignoring the note of warning in Callie’s voice. ‘Peeing a lot? Sore boobs?’

Callie stood. ‘I am not pregnant, Geraldine Russell. So get that thought right out of your head.’

Rodney walked in, oblivious to the conversation. He placed his lunch on the table and lifted the plastic lid on his regular curry from the Indian takeaway, also across the road. The aroma of coriander and all-spice wafted upwards and he inhaled appreciatively.

‘I don’t know what we’re going to do if The Raj Palace ever closes down,’ he mused. ‘I might have to actually make my own lunch and that would be a tragedy.’

The nausea returned with a vengeance but this time it didn’t settle. Instead, it became all-consuming and Callie knew there was definitely going to be follow-through.

‘Excuse me,’ she gasped, praying that she’d make it to the staff toilet in time.

Rodney blinked as he watched Callie gallop off. He looked at Geri, concern in his eyes, only to find her grinning like an idiot. ‘What’s so funny?’ he asked.

‘Life is, Rodney.’ Geraldine laughed. ‘Life.’

Callie felt so rough she popped into Sebastian’s office to let him know she was taking the afternoon off and cancelling their movie plans.

‘Of course,’ he said, rising from his chair. ‘I’ll drop by after work and check on you.’ He reached her side and pulled her into an embrace.

‘No, it’s okay.’ Callie dropped her head against the pillow of his chest. She was so weary suddenly she felt like she could sleep for a week. ‘I’m having a shower and going straight to bed.’

‘Okay.’ He kissed her forehead. ‘You do feel a bit warm,’ he murmured. ‘I think you should see your doctor. This food poisoning thing has been dragging on a bit too long.’

Callie nodded, pushing Geraldine’s ridiculous theory firmly from her head. ‘Tomorrow.’

‘Come on. I’ll drive you home.’