Caleb had called at eight that morning.
A logistics crisis at Moonshine, the kind that could not be delegated and could not wait, a supplier issue that had cascaded overnight into something requiring his direct involvement before the morning meeting. He had apologised twice and she had told him both times that it was fine, that she understood, that it was just a routine appointment and Elara could come instead if she did not want to go alone. She had said all of this easily and meant most of it.
Elara had her own appointment that morning, a prior commitment she had offered to cancel and which Fiona had firmly told her not to. It was routine. Everything was routine at this stage, the midwife had said so at the last visit, everything progressing well, no concerns, just the quiet and steady business of a body doing what it was supposed to do.
Fiona had taken a cab to the Aurelia Bay Medical Centre alone.
