"Doc Martin" name and TV series are owned by Buffalo Pictures and I thank them for giving me wonderful characters to challenge my imagination.

HELLO, LOVE

Doc Martin finished writing and clicked his pen shut. Then he glanced up at Mrs. Wembley as she slowly and carefully rose out of the patient's chair by his desk. "Remember to make an appointment for a week from today."

Mrs. Wembley, relieved to be on her way, put her hand up toward her grey hair as if to smooth it a bit and quietly answered, "Yes, yes, doctor. Thank you, thank you."

Doc Martin escorted her to the door of his office, holding his hand under her elbow. As he opened the door, he bade her his farewell. "Er, well … goodbye."

Mrs. Wembley walked slowly through the door and smiled back at him. He wasn't looking at her and missed this small friendly gesture. There were several more people in the reception area, and all had sat up as if at attention when the doctor's door opened.

Doc Martin called over to his receptionist, "Mrs. Wembley needs an appointment for a week from today, Morwenna." Then he looked at no one in particular as he called out to those waiting, "Next!"

Mrs. Sylvia Stevens hurried toward him and through the door. Morwenna followed her and gave Martin her file. The door closed.

Soon Mrs. Stevens exited the doctor's office. Morwenna was ready to refer the next patient, " Doctor, Mr. Fox here wants you to take a look at … "

Doc Martin did not wait for her to finish and quickly said, "Mr. Fox, this way."

Mr. Fox followed the doctor into his office.

"Sit," Doc Martin commanded as he pointed to the patient's chair and went around to the other side of his desk. " Now, Mr. Fox … "

Morwenna closed the door so they would have privacy.

Shortly the office door opened and Mr. Fox came out. As he looked back, he said, " Yes, Dr. Ellingham. Goodbye."

Doc Martin's head appeared in the doorway. "Next!"

Morwenna held up her hands as she shrugged her shoulders, "No one, that's all. Guess this heat spell is keeping people home."

The doctor had a response to that which indicated his general view of the people of the village of Portwenn. "And they won't drink enough water either."

Morwenna smiled at him as she held up a large water bottle from her desk. Doc Martin frowned and Morwenna knew that a pleasant moment with Doc Martin was always brief. She shrank a bit into herself, aware that soon she would hear what was wrong. "Oh, and Morwenna …"

Now she looked at him reluctantly, "Yes."

Doc Martin explained, " There's no need to be yelling out everyone's medical problem for others to hear."

Morwenna gulped and replied, "I'm sorry."

His next instruction to her was brief, "Well, be sorry and remember."

Morwenna sat there in silence, her head down and her hands in her lap. He had put her down again. Pauline and others had warned her about working for Dr. Martin Ellingham, but she needed this job.

Doc Martin paused by his door. He wondered if perhaps he been a bit harsh when he scolded Morwenna just now. Somehow he should try to make her feel better. He suddenly thought of something and he found he was pleased with himself.

He nodded at Morwenna as he said, "Finish what you are doing, Morwenna, and … er … take the rest of the afternoon off."

Morwenna's eyes opened wide in surprise as her countenance immediately brightened. "Doc, you really mean it … eh, Doc?"

Doc Martin gave her a weak smile. "Yes, yes. Get going."

Morwenna grabbed her purse, rushed past her desk and was out the door as she hollered back, "Bye. Tomorrow."

The doctor walked over to the reception desk and glanced at the papers left in disarray on top of it. "Humpf …" he muttered as he left the office to get himself a glass of water.

Several hours later, Doc Martin sat at his desk, writing when he heard a soft knock at the side door. He looked up. There was another knock. Doc Martin scowled as he went to open the door. A young teenager stood there. He was around age 13 or 14 and was dressed in clean cut-off jeans and a t-shirt. The boy looked down instead of at the man who had opened the door.

Martin announced to him, "This office is closed. Make a proper appointment tomorrow." Doc Martin started to close the door, but the boy put his hand on it and stopped it.

Doc Martin was firm. "Tomorrow."

However, this lad was determined he would not be sent away. Quickly, he replied, "But Doctor, I really need to talk to you. Bad."

Doc Martin motioned to this unexpected patient to come in and pointed to the chair by his desk. Doc Martin sat down in his chair and looked at the young man, but remained silent. He was surprised to see the confident look on the young man's face and that he now looked Martin straight in the eye.

"I'm Max Dixon."

Doc Martin replied, "Mrs. Dixon is your mother? Er, Mrs. …. "

"Jane. Yes, my mother."

Doc Martin said, "I've heard of you."

Max showed surprise and questioned him, "You have?"

Doc Martin explained, "Your father was the fisherman who drowned last year, off the Headlands. Terrible."

This caused Max to tilt his head down as he whispered, "Yes."

Doc Martin was immediately sorry he had mentioned the accident that killed Max's father, but it was the first thing that came into his mind. He had been trying to work on his people skills, and he should have said something else. He also knew he should say something now to make Max feel better. But what?

"Er, sorry. You're a smart boy."

Max looked up, not sure what to say to that remark, "I'm not … "

Doc Martin continued, "Yes, Louisa … I mean, Miss Glasson … the headmistress says you are. One of the best students ever at her school." Doc Martin let Max have a few moments to think about Miss Glasson's remark.

"Now, what can I do for you that can't wait until tomorrow?"

When Max responded this time, his voice was like a squawk. "This is kinda embarrassing." Then he paused. Max heard a quiet response.

"Take your time."

"Well … you see … I play with myself." Max paused again.

Doc Martin encouraged him to speak. "Yes, go on."

Max rushed to explain, "It's not easy to ... I don't have many friends, so I don't know …. Uh, I work with my uncle."

Doc Martin knew the man. "Ah, that would be George Fry, the taxidermist," and Martin made a disgusted face as he said the word "taxidermist."

Max voiced a question, "I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong?"

"Have you asked your uncle?"

Max was quick to reply, "Oh gosh, no."

Doc Martin cleared his throat. He wanted to help this young man. He wanted to help all his patients. That was his calling in life. It was really all he knew how to do. He knew he had remarkable skill in diagnosing and caring for the hurt and ill people who came to him, however imperfectly he managed to respond verbally to them.

He did have an answer for Max. And he quickly reviewed the signs of puberty that happened for young teenage boys. Doc Martin concluded, "It is perfectly normal for a growing boy to be interested in the changes in his body. And those changes are perfectly normal. You can stop worrying."

Doc Martin stopped talking. He wondered what more he could say. He had made his diagnosis and he was finished with the subject.

Max wanted to know a bit more and he asked, "Is that all?"

Doc Martin responded, "Yes. And I should be asking you, is that all?"

Max let out a surprised, "Oh!"

Now Doc Martin wanted to know, "Well, is that all?"

Max stretched out his words as he replied, "No, not exactly …."

Doc Martin gave Max a questioning look and tented his hands on his desk as he murmured, "So …. "

Max began speaking in a rush. "I want to be like you. Eh, well … I mean, I want to be a doctor. It isn't so bad working with my uncle, but I really don't like dead things. I want to help people and I am hoping to get a scholarship and go on to university …. "

Doc Martin calmly replied, "No reason why all that shouldn't happen for you."

Max began again. "I want to learn more right now. I'm wondering if you have some old medical magazines ... or something like that ... that I could have? It's summer and I have time now."

"What?" Doc Martin hadn't been expecting that question and wanted to be sure.

Max answered, "Old medical magazines ... ones you don't want. To study, to read about …. "

"Medical journals, you mean." Doc Martin clarified what they were called for Max.

Max wondered if he would get any from Doc Martin and there was a question in his voice as he said, "Oh. Medical journals?"

Doc Martin told him, "Wait here."

Max answered with both surprise and relief in his voice, "Thank you, Doctor. Thanks."

Max watched the doctor walk out of his office. He had not answered with a definite yes, yet Max had guessed correctly what Martin would do next.

Martin walked upstairs, surprised that he had agreed so readily to the boy's request. He could have asked him to come back tomorrow to pick up the journals. In the hallway, several doors were open. He looked into a bedroom.

Louisa sat on the bed crooning to their baby James as she held him to her breast. Louisa glanced up and noticed Martin. She stopped singing and gave him a small smile, then looked back down at James.

Martin told her, "Max Dixon is downstairs. I'm getting several medical journals to give him."

Louisa gave her husband a broad smile. "Oh, Martin. That is so nice of ... "

Martin brushed her comment aside, "Well, Yes."

He turned to go but paused as he thought about the rather abrupt response he'd just given his wife. Louisa waited. She realized he was searching for more to say to her. Then Martin sputtered out, "I wonder if James will be a doctor."

Louisa casually replied, "Keep it going in the family, eh?"

Martin grimaced. Immediately a look of alarm spread across Louisa's face as she realized her remark had made him think of his unfeeling, selfish parents.

She quickly offered an understanding apology. "Oh, Martin. I'm sorry …. "

Doc Martin turned away. "I'll just go find some journals."

A few minutes later, Martin looked in on Louisa and James again. She had resumed singing quietly to James as he nursed. Quickly Martin held up several medical journals and started to walk on by.

Louisa had a sympathetic comment. "Martin, I didn't mean to …. "

"I know," Martin replied. He knew she regretted the comment she'd made a few minutes ago that had reminded him of his unhappy childhood.

Martin continued, "Max reminds me of myself at that age … when I decided for myself I wanted to be a doctor. It was expected, of course, and I had planned to rebel against that expectation. But I discovered that being a doctor appealed to me, in spite of that being the family profession. My grandfather, then father, of course, and his sister, ah .. my aunt Dr. Ruth Ellingham. Then there was Aunty Joan, the family's black sheep. She was the first one I told of my commitment. She always had time to listen to me. Maybe because we were both outsiders ... from … from the family."

Louisa was amazed at how much Martin would say sometimes when he was thinking of his childhood. She softly agreed, "Dear Joan."

"My parents, my father … well, they just … they never thought anything I did was good enough. And then they just didn't care what I did."

Louisa gently began, "Martin …. "

Martin again raised his hand holding the magazines. "Max is waiting."

He walked away down the hall.

Louisa sighed and whispered to sleepy James. "Your father, young Martin. It's all so sad."

After an excited and appreciative young Max had left his office, Doc Martin sat at his desk and stared into space. He shifted in his seat several times. Then he glanced at the papers in a neat pile on his desk and looked away. Suddenly Martin stood up and rushed through the reception area, pulling at his necktie to untie it. He hurried upstairs.

Quickly Martin came into the bedroom, carrying his jacket and tie, as Louisa finished putting James down in his crib. She looked up with concern on her face. "Martin, what is it?"

Martin paused, then slowly walked over to her. He reached up a hand and stroked her cheek. Then he looked down at baby James, sleeping peacefully in the quiet room.

Martin whispered, "I love James."

Louisa answered, "I know."

Martin hadn't finished, "And … and I love you."

Martin took Louisa in his arms. They looked into each other's eyes.

"Hello, love," Louisa whispered into a big ear.

Martin murmured into her hair, "I never thought I'd have love in my life when I was young."

Louisa reassured him, "You do now."

They kissed, oh so sweetly. Then a bit more fervently.

THE END