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Chapter 2

After a quick dab of perfume, Louisa tiptoed down the stairs and into the doorway of the consulting room. She stopped at the threshold and looked over at Martin. He had such a gift of concentration. I guess that is one of the reasons he is such a brilliant surgeon and terrific GP, she thought. He had to pay close attention to so many little details. It would drive me mad, she thought. She continued to watch Martin as the sun fell soft on his short hair and the dust motes floated lazily in the air. No wonder he tells people to shut up so often. He has to be able to concentrate and even I have trouble with that when some of the parents start chatting.

So often friends in the village who were, of course, also patients, asked her to please, please get the Doc to be nice. Can't you make him less grumpy, less likely to tell us to shut up, get him to be less, well, obnoxious, Louisa? Sometimes it was hard to be his wife. Lots of times it was hard, she thought. But they didn't know all of the things she knew. All of the walls he had built so high to be able to survive. She knew though, that they were slowly lowering. It was hard work, but worth it. Being married to Martin was like mining for gold. You just knew the vein was there, you caught glimpses, but you had to keep going to reach the reward.

Louisa cleared her throat softly. No reaction. Coughed a bit louder. No reaction. "Martin," she whispered. He looked up from the clock with a questioning look. "What is it Louisa?" he asked. "Shhh, Martin. Don't wake him. Can you come upstairs? I need your help with something."

"Whatever is it?" he questioned quietly. "We can't do anything up there that won't risk waking James and he really needs to rest. Children his age need at least ten to twelve hours of sleep."

"Still, Martin, I need you," Louisa said. "Won't you help me?"

"I…." Martin started to question her again but then stopped as she played with the neck of her dressing gown and he realized just what kind of help she needed. He swallowed. A fleeting wish for time alone crossed his mind quickly and then fled.

"Um, yes, um. I'll be right there," he said.

Louisa waited at the bottom of the stairs and held Martin's hand as they climbed toward their room. At the door she turned to him and began to remove his robe and pyjama top. He normally would have showered and put on a suit by now, even on a no-surgery weekend, but they had come to an agreement that he would wait to shower on those weekends until Louisa was fully awake.

Louisa tossed the clothing onto the floor, deliberately not looking at Martin's face because she knew he would want to pause and place the items carefully on a chair but she did not wish to stop. She didn't know how long James Henry would sleep and she was now urgently in need of the closeness she found only with Martin.

At the side of the bed, Martin removed the rest of his clothing, turned to her and removed her dressing gown. He drew in a sharp breath and gazed at her, marvelling as always at her lovely skin and how she seemed to almost glow in her anticipation. Slowly they kissed and lay down together. Martin ran his hands through her hair and then down her back, as she kissed his neck and made a quiet purr of satisfaction.

Their kisses deepened as they tried to get as close as possible. Skin on skin. So wonderful. Two into one. Just the way life should be, Louisa thought. Martin, always attentive in lovemaking, slowed his pace and ran his fingers down Louisa's middle the way he knew she liked. She rubbed his chin, loving the bit of stubble she found there since he had not yet shaved.

They kissed again and both hearts sped up as Martin moved to love Louisa completely. He murmured her name in his velvet voice and she melted inside. Certainly here there was no problem with communicating. A perfect match. A melody sung in perfect harmony.

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Later, they lay in each other's arms. "Louisa, much as I hate to say it," Martin said, "I think we had both better get up. I know the baby will awaken soon."

"Yes, Martin. You're right, but this was lovely, wasn't it - or did you miss your clock?" she teased.

"Um, no. The clock can wait."