August 9th.
Lying here alone, just thinking about how my life has been turned upside down in the last month. That fateful day my baby girl returned from America with her father in tow seems like only yesterday.
It was the end of a long, hard shift. I was in my office, typing up my notes from the day, no one working dared come near my office as the new what a horrendous mood I'd been put caused by the failures of the nursing staff that day. I know what you're thinking - she always blames the nurses - I have been unfair in the past but tonight, tonight was unacceptable. Charlie and Tess are in agreement, that failure almost cost a man his life, but Zoe saved the day. There was a knock at the door:
"Unless your name is Charlie Fairhead, please go away" The figure chose to enter anyway. It most certainly was not Charlie. As the figure moved closer to me, I could just about make out who it was. It couldn't be. Could it?
"Hello Connie"
"Sam? What are you doing here?"
"I've kinda quit my job in America, and I've come back home, staying with my mother for a while"
"And Grace?"
"She's with my mum, she's shattered, you can see her tomorrow - I wanted to see you myself first"
"That's very kind of you Mr Strachan but I'd rather you'd warned me so I could have arranged some leave"
"Sorry - I didn't exactly plan to leave - walked out - I only booked the flights this morning"
"Why did you come home?"
"A combination of things really - I missed being at home, Grace missed you - a LOT, job wash't for me anymore - need I go on?"
"No - I think I've got the picture"
'Anyway, let's go - for a drink? You look shattered"
"I am - long day - again, sure - I'll grab my coat"
We left together - I heard the sniggers and the comments coming from the nursing staff and a few of my doctors - all of whom should be working and not standing around chatting.
"Who is THAT?"
"Whats going on here?"
I heard Charlie reprimand them and send them all back to work, I really was beyond caring - I had much bigger fish to fry.
We went to a quiet little pub, a few glasses later, I suggested going back to mine as I had a bottle of white chilling in the fridge. (I really did not have an alternative motive in mind here - I just wanted to talk about Grace and what him coming back meant)
A couple of bottles later, he decided he should maybe return to his mothers. He'd sent her a text earlier, letting her know he was with me, and he might be back late. We wrapped up our conversation and he decided to return home, his lips met mine, and it wasn't just a ' kiss goodbye'. I pulled him closer to me, wrapped my arms behind his neck, I was back exactly where I wanted to be, where I'd unknowingly longed to be for some time now. He pulled away
"Shall we continue this upstairs?" He suggested.
"Of course, Mr Strachan"
"Let me just text my mum, let her know I won'y be coming home"
"I think she'll have worked that one out by now" I remarked
I saw the message he sent her
"Won't be home tonight, too drunk to drive, staying with Connie for the night, we've had a lot to discuss. See you tomorrow"
We swiftly made our way up to my bedroom, and it was the best night of my life.
August 10th - early hours.
I was rudely awoken by some registrar coming home from his night shift, we really do need to utilize the spare room on these nights, I don't want woken up every bloody night in life by what sounds like a fucking elephant coming home.
"Is it that time already?" I asked, awaking from sleep
"What are you doing up at this time?"
"You woke me up when you barged into the room like an elephant that's escaped from the zoo"
"Sharp even at this time in the morning, I am impressed, Beachamp"
"Cheeky, even at this time in the morning, I am impressed, Strachan' With that closing remark we drifted off to sleep again, only awoken by the sound of my alarm.
"Uuugh work" I moaned. I headed downstairs to make breakfast, Grace was already sitting up, showered and ready to go to school.
"Why on earth are you up so early?"
"Early, Mum, its 8.30, you have 10 minutes before I have to leave for school"
Shit. Even my daughter can drag herself out of bed in the morning and I can't. Little madam.
"Right, give me 5 minutes, I'll throw on some clothes, take you to school, hope I don't run into anyone and come back and get ready for work."
"Move it, I don't want to be late"
"Cheeky!"
Grace and i drove along the usual route to school, my darling daughter had of course forgotten to mention to me that I DID HAVE TO GO INTO SCHOOL WITH HER THIS MORNING. I had a quick meeting with her teacher to discuss how she was settling in, and ensure they'd put her in the right class for her academic level. I pulled in 5 minutes away from the school to stick some make up on, luckily I had showered and my work clothes on before I left, this was going to be interesting. I parked up and obviously bumped into every other Mum in Graces' class. I walked up the dreaded path to the school, I felt almost like a naughty child sent to the headmaster. I headed over to the reception desk
"Good morning, my names Mrs. Beachamp, I've got a meeting with a Miss….." I've forgotten her name, great, that's all I bloody need.
"Miss Evans"
"Ah right, let me just give her a ring" The receptionist called through to her colleague
"Yes hello Tracey, I've got a Mrs Beac…. Beachamp here to see you"
Honestly, what is so hard about my name - it's beach and amp a beach and a an amp. Really.
"Alright, I'll tell her"
"Excuse me Mrs Beachamp - she'll be up in just a second"
"Excellent, thanks" I replied.
Sure enough, a young, blond girl appeared, mid to late twenties. I took a guess that was her.
"Mrs Beachamp?"
"Yes"
"Why don't you come along with me?"
I followed her like a puppy to her office, she offered me tea, but I politely declined.
"So how is Grace settling in?"
"Fine, absolutely fine, she gets on great with the rest of the class and is doing really well academically, however"
"However?"
"Yes, I have a slight concern about her attitude - she's cheeky, sometimes it's funny but other times it's down right rude - for example, the other day I was teaching the class about numerical accuracy and we were discussing percentages and what percentage each person in the question had eaten the pie, when asked 'who had the large proportion of the pie, Grace responded 'you, by the looks of it' now the rest of the class found this hilarious, however, it's just not acceptable'"
I found it difficult to stop myself laughing, she was chunky, to say the least, and certainly did look as if she'd had the largest portion of the pie, a trip to the gym might be in order. I however, the 'professional' I am, had to pretend that I would at least reprimand my daughter for it.
"I'll have a word when I get home - it won't happen again, now is there anything else? I've got a board of directors to impress at 11am"
"No, that's it. What is it you do Mrs Beachamp - Grace said you worked at the hospital but she didn't say what you do?"
"I used to be a surgeon, cardiothoracics, but now I'm in emergency medicine - I've got the Lead Consultant position so it's pretty hard - I'm responsible for every single patient that comes in and out of that department - but I needed a new challenge - and I absolutely love it"
"Wow, sounds pretty awesome - is her father a Doctor too?"
"Yes he is - same hospital"
"No wonder she's so intelligent - anyway - I'll let you get off to your meeting!"
"Thanks"
With that, I left the school, wait till Sam hears about her behavior, I'm not sure he'll find it as funny, but he didn't see the teacher! Off home I sped, got ready for work, and headed out for whatever the ED was going to throw at me for the day. I'm sure I'll have lots to update you with later - Ciao!
