On the road to recovery

Having spent 3 weeks in hospital Mr Rose allowed Gordon home, Jill had been able to spend time with him while at work but now he would be at home so she took 2 weeks holidays, the Locum employed to cover Gordon's absence would have to cover with Ralph until Jill returned, Gordon was planning on returning to work then also. The family decided to go away for her time off, Gordon thought it would be nice to go to Torquay so they booked into Dunporterin and were delighted to meet up with Ken Hopkirk again. Gordon was well enough to share the driving with Jill as they travelled down to Torquay, he was making an excellent recovery.

The weather was kind so the family managed to spend long days at the beach, with picnic lunches, and they ate out in the evening. Aisling enjoyed the warmth on her little face as she relaxed in her pram. Jonathon loved the beach and sand as Tom and Katie taught him how to make sand castles. Jill brought him into the sea to paddle on several occasions, sometimes Gordon joined them for the paddle but he was not allowed swim for fear of getting an infection in his chest wound, so mostly he watched from his deck chair minding Aisling and Jonathon when the other three Ormerods swam, a man contented with his perfect family. At night Ken watched the children to allow Gordon and Jill walk on the beach together, time spent alone allowing them talk and appreciate Gordon's recovery. When they would return from their walk , they would settle the children into bed and join Ken for a drink in the lounge to talk about old times as Ken was working as assistant porter in The Royal when Gordon joined the practice, he had been a guest at Gordon's wedding to Caroline and also at the wedding of Gordon and Jill.

Ken was anxious to know all about Lizzzie and how she was getting along without him, if she had a boyfriend and how Alan was enjoying working with Ken's cousin Jack. The 2 weeks flew by but Gordon returned much healthier and stronger than anyone had anticipated so the night before Jill went back to The Royal he broke the news to her that he too intended to return to work, at first she was annoyed with him but once they discussed it between them she had to agree that he was indeed well enough to go back to work, he was after all head of practice and as such had paperwork waiting for him. Jill got him to agree that he would not attend cases where he would be required to lift patients, so he would do his theatre work, his daily surgery and his house calls but he would not go out to accidents and emergencies with the ambulance for the time being. As they lay in bed that night, Jill broached the subject she was dreading raising with him, but she sat up, turned on the bedside lamp and said "Gordon darling, please don't be cross when I ask you this, but how do you feel about some counselling because of the violence of your attack, remember after your car accident how you were affected". Gordon smiled at her and replied gently "I have thought about it, the last thing I want is to make you suffer again or treat you as badly as I did back then, so I have arranged counselling with the same counsellor as before, I am meeting him tomorrow afternoon for my first session my darling, now come here to me and let me hold and cuddle you before we are both too tired from work". Jill gave him a relieved smile she kissed him and lay in close beside him and turned off the light.