The sergeant and the pharmacist unintentionally met every night for the next two weeks. They organised nothing, but found themselves sat together every evening telling one another about their day. Sometimes they were serious, some days they laughed and other days they sat silently, content with just sitting together.
Wanting to make Jenny aware of how he felt, Dennis spent a restless night at home one Sunday before going to the surgery. Slipping off his hat, he entered quietly with a smile, but a frown soon creased his face when he saw a woman he didn't recognise stood behind Jenny's counter.
"Are you after an appointment?" The woman offered a friendly smile.
"Ah…no. Is Miss Latimer in?" He spoke hopefully, for she hadn't mentioned taking the day off to him the night before. Before the woman could reply, however, Tricia walked into the waiting room and favoured the sergeant with a smile.
"I see you've met Lucy, sergeant. She's a replacement for Jenny."
"Replacement?" Dennis heard the slight panic in his voice and hoped no one else had.
Tricia bit back a smile. Jenny seemed unsure if he had feelings for her, but every one else seemed to find it quite obvious. "It's temporary. Jenny seems to have come down with the virus that's going around. In fact, I was planning on going to check on her this afternoon, but we're fully booked, so I don't suppose you'd be able to pop in?"
…
When Dennis left, Lucy handed Tricia a file. "Is that the man Jenny is always on about? Quite dishy."
Tricia hit her gently with the file. "Enough of that. He's taken."
"Not officially…" Lucy gave a grin.
"Oh, you're terrible. I'd better warm Mike not to come in today. Mrs Patterson? Come through, please."
…
That afternoon, Dennis removed his hat once more and knocked on the front door of Jenny's flat. He was still deciding what to say when Jenny pulled the front door open. She was less coiffed than usual, but Dennis found himself falling for her a little more.
"Dennis! I hope you're not here officially." She indicated to his uniform with a tired smile.
Dennis returned the smile and held up a container. "Tricia told me you weren't feeling well, so I've brought you some of Gina's soup."
Jenny stepped aside to let him in. "Just in time! I was about to risk going to the shops. I never seem to have anything in at the moment.
Aware that this was probably because she ate with him almost every meal, Dennis walked inside with a smile, and then gave an involuntary shiver. "It's freezing in here!"
Jenny nodded, leading him up the stairs as she wrapped her cardigan tighter around herself. "The heater has broken and I can't get through to the landlord."
Placing the container on the kitchen table, Dennis slipped off his Jacket and coat, and then began rolling up his sleeves. "Well, you'd better show me where it is."
…
"Ha!" Dennis gave a triumphant shout when the heater switched on a short time later. He turned with a grin to Jenny, but found her fast asleep, curled up on the couch. He watched her from a distance for a while, enjoying being able to take in her features without being watched. When his eyes began tracing her lips, he gave an involuntary sigh and stood up.
…
Jenny woke an hour later and gave a stretch. Suddenly remembering someone had been in the flat when she sat down her eyes opened quickly, but she found Dennis gone and a note in place of his jacket.
Call me at the station if you need anything, and if I don't hear from you I will come by when I finish with some dinner. Heater is fixed, and the landlord has had an official police phone call. Feel better soon- Dennis.
Jenny smiled to herself. She was feeling better already.
