Version 2, in which Alice isn't pregnant. Based on the experiences of a family member.
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'Goodness, no!' Alice cried, 'oh Frank, I didn't mean...!'
She looked at him in shock, she hadn't meant to imply that she was expecting, just wanted to know what he thought of the idea.
He smiled, 'I know. Let's face it, Alice, if it was going to happen it would have happened by now.' His smile widened to a grin, as he thought back to the risks they had taken since they had first become intimate. Both of them were adult enough to realise that not taking precautions could have had embarrassing consequences!
She sighed with relief, thank heavens he wasn't upset, it would have been awful if he was disappointed, but she's better make sure.
'You're not disappointed, then?' She asked.
'No,' he smiled again at her, 'are you?' He was also worried she was disappointed she hadn't conceived.
'I don't think I've ever really thought about it.' She admitted, 'but then I never thought I'd get married, either.' A smile played at the corner of her lips. 'No I...well sometimes when I look at Jean and the children, or when I'm with Bobby, I wonder if I'm missing out on something.' She leant up on her elbow and looked into his eyes. 'But then again, I don't know if I could give up my career to look after a child.'
'So, what do you want to do about it?' Frank wasn't sure what Alice wanted him to say, did she really want to try for a baby, or did she want him to say he was happy as they were; which he was; and not to consider it?
'As you said, if it was going to happen it would have already happened, so I suppose I'm not destined to be a mother. I'd probably be a rotten one anyway.' Her shoulders dropped. Frank knew then that, actually, Alice would like to have a baby, and, in his humble, but uninformed, opinion, she'd make an excellent mother.
'You'd be a wonderful mother,' he smiled. 'Perhaps we'd better try harder.' He pulled her down onto his chest, and felt her sigh.
'It won't happen now, Frank,' she whispered, 'I'm too old.'
'You're not old,' he kissed the top of her head, 'aren't you the same age as Jean?' Frank wasn't actually sure how old Jean was, but he would hazard a guess they were the about the same age. They seemed to understand each other like they were, anyway.
'Yes,' she answered.
'Well, she isn't too old, is she?' he noted.
'Oh Frank,' Alice was now on the verge of tears, 'we've not been careful up to now, so ...'
'Why don't you go and see Lucien tomorrow?' he suggested, 'he's your doctor, isn't he? Maybe he can help.' It was all he could offer, he had no idea why they hadn't been caught out, but then he hadn't had children with his first wife, so maybe it was him? He was intelligent enough to know it wasn't always the woman's fault.
'I don't know, it's a bit embarrassing.' She admitted it was alright for Lucien to treat her for any infections or illnesses she may have but...'women's problems?' he was a bit too close a colleague and friend for that.
'Honestly, Alice,' Frank sighed, 'he's a doctor and I'm sure he can put his personal connection to you to one side while he looks into it!'
'Probably, I'll think about it.' She cuddled down onto his chest not wanting to discuss it anymore, tonight. She wriggled against him, indicating she might like to 'try harder!'
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Over the next couple of weeks, Alice couldn't find the words or an appropriate time to ask Lucien if she could discuss why she hadn't conceived a child. Lucien, however, did notice there were times she looked as if she wanted to say something and then changed her mind. He also noticed she was distracted at work, he'd had to ask her to do things twice, which was very unlike her. She was always the one who was on top of things, anticipating his every move and pre-empting some of his decisions. No, she was definitely not concentrating.
They had finished an autopsy and taken the file to Frank and the rest of the men and as they walked out of the office Lucien turned to her, concern on his face,
'Alice,' he touched her arm and stopped her, 'is there something wrong? You seem very distracted at the moment. I haven't said anything have I? Is something wrong between you and Frank?'
She looked at him, when she had first met him he had been a bit pompous, a bit 'full of himself', but now, the longer she had worked with him and since marriage and fatherhood, he had mellowed, become a friend, a supportive friend and colleague, so, before she burst into tears, because he obviously cared enough to ask,
'Can we go and talk, somewhere we won't be overheard?' she asked, almost in a whisper.
'Of course, er, how about my surgery?' he suggested, 'Jean's out with the children, she's taken them to the park, so we'll not be interrupted.'
'Yes, alright,' if Jean had been there she might have suggested the only other place that was private, the morgue, but his surgery was perhaps the best place.
Lucien drove her up there, promising to take her back home or to the station whichever place she wanted to go afterwards.
Lucien suggested they have tea in while they talked, he felt it would help her relax about whatever it was that was bothering her.
In the surgery Lucien took his customary seat behind the desk, perhaps if he made it seem like a medical consultation it might be easier for her to open up.
'Now, Mrs Carlyle, what can I do for you?' he clasped his hands together on top of his prescription pad and looked at her, his blue eyes open and inviting her to tell all.
Alice smiled a small, almost sad smile, and took a deep breath,
'I was wondering why I hadn't become pregnant because, well, Frank and I have never taken any precautions.' There, it was out, and all in a rush, too!
'I see,' Lucien leant back in his chair and observed her, she was embarrassed, asking such a question of a friend. 'Well, you know there are many reasons for you not to fall pregnant, but first I need to know; do you want to have a baby?'
'I didn't want to get married, but that was a long time ago, and I did,' she paused, 'and now I am married, happily, I think I'd like to complete the family.' Alice watched Lucien mull things over in his mind, she'd said the 'thought' she'd like a child, not 'yes I do want a baby', and yet the former was closer to the truth.
'Actually, Dr Blake, I would like to be a mother, to have a child.' For Alice Carlyle, nee Harvey, to admit to having a maternal instinct would have astounded most people she knew and worked with her, but Lucien, Jean and Charlie knew how good she was with Bobby and how gentle and caring she could be with Jenny, so they, at least, would not have been surprised. 'But, let's be honest, I'm a bit, well, mature to start thinking about it, aren't I?'
Lucien got her notes out of the drawer and studied them, briefly, 'Not really,' he said, not commenting that she was actually six months younger than Jean. 'So, Alice,' he looked at her seriously, 'do you want me to arrange investigations or...'
'Just keep hoping?' She interrupted him.
'Well, that is one option, but if you really do want to start a family, is that really the best one?' He reasoned.
She sat thinking, puzzling over the options that she, as a doctor, knew. As she thought, there was a knock at the door.
'Damn!' spluttered Lucien, 'excuse me, I'll try and get rid of whoever it is, while you ponder your options.' He left her alone with her thoughts.
Opening the door he saw the Superintendant standing there, looking, he thought, rather apologetic.
'Frank,' Lucien was surprised to see him on the doorstep, if he was needed at the station Frank usually rang.
'Is Alice here?' Frank asked.
Lucien ushered him into the hall, 'She is, but...'
'I know why she's here, Lucien, I suggested she see you, but,' Frank looked embarrassed, 'I didn't have children with my first wife, so maybe it's me you should be checking.'
Lucien was surprised that Frank would be willing to take the responsibility here, most men blamed their wives if they failed to produce offspring, he was impressed.
'You'd better come through.' Lucien allowed him to precede him into the surgery, holding back far enough for his two friends to greet each other in private.
'Frank!' Alice was surprised to see her husband, how had he known where she was?
'When I saw you go out with the doc, I knew you were going to speak to him,' he bent down and kissed her cheek. 'Alice, I don't think it's you, I think it's more likely to be my fault.'
Alice stood up and put her arms round his neck, 'Why?'
'Because my first wife didn't conceive either, not once.' He put his arms on her waist, 'It makes more sense, to me anyway.'
They sat in the two chairs facing each other, holding hands. 'You'd do that for me?' She was amazed, although she knew the initial investigation would be a lot easier for him than it would for her.
'Why not? It's what we'd both like, isn't it, and it would be easier than putting you through God knows what.'
She leant towards him and kissed him, 'What have I done to deserve you?' she smiled.
Standing on the other side of the door, Lucien decided they'd had enough time to make a first decision, and he knocked before entering.
'Lucien,' Frank turned to him, 'I'd like you to focus your investigations on me first, rather than Alice.'
'Are you sure?' Lucien asked.
'Yes,' Frank was emphatic, he was sure he was the reason they were childless and he would rather Lucien confirmed it than put Alice through a barrage of unpleasant tests. He was sure they would be unpleasant because his was the easier one, that he DID know.
'Very well, if that's what you want, come and see me tomorrow, Frank,' he shook his hand, hoping he could come up with a logical reason for his friend's dilemma, without upsetting either of them.
Frank and Alice left, but not without asking Lucien to keep it completely confidential, in other words, don't tell Jean.
'Never, patient confidentiality.' He smiled.
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They all went back to the station, Alice went to the morgue to tidy up and Lucien and Frank headed for the station office to discuss the case. Before they actually entered the office, Lucien held Frank back.
'You know what I need tomorrow?' he quietly asked his colleague.
'Yes,' Frank answered, quite honestly.
Lucien handed him an envelope, a slightly bulky envelope, 'Well, you'll need this, the fresher, the better.'
Frank grimaced and nodded.
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A week later, Alice was late for work. This was unheard of, and Lucien started on the autopsy without her, there was probably a good reason, given what he was looking into for his two friends. A knock at the door, and Frank popped his head round.
'Lucien,' he whispered. Frank always whispered in the morgue, it seemed somehow more respectful.
'Be right there,' he put the organ he had just removed into the scales, 'Morning, Frank, Alice is late, is she ok?'
'Err...' Frank looked sheepish, 'Alice'll be a bit late, she's not feeling too good.'
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An open ending? Well I've been thinking, people looked older then than we expect them to look now, if you get my drift; I reckon Alice is younger than we think, regardless of the actress' age!
