Paradoxilla, a plot twist? Me? I suppose it is just about possible I might do that... Thank you for your review - I'm really happy you're still enjoying it.
Gillian Kearney Fan, thank you for your review. There is a lot about Lily in this next chapter, so I hope you enjoy it.
beckyboogle, thank you for your review - I'm really happy you're enjoying it so much.
Tanith Panic, you'll find out some of the answers in this chapter! I agree that Honey doesn't seem the type to have a termination, but she is pretty desperate. Thank you for your review.
Tato Potato, Ethan will find out soon - and you'll find out just how supportive he is! Cal and Noel will feature in the upcoming chapters. Thank you for your review!
Ethan could tell Lily was distracted.
Part of the reason why it made such an impression on him was because he was so unusual. Lily was usually focused almost to the point of obsession. She didn't let anyone distract her from anything, yet here she was, speaking to a patient and saying all the right things, whilst giving Ethan the impression that her thoughts were miles away.
This was only confirmed when Lily said the wrong thing. She realised at once and corrected herself before Ethan could decide whether or not he should do it for her, but even that was unusual for Lily.
As soon as they'd left the patient, Ethan spoke to her. "Lily, are you all right?"
"Why wouldn't I be all right?" said Lily testily.
Ethan hesitated, wondering whether he should proceed or not. Lily was a private person and wouldn't want him to interfere, but he couldn't help thinking something quite serious must be wrong. "You just seem a little bit distracted and it's not like you. I just wanted to check that everything was all right."
"I have… a dilemma," admitted Lily in a low voice.
"Would you like to tell me about it?" said Ethan.
"I have been given some personal information," said Lily. "I think someone else has the right to know. Legally, they do not have the right to know, but morally, I don't like to keep this person in the dark."
Ethan spoke sympathetically. "I do understand, Lily. Doctors do sometimes find themselves in that sort of situation. I tend to work on the principle that it's never wrong to follow the rules, but at the same time, our patients are individuals and they don't always need the same thing."
"Normally, I would agree with you," said Lily. "I always follow the rules very closely. But this time, I am concerned that someone could end up hurt. I don't want to see that happen."
Ethan tried to hide his surprise. "It sounds like you care about this person a lot."
Lily looked at him, her eyes filled with warring emotions. "I do care about this person: yes."
Ethan wondered what he should do. If Lily knew the people involved, there was a chance he did too. His professional instincts were telling him it would be better for him not to get involved.
But Lily was clearly in agonies over this and he didn't want her to suffer alone. "All right. I think the best way to proceed might be if you were to explain the situation to me without telling me the names of the people involved. Then I can give you my professional and unbiased opinion."
Lily's face flooded with relief and gratitude, though only for a moment. In seconds, she was again the cool, calm Dr Chao. "Thank you, Ethan. That would be very helpful."
"Then I would suggest we meet for lunch," said Ethan. "I was supposed to be going to see Honey, but I'm sure she would understand, and I have to say she didn't seem terribly keen on the idea of seeing me when I suggested it earlier."
"Sometimes people want to be alone when they're unwell," said Lily.
Ethan nodded. "Yes. Of course they do – though in Honey's case, she was simply worried that I might catch whatever she's got." He smiled dreamily. "Honey's very caring."
"I know she is," said Lily.
Ethan heard a slight tension in her voice and guiltily remembered that Lily had liked him at one time. Perhaps she still did, unlikely as it seemed. "So it's agreed. I'll meet you at lunchtime. We can find somewhere where we're not likely to be disturbed and you can explain the situation to me. I can't promise I'll be able to help, but I'll certainly do my best."
"Thank you," said Lily, and for once it wasn't an automatic reaction: an acknowledgement of his words. This time, Lily sounded genuinely grateful.
Ethan and Lily sat on the bed in the on-call room, each with a plate of salad and some coffee, which Ethan knew wouldn't taste as nice as the coffee made by Honey.
"Shall we eat first?" said Lily stiffly.
"No. Let's talk first," said Ethan, who could sense her agitation. Not that Lily actually seemed agitated: more slightly on edge. But as this was Lily, he didn't doubt that it concealed a far stronger emotion. "Tell me what's wrong, Lily."
Lily had some coffee and looked away from Ethan. "A girl I know has discovered she is pregnant. She knows that her boyfriend doesn't want children as he has told her that. She is considering abortion."
"Without telling the boyfriend?" said Ethan. He felt a slight frisson of foreboding. It was the girl's right, of course, but he could quite understand why Lily found the situation disquieting.
Lily nodded, still without looking at Ethan. "It is not definite. She is also considering adoption. But she is quite sure the boyfriend doesn't want a child."
"Has she discussed it with him?" asked Ethan. "He might feel differently if he actually finds himself in the situation. Or their relationship might have progressed it since they discussed it and his feelings about children could have changed."
"I have told her this," said Lily. "I tried not to pressure her one way or the other. She was asking me as a doctor as well as a friend. I tried to let her know the options, together with the pros and cons, without influencing her."
"It sounds like you did the right thing to me," said Ethan.
Lily sighed. "I know I did the right thing. Professionally at least. But I am also a friend of the baby's father and I feel some loyalty to him. I feel he deserves to know. I don't like the idea that his girlfriend is having his baby and he has no idea; that he might never know."
"I can understand that," said Ethan. "I'm sure I'd feel exactly the same in your position, Lily. You did do the right thing professionally, but it's very difficult to have a professional relationship with a friend. You can't be properly detached. Is there any possibility your friend could discuss the situation with another doctor? Perhaps her GP?"
"Oh yes: we've made an appointment with her GP and we're going together," said Lily. Briefly, her eyes met Ethan's and he smiled.
"I'm glad to hear that. It sounds like you're dealing with the situation very well, Lily."
Lily nodded in acknowledgement. "But what about the father?"
Ethan let out a soft sigh. "That does make it more difficult. You don't want to betray one friend, but you also want to stay loyal to the other. This could have such a momentous effect on their relationship. An abortion has an effect emotionally and physically. It's likely he will realise something has happened, even if he doesn't know the cause of it. And to find out later, when it's too late…"
"What would you do?" Lily jerked out the words abruptly.
"Me?" said Ethan. "If I was in your situation?"
"No: if you were in the father's situation," said Lily urgently. "Would you want to know?"
"Yes, of course I'd want to know!" Ethan said at once. "No two ways about it." He looked apologetically at Lily. "But Honey and I: we would never be in that situation. We would discuss everything. I'm sure Honey knows that if she became pregnant, all I'd ever want to do was to support her and the…"
He looked at Lily as he spoke and his voice trailed away.
"Lily?" His voice was a throaty rasp.
Lily couldn't look at him. She stared down at her hands and bit hard upon her lip.
"Lily, who is it?" Ethan rapped out sharply.
Lily didn't answer.
"Tell me!" Ethan caught her arm. "Lily, you're not saying that… you can't mean…"
Finally, Lily looked up at him. The expression in her eyes was far softer than he'd ever seen from Lily before.
"It is." Ethan answered his own question almost in a whisper. "Honey wants to… to abort…" His eyes filled with tears.
"She doesn't want to," said Lily. "It's just an option she's considering."
"Because she thinks I wouldn't… but how can she?" said Ethan. "How can she think I wouldn't be there for her? For our baby?" He gave a sob and lowered his head.
Lily put a hand on each of his arms. "Sometimes people make mistakes, Ethan."
"Yes: everyone makes mistakes!" said Ethan. "But not everyone would abort their baby without even telling the father." He took his glasses off and wiped his eyes with his hands. "I've got to see her. I've got to go and see her right now."
