So, yesterday's episode has rather scuppered this story but I am going to assume that at some point Jac and Jonny do get back together and that this takes place after that point in time, or, if you'd prefer you can pretend that their break-up didn't happen at all….
Friday, 11.34. Main Reception
Jac waited impatiently for the lift to reach the ground floor. She'd actually considered taking the stairs, knowing it'd be quicker, but had decided that her knee might not take it. 'Come on, come on' she thought. Finally the lift reached its destination, and Jac had to really try hard to not barge through the rest of the passengers to get out. Then suddenly the way was clear and she stepped out of the lift, into the main reception. She looked over to Reception and then beamed once again as she saw the person she'd been waiting to see since she'd received that phonecall when she arrived at work – Jil ! At exactly that moment Jil turned round from the reception desk, saw Jac, and matching her smile, waved. Jac was already walking over to the reception desk, so didn't wave back, but when she reached the desk (much to the surprise of the receptionist, who would never have expected it of Miss Naylor) gave her a huge hug, which Jil returned with just as much enthusiasm. They broke apart after a few seconds and Jil said with a wicked smile "And how's my favourite S.R.G. today?"
"Oi, enough of that – you've only just arrived and you're already insulting me", Jac replied, still smiling.
"Skinny rude girl" Jil persisted, "it's just perfect for you."
"Well the first word in that sentence definitely doesn't apply to you now" Jac retorted.
"Oi, now who's being insulting." Jil countered. "And you're a rubbish hostess – I've been here at least five minutes and you haven't even asked if I want a cup of tea yet. Poor show, Jac, very poor."
"Well, if you really want one – you'd be better getting one from there' said Jac, pointing towards the café, "than up on Darwin. Believe me, you wouldn't want to trust the cups up there."
"Right, well" Jil said, "I'll have a decaf tea then, if they've got it, and a herbal tea if they haven't – but not peppermint". Jac picked up Jil's holdall that had been by her feet and they headed off towards the coffee shop and joined the queue. They were deep in conversation when Jac felt a tap on her shoulder, turning round she smiled once more as she saw Sacha standing there.
"Miss Naylor, wow, that smile's a sight for sore eyes, as is this other vision of loveliness" he said looking at Jil "who is?"
"This is Jil Lovell– she's a friend of mine who's come up from London for the weekend" Jac answered.
"Enchanted, Miss Lovell," Sacha said, taking her hand in his and kissing it.
Jil beamed and said, "You must be Sacha – it's so lovely to meet you at last. Jac's told me so much about you."
"Oh, well you don't want to listen to what she says you know"
"It was all good" Jil interjected.
"Oh well in that case – you should believe every word she's said!"
The queue had moved forward during these exchanges, and it was their turn. "A latte, decaff tea and, Sacha, what do you want" Jac asked, turning to him
"Hot chocolate please," he answered
"and a hot chocolate, please" she said to finish off her order.
"£4.30 please" the assistant said. Jac reached into her pocket to get some money out but was beaten to it by Sacha who handed a five pound note to the cashier, saying, "No, no this is my treat. We can't have lovely ladies like you paying for our own drinks now can we. "
At this Jac rolled her eyes, "See – I told you," she said to Jil. "She didn't believe me when I said what an idiot you were" she said to Sacha, by way of explanation.
"But Jac, you know you wouldn't want me any other way," he replied. "She loves me really" he said to Jil in a theatrical whisper.
"In your dreams mate" Jac snorted, and when she saw Sacha mouthing "She does" at Jil, gave him a playful slap across his arm.
"A latte, hot chocolate and a decaff tea" the coffee shop assistant said, interrupting the trio. They picked up their drinks and Jac, looking over to the tables, asked Sacha
"So, are you on an official break, or have you just sneaked off AAU for a chocolate fix?"
"I do not sneak!" Sacha insisted, "I always tell people when I'm off on a chocolate hunt. But as it happens I am on an official break, and would be honoured to spend it with you and your delightful friend." They made their way to the tables and sat down. "So" Sacha began, when they'd all settled into their seats, "I really hope my doctor's instincts are right about this, because if they're not I'm sitting much too close to Jac for comfort, but how long to go before the big day" pointing towards Jil's stomach.
"It's ok," Jill said smiling, "your instincts are spot on. I'm 22 weeks now, so just over four months left"
"Wow, so over halfway then – that's a neat little bump in that case."
"Thank you. I'm not sure I'd agree with you about the little though – I think it looks like I've got a football shoved up my jumper. I'm definitely not an S.R.G now, as Jac had great pleasure in pointing out to me when I arrived"
"S.R.G.?" Sacha asked, looking confused.
"Skinny rude girl," Jac interjected, "it's what that mad actress woman called me and I stupidly told Jil, and she's been taunting me with it ever since"
"But it's just brilliant" Jil insisted, "it's you down to a tee. Although, sadly not me anymore, not that I've ever been one for rudeness really, Jac's always been impolite enough for both of us, but I did use to be, well if not skinny, at least slim. But I suppose 'fairly polite, used to be slim girl' doesn't have quite the same ring to it. And you know," she said, looking at Jac and smiling, "it's a term of affection when I use it."
"Mmmmm, I suppose so" said Jac "which reminds me you said yesterday that you had a present for me – so where is it?"…..
Friday, 11.50. Darwin.
Jonny was changing Ms Whittaker's drip in Bay 1, when he heard Jac's voice through the curtain that surrounded the bed. He'd been trying to keep busy since her sudden departure from the ward, trying to stave off the feeling of impending doom that was hovering over him. That smile – he'd never seen her look so happy before, why on earth would she be so happy about a bleep? Unless of course (as Mo had helpfully suggested!) the bleep was from the multi-millionaire Harley Street surgeon she'd been cheating on Jonny with down in London. Jonny strained to hear what was being said but couldn't pick out anything definitive – she was definitely talking to, and, oh no, laughing with someone else though, he had to find out who. He exited Bay 1 just in time to see Jac going into her office, following someone who he only caught a glimpse of (brown hair, green coat), but who he was almost positive was female – halleluiah! He bounded over to the Nurse's Station, where Mo and Tara were sitting, also looking towards the door of Jac's office. "So," Jonny demanded, "what's goin' on?"
Tara and Mo both turned to him, but it was Tara who answered. "Miss Naylor's just gone into her office with some woman, some pregnant woman, and they were both laughing."
"A woman, it was definitely a woman, you're sure?" Jonny repeated, he had to be sure. Tara looked at him like he was touched but nodded. 'Oh, thank God', Jonny thought breathing a sigh of relief, "and did you say she was pregnant?" Again the look, and a nod. "Well now, that's a turn up for the books – I wonder who she is?"
"They needn't be connected you know," Mo said "last weekend and this woman's appearance, they could be completely unrelated events." And lowering her voice so Tara couldn't hear, "she still could have been two-timing you, I mean why wouldn't she just say if she was going to visit a pregnant friend?" She had a point, Jonny's heart sank a little as he thought about what Mo had just said, he'd just have to find out somehow, but how? Then he had an idea,
"Tara, I need you to do me a favour.."
Friday, 11.54. Consultant's Office, Darwin.
"…so I've got to do some consults on the ward this morning, and a couple of minor ops this afternoon, so you're going to have to amuse yourself for a lot of the day but I should be able to have lunch with you before my theatre list starts. Is that OK?" Before her friend had a chance to answer, Jac continued, "well it's your own fault if it's not OK – seeing as you were the one who caught an earlier train and completely wrecked my plans for the day."
"It's fine Jac – I am perfectly capable of finding stuff to do for a couple of hours, you've got the internet right?" Jac nodded. "Perfect, then I can search for rude words which the filter will block and get you into trouble with your IT bods," Jil said, smiling mischeviously.
"Fine" Jac said, "but remember I know the password to your email account – it'd be terrible if someone hacked into it and sent a rude message to everyone in your add…" She was interrupted by a knock at the door, "Come in"
Tara entered nervously, she couldn't believe Jonny had talked her into this – she was such a soft touch! "Erm, sorry to disturb Miss Naylor but I have a query about Mr Jacobson, and Miss Effanga thought you were the best person to ask. Sorry again, to interrupt you…"
"Don't worry it's fine," said Jil from the sofa she was sitting on, "this is a hospital, Jac's a doctor, she has patient's to treat. I see I'll have to introduce myself because Jac hasn't quite got her head round these social niceities yet – It's Tara isn't it?" Tara nodded "and I'm Jil, Jac's best and oldest friend.
Tara giggled involuntarily – Jac and Jill, that was hilarious – however, when she glanced over at Miss Naylor, the look on her face sobered her immediately. "What's so funny?" Miss Naylor asked coldly.
Tara gulped, "Erm, nothing it's just.." Salvation came from a seemingly unlikely source,
"Calm down Jac," Jil said. "It's OK Tara, we're both aware of the inherent comedy in best friends being called Jac and Jil, and believe me we've heard all the jokes! But you know what the funniest thing about it is – Jil isn't even my actual name! I like to think of it as being one more sign that Jac and I should be best friends"
"Right," Jac said, "that's enough of that. What's the problem with Mr Jacobson?"
"Well" Tara said, heading towards the door, "there are a few anomalies with his blood results and when I had another look at his latest chest X-Ray I was…
"Sshhh," Jac commanded. Tara stopped talking immediately. "You'll be alright here, whilst I go and sort this out" she asked Jil. Jil nodded. "Ok, please continue Dr Lo" Jac opened the office door and walked out with Tara on to the ward
"yes, erm when I had another look at his.." As the door closed their voices grew fainter, until Jil could no longer hear them at all. She slipped off her shoes and snuggled down into the sofa till she found just the right position. Then there was a knock at the door, 'no rest for the wicked' Jil thought, and Jonny popped his head round the door.
"Oh sorry, I was looking for Ja.. Miss Naylor" he said to the petite, but obviously pregnant, woman sitting on the sofa in the office.
Oh, erm you've just missed her – she's gone to see a patient with Tara – Mr Jacobson I think. I'm surprised you didn't see her actually, Jonny isn't it?" 'How the hell does she know my name' Jonny thought. Seeing his confusion, Jil clarified, "Sorry, Jac's told me about work and your accent kind of gave you away – she's only ever mentioned one Scotsman on the ward. I'm Jil, by the way," she said, offering him her hand. Jonny shook it and continued,
"So Jac talks about work to you does she? You've not to believe everything she says you know"
"You're the second person who's said that to me today," Jil replied, smiling. "And to answer your question, yes Jac does talk to me about work. But then we're best friends - we talk about everything"
"So," Jonny was determined to find out the truth "what brings you to Holby then?"
"Jac's doing me a huge favour," Jil replied, "because of this" she said indicating her bump "I've just moved from a flat into a house, but my husband sometimes has to work away over the weekend. Well I didn't really mind it when we were in the flat because I knew there were always people around, but since we've been in the house I'm not so keen. So Jac, bless her, has been my, I suppose you could call her my companion, for the weekend's Daniel's been away. Up till now, she's been coming down to me in London, but that didn't seem fair, so this weekend I've come to stay with her instead."
"Oh right" Jonny said "so it was you she was staying with last week then?"
"Yep – she's just been brilliant, I don't know what I'd have done without her," Jil continued. But Jonny wasn't really listening to her anymore. 'Yep' – that was one of the best sounds he'd ever heard, it meant Jac hadn't been seeing anybody else, meant she hadn't been lying to him, meant he hadn't been sharing her and most importantly that he could trust her!
"Are you alright?" Jonny's thoughts were interrupted by Jil.
"Yes, yes, I'm fine…..actually I'm grand, really grand!" He continued. "So, you were with Jac last weekend, yeah", just to confirm it once more. Jil nodded. 'Take that Mo' Jonny thought. "So is it true that she went shopping to Oxford Street and didn't buy anything?"
"I'm afraid I can neither confirm nor deny that," Jil said smiling, "it would break my professional guidelines"
"Oh right," said Jonny, playing along, "so what do you do?"
"I'm a clinical psychologist, but my confidentiality extends to retail therapy too, I'm afraid."
"Wow, a clinical psychologist ehh – I honestly don't know what to say to that."
"Well as long as you don't say what most people do when I tell them, you'll be fine."
"Right…any chance you could give me a clue"
"It's normally either 'so are you trying to analyse me' or 'are you/or can you read my mind?' – bit more than a clue there actually, but I'm feeling generous this morning. Must be in a good mood." She looked up and smiled, continuing "I can't imagine why. You got any ideas Jac?"
She'd done it again – Jonny hadn't even heard the door open.
"I don't know, maybe it's the company you're keeping." Jac replied. "Speaking of which, Nurse Maconie, can I help you?" And then to Jil, "has he been bothering you?"
"No, no not at all" Jil rushed to assure her. "We've just been having a little chat. Jonny was asking me about my job"
"Right, well OK then, but I'm sure Nurse Maconie has work to do, so you don't mind if I steal him away do you?"
"No, no – steal away – I'll stay here for a bit, might go on the internet in a little while," Jil answered, smiling wickedly.
"Right, you do that" Jac replied, smiling back. And opening the office door, stood back and let Jonny leave before her. Jil could hear her telling him off, "You'd better not have been pestering her, I'm warning you if…." As their voices trailed away Jil smiled, some things never changed – Jac was looking out for her, just like always.
