Chapter Seven: Realisation

"Medicine is what you want to do?" Martin asked, as he approached a roundabout and indicated to turn left into another narrow lane aligned with hedges.

"Yes, I've always been interested in that," he stated, glancing from Martin to the road in front of them. Although, he now had two children, his car was still immaculately kept, no toys were thrown on the floor or fingerprints anywhere, but he did notice a pack of baby wipes resting on the dashboard along with an abandoned teddy. He supposed Louisa's car was the one with the crums and toys piled up.

"Good," Martin nodded.

"I think it was that time when I had to stay with you and I caught that flesh eating disease," Peter laughed, "That was interesting!"

"Oh the impetigo?"

"Yes," he nodded with a smile presenting his white teeth and then a guilty look spread across his face, "Miss Glasson, I mean Mrs Ellingham wasn't impressed when I chased everyone around the school with it!"

'Mrs Ellingham', Martin repeated in his head, and realised how much he liked the sound that there was even a Mrs Ellingham, but even more overwhelmed with the fact it was Louisa, who had that title.

"I remember that," he mumbled, trying to hide the hint of bemusement.

Finally, he pulled up at the train station and waited for Peter to pick his bag up from his feet.

"Thank you Doc," he smiled and held out a hand, which Martin shook with an added nod.

"You're welcome."

"Oh and I forgot, I wanted to thank you for saving my life that time, you know in the ambulance?" Peter said quickly, "It means a lot now, especially as I realise just how important that procedure was!"

"Oh, well… I…erm… I… you're welcome," Martin stumbled over his words, not feeling comfortable about being praised.

"I'll see you soon," Peter smiled, "Good luck with Miss Glasson and you're wonderful children."

Peter climbed out of the car.

"Peter!" Martin called after him and watched as his head bent down through the door, "Have a safe journey home."

"And you, thanks, bye!" he waved and shut the door, feeling as though he had done something good.

Martin felt the same, on his drive home, he valued Peter for visiting Louisa, who he knew was one of her favourite pupils and often referred randomly mentioned him in various conversations. He was relieved to see that the emergency operation partly undertaken in the ambulance along with a useless paramedic and a very scared Primary school teacher, had been rewarding in the fact that Peter was going to go on saving lives of others and Martin had given him that chance. Whoever said that Martin Ellingham was a grumpy, miserable old so and so, must be severely wrong as he was now driving with a tiny smile creeping upon his lips and he certainly had a warmer heart than they realised.

Martin returned home and was welcomed by the smell of chicken in the oven and the homey sound of James chattering away to Louisa in the kitchen, the sound that he would never forget.

As he entered the kitchen, he saw Louisa chopping several different vegetables and handing them to James to place them into the saucepans arranged to the table where he could reach them.

"Carrots!" he cheered throwing circular, orange vegetables into one pan, "Hello Daddy!"

"Hello James," Martin said, feeling a warmth spread inside him, realising that that was his son and even more so as Louisa spun around from the kitchen top, her ponytail swinging with her head and a broad smile welcome him.

"How was Peter?" she asked.

"Fine," Martin told her, feeling privileged that he did so.

"Aw, he's always looked up to you!" Louisa smiled, and placed some broccoli into the waiting hands of James.

"Broccoli!" he cheered and the sound of him dropping the tree-like vegetables into the pan individually was detectable.

Martin walked over to Louisa and gave her a kiss on the cheek to her surprise as she gazed at him. She returned his gesture by placing a delicate kiss onto his lips, soon interrupted by James' impatient sigh as he waited eagerly to continue his little job.

Louisa quickly placed some more carrots into his hand and then looked at Martin again.

"That was very nice," she commented, looking deep into his softened eyes.

"Well, I just wanted you to know that I love you," he said, "I don't think I've said it enough."

"Aw," Louisa said, her eyes filling with emotion, "I love you too, Martin."

"Mummy!" James' voice penetrated their ears again, with his hands outstretched.

She quickly whispered into his ear, "We'll continue this conversation later."

Martin all of a sudden felt hot with anticipation, imagining just how the conversation would eventually result to. He traipsed into the office to make a start on the formal letter he needed to write to the Chris Parsons introducing a new idea he had thought of for the surgery, something that he had to still approach Louisa with.

After a lovely Sunday roast dinner as a family, Ava was put down for a short nap and James was allowed to play in his bedroom as long as he was quiet. Martin and Louisa sat in the living room; Martin was reading his book on the History of Medicine and Louisa was watching a programme, a comedy to do with a tall woman named Miranda. He kept losing track of what he was reading when she burst out laughing every thirty seconds.

He shut his book once he knew the programme was finished and considering that they were alone, he decided to approach Louisa with the idea he had been questioning for a few weeks.

"Louisa," he began, sitting himself more upright and she did to, once he saw he had her undivided attention he continued, "I have an idea to do with the surgery."

"Oh right." She nodded.

"Well, the living quarters aren't being used any more and I still theoretically own that part of the cottage, its only the surgery part that is owned by the NHS," he said, clearing his throat before carrying on, "It's just an idea that I've had lurking in my mind for some time and it's a way that we may receive more income."

"Continue," Louisa said, taking in every detail as he spoke.

"I still need to approach Chris Parson's about it, since we didn't attend the last invitation to dinner, but…" he said, "I was thinking of renting out one of the rooms to another doctor, that way I will have more free time with you and the children and also more money will come our way. I won't have to stay behind so late, I mean last Wednesday was ridiculous nearly half six, and by that time I can only see James half an hour before he goes to bed."

"Yes, I know," Louisa said, sadly, "That was unfair."

"I need permission to do this and I certainly need advice from Chris regarding this idea, if it works, I think it'll be successful," he said, searching for a response from Louisa, "What do you think?"

"I think it's a marvellous idea," she smiled broadly, "I know James will certainly love it if you're home when you should be and not tying up lose strings at the surgery."

"I mean even if I do rent it out like a business the NHS will have to get some of the share and the funding will need to be organised, its all complicated, but I think I could possibly make it work. I just need to ask Chris about it all, see what he thinks," he said, hopefully.

"It's lovely for you to think of us like that," she smiled, "Oh Martin that is wonderful, I do hope it goes ahead!"

She kissed him on the lips and felt his response gratefully. Once they parted, a smile played on both of their mouths.

"Perhaps we should ask if Chris and Laura want to come round for dinner next weekend, they can bring along the boys and Molly." Louisa suggested.

"Yes, that would be good." Martin nodded; knowing that one of James' closest friends was Danny, Chris and Laura's middle child, who although was now turning seven loved playing with James. Martin also knew Chris from medical school, so they had been friends a long time, but it was when Laura and Louisa both fell pregnant nearer the same time that the two couples became closer. Laura had Molly just a few weeks before Louisa had given birth to Ava, so there was a lot of time spent with each other. Their oldest son, Samuel, was twelve and had started secondary school.

"Erm…" Martin started again, "What about that conversations we have yet to conclude?"

"Oh yes, well I was very touched by your kiss, I liked how spontaneous it was," she told him, placing a hand on the side of his face.

"Yes, well, I…"

"Martin…" she said, "Did Peter say something to you?"

"No," he frowned and the sighed before saying, "I just found it gratifying that he thanked me for partaking in saving his spleen. I don't know, I suppose, not being a surgeon for years just brought back what it meant to have you and James and Ava with me, I was just glad that I didn't stupidly take the post in London."

"That is very nice of you to say that, Martin," Louisa said, "I hope you realise just how spectacular you are."

"I just hope that you realise just how beautiful you are," he blurted out, gazing into her eyes, and watched as she giggled.

"Thank you," she said and kissed him again on the lips, adding more passion into it this time.

"I think we should save this till later, erm… James is just upstairs," Martin reminded her.

"Good idea," she agreed, "I'll look forward to that…"