Authors Note: I have added all the final chapters to Inseparable, so I can get cracking on my Christmas story! I hope you enjoy...

Chapter Eleven: Meeting Mrs Tishell

The following morning as the sun rose Martin watched Joan tend to her chickens with a cup of tea in his hand. The weather was a stunning, with the sun shining even at six o'clock in the morning.

'Bring back memories?' she asked as she spread the seeds across the floor.

'Yes'

'"I wish your father didn't stop you coming down' Joan said sadly.

'Well, it was my fault, so he told me' Martin explained

'Did he really say that?' she gasped, 'I can't believe him, you know you say that you should love your family well to be honest I've never liked him!'

'I don't blame you' Martin agreed, 'So it wasn't my fault?'

'No, no, it was a long story, lets get you some breakfast' Joan patted his back and led him into the house.


'I might be having a meal with Louisa tonight' Martin said to Joan.

'Oooh!' she laughed.

Martin frowned at her response.

'No, that's lovely. Are you going to Bert's?' she asked

'Bert's?' Martin said, confused, 'What, is that an eating place?'

'Yes, Large Restaurant. Bert is the owner' she explained, 'It's in the village'

'Oh right, well I don't know'

'Well give her a ring, she'll be off today' Joan smiled and poured herself another cup of tea.


Martin sat on the edge of his bed in the spare room and picked up his mobile to phone Louisa's number, which was now on speed dial.

'Hello Martin!' she sang down the phone.

'Hello, are you alright?' was his immediate response.

'I'm fine thank you, why? You said that a bit anxious,' Louisa said, confused.

'No, no sorry,' Martin shook his head, 'Hello, how are you?'

'Fine thank you!' she smiled, 'I'm just marking some books.'

'I haven't disturbed you have I?'

'No!'

'Louisa.'

'Yes Martin?'

'Would you like to go out with me for a meal, tonight?' he asked, shyly.

'That would be lovely!' she said, sounding rather excited, 'What time?'

'Erm… six o'clock?'

'Yes, that's perfect!'

'Good' he said, happily.

'Where are we going?'

'I'm not sure, where would you like to go?' he offered

'Well, Bert's is a nice place. Just past the doctor's surgery' she explained.

'Right, yes, OK' he nodded, 'I'll see you then'

'OK' Louisa giggled, 'Bye'

'Bye' he said and hung up, now he could relax.


'Everything alright?' Joan asked

'Yes'

'So…?'

'We're going about six, is that OK?'

'Yes, of course' she said, delighted, 'Would you like to come into the village, I need to drop off some of my deliveries to locals?'

'Yes, sure' Martin nodded.


Portwenn was sparkling in the sun as the morning proceeded into afternoon. The rolling hills went on for miles and miles, Martin also noticed the amount of tiny cottages there were hidden behind bushes and trees.

'Right, just need to go to Bert's' Joan said as they entered the heart of the village.

Martin looked out of the window as they stopped on a narrow lane hill. As he got out he peered over at a detached cottage overlooking the sea and the school, where Louisa worked.

'One second' he told Joan as he walked across the road and read he golden plaque that was fixed onto the wall.

It read: Doctor James SIMMs

'Doctor SIMMs' Martin said, 'Never heard of him'

'Are you looking at the doctors surgery?' Joan said as she opened the back of the truck.

'Yes, Doctor SIMMs'

'Or just SIMMs or Jim, depends. Bert usually comes up with a nickname for anybody who lives in that cottage, it's never doctor' explained Joan.

'Ah' Martin nodded.

'He's a friendly doctor, you know, you might be able to learn something off him'

Martin frowned and then unloaded a crate full of carrots and cabbages.

'Just down those steps, be careful' instructed Joan.

Martin walked under a flowered arch, which had a sign on it saying: Large Restaurant.

'So, this is where Louisa and I will be eating later?' Martin frowned.

'Yes, why? Doesn't it meet your expectations' asked Joan.

'No, no, I was just inquiring'

'Hello my lover'

Martin looked up in disgust with that phrase. How could you say that to someone when they're not actually…? He didn't want to go into detail about it.

'Afternoon Bert' Joan simply said politely.

Martin looked up from balancing his crate of vegetables. A plump man stood, with a grey woollen hat and a striped shirt under a green jumper. He seemed to be smiling awfully a lot in Martin's opinion.

'Bring them over here Marty' Joan said.

'So whose this then?' Bert asked, his accent was very strongly Cornish.

'Martin, my nephew' Joan told him.

'Oh! Martin, I remember you, just when you were a little tot, this big' he demonstrated by lowering his hand past his hip, 'Nice to meet you again'

Bert stretched out his hand, which Martin took gingerly and shook it briefly pulling his hand away.

'He's a vascular surgeon in London' Joan said, pleased about her nephew.

'London, hey' said Bert, smiling, 'Proper job!'

'Thank you' muttered Martin.

'Just visiting our village before heading back to the hectic capital?'

'Yes' Martin nodded.

'Right then, we better get going. Mrs Walnut won't want to wait any longer for her vegetables. She's having a gathering tonight' Joan said and led the way put of the restaurant.

'See you later then Joan' Bert called after them, 'See you Doc!'

Martin looked round at the small rounded man, who seemed to be chuckling away to himself.

'Doc?' he whispered.

'What was that?' Joan said as she reached the top of the steps.

'Nothing' Martin shook his head.

It had only been a short two minutes standing in the restaurant and already Martin had a new title for the locals in Cornwall. He liked it actually, and thought about on the journey to the next villager.


Martin walked into the local chemist to pick up Joan's prescription, while she continued to rattle away to Mrs Walnut over a cup of tea. How long could they possibly talk for? It was ever so boring sitting there, listening to them talk about feminine stuff.

'Hello' Martin said as he approached the counter top.

A fairly tall woman, with short grey hair stood, shoulders tall. She wore a neck collar, for some support Martin did not know about.

'Good afternoon, you are?' she asked him with a cheeky smile on her face.

'Doctor Ellingham'

He thought he'd have to be professional in front of a pharmacist.

'Oh Doctor?' she smiled and flickered her eyelids.

'Yes' he confirmed.

'I'm Mrs Tishell, well call me Sally,' she giggled and put her hand over her mouth, 'What could a wonderful pharmacist possibly do for you?'

'Prescription' Martin handed over a green piece of paper, signed by Doctor SIMMs.

'Oh right' she nodded, reading the medicine she had to provide.

'It's for my Aunt' Martin added.

'Yes, that's fine' she said.

'How long will it take?' Martin asked.

'About ten minutes' Mrs Tishell replied, 'I can put the kettle on'

'No thank you, I'll have a walk round' Martin said, and strode out of the chemist.

She was weird, so he thought. Why was she talking to him like that?

Martin walked towards the harbour front and was stopped by someone calling his name. He swung round and saw Louisa running up to him, even though she was just wearing jeans and a T-Shirt, he found himself gazing at her more than ever.

'Louisa' he stuttered.

'Hello' she beamed up at him, shading her eyes with her hand from the sun.

'How are you?' he asked.

'Fine, you?'

'Good, I've just come to collect Joan's prescription.' He told her, 'That pharmacist is a bit weird'

'Mrs Tishell?' Louisa said, 'I suppose you could say that, when you get used to this quirky village then it's alright'

Martin nodded slightly.

'I'm looking forward to tonight'

'Me too' Martin said making the conversation useless.

'Don't mind me guys, just patrolling around the area for underage drivers' a serious man came strolling by.

It was a policeman, who seemed to think he knew it all, but actually didn't. His eyebrows rose up high once he saw Martin.

'Martin this is Joe' Louisa introduced.

'PC Joseph Penhale' Joe added, shaking Martin's hand.

'This is Martin, he's from London' Louisa said.

'Oh right, so I bet you're some millionaire who can take any time off to come to the idyllic coast of England?' he said enthusiastically.

'No, not all the people in London are millionaires' Martin said to him.

'Right, yes, well' said Joe awkwardly, 'I better keep going on my patrol. I'll see you later Louisa'

'Bye' Louisa waved and turned back to Martin, 'Sorry about that, he takes his job very seriously'

'I cant tell' Martin frowned as he watched the policeman talk to a group of elderly women.

'So…' Louisa said.

Martin looked at his watch, 'I better go and see if Joan's prescription is ready, it couldn't take ten minutes'

'Oh no, Mrs Tishell adds to the time to try and make you a cup of tea' Louisa said, 'She's lonely as her husband is away all the time'

'Oh I see' Martin said beginning to walk.

'I'll come with you, I've got time to kill' Louisa said.

'I'd like that' Martin said, slightly raising each side of his mouth as to smile.

Louisa slid her hand into his while they strolled over to the chemist.

'I had loads of books to mark early' she told him as they crossed the road.

'Really? I thought headmistresses didn't teach?'

'Not often, but that's why I became a teacher, so I take a few classes every week and it makes the lives of the staff so much easier' she explained.

'Sometimes I get people to do theatre for me. It's more paperwork than most things as a consultant'

'Really? I never knew that' Louisa said.

Martin enjoyed holding her hand, and didn't get embarrassed even in public. For some reason he wanted people to know that he and Louisa were a couple, he could shout it out if he really wanted to, but that wouldn't happen, because after all it was Doctor Martin Ellingham.

Martin kept hold of Louisa's hand as he pushed the door open to the chemist and they strolled in together. It was empty and Mrs Tishell was applying mascara to pass away the time.

'Oh hello Doctor Ellingham' she said and hurriedly put away the cosmetic product.

'Hello Mrs Tishell' Louisa kindly said.

'Oh, Miss Glasson' she smiled and then looked down to see them both holding hands openly, which made her face drop slightly.

'I've come to collect my aunt's prescription' Martin said.

'Yes, yes'

She hastily walked the length of her counter and picked up a white bag with a green cross on it.

'How much would that be?' he asked, letting go of Louisa's hand and getting out his wallet.

'Joan told me not to let you pay' Mrs Tishell informed him, 'She rang before you got here'

'Right, well how much is it?'

'Ten pound, fifty' she said as though being interrogated.

Martin took out a ten pound note and searched for fifty pence in his trouser pocket.

'Here' he handed over the money.

'Joan wont be happy'

'So?'

'Well, its just –' Mrs Tishell was cut short by Martin turning his back on her.

'She will tell me off, but I'll have to deal with it. Goodbye' Martin said.

Louisa turned round, 'Thank you Mrs Tishell'

'Yes whatever' she replied.

Louisa was taken aback by her rudeness. She had no idea what she had done to upset her in anyway, but she shook it off thinking it was Martin who had upset the pharmacist.


Louisa pointed out her cottage as they went to find where Joan had got to.

'It's quite small' Martin said to her.

'Yes, but its only me that lives there' she added.

They saw that Joan's truck was still outside Mrs Walnut's house, which irritated Martin a little.

'Still in there!' he said, as he walked up to the truck.

'Villagers like to talk' Louisa sighed.

'I suppose, but what is there to gossip about? The population is very sparse and not much happens'

'I know, but compared to London, where everyone is so busy, Portwenn has a nice welcoming feeling. Everyone knows each other and its polite to talk' Louisa explained.

'I hate London'

'You do?' Louisa said, rather surprised.

'Yes, because of everything you just said. Everybody leaves each other behind and doesn't care whether you need company or not. It's so contrasting to here' Martin sighed.

Louisa placed her hand in his.

'Well you have me now' she said softly.

Martin looked at her wide brown eyes peering up at him. He smiled ever so slightly and bent down to kiss her.

At that time a group of girls walked past, pointing and giggling.

'Got a new boyfriend Miss!' one of them laughed.

Martin and Louisa pulled away to look at them, feeling embarrassed.

'I thought you were a professional teacher' another said.

'Who are they?' Martin asked Louisa after they had walked off.

'I used to teach them' Louisa sighed, 'They're not very nice, I can tell you that.'

'Oh' Martin nodded.

'They seem to know everything that goes around in this village. Most of the time adding their own story in to make it sound more interesting'

'So this will be round the village in no time?' Martin said.

'Correct' Louisa nodded and then smiled at him.

'I'll see you next week then Margaret' Joan said as she came out of Mrs Walnut's house with an empty crate.

'Thank you Joan' she said

'Oh Louisa!' Joan smiled as she came round the side of the truck, to see Martin and Louisa talking.

'Hello' she smiled.

'What are you doing here?' she asked.

'I bumped into Martin while he was at the chemist'

Martin held up the bag with the medication for Joan to show her that he'd got it.

'Oh good, did she have everything?'

'Yes' Martin nodded.

'Right then, are you ready?' Joan said to Martin.

He looked at Louisa and said quietly, 'Yes'

'I'll see you later' Louisa smiled.

'OK' Martin nodded.

'Bye'

Louisa let go of Martin's hand and began to walk down the hill.

'Louisa!' he called and started pacing towards her.

She turned round, her ponytail flying in mid air.

'One second' he said, holding up his finger.

He took her by the waist and pulled her close to him. He lowered his head until his lips met hers.

Joan looked out of the window to see where he disappeared, and saw them kissing in the middle of the road. She sighed and shook her head.

'He is head of heels for her' she said to herself.

'That was needed' Martin said as they pulled away.

'Certainly was' she giggled.

Joan beeped the horn to signalise that she couldn't wait any longer.

'You better go' Louisa said to him.

'Right, I'll see you later' he nodded and took off towards the truck.