Friday, 15.23. Darwin.

Jac walked down the ward towards her office in a remarkably good mood – Mrs Trume's operation had been more simple than she'd anticipated and she'd left Oli to finish off, and was now ahead of schedule. One down, one to go and then a whole weekend with Jil – what more could a girl want? She hadn't realised quite how much she missed her best friend when she didn't see her, until she'd started to spend more time with her over the past few weeks. Phone calls and emails just weren't the same, and you couldn't get a hug through Skype – modern technology was all very well but sometimes only the real thing would do! She had especially appreciated spending this time with her now – before the baby was born, and all the changes that a little person brought with them, were wrought. Which was why, although she was pleased for Jil that Daniel wouldn't need to go abroad for work soon, she was also disappointed that this also meant she wouldn't have a ready-made excuse to see her anymore. Not that she'd ever needed an excuse – she knew she was always welcome in Jil's house, just like Jil knew that there'd always be a place for her at Jac's table, and a bed, even if it was one they had to share

As she entered her office her eye was drawn to her desk, which today, very unusually, did not just have her computer and phone on it. Jac wandered over to her chair and sat down before slowly working her way, once again, through the pile of objects that adorned her desktop – Jil's promise of presents, had not been an empty one. Balanced precariously on the top of the pile, nestled one on top of another, were two, uneven and brightly decorated, paper mache bowls. Christopher had made them, with Assumpta's help, and then he and Nicholas had each decorated one. Apparently as soon as Jil had told them on Wednesday that she was coming to see her at the weekend, they'd both insisted that she should bring them down with her for their Auntie Jac. Jac thought she'd keep one of the bowls at work – the purple one with yellow and orange splodges – and take the other one (green with red crosses and blue spots) home – she could keep her keys in it. She picked them both up, placing the green bowl aside, and looked around for a place to put the work bowl. It couldn't go on the windowsill, the condensation might reduce it to a pulpy mass and she wouldn't risk that, maybe she could move the plant on the cupboard, but then where would she put that? No, the only possible location, as she'd thought since Jil had first shown them to her in the café this morning, was in pride of place in the centre of her desk. She put it there now – turning it round slowly till it looked just right, there…perfect!

The next thing in the pile was a photo CD, from Assumpta, of Alexander's baptism – really that woman was unnaturally organised. Jac remembered receiving the thank you card for her gift on the Wednesday or Thursday following the service and party on Sunday, and now this – a professional looking CD/DVD combo with an edited video of the service and party and all the best photos that everybody who'd been invited had taken on the day, less than three months after the day! Assumpta was, Jac reflected, like a force of nature – awe-inspiring and a little bit scary, and she understood why Jil didn't really want her to be godmother, because although her heart was in the right place, she did have a tendency to take over and Jil had never, ever been good at taking a back seat.

And then she came to the last present, a small framed picture of Jil's 20 week scan to match the 12 week one she had on the bookcase in her flat already. She picked it up and studied it, smiling, remembering the look on Jil's face when she was lying on the bed gazing at the screen in the ultrasound room holding Daniel's hand – it had seemed like she would literally burst with happiness! Jac hadn't seen her look so happy since the day she'd married Daniel, when she'd beamed from the moment she woke up to (Jac presumed) the moment she'd finally got to sleep, and probably in her sleep too, Jac thought. She remembered how Jil had explained to the radiographer that until the baby was born, she was calling it Robin because she didn't want to know what she was having but didn't want to call it 'it' either, and because of all the unisex names there were she thought Robin was the nicest, much better than Lesley or Francis! Looking at the scan picture now, and thinking of just how longed-for baby Robin was Jac sent up a silent prayer (because it couldn't hurt) to a God she wasn't sure existed (but who she knew Jil believed in) to keep her friend and her unborn baby safe. Because if anything happened to Robin she didn't know what Jil would do, and if anything happened to Jil she didn't know what she would do – it just didn't bear thinking about! 'So stop thinking about it then' she told herself sharply, feeling the panic beginning to build 'everything is going to be OK!' She took a deep breath and then remembered 'Jill promised!' and felt the worry melt away. "Everything is going to be OK – Jil promised!" she repeated, and once again began to smile as she looked at the scan picture in her hand.

She had just put the picture down on her desk when there was a knock at the door, Tara popped her head around the door and said 'Dr Valentine's just phoned up, Mrs Trume's just gone into recovery so it'll be about 15 minutes till there ready for you with Mr Klein."

"Ok thanks," Jac replied, "could you phone back and let them know I'll be down soon."

"Will do" Tara said and left, closing the door behind her.

Jac suddenly realised that she had no idea what she was going to do with Jil for the next hour – then she had a brainwave. She turned back to her computer and looked at today's rotas, to check who was working, she found the name she was searching for 'perfect' she thought 'now all I have to do is find Jil'. As if on cue she heard Elliott outside the door, "I'm so glad you've had such a good time, I must say for a non-cardio person you do seem to have an extraordinarily good grasp of how the heart functions" and as the door opened heard Jil reply,

"Well, I have been friends with Jac for a VERY long time, so something's bound to have rubbed off." Jac, who knew this wasn't the only reason her friend knew so much about the workings of the human heart thought about interrupting and offering a fuller explanation of Jil's expertise, but decided that if Jil didn't want Elliott to know it wasn't her place to tell him. "But I really can't thank you enough for showing me, and explaining it all to me" Jil continued. "Jac," she said turning to face her friend, "this man's a real treasure."

"He is" Jac agreed, smiling "he really is". Noticing how embarrassed Elliott was, she continued "I reckon a knighthood's in the offing, he's already got an O.B.E. you know – Sir Elliott Hope's got a certain ring to it, don't you think?'

Jil, who realised what Jac was doing, shook her head at her and said smiling, "Stop it Jac, "

"What?" Jac asked feigning innocence, "it really does."

"Jac, I said stop it." Jil repeated, continuing, "Take no notice Professor Hope, she's purposely trying to embarrass you, so I really wouldn't give her the satisfaction. Although, I have to agree that you do deserve a knighthood far more than any of those actors or sports people who always seem to be getting them."

"Yes, erm, well thank you" Elliott spluttered, "it's very nice of you to say so. Very nice indeed but" he said desperately trying to change the subject, "now I really do need to get everything organised for my meeting with Mr Hanssen. But it really was delightful to meet you and thank you once again for all your help with my files" he said indicating the neat piles of patient notes on his desk.

"That's OK" Jil said, "it really was my pleasure. Actually I'd been itching to do it all day"

"So that's what's different" Jac exclaimed, "I knew there was something, just couldn't put my finger on it. This has got to be a first – your desk actually looks tidier than mine!" She said, shaking her head in amazement, "but it won't last. You do realise" she said, addressing Jil "that by this time on Monday his desk will be just as untidy as it was this morning"

"Sadly," Elliott agreed, "I fear Jac is probably right – tidiness has never been one of my strong suits I'm afraid."

"But it's tidy now" Jil said, "so let's all just enjoy that and not worry about the mess to come. Actually, we'd better get out of your hair anyway, if you've got stuff to do before your meeting and" she said turning towards Jac, "aren't you meant to be operating now? You can't have done both of them already – not even you're that good!"

"No, number two's just being prepared" Jac answered. "I've got to go down in about ten minutes which will just give me enough time to get you settled. Come on – I've got a plan," she said standing up and heading towards the door

"Alright, alright bossy boots I'm coming" Jil said, following her, pausing before leaving to say "Good luck with your meeting Professor Hope, I hope it goes well, and thanks again for everything."

"That's quite alright" Elliott replied "it really was my pleasure". As the door closed and the voices of the two friends faded, Elliott said quietly, to himself. "Extraordinary, really quite extraordinary" thinking about Jac and Jil, and their relationship, as he did so 'you'd never believe one person could make such a difference!"