Chapter Fourteen: Feeling Slightly Alone

At five o'clock in the morning, Martin felt refreshed and got up, showered and changed. His surgery was in an hour and would finish at the latest five in the afternoon.

He poured milk into his cereal and sat down alone at the table thinking of Louisa.

He thought about all the difference between Edith and Louisa and knew what the answer would be Louisa surely was the winner. Louisa didn't order him around and make him believe that he was in love with her because he already was.

There were so many differences between the two.

After scrubbing his hands until they were red raw and then drying them, putting special hand gel on and then the rubber gloves. Martin was ready to begin. He was worried in case he found it difficult to concentrate because of the thoughts of Louisa popping into his mind.

He walked over to the table where a woman lay, wrapped in green paper towel material, apart from her chest area now covered in an orange liquid to make it sterilised.

'OK, scalpel' he asked and made an incision on the chest of the female patient. Around the orange stained skin he could see that blood welded around the deepened line that he was making.

He clamped the ribcage apart with two metal holders with the help of another surgeon. The theatrical nurse patted his forehead with a cloth and he blinked ready to get to the heart. He could see the pounding of the muscle through layers of the fat surrounding.

'No wonder she had a heart attack. You can tell it was down to cholesterol'

'Yes, she not long had a gastric band fitted' the surgeon replied.

'Not surprising" Martin sighed.

He got to the heart and saw that some of it had gone partially black; the woman must have heart disease. By looking into it more, he saw that there were collapsed arteries and a narrowed blood vessel.

The nurse held a tube that sucked the blood that was building up making it difficult to identify what was what. He drew out breath and began to work on what he could do to help this woman.

Seven hours later, the stitches were successfully done and would leave a scar, but the heart was now in a safe way and he now needed to reassure the woman's family and friends that were anxiously waiting outside.

Walking through the corridors he was thankful that Edith wasn't waiting for him. He made his way to two double doors, and pushed one of them open into a small waiting room.

'Ah! Mr Knightly' he said to a rather thin male sitting near the door.

Martin had his blue overall on with matching trousers and still hat, he was easily recognised as the surgeon.

'Doctor Ellingham, how did it go' he gasped standing up with a woman, who looked like the daughter.

"Everything went all well' he nodded, 'It was obvious that she was severely overweight before as there were several collapsed arteries, which in due course reduced the amount of blood going through them"

He could tell that she wasn't the only one who ate a lot, as the patient's daughter wasn't an average BMI.

'Oh dear' he said, 'Well I did try and tell her not to have that extra biscuit'

'She is going to recovery and I will get the nurse to come round when she is ready to be seen' Martin said and shook the hands of the husband.

'Thank you' the daughter said.

Martin nodded and then walked off ready to go home. He was tired after the eight hour operation, since it was all standing and so integrate.

He sat in his office; he found that he still wasn't finished because he had paperwork to do. He listened to his answer phone of his work and was surprised.

'Hello Martin" Louisa said on the phone, 'I found your work number. I was wondering how you were since you didn't answer your phone. I thought it was an eight hour operation, so guess what I worried' Martin smiled, 'I hope to see you soon. Bye'

He was distracted by playing it over again as though she was there. It wasn't long until he dialled her number and spoke to her.

"Louisa' he smiled playing with a pen.

'Oh Martin, sorry' she said, "I couldn't stand that you didn't answer your phone, I hope you are alright'

'Yes the surgery went on half an hour longer. The woman had too high cholesterol it was difficult to get the heart back to the way it should be' he explained, 'How are you?'

'Fine, thank you' she said as she chopped her vegetables for her supper.

'I was going to ring you later#

'I know, sorry …"

'No, no' Martin said, 'Its fine, I was glad that you rang'

'Are you at work?'

'Yes, in my office'

"Oh do you want me to go?"

'Not really, I only have a few things to do' he lied, knowing that he was going to be late home.

'Oh alright'

'What did you do today?' Martin asked

'Oh usual stuff. Had assembly, paperwork, progress spreadsheets'

'Interesting"

'No not really' she sighed

Chris came to his office door and stood there, looking at Martin.

'Anyway I have to go' Martin said noticing Chris at the door

'Oh sure, you're busy' Louisa said, 'See you soon, bye'

'Bye' Martin said, hanging up the phone.

'Sorry am I interrupting?' Chris said/

'No, it was Louisa'

'Ooh! So you are serious?" he smirked

'I suppose'

'Well good luck'

'Thanks'

Chris sighed, 'I've come to say that I got that job'

'Oh as head of PCT?'

#Not head, but working with them. Based in Cornwall' he smiled

'Cornwall!' Martin replied jealous, he wanted to be there

'I know, I might see Louisa around' he teased, but saw Martins face and stopped, 'It starts in two weeks, so I am having a little farewell do at the weekend'

'Oh' Martin said.

He thought could take Louisa if she wanted to.

'Obviously you don't have to'

'No, no it would be good'

'Yes!' he cheered, 'I need you there, best friend you see'

'Yes' Martin said twiddling his pen, 'Chris. Would it be alright if Louisa came? She's coming up at the weekend, so…'

'Definitely!' Chris smiled, 'I need to apologise to her formally'

'Yes I believe you do'

'Sorry, hopefully I will be careful'

'Good'

Martin looked at him as he saw that he looked concerned.

'Well' Chris sighed and handed out his hand, 'Good luck mate!'

They shook hands and then Chris got up and so did Martin as he came over and hugged him. Martin looked embarrassed afterwards.

'Going to miss you, Mart' he said and then pulled away.

'Same' Martin nodded, 'But see you at the weekend'

'Yes, Saturday night at the hall in Imperial'

'OK' Martin said

Chris left the room. Martin sat there thinking, it felt as though everyone was leaving him. Louisa was in Cornwall and seemed to never want to move and then Chris was going to, it was too overwhelming.