Sorry for the delay in posting. Real life is keeping me busy, not leaving me with much time to write. Your comments and PM's are wonderful. Thank you

Chapter 15

The following morning I drew the blood before surgery hours from Louisa. I explained to Louisa what Doctor Rawle and I thought, but wanted to reassure her that their baby is fine. We will see Doctor Rawle the following afternoon and he will perform another scan. I can see the strain on Louisa's face and her telltale sign as she bit her lower lip.

"Louisa, I do not want you to worry. The scan Doctor Rawle performed with us earlier last month showed no deformities. But with everything that has happened I just want to ease your mind."

Louisa reaches up caresses my cheek,

"Martin, thank you."

The touch sends me into a preoccupation of how she makes me feel. My mind drifts back to the previous evening; Joan cooked us supper, Louisa was unable to eat due to worry. We departed later heading back on the road towards the village; instead of turning towards the surgery and up the hill, I veered towards the Platt through the village.

"Martin, whe…, re we going?"

"We are going to the Wilson Hotel for the night."

I packed a few things before heading to the farm earlier. I want to clean up our bedroom prior to staying there again.

Louisa is thankful; she was dreading going back into that room tonight.

I pull into a parking space, turn the engine off and lean over to place a kiss on her lips before she can question me anymore.

"We are staying here tonight. No need for you to relive your horror with Edith tonight. I want you to relax in a hot bath, let me give you a massage to ease your tension; it will be good for you and the baby."

Moving quickly around the car I open Louisa's door and help her out of the car. I take her by the hand, and pull her into a hug. Louisa trembles into my chest,

"Martin, I am not sure I will be able to relax until I know our baby is fine."

"Sshh…" I softly let the air out. "There is no need to worry, I can assure you. All the evidence including the visual of the scan I monitored, there is absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. Please believe me, Louisa; I will never lie to you. Come let us go to our room."

I pull our bags from the boot; grab her hand to escort her to check in. Thank goodness, it was not Mrs. Wilson checking us in, as today had been bad enough without her adulatory touches. Walking up the stairs, we make our way to the suite. Unlocking the door, I allow Louisa into the room first; grabbing the Do Not Disturb sign and placing it on the hall side handle, before I close the door. I place our bags on the luggage rack, then turn to hug Louisa again. I kiss the top of her head, then take her chin in between my thumb and index finger, gently raise it and deeply kiss her lips. After a few moments, I release her.

"Louisa, I will run your bath."

I walk into the bath, turning on the water and turn on the towel heating rack, while Louisa sheds her clothing. As I turn from the tub Louisa walks up to me disrobed, several thoughts run through my mind, I am barely able to stammer,

"Uhm. Mm… Louisa you are so beautiful."

"Martin, how can I be beautiful, I'm fat and pregnant."

To prove my point, I walk over taking hold of her hands, spreading them out from her sides so I can look at her. I look at her naked body, and my eyes show pure love for her. I lean in and kiss her lips, and continue down to her neck. I place my hands on her pregnant belly and kneel down to kiss it. Louisa wraps her arms around my head into a loving hug. I look up, taking her hands while moving to stand, leading her to the tub. Holding her to make sure she is safely standing in the water, I help her to sit. Taking the sponge I get it wet, and squeeze the warm water over her breasts. Repeating, I wet her back until she relaxes back against the tub sides.

"Relax; I will be just a moment."

I slip out into the sitting room, turn down the lamps, go to the bed and pull the duvet and sheet down then rearrange the pillows to support Louisa when I move her onto the bed for her massage. I remove my jacket, tie and cuff links and roll my sleeves up as I open our bags, setting out our nightclothes. Going through the bag, I pull out the bottle of lavender soap that I purchased, and return to the bathroom. Louisa looks so relaxed; I kneel again, taking the sponge and soap making it sudsy. Taking her arms, I run the sponge over each, then over her chest, paying special attention to her neck and breasts. Slowly up and around each breast; squeezing more water into the sponge I rinse her. Applying the soap again, I lean her forward to massage the suds over her shoulders down her back slowly, working on her tight muscles, and repeat rinsing her body. Leaning near her neck, I kiss her nape of her neck; whispering to her and requesting to wash her baby bump; she gives me her hand and I help her to stand. I quickly take the sudsy sponge and tenderly run it over her baby bump, then down to her thighs and knees. Once again taking her hand to sit her in the water I run my hands over her belly and down her legs. Making sure, she is completely free of soap. I let Louisa relax a while, massaging her neck and shoulders. The water is cooling down, so I grab the now warm towel and offer my hand to assist her out. Wrapping the towel around her, I slowly dry her body while I quietly speak into her ear on how lovely she is. I scoop her up under her knees so I can cradle her naked body in my arms and I carry her to the bed, where I lay her among the pillows. Arranging Louisa carefully so she is comfortable, retrieving the massage oil from my bag. I shed my clothes and kneel on the bed beside Louisa. Applying the oil to my hands, I start massaging her lower back. Louisa groans with pleasure, as it feels so wonderful. She is so relaxed that the stress of the day fades from her mind. I apply more oil moving further up her back for a short time. Sliding the towel next to her, she rolls onto it; working over her arms, shoulders and legs releasing all the tension in her muscles. I oil up my hands again I slide them over her belly and breasts in an erotic matter making Louisa growl with contentment.

"Martin, I need you to show me that I'm not fat, please."

I quickly move pillows around to support her back. I lay onto my side beside her and I prove to her that she is beautiful, but careful as not to hurt her.

"Martin, I Love You."

I wrap my arms around her, and nuzzle up to her neck and kiss her as I whisper, "You are my beautiful partner and I Love You." I slide away, leaving the bed to grab another towel to wipe the excess oil from our bodies. I help her to reposition and put her nightgown on. Rearranging the pillows, I pull the sheet over Louisa's body, dropping the towels to the floor and I climb into bed beside her. I kiss her deeply on the lips,

"Louisa, you are the most beautiful woman I know. Please never forget that. You are pregnant, not fat. Your pregnancy gives you a lovely glow that I love."

Louisa kisses my cheek bringing me back from my amorous distraction to the present.

"Louisa." I respond in a surprised voice, forgetting what we were discussing.

Pauline slamming the front door, as she rushes in, late as usual, interrupts us at that point.

"Martin, if Pauline is here then I'm late, I need to get to school."

She kisses me again and walks out of my office towards the kitchen door gathering her satchel and handbag. Following her, I open the back door, and I kiss her cheek,

"Have a good day, don't work too hard and I will pick you up for lunch."

I close the door behind her and walk back to my surgery to start my day.

Near mid-morning I receive a call from Doctor Hayes, luckily I am alone in my office drinking an espresso during my short break. Doctor Hayes provides the information on tests results he performed on Doctor Montgomery. He explains that her blood contained several illegal and legal drug compositions that could explain her erratic behavior.

"Which illegal drugs did she have in her system and can you tell if they will have long term effects on her mental state," I ask.

"There were two in particular that were interesting, since one was a favorite during the mid-seventies to early eighties and the current medical community hasn't dealt with them in the A&E much anymore, it is methaqualone.** The other is Kratom, which is banned, unless the patient has a prescription. People are usually taking it for withdrawal from opioids, but Doctor Montgomery didn't have a prescription and she had many different opioids in her system. I was concerned with her blood levels with the mixture of medication and had her stomach pumped. We found leave bits of Kratom. I have admitted her for psychosis and substance abuse."

"How long will she be hospitalized?" I asked.

"Not sure as I don't have the faintest idea how long she has been self-medicating. Looking at the paperwork Parsons provided me, I would say she will never fully recover."

I end my conversation with Doctor Hayes and only hope he can help Edith; telling myself, she brought this on herself.

XXxXx

I sit in my office thinking over the last twenty-four hours; again, how much my life has changed these past months. What Edith had in mind for my child was chilling to think about. What could have happened upstairs in our bedroom? My mind is unable to picture this fear. What would have happened if Joan had come in looking for Louisa? The fear in my mind stops all thoughts from processing the scene with Edith and the two women I truly love.

I shift my thoughts to the help from Doctor Hayes for my haemophobia. I have not had any adverse reaction to any bloody situation, but that can change if I don't continue with my therapy with him. His help has gone further than that; he provided me with more than I could ever hope for with my relationship with Louisa.

Louisa has also changed. We haven't had any arguments like we did before; is it because I have changed. Showing my vulnerability is no longer a weakness and once again, I can thank Doctor Hayes. Louisa doesn't seem to mind this side of me, in fact it seems she loves this side of me. For so many years, my father told me that showing any vulnerability was a weakness of character. If I knew then what I know now maybe the haemophobia would never have developed. Then I would never have met Louisa, as I would be a surgeon in London. Louisa has always showed me a kindness that confuses me; what has she always seen in me; Louisa should have copious number of suitors, more witty or better looking than me. What does she see in me?

I sit a little longer getting my thoughts together on the meeting with Doctor Rawle tomorrow afternoon. I scan through Louisa's file and look at the current scans, starting with the first when she was in London. My developing son, everything is picture perfect. How did Louisa feel when she found out? Happy, sad, or confused on how it happened? I recall the night she returned to Portwenn, at my back door and seeing her lovely face. It was fuller, but the glow of her face showed apprehension, and as I looked her up, and down I suddenly realized why. These few months have enlightened my dull life, but I still worry for the future on our child's health. I know everything is fine, but I still worry that I have missed something.

XXxXx

As we walk toward the hospital the following afternoon, Louisa is worrying her lower lip due to the possible problems that the scan could show. Louisa slips her hand into mine; she loves my big strong hand, it feels secure and comforting. My nonverbal response to her deep sigh to calm herself is a satisfying squeeze of her hand. Louisa smiles up at me relaxing somewhat, I tighten my grip a bit more hoping to relax us both.

Sitting in Doctor Rawle's office going over her test results, Louisa is trying to stay calm. Both doctors are satisfied with the results, so Doctor Rawle suggests we move down the hall for him to perform the scan. As Louisa stands, she says,

"I just need confirmation that my baby is healthy and normal, that is all that is important."

An hour later as we travel back to Portwenn, both quite glad at the results of the scan and tests. Louisa is staring at the new scan, smiling happily. I am concentrating on the road, and then I finally ask,

"Have you thought of names for the child?"

Catching Louisa by surprise, as she has many names of both boys and girls that she had put together on her lonely nights in London. She responds,

"I have a notebook back at the cottage of different names," she says as she touches my arm.

"Do you have any in mind?" she then asks me.

"I'm not very good at choosing, but I do feel strongly against three names; my father and mother's, Christopher and Margaret and you know the third." Not wanting to say that woman's name.

"I have a book on baby names, with information on the origins, which you can go through and we can look at my ideas after dinner, and add any we come upon together." Louisa looks over to me as she speaks, "On a different subject, you were researching my labor preparation exercises for us to do together, did you find any? I really want you with me during labor and delivery."

I tense and return my complete attention back to my driving before responding.

"I have downloaded labor classes and exercises on my laptop, that way we can look at them and practice in the evenings. Are you sure you want me there and not one of your girlfriends?"

"Oh Martin, we started this baby together, now I want us together at the finish."

There is a smile about my eyes as I say, "I would like that."

xXxXx

After our evening meal, Louisa and I sit in the lounge to look through the baby book of names. I start with boy names, as I know we are having a son. Working my way down the list, I pick out names not meeting my approval, writing them down one side of the page. A much shorter list down the other side of approved names. Louisa leans over to see some of the names not meeting my approval and asks,

"What is wrong with Joseph?"

"It can be shorten to Joe and I don't want my son named after that imbecile."

"I see, and I can see why Daniel is off, but why Michael? I have Michael on my list, the name means protector, and I thought that was lovely."

"Michael can become Mike or worse Mick; Mick Mabey was not a protector but a …" I don't finish my sentence as Mick was a convict and considering Louisa's father is currently serving at her majesty's pleasure; for once, thinking before I speak.

"But what, Martin?"

I continue to scan over names in the baby book, before looking over towards Louisa, as she is waiting for me to answer.

"I'm not a religious man and Michael is a protector but is also identified as an archangel in the Bible and I feel he could be teased." Martin unconvincingly explains.

After less than an hour, I hand Louisa my list of names. "I would like to consider these names."

Louisa takes the list, reading the very short list of only boy names. "Martin, these are all boy names, what about girl names?"

"I haven't finished and I don't know anything about girls so how would I know a good name or not? From my experiences in the surgery I prefer not to name our child Elaine, Pauline, Melanie, Alison or Delph."

"Melanie, I like that one it is on my list too."

"No." a flashback of a fifteen year old popping up in my bed, I close my eyes shunning the thought. "No, no thank you."

"Oh", Louisa said with a surprised expression but seeing what could be fear on Martin's face she decides not to continue the issue. 'One day I will need to hear that story.'*

"Back to names on my list. Richard, he was the Uncle that passed the farm on to Joan and Phil."

"Stop, no. You do know that he won't be called Richard, he will be referred to as Dick."

"And that is a problem?"

"Martin school yard humor associated with the name and the teasing that will take place. Like your reference to Michael the Archangel."

I stare at her looking very confused because I have forgotten earlier the comparison of Mick to her dad in prison in my head and Michael the archangel excuse.

"The male anatomy is sometimes referred to as the dick, willy and I don't plan to put my son into that schoolyard humor. No to Richard or William." She continues reading on, Matthew, Andrew, 'what no Paul'.

"No to the apostles, but I do like James – that was my grandfather's name." She continues to read, Luke, Simon and Arthur. "I have Luke, Simon and James on my list; so there are three names we agree on. Now when your girl list is done we will compare with my list."

I push on through the book of names; ever so often Louisa notices me as I shake my head or make a face. All the time she is thinking it should be interesting when he finally comes up with any names. I notice the time and suggest it is a good time to practice her antenatal classes. I pick up my computer and open my 'C' drive with the downloaded classes.

"Louisa do you wish to start with your breathing or relaxation course or maybe a few videos for now on normal labor, birth and early postpartum care. There is also a massage and relaxation techniques that I have been studying to ease your pain during childbirth. Of course you will use some pain modifications provided at the hospital, but I can help with the massages like I do now."

Louisa just stares at Martin, not sure what to say, but very happy that he does want to be involved with his child's birth.

"Let's start with breathing techniques," she says.

"The breathing techniques for use during labor will emphasize using internal and external focal points." I state ready to start a medical lecture when I remember that upsets Louisa. Instead, I start the first video and we sit for the next thirty minutes watching women going through different breathing exercises. We practice another thirty minutes when I announce the time and that Louisa should be in bed now getting plenty of rest.

"We can practice again tomorrow evening or you can work on some on your own, if you wish. Let me have the baby name book and I'll continue my research tomorrow and get back with you. If you go upstairs now, to take care of your needs, I will lock up down here and get the massage items and lotion ready."

Louisa slowly walks upstairs, but her mind is on Martin. He has been true to his word with massages for her back; she has been able to sleep more comfortably. Her skin is soft with no noticeable stretch marks; and it has helped them be comfortable with each other without the sex. He never pushes to have sex, responding to her and always asks permission first and then he is loving and gentle. Louisa knows Martin, and thinks that he more than likely has researched sex with a primigravida. Martin makes her feel like she is the most desirable woman in the world and the fact that she feels truly as big as a house makes it so wonderful.

Louisa finishes brushing her teeth; she is walking out of the en-suite into their bedroom where I am preparing everything. I pull the duvet down, and placed a towel on the bed as I get everything ready; I have removed my jacket, tie and rolled my sleeves up. I help her get comfortable on the bed before I sit near her on the edge of the bed, starting as I do each time with an exam. It helps me to know where her sore places are. As I tap and push on Louisa's lower back, a groan escapes her lips.

"Your gluteus medius and minmus muscles seem to be very tight tonight. I will work more on them and then spread out over the rest of the lumbar region."***

Spreading the oil into my large hands, I start working on her left hip; she groans as I work the sore area, but as I massage the area, her groaning softens. Minutes later, she is feeling relaxed and pain free. I switch over to the lotion, and continue working on her shoulders, upper back, bum and thighs with my lotion hands.

"Martin can you do my lower legs tonight with my large belly expanding so much I am having trouble putting lotion on them. It is hard enough just shaving them."

"Yes, I can when I move you onto your back."

Martin's hands are putting her to sleep. Finally he says, "let's roll you onto your back and get you comfortable for the night."

I help Louisa to move so her head will be on the pillow when I lay her down, the oily towel is removed; I grab her nightie off the chair putting her head and arms into it. Lying her back and rolling the front of the nightie up under her chin. I lotion up again applying lotion to her chest, belly and thighs as usual. Taking each leg into my hands, I rub the lotion into her calves and shins down to the toes on each leg.

I notice by the time I finish the last of Louisa's lower legs she is sound asleep. I slide pillows under her lower back, pulling the sheet and duvet up and tuck her in. Making my way into the en-suite with the oil, lotion and towel, I prepare myself for bed.

Sliding into bed next to her, I kiss Louisa's cheek, cuddle up behind her, wrapping my arm over her baby belly; spreading my large hand over it so I can feel my child move about. Contended I fall asleep.

End of Chapter

*Melanie Gibson is the fifteen-year-old girl in Series 1 Episode 5 "Of All the Harbours in All the Towns" that has a crush on the doctor after he mends her dislocated shoulder.

** Methaqualone idea is from "Wheezer" by Lord Muck; Edith was using Quaaludes in the story.

*** Gluteus medius and minmus muscles are in the hip, lower back into the left thigh region.

Doc Martin and all of its characters, themes and plotlines are the property of Buffalo Pictures. This work of fiction written for purely entertainment purposes, the work of my imagination. No infringement of any legal rights intended or implied.