The next several days for Martin were quite a blur, and he found himself getting very little sleep, so little that by next Monday morning, he was nodding off listening to patients in his surgery.
He'd just fallen asleep listening to the old widow, Mrs. Krantiz, and she'd not even been the first. He'd started to nod off while conducting a blood pressure check earlier too. His odd behavior seemed to attract the attention of Pauline who brought him a cup of coffee while he was between patients. He eyed the cup.
"Sorry, Doc, I know you prefer your espresso, but I also know you can't stand the way I make them. For whatever reason, you're exhausted. The patients have been complaining.
"Ahh, yes," he said with a nod of acknowledgement to the coffee. He knew Pauline had come a long way in the years he'd employed her, and as he glanced up to her while he gripped the cup, he saw genuine concern.
"Pauline," he called to her as she turned to go, "please sit," he gestured to the chair. She gave him an odd look, he nodded again, and she started to move. "Close the door." Pauline looked to him with panic in her eyes.
"Doc, I'm sorry about commenting on your lack of sleep, but you do look tired. Whatever you have had going on in London, well," she shrugged as she sat, awaiting her tongue lashing from Martin. He grunted at her, and finally, he folded his hands on his desk and looked over to her.
"Pauline, I am trying to get back to surgery," he admitted, and when he saw her open her mouth but nothing come out, he continued, "in London."
"What about the blood thing?" She finally blurted. "You still can't take blood at all. Just what, two weeks ago, you lost your lunch when you tried to take blood. Surgery? Doc, are you sure? I mean, the village might call you a tosser, but you're still the best doc we've ever had. Wait," she paused and pointed to herself, her eyes widening, "am I the first to know?"
"Yes," he admitted quickly as he nodded. "I'm telling you as my assistant."
Her face turned red, and she brought her hands to her face, beaming, "Oh, Doc! Do you want me to go with you? You want me to face the world with you as your office manager?"
"No!" Martin exclaimed, horrified at the idea. He frowned at her and waited for her to calm down. "Absolutely ridiculous. Pauline, I am telling you because things will likely be changing here at the surgery in the next several months as I plan this move. I don't want gossip, and here, telling you now, I expect discretion and secrecy. This is not to get out around the village, and if it does, I'm holding you personally responsible. You will be without a job if this gets out."
"That's not right!" Pauline exclaimed. Martin eyed her.
"Why not? No one else knows, and the only way they would is if you spread the gossip. It's very simple. What I tell you here at work stays here. I'm only informing you because next week, I have to be in London all week. I'm looking at potential openings, and they want to see how I do with my phobia. I intend to show them I'm cured of it."
Pauline raised an eyebrow, and she scrunched up her face before she spoke, "So, Doc, what's the plan if it doesn't work, if you can't keep your breakfast down with all the blood?"
Martin, who had already turned back to his paperwork, glanced to her, raising an eyebrow, "It will work, Pauline. I intend to move to London."
Pauline frowned and looked down at the floor, "Well, Doc, I'm not sure what to hope for ya. I don't want to lose you here, don't want to lose my own job, but I know how much you miss surgery." She paused and leaned forward while she also lowered her voice, "It's also no secret, Doc, that you enjoy, well," she fidgeted, "ahh, lusts of the flesh when you travel to London." She nodded at that, and Martin made a horrified face. She gestured wildly to explain, "It's okay, Doc. We all have our wants. I mean, the entire village is trying to find the right person for you after Louiser, and if you want, I can make some inquiries, you know," she shrugged, "if that would sway you to stay. I say that as one of your very dearest friends."
"No! No! No!" Martin exclaimed and stood, pointing to the door. "Get back to work, now! That is a ridiculous assumption, and it has nothing to do with my return to London. We are done discussing this."
Pauline scurried out and back to her desk, throwing Martin a sympathetic look as she did. He slammed the door, noting that there were no patients currently waiting, and he walked back and threw himself into his chair. Pauline. The villagers. Portwenn. Oh, he needed to leave this place. Martin ran his hand over his face and reached for his coffee. At least Pauline had done something right bringing that to him. As he reached for it, he bumped his phone and noticed that while on silent, he'd received several messages, pictures actually, from Louisa. Martin sank back into his chair to catch up on them for the moment.
"It really wasn't necessary you hire help here while I'm home recovering, but the help is appreciated. I didn't realize just how exhausted I would be. It's been nice having Joan here as well. If she doesn't have the baby in her arms, she's at the stove cooking. I took a few photos of him this morning because I swear he's changing already."
Martin scrolled through the photos. His few days in London now seemed like a lifetime ago and a million miles away. He still had trouble believing he was a father with a wife and a home in London. His new job had to work. He was going to interview next week at two different locations as he'd told Pauline. In addition to getting Louisa and James home, he'd managed to find time to meet with both hospitals. The jobs weren't the best, nothing prestigious, but they were something. One was for a new attending spot, something he would have had just out of his surgical residency. The other, well, it was more general surgery, and he was vascular trained, not that he couldn't do regular surgery, but it was well, now, beneath what he wanted to do. Still, if it got him on the right track to London, it would be worth it.
Martin studied the photos of his son, running his finger over his phone screen. Louisa had been in the hospital the day she delivered and had gone home the evening of the next day, giving her almost a day and a half there. She was nervous; he was nervous, but somehow, they'd been cleared to taking a squirming, crying child they'd created home with them. Martin had insisted on getting some help knowing that he couldn't be there much of the time. He wanted that to change soon, but until he was in London, he'd hired day help, someone to clean and tend to whatever needs Louisa or James had. Joan, who was overjoyed with the newest Ellingham, had offered to stay, at least until Martin returned, and then, she would travel back to Cornwall with him. He wondered if she didn't have her farm if she would even bat an eye at returning. Joan was a wonderful help, and he'd told her so, even if he rarely complimented anyone. His aunt held a special place in his heart, and he was very glad to know that James Henry would have at least one loving relative.
Martin's hospital encounter at been just that, a blip of an encounter. He had been very relieved about that and had worried he would run into the idiot while there at the hospital. At every corner, Martin found himself acting like a blundering fool, checking for Danny boy to be lurking about. It had terrified him to get Louisa from her room even out to his car, but they had managed to do it successfully. He'd only told Louisa about spotting Danny when she'd commented he looked terrified to be seen leaving with her.
Things, at least for the moment, appeared to be calming down in Martin's life. Louisa was home with James, so he didn't have to worry about the timing with the birth. He'd mostly made it, even though he was still beating up himself for not getting there sooner. He was trying to acquire a new job, and he'd just told Pauline that things would be different in the surgery. Yes, it was coming along. During his drive back to Cornwall late Sunday evening, he'd called Chris Parsons to discuss things. Chris was the full spectrum of emotions, sad to hear about Martin leaving, apprehensive Martin was ready, glad Martin had some prospects, and thrilled to hear all about James Henry. Martin even found himself smiling and chuckling as he described his newborn son to his longtime friend.
He was still thinking about James and his tiny feet when his phone rang, startling Martin. He almost dropped his cell phone as he reached for his office phone.
"Ellingham," he blurted into it.
"Ahh, Doctor Ellingham, Liz Newton, new head, if you remember?" She said into the phone.
"Umm, yes," he said, nodding. "Do you have an emergency?"
"Your office manager put me through," she told him, and he rolled his eyes at Pauline calling herself that. "I'd like to discuss a few things with you with the upcoming school year. I understand from the notes left that you've usually done an inoculation clinic prior to school starting to meet the vaccination requirements of the children."
"Yes, yes, I have," he said into the phone. "It will be no problem to do the same this year."
"I was hoping you could come by the school," she told him, "later today if possible. I'd like to get an idea of where this happens since I'm new and all. In addition, I'd like to discuss the sports physicals you might be able to handle for the older students."
"Umm, I am not sure that is necessary," he frowned. "I'll be happy to set up in the same area. It was never a problem with ahh, Miss Glasson."
"I'm sure it won't be, but I don't like to be out of the loop. Please, it would be quite helpful to be on the same page with the children's medical care. That is of upmost importance to me, healthy, vaccinated children."
Martin sighed. She didn't know it, but that concept, healthy, vaccinated children, held a special place with him too. When he'd first come to Portwenn, he'd been disgusted to find that many of the children were not up to date on inoculations, all thanks to Dr. Simms. He just had not informed parents of the need for continued vaccines. Martin had worked hard over the years to get the children caught up, and these clinics he'd started to offer just before the school year started had been very helpful and very well attended. At first, he'd enjoyed them because it meant seeing Louisa at work, at a time when he couldn't admit maybe to even himself he cared for her. Now, though, with her gone, it was difficult to go to the school, but he was not about to sacrifice patient care; he had a duty of care.
"Yes, fine," he frowned. "I can be by after my last patient, say 5:30 if not too late?"
"Wonderful," she said. "Thank you. I'll look forward to it."
Martin hung up and looked to his phone again, deciding to send a message to Louisa.
"He's a little jaundice. Make sure to put him in the window area so he can get some sunlight. Later tonight, I'd like for you to show me his umbilical cord so I can make sure the area is healing properly. I expect you are drinking water as prescribed. You don't want to get dehydrated. I have to run out after the surgery and will call later this evening."
Quickly, a response came, "I love you too, Martin. I know you are just worried, but James and I are doing fine. He's by the window now."
Martin put his phone down and turned back to his paperwork. He'd had a busy morning, and thankfully, the exhausting he'd felt earlier seemed to have passed. Now, he just had to get through the rest of the day and this trip to the school. His bed was calling his name later. He'd been up most of the weekend with a crying James, and he'd not had a decent sleep in almost a week. Yes, evening could not come fast enough.
After his last patient, Martin finished his notes and walked out toward Pauline to deposit the notes with her. He stood rigid as he nodded to her.
"I'm off to the school to go over the inoculation clinic," he explained. Pauline gave him a small smile and nodded.
"Of course, Doc. Would you like me to wait here until you get back?" Pauline asked.
"No," he frowned. "Surgery is closed for the day. Finish here, lock up, and I'll be back shortly to prepare my meal. I don't expect to be out late this evening. I've got plenty of work to do here before I retire for the evening. Any patient who tries to drag in here now can wait until the morning."
"Sure thing, Doc," she nodded. She gestured down the street, "You could always stop in at Bert's for your evening meal if you don't want to cook or eat alone. He's got fish this week. I'm sure the village would love seeing you. People are missing you with these trips of yours to London, even if you were there to see a sick family member."
"No," he frowned. "I'll dine here. I'm not interested in village gossip, and that's all dinner would be. I'll be off."
Martin made his way down the hill and into the village, trying his best to avoid eye contact and personal conversations. He quickly arrived at the school, intent on dealing with Ms. Newton quickly. He latched the gate and moved to the building, happy he had not been accosted by prowling villagers.
"Dr. Ellingham," she beamed at him at the door. He glanced around, noting she must have been standing at the door for him. There were no other workers at the school. She gestured for him to follow her as they walked down the hallway. She talked over her shoulder as they walked.
"I read in Miss Glasson's notes that you did the clinic here," she said as they reached the small gym area. He nodded as he glanced around.
"Yes, and there will be no changes needed. Now, is that all?" Martin eyed her.
She smiled warmly at him and tilted her head, "I just wanted to sit down and talk," she gestured to a table. He hadn't noticed before, but it was set up with a tablecloth and some sort of take away boxes. He eyed her, and she shrugged as she smiled at him again.
"Look, I know, I mean, I've heard," she rolled her eyes, "about your breakup with Miss Glasson. Her loss," she smiled again. "I know you are shy, but villagers tell me you are a good man at heart. I know you can be gruff, but I thought it would be good to break the ice, get to know one another, yes? I've gotten some dinner here-fish as I heard you only enjoy fish-with rice and vegetables. Let's have a seat, go over the notes, and well," she shrugged again with a hopeful smile, "I know neither of us can promise anything, but I'm hoping to show you that not all heads of school are that awful. Whatever happened with Miss Glasson," she paused searching his face, "maybe you could give me a chance?"
Martin's face turned beet red, and his eyes moved quickly around, darting, in a panic. He looked to this Miss Newton, and for the first time, he noticed she appeared to be wearing what he might call her Sunday best. She had on a dress, something he would see Louisa wearing if they were going to dinner, and she had on a decent amount of makeup, more than Louisa would normally wear.
"Ahh, yes, well, umm," he stumbled, "I do have quite a bit of work to finish at the surgery after being gone last week. Ahh," he looked around and could tell out of the corner of her eye she was frowning. "I can email you any notes on the clinic. Umm, good day," he said quickly.
"Dr. Ellingham, Martin," she said quietly, touching his arm. He had almost turned to leave, but paused and looked over to her. She gave him a pat on the arm. "I can see you are extremely shy. That's fine. I'd love to become good friends. Now," she moved and retrieved one of the containers of food, "Here, go, enjoy this dinner while you work. Maybe think of me?" She asked hopefully. "When you are ready, maybe we can get a bite together, privately or out to eat. I'd enjoy that."
He paused and frowned, studying her. He could feel his heart about to explode, and he wasn't sure how to answer without telling her she was barking up the wrong tree with a married father. Finally, as he felt the sweat drip down his back, he accepted the box.
"I have a professional relationship with many in this town to Penahle, Mrs. Tishell, and well, others. I wish you well here as the head of the school, and I will be glad to assist in clinics here as needed. I take the children's medical needs seriously. As for my private life, I keep it just that, private. When in Portwenn, I spend my free time with my aunt and am happy with that. Whatever you have heard about things with Miss Glasson, well," he paused, "that I will not discuss and have no intentions of pursuing anything of the like here. Good evening."
He gave her a nod, and he noted that she listened and really had no other expression. He didn't storm out, but he wanted to get out of there and home quickly. When Louisa had worked at the school, he'd looked for any opportunity to go there. Now, he wanted nothing to do with the place. Martin scurried home, glancing to the food and seeing it was now cold, he left it outside for the dog, the same dog that had followed alongside him all the way home.
Yes, he needed to get back to London, back to Louisa, and back to James. He was starting to see what Louisa meant about the village and why she didn't want to return. It was time to get to work for the evening, and the faster he finished with his tasks, the faster he could call Louisa.