Chapter 95
On Friday Mrs Tishell informed Pauline that all the supplies were now in, for Dr. Ellingham.
When Pauline relayed the message, Martin inwardly groaned. He'd have to go and pick them up, himself. "I'll go and get them at lunchtime, thank you."
Pauline looked a bit taken aback. Very rarely did the Doc say thank you. She turned and went back to her desk, looking puzzled.
At lunchtime, Martin decided to go straight away and get the evil moment over and done with. He strolled down the hill, taking in the beautiful view of the harbour as if to fortify himself for the upcoming encounter.
He went into the chemist's, thankful that there were no other customers waiting. Mrs Tishell came to see who had entered and was somewhat fearful of the coming meeting.
"You have my supplies, Mrs Tishell?"
"Yes Doctor, I'll just get them for you." Sally went out to the back of the shop and brought out a cardboard box. "Everything is there," she told him.
"Put it on my business account, Mrs Tishell."
"Yes Doctor," said Sally, quietly.
Martin picked up the box and left, with Sally somewhat relieved that he hadn't shouted at her.
As he walked up the hill, he reflected that Mrs Tishell had been subdued, and hadn't volunteered any extraneous conversation. Thankful for small mercies he hurried quickly up to the surgery and, after depositing the box in his office went and prepared lunch for himself and Louisa.
When she entered, like a bright ray of sunshine she went over to embrace him, asking "What's for lunch?"
"Cheese sandwiches and apple for afters," he explained.
"Sounds about right, Martin."
She sat down and waited for him to put the sandwiches on the table. "Well my morning was pretty routine. How was yours?"
"Same as far as the patients went, but my supplies had arrived and I've been down to Mrs Tishell's"
Louisa's head came up as she looked at him. "What did she say?"
"Thankfully, nothing beyond reassuring me that the supplies were all there, and acknowledging my request to put it on my business account. I was grateful for small mercies and left."
"She should have apologised for her insinuations," Louisa said, waspishly.
"I decided to let the matter go, but I can assure you, I've not forgotten. Any step out of line from her and she'll be sorry. I only paid my accounts last week and so there was no need for further dialogue. You haven't put anything on the private account, have you, since last week?"
"No, Martin. I'm going to try and remember to buy my things at the supermarket from now on. If I have to go in there, it will be strictly cash."
"Good." Martin looked at his watch, "Time for you to go back, Louisa?"
"I'm afraid so. Still it's the weekend tomorrow. Don't forget we're going to see Chris and Carol on Sunday."
"Yes." Was as much as she got out of him in reply.
She went across and kissed him lightly before putting her coat on and walking back to school.
Bert was the last scheduled patient in that afternoon. "Bert, stand on the scales, first. I want to see how much weight you've lost."
Martin adjusted the weights, pleased to see that Bert had lost another 6lb. He congratulated Bert on this further success.
Getting Bert to sit down he checked his blood pressure and heart beat. Both were down.
"'Ere Doc. How comes I've only lost 6lb? I been doing what you said but it's not coming off!
"When you start any sort of diet, Bert, the first thing you lose is fluid. That comes away rapidly. After that it is a slower pace for the fat to come off. You've done well and should continue with what you are doing. Eventually you will get down to a less dangerous weight. How do you feel, in yourself?"
"Well, I find I can do a bit more, without getting as tired as I used to. I can walk a bit faster too! All in all Doc, I think I'm getting better." He smiled. "Just need to get Al married now and for his wife to be having a baby!"
Martin didn't get the joke, just nodded and said "Yes. I'll see you next month, Bert. Keep going!"
Bert stood up and walked to the door. He didn't waddle as much as he used to, Martin thought. Writing up his notes Martin took them out to Pauline's desk. "File these for me, and then you can go."
It was still short of their actual finishing time, and so Pauline was eager to get that done and go. Martin heard her "Bye Doc" and then the front door slamming as she exited the building.
"Yes," muttered Martin.
Having tidied the surgery he went along to the kitchen to see what was happening there.
Louisa was in the process of broiling some tuna steaks, and the salad was already on the table. "Make the tea, please Martin," she asked him.
When it was ready, they sat down to their meal. Talk was desultory until they'd finished. "I'll wash up Louisa. You go and sit down."
Louisa was glad to do so. She felt as though she'd been on her feet for most of the day. "I'm going to just relax tonight, Martin. I may watch some TV, if I can find anything worthwhile to view. I don't know, it seems to me that there is nothing much on, these days." Louisa voiced a thought which had occurred to quite a few people, up and down the country.
Martin looked mystified. He didn't watch TV at all, unless it was for the weather forecast, or some documentary on new medical procedures.
"Are you going to tinker with your clock?"
"I can't do much to it, until that new cog arrives. I'm going to look at the other clock I have on the go."
Louisa accepted that she'd lost him for a couple of hours, but didn't begrudge him the time. She giggled as the humour of that remarked dawned upon her.
She finished her book and decided to go to the library in the morning before getting in the fresh food they needed. As they were dining with Chris and Carol, she wouldn't need much.
A talk on school politics caught her eye as she skimmed through the TV listings magazine, so she put the program on and was soon engrossed in the debate.
Martin came in just as the program was finishing. He set to and made the bedtime drink. Louisa stretched and then went to visit the toilet. When she returned her drink was on the coffee table and Martin had picked up a BMJ to read.
"Thank you, Martin. Are we doing anything tomorrow afternoon, or do you want some quiet time to carry on with your clocks?"
"I'd rather just have the quiet time, Louisa. We're going to the Parsons on Sunday and I won't have any peace there, or much when we get home."
"That's fine Martin. I'll set the washer away in the morning and then go to the library and the shops. While you play, I'll read and change the wash loads over.
"Are you sure?"
"I wouldn't have said so would I, if I didn't mean it? You need your relaxation time just as much as I need my afternoon nap. You'll not get much peace once Junior arrives! Or so I've been told." She smiled up at him. Reaching across he kissed her gently.
"Thank you. I did the right thing, marrying you."
"Why thank you, kind sir," she acknowledged with faux coquettishness.
She finished her drink and announced she was going for a bath. "I'll call you when I need you," she promised.
"Fine." Was as much as she got from him. His head was already buried in his magazine article.
The next morning, Martin was up and gone before Louisa rallied. She stood under the shower and sighed. Last night's activities had been very much to her liking.
Downstairs she breakfasted and then gathered together her books and the necessary shopping list. She went upstairs to put on her make-up and collect her bag.
She waved to Bert as she was going along. He waved back, but couldn't catch up with her to have a chat. She continued on walking until she got to the mobile library. She handed over her old books and went to browse the shelves. Eventually she'd narrowed her choice to four, lightweight books. She went and got them stamped before putting them in her bag to take home.
Slowly she meandered down to the town before sitting on a bench just outside the pub. Several of the townsfolk greeted her, including Chippy Miller and his wife. "Mornin' Louisa. How are you this morning?"
"Great thank you. How are you?"
"We're fine, apart from Chippy's back, but he will soon be back to normal."
Louisa smiled she heard this. "Well, I must get on. Good to see you both".
The Millers went on and Louisa got to her feet to begin the shopping. She didn't rush, just paced herself gently along. In Eric's she got some trout, salmon and monkfish. Along at the supermarket eggs, milk and fresh bread went into her shopping bag. She went around to the toiletry section and added mouthwash to the basket.
Having paid for her items she set off home. As she walked up the hill, Al and Bert were coming down. "Mornin' Louiser. How's things with you?" Al asked.
"I'm fine thanks Al. This hill isn't getting any less steep, though." She gripped her bags and set off back up the hill.
"You should get the Doc to come with you and lift those bags," said Bert.
"He's in his surgery this morning, Bert. I'm surprised you aren't in there as well!" she joked.
"Saw him yesterday. Had my check-up and he said I'm doing well. Praise, that be, coming from the Doc!"
Louisa laughed. "That's good news, Bert. Keep it up."
She completed the trip into the kitchen, dumping her bags on the table. She seated herself down and caught her breath. After putting the kettle on she got the groceries in their respective cupboards/fridge and began making her tea. Martin came in for his break but motioned to his espresso machine and told her not to get up.
"I think you can leave the shopping until we can go together, next week. I fear it is getting a bit much for you, on your own."
For once, she was in complete agreement. He took note of the fact that she hadn't argued and thought he perhaps should have said this sooner. He finished his drink and said, "I'm going back now. I should be done in the next hour and a half. You relax and I'll put together a light lunch when I return."
She smiled and agreed. After he'd gone, she went and got a load of clothes for the washing machine, and turned it on. Going back to the couch she put her feet up and in next to no time was fast asleep.
The shuddering of the washing machine on its final spin speed woke her up. She checked the status of the program and then went to get another load. Whilst she was upstairs, she changed the bedding and re-made the bed. She collected the dirty towels from the bathroom before making her way carefully, downstairs.
She set another load in to be washed, before folding the wet clothes ready to be dried in the tumble drier. When Martin came in, she'd done some soup for lunch. "I said I'd do that , Louisa. You need to rest!"
"I did rest. I had an hour's kip while the first wash load was in."
"Oh. Still, you shouldn't do too much, it's not good for the baby."
Louisa went across to him and hugged him. "I'm being careful, Martin. I do rest when I need to."
"I know, I just worry about you, that's all." He sighed into her hair as he returned her embrace.
They ate their lunch before Louisa shooed him back to his office to continue with his clock. She meanwhile changed the loads in the washer before reading as each load went through its cycle.
Martin returned at four-thirty. "Do you have an idea as to what we're having for tea, Louisa?"
I was going to do cod in parsley sauce with some veg. It's not too heavy and with us going to Chris' tomorrow I thought that might be what you wanted."
"Yes, that will be fine. Er, good."
He set to and quickly made their meal. In no time at all it was steaming on their plates.
After eating it they did the washing up together. "Martin," began Louisa, "You haven't begun to show me how to cook, properly. Why don't we set aside next Saturday afternoon and you can show me one of your more exotic recipes?"
He considered. "Yes, I think that's a good idea. I'd like that. We'll go shopping on Friday night, so that we've got everything to hand, ready for the next afternoon."
She smiled. "Do you fancy a walk up to the seat on the Coastal Path?"
He looked down at her happy face and agreed a walk would do him good.
They strolled slowly up Roscarrock hill and then up to the seat. They watched the boats come in and the sea birds' whirl over the cliffs. Talking quietly between themselves they considered what else was needed for the nursery, and the wardrobe/cupboard for the baby. Like new parents everywhere they pondered what their child would be like and whether they had thought things through properly, once they knew it was an actuality, rather than a possibility.
At last they returned home where Louisa settled down to her book and Martin went back to do some more to his clock.
