Episode
9/12 No matter what

Review
Wedding bells are ringing in Elsinby, Who's getting married and with an accident on the moors will they make it? 60's drama starring Robert Daws and Amy Robbins

Cast list
Robert Daws, Amy Robbins, Paul Fox, Polly Maberly, Wendy Craig, Michael Starke, Andy Wear, Zoie Kennedy, Linda Armstrong, Michelle Hardwick, Dennis Lil, Daniel Feltham and Sophie Foster

"Dearly beloved, we are all gathered here today to join in holy matrimony, this man and this woman." The vicar paused and surreptitiously glanced at his watch, he would have to hurry now or he'd be late for choir practice.

"Do you Jillian Alice Weatherall take . ." 'Crash' the door at the back of the church burst open, Gordon ran through it and up the aisle.

"Sorry I'm late, there was an emergency and the roads." Gordon apologised between gasps for breath. "Jeff couldn't make it, because of the emergency." Meryl smiled and moved to allow Gordon to take his position at the alter.

"Right now where was I? Oh yes. Do you Jillian Alice Weatherall take Gordon Terry Omerod to be your lawful wedded husband? To have and to . ." Ten minutes later the vicar apologised profusely and left in hurry, leaving Gordon, Jill and Meryl to lock up.

"Pretty good rehearsal I thought." Gordon commented. "Well apart from being chronically late that is." Jill nodded in agreement.

"Yes, don't do that next week will you?"

"I won't be able to stand in for you then." Meryl added smiling at the thought. Gordon put his hand on his heart.

"I promise that no matter what next week I'll be here and we'll get married." Jill smiled, that was good enough for her, Gordon never broke his promises.

"Mr Caldwell, Mr Caldwell!" Ken shouted, tapping him on the face. "Don't just stand there, go get help!" Ken yelled at Mr Harper who was standing stock still staring in shock at the prone figure of Julian Caldwell.

"I didn't mean . . It was . . Is he alright?" Mr Harper gabbled.

"He'd be a lot better if had some medical attention, seeing as you won't go get help, I'll have to go. Stay with him." Mr Harper's eyes opened if it was possible even wider and without another word he ran off in the direction of casualty. Ken shook his head with disgust, really Mr Harper was pathetic, he didn't have what it took to work in a hospital, he was too sensitive. A minute later Jeff came running up the corridor minus Mr Harper.

"What happened Ken?" Jeff asked, checking Mr Caldwells vital signs, they were strong, there was no apparent head injury, it looked like he'd just passed out.

"Stock check, Mr Harper finished up, forgot he'd asked him to be there and locked him in. If Matron hadn't sent me to get another bed pan then . . Matron." Ken's face twisted as if he was in pain, Matron would be so cross, she'd wanted it quickly.

"It's alright Ken I'll explain to Matron. Look he's starting to come round now, help me to get him into casualty."

Meanwhile on Milner ward, Matron as predicted was getting cross and impatient. This was the last job to do and then morning ward rounds would be complete. Matron sighed, she'd chase it up this afternoon, it was only to keep to the numbers of each item that were meant to be on the wards at any given time.

"So Sister, you all ready for the wedding?" Matron asked, sitting down opposite her.

"Yes Matron, it's lovely to see Dr Omerod happy again. He and Dr Weatherall are well suited." Sister Bridget replied, not looking up from the paperwork she was doing, she was frightened her facial expression might give her away. It wasn't that she didn't mean every word, it was that it hurt her to say it, because she had forbidden feelings for Dr Omerod.

"Yes I agree," Matron paused, she hadn't noticed Sister Bridget's manner, but she did think that this wasn't the best line of conversation to pursue about the wedding, after all she wasn't a gossip what was past was past, let them be happy.

"I've got a really lovely hat on order." Matron changed the subject, Sister Bridget smiled pleased. "I haven't had a new hat in ages." Matron went on.

A little later Mr Caldwell had come round, he was now rather embarrassed and uncooperative Jeff thought. He had run numerous tests, the results would arrive tomorrow, he didn't think that they would show anything though.

"Lucy, got a minute?" Jeff called, Lucy smiled and told the patient she was with that she'd be right back.

"What is it Jeff? Lucy asked

"I've got a patient I think you should have a look at. He passed out this morning and . ."

"Not Mr Caldwell?" Lucy interrupted.

"Yes as a matter of fact. My gut instinct on this one is that there is nothing physically wrong with him, although I 'm running tests to make sure." Lucy nodded,

"I'll see if I can fit him in this afternoon." Jeff smiled

"Thanks, there is one other thing you can do for me though."

"What's that?"

"Have dinner with me tonight."

That afternoon Ken and Alun normally had off, but today they were working. They had been asked by Jill and Gordon to organize the reception.

"Right Alun, what do we need?" Ken wondered aloud, pulling out a notepad while Alun put the kettle on. "We need a band, booze, a venue. What else? Oh yeah food."

"Dr Weatheralls organizing the cake, we just have to do get everything else." Alun added remembering, handing Ken a cup of tea.

"That's right. I don't think there's anything else at the moment. When we've got a venue sorted we'll get seating. Now where shall we have it?" They both thought for a moment, trying to think of an appropriate big enough place. If it had been the summer then they could have had it outside with a marquee, but it was the middle of winter and snow was on the ground.

"How about here, you know in the conference room like Dr Kleins birthday party." Alun suggested, Ken rolled his eyes.

"It wasn't meant to be for Dr Kleins birthday you divit, but that isn't a bad idea. Dr Omerod specifically said nothing to formal, only problem is where would the band go."

"If we get a band, it was murder getting one last year for the ball and my cousin isn't around anymore." Alun pointed out, Ken thought for a moment.

"I remember, perhaps we don't have to get a band at all, it would save all the hassle and cost, plus we'd have to find a different venue. I'll ask Dr Omerod."

That afternoon Lucy managed to find time to go and see Julian Caldwell, he was in a private room under observation, Lucy knocked.

"Come in." he called, "Dr Klein, what a pleasant surprise, please sit." Lucy sat in the chair beside the bed, it wasn't very comfortable. "Now what can I do for you?"

"Dr Goodwin asked me to talk to you, to see . . ."

"Oh, well I guess you can't ignore something forever. Unlike childhood fears." he interrupted. "I never told anybody what happened to me when the IRA came. One of them called himself Paul Wilde, pretending to be our new ambulance driver. He came to my office, produced a gun and interrogated me. I was the safety net incase Dr Omerod, Dr Weatherall and Charlie didn't turn up. He had a radio, when they did turn up I was no longer any use to them. He locked me in my cupboard, I was in there for four and a half hours."

"Now you're terrified of being locked in, or stuck in a place you can't get of." Lucy finished, Julian Caldwell nodded evidently ashamed. "Don't worry, that's nothing that can't be solved."

The day before the wedding it was chaos is the Omerod household, Jill was getting her things read to go to Meryl's flat straight after work tonight, she didn't want Gordon to see her in her wedding dress before the wedding because it was meant to be bad luck and she didn't want anything to go wrong.

Gordon was getting Charlie's room ready for Henry who was going to stay with them for a couple of weeks to look after the children while Gordon and Jill were on their honeymoon. Then Henry arrived and Tom and Katy immediately forgot that they were meant to be getting ready for school and went to chase around him.

Charlie had got the breakfast that morning which would have been a good idea except for the fact that they had toast in the morning, she'd burnt it setting off the smoke alarm. It seemed to Gordon and Jill that they were never going to be ready to leave everything was so mad, but eventually it all calmed down and half an hour later they were ready to leave. Gordon and Jill set off for work and Henry took the kids to school. Gordon groaned when he thought about tomorrow, it would be even worse, still Jill's mum was coming over to help tomorrow so it couldn't be that bad, could it?

Meanwhile at the hospital Mr Harper was getting on everybody's nerves, just like when they'd had the ball last year he was prying and snooping around, trying to make trouble. He'd noted that both Gordon and Jill were late and would have reprimanded them but Julian Caldwell stepped in, giving him quite a reprimand himself.

Having not been allowed to follow up on that Mr Harper went back to his favourite prey, Ken and Alun. He just knew that he was going to catch them working on the wedding and not on hospital business, he practically salivated at the thought of being able to perhaps terminate Hopkirk. Ken and Alun knew all this of course and so they made sure that whenever Mr Harper was around they were vigilantly doing some hospital business.

"Pst Lizzy." Ken whispered, he was hiding in the doorway that led into reception from outside, Mr Harper was in his office with the door open, watching every movement that he could see, so he was hiding from him.

"What is, atchoo." Lizzy sneezed, turning towards her dad, he gestured frantically for her to look away.

"I'm hiding from Mr Harper." he mouthed pointing in the direction of Mr Harper's office. Lizzy nodded and pointedly looked in the other direction. "The booze for tomorrow just arrived, distract Mr Harper for us while we get it sorted."

"Sure ah . . atchoo." Lizzy sneezed again. Inside his office Mr Harper was getting suspicious, he watched Lizzy carefully for five minutes, not seeing her do anything she shouldn't be doing except sneeze he put it down to paranoia and got on with his paperwork.

Outside the hospital, Ken and Alun were unloading boxes from a van, (it had brought the food for tomorrow as well as the alcohol), which had pulled into the place where ambulances parked to deliver patients to casualty. At the moment they hadn't thought of a safe place to put them, Mr Harper had taken Ken's key to the conference room so they couldn't put them there until tomorrow. They were halfway through unloading when Dr Rose arrived.

"Good morning. What's going on here then?" he asked, looking at the proceedings with interest, but not making a move to help.

"Alcohol and food for tomorrow." Alun replied, breathing heavily. Dr Rose nodded

"Oh well I'll leave you to it then, I have to get to surgery unless I want to miss my round of golf." Just then Lizzie ran out of the casualty entrance.

"Ah . . atchoo, it's ah . . ah . . atchoo."

"What?" Ken asked exasperatedly.

"It's Mr Harper, he's coming this way, I couldn't head ah . . atchoo." Lizzy sneezed, heading back indoors now she'd delivered her message, she was feeling quite cold.

"That man." Dr Rose spat, "Don't worry, keep up the good work, I'll head him off." and with that Dr Rose marched off puffing on his pipe, in the direction Mr Harper would be coming. Ken and Alun exchanged a glance, they wouldn't like to be Mr Harper when Dr Rose caught up with him.

A minute later Dr Rose found Mr Harper, he was just coming out of Ken and Alun porters room, with a triumphant look on his face. When Dr Rose spotted his he took his pipe out of his mouth, he meant business.

"Harper, a word, now!" Dr Rose boomed, Mr Harper cringed, he remembered the last time Dr Rose had wanted a word with him, it had ended up with him giving Hopkirk flowers and indefinite paid leave from the hospital.

"Dr Rose. I'm a little busy right now." Mr Harper greeted, trying to sidle past him, but Dr Rose wasn't put off that easy.

"No now Harper! I've heard that your trying your very best to spoil this wedding."

Mr Harper said nothing, the accusation was only partially true, he was in actual fact only trying to make sure that the wedding didn't interfere in any way with he smooth running of the hospital and that hospital duties weren't neglected because of it, but anything he said to defend himself Dr Rose would twist and he wanted this encounter to be as short as possible.

"Nothing to say hmm." Dr Rose glared with steely eyes at him. "If I hear that you try and interfere again once more, in anything to do with the wedding then, then I won't be responsible for my actions." Dr Rose lit his pipe again and started puffing it,

"Dismissed." he then turned on his heel and headed towards the operating room, leaving a very shocked Mr Harper.

A little later at reception Lizzy was attempting to file the mornings patients notes and to get out the afternoons, but she was having problems concentrating. She had a splitting headache, she felt cold and she kept sneezing, but most of all she was terrified someone would notice.

"Afternoon Lizzy." Jeff greeted handing her his patients notes, then getting two cups of coffee from the machine, one for himself and one for Lucy.

"Aft . . after, ah . . atchoo." Lizzy sneezed, wiping her running eyes quickly and blowing her nose. Jeff frowned and he put down the coffee cups.

"Are you feeling alright?" Jeff asked

"Fine doctor. Ah . . atchoo." Jeff smiled, she was obviously lying, he put a hand on her forehead, she was burning up.

"Lizzy you've got the flu, go home." Jeff told her kindly

"But I can't have, it's the wedding tomorrow." Lizzy wailed, Jeff looked at her sympathetically

"I know it's a shame, but don't worry Charlie's going to be taking lot's of pictures and we'll save you a piece of cake. We can't have you sneezing over everybody at the wedding just like we can't have you sneezing all over the patients. Go home." Jeff told her firmly, he then rifled through the leaflets on display beside reception, he found the one he was looking for. "Follow the instructions in here, you know the type of thing, keep your fluid level up by drinking plenty." Lizzy took the leaflet wordlessly looking really downcast.

"Now you wait here, I'll go get your dad to drive you home."

The next day was the day of the wedding, Gordon had thought it would have been absolute bedlam but Jill's mum, Laura had arrived early and had got everybody sorted. Gordon had never met her before and he didn't know what he'd expected. He'd known she had been a headmistress in a girls school for years, it certainly showed in her skill of organization. You also knew that when she gave you an order you had to carry it out, but she wasn't tough or mean or nasty like Gordon remembered his teachers had been like, she was fair and kind, the children loved her instantly. He should have known, he should have realised that Jill wouldn't be half the person she was if she hadn't had a mother just like her to set an example.

At ten o'clock they set off for the church, the wedding was at half past, in ten minutes Gordon and Jeff would leave. They would all be early but it was better than being late, and with the roads in the condition they were with all the ice and snow, the more time they had on their side the better. So at ten past ten they set off, Gordon was nervous though he didn't know why. Today was going to be the best day of his life, the day he married the woman of his dreams, the one he loved with all his heart, the one he was going to spend the rest of his life with.

They were halfway there when disaster struck. A man waved them down, they could see what was probably his car parked at the side of the road and he was pointing to a car which was off the road, halfway in a ditch. Jeff stopped immediately and they both got out, Jeff fired questions at the man as he ran towards the car.

"What happened?" Jeff slid down the ditch getting muddy snow all over his trousers, Gordon came down the other side being more careful. Jeff tried the drivers door, it was jammed shut, Gordon tried the passenger door it opened easily, Gordon climbed in after brushing the glass of the seat to examine the driver.

"I was just coming round the bend, he was going way to fast sliding all over the place. He swerved hard to avoid me and ran off the road. It wasn't my fault . . I didn't mean . . he will be alright won't he?" the man asked looking really worried and upset.

"He's in a bad way." Gordon told him, "Where's the nearest phone?"

"I don't know!" the man exclaimed, "We're in the middle of the moors." Jeff and Gordon exchanged a glance.

"I'll go see if I can find a phone, to call an ambulance." Gordon stood up and brushed the snow off his trousers, climbing back up out of the ditch.

"There's no time Gordon." Jeff shouted, "We need to get him back to the royal now." Gordon thought hard for a moment and checked his watch, they'd left early and made good time. If they went back now he'd be fifteen minutes late, but he could phone when they got back, he'd need to anyway, to contact Dr Rose, Jeff could stay behind to do anaesthetics, he'd just have to get someone else to be best man, it didn't matter who, perhaps Ken.

"Alright." Gordon agreed, he then climbed back down into the ditch and helped Jeff get the badly injured driver out of the car. They'd checked for any obvious signs of a broken neck or back, but they weren't foolproof, but if he lived being paralysed would be the least of his problems. The man was more of a hindrance than a help, in getting the driver to the car, Jeff and Gordon laid him carefully on the back seat, Jeff then climbed in the back with him, crouching in the seat well so he could monitor him on the drive to the royal.

"You." Gordon pointed at the man. "Drive to the nearest house you can find and call the police, then come back here and wait for them. They'll need to secure the site and to question you, do you understand." the man nodded, that at least took care of that problem Gordon thought as he turned the key.

Meanwhile at the church Jill was getting worried, she'd arrived at exactly 10.30 expecting to be able to just walk down the aisle. Instead she found that the groom and the best man, Gordon and Jeff hadn't arrived yet. No-one could understand it.

"They were going to leave ten minutes after us, it took us ten minutes to get here. They should have been here ten minutes ago." Laura told Jill, they were sitting in the vestry waiting, Jill's dad Simon was standing watch outside.

"Where is he? He'd be here, he promised, he said hell or high water he'd be here. What if something's happened to him? What if they had an accident?" Jill wondered aloud, she started pacing the small room, it was a way of letting her anxiety out.

"I'm sure he's fine, I don't know where he is, but I'm sure that at this very moment he'll be thinking of you and he'll be wishing he was here, but that whatever it is that's keeping him from being here is important and he knows that you'll understand." Jill looked at her mother, she knew she was probably right but that did nothing to ease her worry, the roads were treacherous, he could have had an accident. "You should have seen him this morning." Laura went on, "I've never seen anyone so nervous, the first day of school just can't compare." Jill had been studying the floor turned her head sharply.

"You don't think he's got cold feet?" Laura shook her head

"No, no, not that type of nervousness. It was more anticipation, he loves you so much and he wants to spend the rest of his life with you. I mean weren't you nervous this morning, worried about fluffing your lines." Jill smiled, she had been nervous this morning, but it had been a good kind of nervous and it was nice to know that Gordon even though he'd done this before had felt the same way.

Outside the church Meryl and Paul were sitting on a bench, it was cold but Paul didn't want to sit inside and Meryl was watching for Gordon's car unable to bear the tension in the church. Paul cleared his throat nervously, he'd been waiting for a chance to talk to Meryl alone for days now, ever since he'd learnt something, now seemed as good a time as any.

"I heard that your boyfriend died, that true?" Paul asked, looking at Meryl. Meryl closed her eyes, she'd been expecting this ever since Samantha had died, and now seemed a good a time as any to talk about it.

"Yes David, he was a doctor at the royal, he died the rugby match against Ashfordly General, an anyrosm." Paul nodded understanding, "It happened over a year ago now."

"How did you get over it?"

"I don't know, at first it was very hard, but over time it got easier. I guess I kind of threw myself into my work, that hurt in a way because I'd often worked with David, but my work was and always had been very important to me. Samantha also helped, she came when I needed a friend the most, she helped take my mind off things and was always there when I needed someone, a true friend." Paul silently digested what she'd said and formed another question to ask.

"They call the children's ward, Cheriton Ward but it's name above the door is Conway, so it's obviously unofficial. Is it named after David." Meryl nodded smiling, tears now in her eyes.

"Yes, Mr Middleditch wanted to rename it but David's mum wouldn't have it. So we just call it that unofficially, a fitting tribute, David loved children."

"I'd like to do something in memory of Sam like that. I've spoken to Dr Rose and he thinks it's a good idea. I just don't have a clue what to do, I didn't know Sam when she lived up here, I don't know what meant a lot to her. Any ideas?"

"Well . . " Meryl began

In record time Gordon screeched to a halt outside casualty, without even pausing to turn the engine off he ran inside to find a deserted casualty, grumbling about there never being a nurse when you need one he found a gurney and ran outside again. With some difficulty he and Jeff put their patient on the gurney, he was in a really bad way. They got him inside and without taking him off the gurney started a drip and other measures necessary to save his life.

When that was done, Gordon started prepping him for surgery while Jeff went to phone Dr Rose. Several miles away the phone in the vestry started ringing making Jill and Laura jump, the vicar who was talking to the congregation outside came in to answer it.

"Ashfordly Church."

"This is The Royal, I need to talk to Dr Rose, can you get him for me please?" Jeff asked, looking at his watch, it was 10.45, they were fifteen minutes late. Wordlessly the vicar put the phone down, he then went into the main part of the church and shouted.

"Dr Rose, telephone for you. It's The Royal." Dr Rose who had been talking to Julian Caldwell and Matron came at once, he was in a bad mood because the vicar had confiscated his pipe, to make sure that he wouldn't smoke during the proceedings saying he would give it back when he left the church grounds.

"Yes Rose here." Dr Rose picked up the telephone absent mindedly reaching for his pipe annoying himself when he remembered it wasn't there.

"Dr Rose, you're needed back here right away, a patient was just brought in and he needs surgery right away." Jeff told him.

"Dr Goodwin is that you? What are you doing at The Royal?" Hearing this Jill jumped up, her heart beating a mile a minute, was it Gordon?

"There was an accident on the moors. We had to get the driver back here right away, there wasn't time to find a phone and call an ambulance. Gordon's here with me, he'll leave as soon as he can." Jeff explained.

"Right, I'll leave right away, I'll probably get there fifteen minutes." Dr Rose told him

"Thanks." Jeff hung up and went back to the pre-op room where they had their patient. Dr Rose turned to Jill to let her know what was happening.

"Gordon is fine, he's at The Royal, there was an accident on the moors. They had to get the driver to the hospital quickly so they took him themselves. He'll probably leave when I get there." Jill sighed with relief, Gordon was ok, it was just circumstances beyond his control. He couldn't have very well said

"Excuse me." the vicar cleared his throat nervously. "That would make the groom arrive at the earliest 11.15."

"Yes what of it?" Dr Rose asked, glaring at him, making the vicar even more nervous.

"I have a christening booked for 11.45, there isn't time for the wedding."

Meanwhile at The Royal, Gordon and Jeff were using every skill they had to keep their patient alive until Dr Rose got there. Neither of them had had the time to go and find a nurse or one of the relief doctors from Ashfordly General, both of them were hoping that they would be come across soon but nobody appeared to be doing any rounds. It was very unusual for the hospital to be so quiet, but both Jeff and Gordon understood that in a strange hospital staff were likely to say together particularly after the siege, despite this there prayers were answered.

"Problem, anything I can help with?" a voice asked, Jeff quickly looked up, he didn't recognise him, he wasn't from Ashfordly General.

"You the locum surgeon?" he asked.

"Yeah, Dr Daniel Travis. Shouldn't you be at the church?" Daniel asked, instinctively moving over to access the patient.

"I'm late, I promised I wouldn't be, there was an accident, what could we do?" Gordon replied.

"Let us take over," Daniel looked at his watch and grimaced. "Better late than never."

"Us?" Jeff frowned.

"What, oh yeah." Daniel stuck his head round the door. "Dr Alway, you're needed." he yelled, five seconds later Dr Alway appeared.

"Shouldn't you be . .?" he began taking in the scene before him.

"Leaving now, good luck." Gordon told him while running past, Jeff right behind him. "Thanks." Gordon yelled over his shoulder, just as they were running past the reception desk the phone rang, Gordon groaned

"What now?" he moaned, "The Royal . . we're just . . Ok I understand." Gordon put the phone down and stared miserably at it.

"Gordon . .?" Jeff began, Gordon looked up,

"It's over, they're on their way back. I broke my promise." Jeff shifted uncomfortably, not meeting Gordon's eye, it was his fault, he could have got that other driver to drive him back they could have called the police from here, then Gordon could have gone, but no he'd insisted and now he'd ruined what should have been the happiest day of his friends life. Suddenly the silence was broken, it was Dr Travis.

"Look um, I'm sorry about this, but if you don't have a wedding to go to could you give us a hand. Wordlessly Gordon stood up and walked back to the pre-op room.

A little later the wedding party arrived back at The Royal, by then Dr Travis and Dr Alway were operating on the patient with Dr Rose's help. Gordon had gone back to his office, unable to face everybody, he felt so guilty. He never broke his promises and he had today, today he'd broken what was perhaps one of the most important ever.

Jeff met everyone, he and Ken decided along with Jill's mum Laura that people needed a place to go so they unlocked the conference room where the reception was to have taken place. Ken didn't know when the wedding would be rescheduled for but he knew he could get everything organised again, the food was perishable anyway so it couldn't have kept, he didn't know what they were going to do with the wedding cake. Jill went to find Gordon, as soon as she saw him she burst into tears making him feel worse than ever.

"I'm so sorry Jill." Gordon apologised, hugging her tight, "I know I promised and . . "

"It wasn't your fault." Jill told him in between sobs, her makeup running down her face. "You had to save his life, it's what you're trained to do." Gordon looked her in the eye, he'd known deep down that she would understand, he just felt so, so awful that he'd ruined the day for her.

Over in the operating theatre Dr Rose took over completely from Dr Travis, it wasn't that Dr Travis wasn't any good, in fact he was very good, it was that Dr Rose was the higher ranking surgeon there and this patient needed the best to survive. Dr Rose then sent Dr Travis out of the operating room, it was easier for him to concentrate that way, not feeling that he was being watched and judged, Dr Travis understood completely, he would have done the same thing. On his way to reception and the coffee machine Dr Travis bumped literally into Charlie.

"Sorry." they apologised simultaneously.

"Dr Travis, Daniel Travis." Daniel offered his hand politely.

"Charlie Omerod." Charlie shook the offered hand, "You must be the locum for Jill, well supposed to be."

"Yeah I know, the weddings been called off. It's such a shame." Daniel pulled a face.

"Isn't it just, particularly all they've been through to get here today." Charlie commented

"You must be Gordon's daughter." Daniel stated, not knowing he was wrong, Charlie didn't bother to correct him, she was staring at a point just above Daniel's left shoulder. "Are you ok?" Daniel asked, feeling suddenly uneasy.

"I'm fine," Charlie replied slowly, "I just had an idea, but I'll need your help."

At 4.20pm Charlie's plan was put into action, to make it work the help of Ken, Alun, Jeff, Meryl, Laura, Matron and Julian Caldwell had been needed, but they'd all willingly and gladly helped. Laura, Meryl and Jeff had kept Gordon and Jill in Gordon's office all afternoon, they'd brought them food from the reception so they weren't hungry. Neither of them had any inclination to venture out though, Gordon because he was to ashamed and Jill because she now felt self-concious in her dress, she'd asked for someone to get her the clothes she had been going to change into but they hadn't appeared.

So at 4.20pm Laura left the office, on the pretext she was going to see whether people had left yet and to see how they were going to get home. At 4.25pm Jeff spoke for what was probably the first time that afternoon, he felt as bad as Gordon, responsible for ruining the day.

"Come on Gordon, let's go see what's going on yeah." Jeff stood up reaching for the door handle.

"Laura just went, I'd rather stay here." Gordon replied, "He wouldn't rather stay here, he'd rather a hole appeared in the floor and swallowed him up, he didn't want company but it had been foisted upon him all afternoon.

"No she went to see how people were getting home. Come on, getting out of this office will do you good, you've been cooped up in here all afternoon." Jeff tried again, Gordon sighed, he could have sworn that he'd been made to stay here but seeing as he didn't want to go out that might not be true, it could have been his idea.

"Ok seeing as you're not going to give up." Gordon stood up and followed Jeff out the door, now it was just Jill and Meryl left.

"Why don't we touch your makeup up yeah." Meryl said, reaching into her bag for the necessary items. "You look a mess."

"Do I?" Jill asked, it was a question that required no answer, she knew she did, but she didn't really care at the moment.

"Yeah you do, now let's just fix you up." A few minutes later Jill looked as good as she had that morning, except for the fact she looked miserable, this morning she'd looked happy and nervous. Just then a knock came at the door, it was Charlie.

"Meryl, Matron want's you. She's at reception." Charlie told her looking a little nervous, Meryl smiled at Jill and shot a look of encouragement at Charlie and left, leaving Jill and Charlie.

"Jill." Charlie started, "I'm sorry about today, everyone's going to be leaving soon so you can go, but first I guess you'll want to get changed. Your clothes are in your office waiting for you." Jill stood up and followed Charlie out of the door, she didn't notice that Charlie was leading her the wrong way until they reached casualty.

"Charlie, this is casualty." Jill said wearily

"Yeah I know, the other corridors blocked so you have to go through reception." Jill wondered why the other corridor was blocked, but didn't question it, instead following Charlie outside and round the hospital to the reception door.

Outside the door stood Jill's dad Frank stood, he was holding her bouquet, he handed it to her wordlessly, lifted her veil down and offered her his arm. Jill frowned, something was going on, but she didn't know what it was, she looked back at Charlie and saw her grinning like mad. Then she stepped into reception or what had been reception, it had been completely transformed. There were rows of seats either side of a red runner carpet, everybody from the church was sitting there, they turned around to look at Jill when they heard her enter. Over on the reception desk there was a record player Meryl placed the needle and the musical notes of 'Here comes the bride' filled the room. At the end of the red carpet stood Gordon, he smiled when he saw her, she could see from his eyes that this was as much of a surprise to him as it was to her. Behind Gordon stood Jeff who was wearing the same grin as Charlie, at the end of the red carpet there was a lectern, behind that stood the vicar, the one who'd dashed her hopes that morning. In not time at all Jill reached the end of the makeshift aisle, her father lifted her veil and kissed her lightly on her cheek. Jill looked at Gordon and whispered.

"How on earth?"

"Charlie." Gordon replied simply, a longer explanation could wait and would have to because the vicar cleared his throat, he was ready to begin.

"Dearly beloved," the vicar began, then a flash blinded him and there was a quiet 'Click'

"Charlie!" everyone yelled, Charlie who was in the aisle with the camera went bright red and disappeared somewhere like a shot.

"We are all gathered here today to join in holy matrimony, this man and this woman." the vicar continued, hoping and praying there would be no more interruptions. "Do you Jillian Alice Weatherall take Gordon . . (Some time later) . . I now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss the bride." Gordon leant forward and kissed Jill, Charlie this time unnoticed crept in and took a picture. Camera zooms out from just Jill and Gordon to view the entire makeshift church. Fade out

The End. In next weeks episode . . .

10/12 Dream a little Dream

Gordon dreams of the future for the royal with the new money that comes in and there is a development in the Omerod family. Meryl and Daniel make an important decision and Paul dedicates a development in the way ambulances are used at The Royal to Samantha.