Chapter 37

Martin was long gone before Louisa stirred. Yawning and stretching she made her way to the bathroom and had a shower before dressing and brushing her hair. As she dressed, she looked at her abdomen in the mirror. Definitely a more rounded shape she thought, and she was sure her boobs were bigger!

Breakfast of toast and marmalade with a cup of tea made her ready for the day. She went upstairs for the dirty clothes and bedding, then got the first load underway.

She washed her breakfast pots and then cleaned down the table before making the biscuits. They were in the oven when the first load of washing was finished. She put the second lot of clothes in the washer and then went to get her marking.

When the oven timer buzzed, she took the tray of fairings out before putting them on the cooling rack. Checking the time, she decided it was coffee time and put the kettle on. Martin, she knew, would make his own espresso, but Pauline would just want ordinary coffee.

Sure enough, Martin came in to see her eating one of the biscuits. He looked at her before turning to his coffee machine and preparing his own. He didn't say anything, but Louisa knew he wanted to!

Pauline came into the kitchen for her drink and said "The smell of your biscuits has made me really hungry. May I have one, please?"

"Just the one, then Pauline. Joan's coming this afternoon and I need some for her."

Pauline looked disappointed but said "Thanks" taking her drink and biscuit back to her desk.

"I phoned Joan and she's coming about 2:30, Martin."

He nodded, "I should be finished my lunch by then. Might even be earlier if this rain keeps the malingerers away," he opined. He went on to ask her how she was feeling this morning?

Louisa smiled and said "Fine. After you got back, I slept like a top."

"Yes, I heard you snoring, when I got up this morning."

She stuck her tongue out at him.

"See you later," he said before kissing her. "Might need to practice that tonight, I'm looking forward to it!" He dodged out of the way before she could retaliate. He turned to go back to his surgery, just remembering to duck under the beam, in time.

She went back to her marking and happily, most of her pupils had done everything she'd asked of them. One or two of the slower ones still had some more thoughts to express, but most had done well. She packed their books back into her bag and went to change the washing for a new load.

The remainder of the morning went swiftly and then she heard Pauline's "Bye doc." Before she left for the day. Louisa went along to the office and peeped in. Martin was writing notes. "Do you want some soup and fruit for lunch?" she asked him.

He thought and then said "Yes, please. Cheese and apple will be fine. I won't be long."

Moving back to the kitchen Louisa prepared lunch and sat down to eat hers. He soon came in to join her, washing his hands before sitting down.

"Were you right? Did the rain keep the complainers away?"

"Only one or two were deterred, and the rest seemed to make up for their absence!" he grumbled. "Most of them had something to say about your pregnancy, although the comments made were quite positive, today."

"Well, that's good, isn't it?" she smiled at him.

"None of their business. I don't know what it's got to do with them anyway." He wasn't going to be cajoled out of his distaste for "idle chit-chat," as he saw it. He finished his meal, put the pots into the sink and then said that he was going back to do some work on his clock.

"Joan's coming about half past 2 so I'll call you for your cuppa about 3. Okay?"

"Fine," was the reply she got from his retreating back.

She went up and made the bed before tidying the bathroom. Of course, she had to pick up bits and pieces of her underwear which had escaped to the floor, then putting the dry things back in the drawers. Returning to the kitchen she washed the pots and table and then laid out the biscuits along with fresh cups and plates.

Not long afterwards she saw Joan pass the window and her cheery "Only me," sounded in the kitchen. Joan deposited a casserole on the counter and said, "I thought you might like this for tea. Save you cooking yourself."

"Ooh, thanks Joan. I must admit I do look forward to something other than fish!"

"Isn't that heresy?" queried Joan, with a laugh.

"Only if you repeat it in front of him."

"Have a seat, Joan. Tea won't be long. I made some fairings this morning. Thought you would like something to take away the wetness of the tea!" Louisa smiled at the older woman.

They sat down companionably and discussed the affairs of the village or otherwise "gossiped" as Martin would have said. He came wandering through for some tea. "Hello Auntie Joan. How are you?"

"I'm well thank you, Martin. I've been sorting through some of my cupboards and came upon these photographs. You with Phil on the tractor." She handed the picture to Martin, who took it, and the memories washed over him.

"Hm, that was in my last year at the farm, wasn't it? I remember bouncing around on the tractor, and I must have got on Phil's nerves with wanting to drive it myself."

"We discussed letting you and I was in favour, but Phil was concerned you'd get hurt by rolling it over, or something." Joan told him of the background discussions. "You got your wish in the end, though."

Martin thought back to that summer. Going around with Phil and learning how to do various tasks made him feel almost grown up. The happiness which had filled him then shrank to nothing when his father came to pick him up to go back to school.

Louisa asked to see and looked at "Little Marty" riding on the tractor with one hand on Phil's shoulder and the other on the safety bar. "Gosh Martin, I didn't know you could drive one of those!" She glanced up at him in time to see a shade of sadness cross his face. Later, she thought, later.

Changing the subject, she pocketed the photo and told him of the casserole Joan had brought. "Do you want to stay and have some with us, Joan?"

"No thanks, I kept enough for myself at home. Muriel's asked me to go to her house tomorrow for a social gathering. She's invited several others as well, so I expect I'll have more tales to tell next week, Louisa."

Louisa smiled, and then offered to make another pot of tea. Joan agreed to this and they continued to chat about the village life.

As soon as he could Martin took his leave and went back to his clock-mending.

"What are you going to do with the photo, Louisa. I saw you pocket it."

"Well, I'm going to construct an album of both of us in our younger days so that Junior will know what we looked like when we were small. I don't suppose Martin will be interested now, but when the time is right, I think he'll be glad I did. If you find any others, I'd love to have them, please?"

Joan nodded, "I suspect you're right and yes, if I find more of them, I'll give them to you," she promised. "Look at the time! I'll have to be off now. Thanks for the tea. Bye Martin!" she yelled but there was no answering shout. She shrugged her shoulders and smiled at Louisa, "Take care, that's my grandchild in there!"

Louisa thanked her for the casserole and hugged her as she went to leave. Joan had gone so Louisa picked up the crockery and washed them before going along to the surgery to see what Martin was up to. Opening the door quietly she saw he was seated at his desk with his tools laid out in front of him, together with the clock. However, he was looking off into space, lost in a reverie of memories. She watched as a tear rolled down his cheek. He jumped a little when she put her arms around him, but didn't draw away.

"Penny for them, Martin?" When he looked quizzically at her she elaborated, "A penny for your thoughts?"

For once he didn't prevaricate, "Why didn't they love me?"

Louisa's heart ached for this big man with such a legacy of hurt and rejection behind him. "Your so-called parents? They didn't know the meaning of the word 'love'. I don't think we'll ever know the reasons they treated you so abominably. I can however, tell you that Joan and Phil loved you then, Joan still does, and I love you very, very much." Suiting actions to words she kissed him, tasting his tears as more rolled down his cheek.

Taking his hand, she pulled him to his feet and made her way upstairs. He followed behind and once in their bedroom she slowly undressed him and then after getting undressed herself joined him in bed. They didn't talk, just held onto each other. Louisa stroked his arms and back as they lay together. Eventually Martin went to sleep, and not long after Louisa joined him.

Louisa felt something tickling her face and opened her eyes. Martin was leaning over her brushing his lips across her forehead and eyes. "Hmm," she said and looked up into his loving gaze. She reached up and began to embrace him in return. What started out softly and gently turned quickly into a passion they both were surprised to feel, but then thoroughly enjoy.

Languidly she stretched and, like the cat who'd had the cream, almost purred. "Well handsome, I suppose we'd better go and have some tea. Joan will be upset if her hard work is all for naught." She pushed the bedclothes back and made to get up, when Martin pulled her back.

"Louisa, thank you. You remember my Christmas card? I meant every word I wrote. I love you very much."

She hugged him, "I know, and I love you too."

She looked at him and said, "You'll have to let me go Martin, I need to go to the bathroom. Sorry." Sighing he let her go.

When she came back to get her clothes, she found him half-dressed too. "I'll go and warm the food up and make some tea," he told her.

She picked her trousers up and heard a crinkling sound. Remembering the photo, she took it out and looked at it again. The fair-haired boy on the tractor looked so care-free on that day. Carefully she put the picture into her drawer and then placed a book on top of it to keep it flat.

After eating and then washing up they were about to have their drinks when the phone rang. "Ellingham" was Martin's response, as always.

Penhale's voice grated over him as he reported a fight in the pub resulting in head wounds to both of the participants.

"Give me some time to get my bag and I'll be there as quickly as I can, Penhale." Looking at Louisa he said, "Sorry, there's been a fight at the pub, causing some injuries. I'll be back when I can."

She nodded as he left to get his bag. Glancing at the clock she saw it was only 7:00p.m. If the pub-goers were bladdered this early, what would the rest of the night be like, she wondered.

Sighing she picked up her book and began to read.

Martin was also sighing as he beheld the fighters nursing their respective injuries. John, the landlord, had put bags of frozen peas in tea towels and told the men to hold them in place until the Doc came to assess them. The man with the cut to his head which was bleeding profusely was holding a bloodied tea towel firmly to the cut. Martin nodded when he saw Malcolm Raynor with the cut.

Typical! "Let me see the cut, Mr Raynor." When Malcolm slowly took the tea towel off the cut it began spurting blood again. Martin went pale and looked around before spying a bin to vomit into. "Eew Doc, you alright?" Martin nodded as he wiped his face with a clean handkerchief. He took some hand gel out of his bag and applied it to his hands. He pulled out a gauze dressing and told Malcolm to take away the towel. As this was done Martin quickly put the dressing in its place and then bound it firmly into position with a bandage. "Sit down and hold your head upright so that the bleeding will eventually stop."

Turning attention to the man with the sizeable bump on his head, he directed him to move the peas out of the way. Penhale was right. That was an extremely big bump. The skin was stretched tautly across it and it looked in danger of splitting open. "Put the peas back Mr Lyons." He saw the man blanch and managed to stop him from falling on his face again. Chippy Miller stepped forward and took hold of Lyon's shoulders. "Let me help, there Doc." Martin nodded his thanks.

"Mr Lyons, can you hear me?" Lyons tried to focus his eyes on Martin but was obviously having great difficulty. "Can you follow my finger, Mr Lyons?" Martin thought the man was having trouble seeing him, never mind his finger.

"Joe, call an ambulance, both of these two, need hospital treatment."

He waited and then Penhale announced it would be half an hour before the ambulance arrived. Martin called John over and asked if there were anywhere quieter for his patients to sit. "Sure thing Doc. The back room isn't in use tonight. They can sit there."

Several fishermen assisted the casualties to chairs in the back parlour and then left. "Mr Raynor, how did you get the cut?"

"Well Doc, I were going to get meself another drink and he, (pointing to Lyons) stuck his feet out to the side of the table. I fell over and caught the metal edge of the table on me head."

"How did Mr Lyons get the bump to his head?"

Again, Malcolm explained that Lyons thought he'd been kicked so jumped up himself only to fall over Malcolm's feet and bounce his head off the stone floor.

Martin rolled his eyes. He kept a wary eye on Malcolm to make sure he kept his arm upright and on Mr Lyons to ensure he didn't faint onto the floor again.

Eventually the ambulance arrived and the two men were assisted into the back. Martin said that the man with the bump was concussed and should have an X-ray and CT scan. Mr Raynor had likely cut a vein as he fell and would need stitches. The cut should also be inspected for any metallic fragments, before being sutured shut. He didn't think the skull had been fractured, but the doctor should make his own assessment when the casualty reached him.

He heaved a sigh of relief as the men were taken away. He went over to John and apologised for the mess in the bin. "Don't worry Doc, it's been taken care of."

"Thank you." Martin went out the front door and headed back up to the surgery. Why on earth do they drink so much that they don't really know what they're doing he wondered for about the thousandth time?

Looking at his watch he was surprised to see that it was only 9 p.m. He felt as though it should be midnight!

He found Louisa sat reading and went to get some water. She'd declined a cup of tea saying she'd had one earlier. He sat down beside her and put his head back. "Was it very messy?"

Martin nodded. "I was sick at the sight of the blood," he confessed.

"Oh, Martin," she softly said, taking his hand in hers. They sat for a while as Martin tried to get his equilibrium back.

Eventually they went to bed.