Chapter 61

Louisa spent the next few evenings on her own as Martin worked on his speech in the surgery. He was also listing out some thoughts around his own motivations, to talk over with Paul.

Louisa had printed off the advertising posters and called up to Martin that she was going to put them up in various places.

"Yes." Was the short response.

Collecting her winter coat and the posters, she set off for the Crab and Lobster as her first port of call. "Evening John. Can I pin these up to advertise the talk, Martin is giving on Sunday?"

John took one from her hand and scrutinised it. "Yes, no problem, Louisa. How are you doing?" he indicated her midsection.

"Fine, John. I felt it move the other day. Won't be long before it'll be playing football in there!" She laughed and made to move on.

"Louisa, what's this about then?" John was curious to know about the meeting.

"Just what it says, John. To know more, you'll have to come and listen. Bye for now."

Louisa walked around to the village hall and put a notice inside the display cabinet, which was attached to the wall. Moving on she called in at Mrs Cronk's fish shop and left one there, to go in her window.

She returned home in time to see Martin come into the kitchen from the surgery. "Hello, handsome. How did you get on with your writing?"

As usual, Martin felt the surge of love go through him as he looked at his wife. Her cheeks were rosy from the cool evening air and her eyes sparkled at him.

"Er, it's coming along. I've got to refine a few points, but the main thrust of the article is there. Thanks for the RoSPA suggestion. You were right about the statistics. They even shocked me!"

Louisa shed her coat and set about making their evening drinks. Tea for her and water for him. "Is it tomorrow you go and see Rev. Paul? Have you got some more to tell him, or rather, talk about with him?"

Martin nodded. "I'm seeing him at 10:30 in the morning. That way I won't be seen to be consulting him. I don't want people knowing my business, Louisa."

"No. I can understand that, Martin." Louisa finished her tea and said she would go and have a shower before bed.

"I'll lock up down here, and I'll be up shortly," said Martin.

He locked the downstairs areas up and went back to the lounge. Sitting on the couch he picked up his BMJ and turned a few pages. There was nothing really which grabbed his attention and his thoughts turned to the interview, tomorrow.

He'd told Paul a lot about his former life. More than he'd shared with Louisa. Was that right? Shouldn't it have been shared with her? But she's pregnant and with her own set of memories to resolve, to put more onto her just now wouldn't be fair, surely?

What about himself? Was there any feeling of things being better for having discussed a lot of his issues with someone else? He'd known what a miserable childhood he'd had, but the highlighting of his parents' faulty judgement about him had made a big difference, he acknowledged. Even though he was nearer 50 than 40, somehow, he'd never seen their opinions as anything other than correct. That was definitely a liberating thought. If they were so wrong about him, what else were they wrong about? Could he in fact, sustain a relationship, or be a good father?

A feeling of acute happiness stole through him as many vistas opened up and beckoned him to walk a different path.

Dropping his magazine he switched the light off and went upstairs. Louisa was brushing her long chestnut hair, looking as lovely as a picture. He smiled as she looked at him, and took his jacket off. "Er, I'll just go…" he indicated the bathroom and left her.

Louisa finished brushing her hair and began smoothing her arms and body with lotion, before getting under the covers. Martin had seemed different tonight. She hoped he was feeling somewhat better about himself.

She lay there, waiting for his return.

He came back into the room and climbed into bed, pulling the covers securely over both of them. Pulling her closer he kissed her soundly. Louisa loved the physical side of their marriage and rarely failed to respond to his overtures. In fact it was usually her who made the first move, so this eagerness on his behalf ignited her passion too.

Martin did everything he could to make the encounter as pleasurable for her as it undoubtedly was for him. With a final kiss he eased back onto his side and caressed her face with his fingertips. "I love you, Louisa." He growled.

"I kind of got that impression too, Martin, and I fully understand what you mean because I feel the same way about you." Her brilliant smile lit her face as she looked at him.

"You're feeling differently about something, aren't you, Martin?"

His eyes widened. "How did you know?" He was surprised at her observation, as he had only just realised himself, that something had shifted inside, and he felt much more at peace.

Louisa buried her head into his chest and traced his skin lazily with her fingers. "Wives are supposed to know how their husbands are feeling. It's all part of life's rich pattern," she explained. "I knew that something was troubling you, although I didn't know exactly what, and now I know that you are feeling better, but I don't know why, other than our brilliant love-making just now." She waited for his answer.

"Hm – witches are supposed to know everything, aren't they?" He teased her with a loving kiss.

"I'm going to plead to being somewhat overwhelmed by feelings just now, so do try to put it in simple terms for me, handsome." She responded with a laugh.

His voice became deeper as he said, "I had an epiphany of sorts, downstairs. I finally accepted that my parents, instead of loving me as they should, did their best to ruin my life." He began to shake as the enormity of what he'd just admitted sank in. Louisa got as close as she possibly could and wrapped herself around him. "I love you, Martin. I love you and I always will." She did her best to ease the moment for him.

Martin lay there going over his life year by year. Not once in all that time had either of his parents hugged him or congratulated him on anything. Always they found fault with something instead. He began to realise what a tremendous pressure that had put him under, to try and win their regard. Would he have succeeded with his studies as far as he had if they'd been more supportive? It was something he'd never know, but he'd make damn sure the child Louisa was carrying would know it was loved.

Martin hugged her and then got her to roll over onto her other side so he could put his arm protectively around her abdomen. He sighed with contentment and murmured "Goodnight."

He received a "mm" in acknowledgement.

At 2:00a.m. his phone went off. "Ellingham."

"It's Jennifer Eccles, Dr Ellingham. My Graham is complaining of severe stomach cramps and he's absolutely boiling."

"When did this start?"

"He wasn't feeling well when he went to bed, but I thought it was just a stomach ache. That would be around 9-ish. He was asleep when we came to bed so I left him. Now he's sweating like a pig and almost crying with the pain."

"Has he been sick, or had diarrhoea?"

"No Doc, but he says the pain is worse now than when he came to bed."

"Where do you live, Mrs Eccles?"

She gave him the address and he knew he'd be at least 15 minutes getting there, even in the car. "Mrs Eccles, phone for an ambulance now and I'll be there as quickly as I can."

"Right, Doc. Thanks."

He climbed out of bed and began to collect his clothes. The light went on and a bleary-eyed Louisa looked over at him. "Call out?" she asked.

"Yes. You go back to sleep, it's too early for you to be up."

"Right. Drive carefully, love you." She lay back onto the pillow and her eyes closed.

Martin dressed quickly, snatched up his car keys and went downstairs to the surgery. He picked his bag up and left by the front door, locking it behind him as he went to the car. As he drove, he went through the symptoms and felt sure that the patient had appendicitis. Calling the ambulance immediately meant that the least amount of time would be wasted from when he examined his patient to when it arrived.

He arrived outside the Eccles home and the front door was opened by a tall individual who ushered him upstairs. "Jack Eccles, Dr Ellingham. Thank you for coming so quickly."

"Did you call the ambulance?"

"Yeah, as soon as you told us to."

Martin went into the bedroom and saw a teenager laid in bed, almost curled up into a ball as he clutched at his stomach. "Graham? Can you lie flat and straight for me?"

The boy didn't respond. "Graham, I need to be able to feel your stomach and take your temperature. Lie flat so I can do that."

Graham rolled onto his back and tried to straighten out. He gasped as a wave of pain went through him. Martin noted the sheen of sweat on his skin and the pallor of his face. He began to palpate the abdomen, beginning at the side furthest away from the appendix. As he finally reached that point the boy yelled out and tried to curl up again.

Using his aural thermometer Martin found out that the boy's temperature was markedly raised. "Mr Eccles, can you go and wait for the ambulance to arrive, and show the paramedics straight up here?"

Eccles nodded and went back downstairs. Mrs Eccles looked fearfully at Martin, "What is it Doc?"

"I think Graham has appendicitis, and from his current condition, he needs to go immediately to hospital where they can scan him to confirm my diagnosis. Are you going with him in the ambulance?"

She nodded and then realised she had to get dressed. Martin watched the boy as she scurried around getting her clothes on and finding her bag.

Jack let the ambulance women in and stood back to let them get his boy onto the stretcher and take him out to the ambulance.

He told his wife to go with Graham, and that he would get dressed and follow them as soon as he could.

She stepped into the back along with her son and the vehicle set off for Truro hospital.

"Mr Eccles? Your son should be alright if they can get to the hospital quickly and operate to remove the appendix. You did the right thing to call me. I'm going to the hospital myself and will see you there."

Martin followed the ambulance as closely as he could and then rolled into an empty parking space. He went swiftly along to Casualty and waited for news. Mrs Eccles was seated nearby so he went to talk to her. He repeated what he'd told her husband and sat down alongside her to await the outcome of the operation.

Half an hour later, Mr Eccles came and joined them. "There's no news yet, Jack. Graham is in the operating theatre now. Seems like Dr Ellingham was right – appendicitis."

Martin felt as though the time was moving through treacle, it was so slow. Eventually a green-clad surgeon came to speak to the parents. "Mr and Mrs Eccles? I'm David Tregarth, and I operated on your son, Graham. It was appendicitis and it was very good that you got him here so soon. The appendix was on the point of rupturing when we got in there. He will be kept in for a few days for observation, but should be allowed to go home after that. He should make a complete recovery from this."

Martin saw the Eccles visibly slump at this good news. The relief on their faces very evident.

Mr Tregarth came across to Martin. "Dr Ellingham, good job to get the patient into the hospital so quickly. Another half an hour and it might have been a different story."

Martin looked at the surgeon and was tempted to remind him of just who he was speaking to. Instead he said quietly, "Yes." Turning to the Eccles, "I'm going now. If you have any questions later on make an appointment after today."

They both looked at him and said "Thanks Doc. For all you've done."

Martin acknowledged their praise with a curt, "Just doing my job." Before leaving to drive back to Portwenn.