Chapter 66
On Friday, Martin picked her up from school and together they made the journey to Wadebridge. Dr Lewis ushered them into his office and began by asking after their general health.
"I'm fine, and what's more I'm now feeling the baby moving!" Louisa was all bright smiles at this news.
Martin's terse, "I'm well," was as much as he ever said about his health. "Thank you for agreeing to take my patients while we're on holiday."
"Yes, Chris said you were jaunting off. Where to, may I ask?"
"To the Isles of Scilly. We've never been there, either of us. It should be far enough away for us to get a proper break, but not so far as to prove taxing for me." She turned and smiled at Martin.
"Er, yes that's the idea anyway. Hopefully now we are well into April the weather will be good."
Dr Lewis asked Louisa, "Do you get air-sick or sea-sick, at all?"
"Not usually. Although I've never been on a plane or boat whilst pregnant before."
"In that case I don't think you will have a problem. Would you like to go and ready yourself for the scan?"
Louisa left for the next room, leaving Martin to speak to Dr Lewis.
"There doesn't seem to have been any more signs of injury after her accident. The bruising has all but disappeared."
Dr Lewis nodded. "I gathered she was recovering well when she didn't bring up any further notices of illness." He led the way through to the other room where the nurse was waiting to do the scan. Louisa smiled at Martin as he came around the end of her couch to watch the proceedings.
As usual the picture built up slowly and once it was fully-formed they could see the baby's back and part of its leg which was trying to kick. "Can you feel that, Louisa?" asked Martin.
"Yes, but that seems quite gentle compared to some of the kicks/thumps I've felt!"
"Within the next couple of weeks, I'd say, you too will be able to feel that movement, Dr Ellingham."
Martin was delighted to hear this, as he'd felt a little like an outsider in these conversations. He clasped Louisa's hand and squeezed it gently. The finished scans didn't show anything untoward and the Doctors left to allow Louisa to get dressed again.
Back in his room Dr Lewis waited for Louisa to join them. "Do you want the pictures, again?"
Martin agreed and said that his Auntie, was very keen to see each one as they appeared.
"Compared to even 20 years ago these are wonders of modern science. I don't know how we managed back in those "olden" days!" laughed Dr Lewis.
"Ah. There you are Louisa. We've looked at the pictures and they show a fine healthy baby, growing as it should. Have you any questions for me?"
"No, Dr Lewis. I'm fine with my progress so far, thank you."
"Louisa, I wonder if you would take part in a survey that the hospital in Truro are going to undertake, beginning at the end of the month? The survey is to compare the progress and expectations of geriatric mothers and their early 20's counterparts. As I understand it, fathers would be participating as well."
Louisa looked at Martin, but got no clue as to what he was thinking. "What would it involve? I have to balance my work around even visits to you."
"Well, for the next three months, or until you deliver, your check-ups would be with the ante-natal group at the hospital. They would become your primary care-givers."
Martin interposed a question, "Who is the responsible consultant?"
"As to that, I don't know. Apparently, the specialist is coming down from London and in return for running the program, will undertake three days a week in the gynaecological ward. I'll know more details later in the month."
"I'd appreciate knowing who it is, and what tests etc. they would want to run?" Martin was very protective and concerned that, if she undertook the trial, Louisa would not be subjected to more poking and prodding than was absolutely necessary.
"I'll certainly let you know the basic details when I get them." Dr Lewis understood what Martin meant, and definitely wouldn't have liked his wife to be a guinea pig when she was pregnant.
Martin and Louisa left the Doctor's office and decided to do a bit of clothes/shoe shopping. "I understand that there is a lot of walking to be done on the islands and so it seems expedient to get some hiking boots," Martin commented.
"I've already got some which are comfortable for me. I'd suggest you get some and wear them when you can over the next week or so to break them in. Otherwise you could develop blisters and be unable to do anything!" Louisa gave him some practical advice.
"I don't know how much breaking-in they'll get because obviously, I won't be able to wear them in surgery or on house-calls." Martin always wanted to present himself as a professional man.
"Are you going to get some more casual trousers and jumpers to walk around in on the islands? You'll stand out like a sore thumb if you don't." Louisa decided to go straight for the jugular. "You could get away with chinos, T-shirt and jumper for our look at the other islands. You really should be more casual," she implored him.
Martin "hmmed and hawed, before saying he'd think about it." What he didn't tell Louisa was that he'd ordered several new items of clothing from his London tailor. The package should arrive next week, while Louisa was still at school.
They looked in the shops and Louisa bought some new thick socks for her boots, a couple of pairs of new trousers with elasticated waists and some new maternity tops. She thought her existing anorak would still be all right as she'd bought it to fit over several jumpers. Martin looked at coats for himself, but struggled to find one which was big enough. Eventually, in the final sports shop they looked in, there was a section for larger men and he picked out a navy-blue coat.
Trying it on, he looked in the nearby mirror and decided that it would do. "What do you think, Louisa? Is this all right?"
She inspected him critically, and then nodded. "Perfect, Martin. The colour suits you, and the fit looks OK to me. You'll need some thicker socks for hiking as well."
They were duly purchased together with two new rucksacks. "Do you think we'll need anything else, Louisa?"
"I've got the basic equipment, flasks, compass, sandwich containers etc. The item I really need is an up-to-date map of the islands, but I expect we'll get a better one there." Louisa had often hiked around the Portwenn area and a few other places, so was fairly confident in her ability to navigate successfully.
On their way home they called in to the St Kew Inn for a meal. This pub was becoming one of their favourite places to eat.
The next day Louisa stayed in bed when Martin got up to go to work. She knew she'd need the kip to recharge her batteries. Eventually duty called and she roused herself to start the day. The usual household chores awaited and she thought she'd make a start on some of the easier ones.
When Joan called in at 11:00 o'clock she was glad of the break. "Morning Joan! Good to see you. Have you distributed all your veg, and do you want a cuppa?" The questions just tripped off her tongue.
Joan smiled, "Same to you, likewise, yes and yes. May I have a coffee this morning, I'm feeling that I need a pick-me-up, Louisa."
Martin came through from the surgery in time to hear the last comment. "Are you well, Auntie Joan? Not running a temperature, or coming down with cold, are you?" He was going to put his hand to her forehead, but she just batted it away.
"No Martin, I'm really fine. I just feel like a little change this morning. Don't you ever want to do something different to your normal routine?"
Louisa chuckled. "We are going to do something, Joan. Martin's taking me to the Scilly Isles at Easter! What do you think of that?"
"Did you have to hold the shotgun close to his head, then Louisa?"
"I'm here in the room you know! For your information, it was I who suggested the holiday to Louisa!" Martin was indignant that Joan saw him as a stick-in-the-mud, never venturing out of his comfort zone.
Joan looked from one to the other. It was very clear to her that they both loved the other very much indeed. Her eyes watered a bit at the realisation of just how far Martin had come. "Well that's very good news. When are you off?"
"School finishes next Friday, and we're going on Saturday. Martin is shutting the surgery for two weeks! As he said, we won't get the chance of a holiday by ourselves, once Junior has arrived."
Joan nodded in agreement. "I think it's a very good plan. You should get some peace and quiet over there, Louisa. I've not been, myself, but people who have, say it is a very relaxed way of life. Not many motor cars and plenty of wildlife to see. Not to mention the lovely scenery!" Joan was enthusiastic and very much approved of their ideas.
"I dare say there will be some people annoyed by your closing down for a couple of weeks, Martin?"
"They'll just have to learn that I have a life too. I'm not going to be as available to them as I have been in the past. Anyway, it is only the malingerers who are really whinging. Chris Parsons is OK with my taking the holiday and as he said, it's easier to close down rather than trying to get a locum for two weeks. Dr Lewis of Wadebridge will take up the slack, and I'll do the same for him, later on."
Joan could see that he had put a fair amount of thought into this. "Well, I wish you good weather and a very relaxing time! Louisa, make sure you take plenty of pictures for me to see!"
"Ooh, speaking of pictures, I've got one of my latest scans to show you." Louisa went and got the picture from her handbag before giving it to Joan. "That's for you to keep. Look at the size of it now!"
Martin, perceiving that this would turn into a long conversation decided to beat a retreat back to work.
As he'd anticipated, Joan and Louisa talked for another half hour before Joan said it was time for her to go. Looking at Louisa she remarked "I've never seen Martin as happy as he's been since you were married. Thank you, Louisa."
Louisa teared up and went to give her a hug. "I love him, Joan. That's all that matters."
"Right, I'm going. Call me if you need anything doing, won't you?" Joan saw Louisa nod and was off out of the door.
"Bye Joan," was just an echo of the door slamming shut.
Louisa picked up the crockery and put it in the dishwasher before recommencing the housework. She'd made some cheese on toast for lunch when Martin reappeared. "What are you doing this afternoon, Martin?"
"If it's all right with you, I'm going to do some more work on my clock. My brain needs to wind down from all the events of this past week!" He smiled at Louisa to show he was only joking.
"Well, I'm going to look on my computer at the information about the Scilly's and then I'm going for a nap. I'm finding that I'm actually looking forward to it!"
"It is really very beneficial for you to rest whenever you can, Louisa. You and Junior both need to relax from time to time." He reached over for her hand and clasped it gently. "I won't let you sleep too long, I promise."
He got up and left to go back to his desk where he could work in peace.
Louisa set to and put "Scilly Islands" into her browser. Soon she found a welter of information and began to wade through it.