Chapter 6 - Tulips

Next morning Martin woke up after a very good night. After the intermezzo with James, he had rather easily fallen asleep again and apparently so had his son. Now it was seven o'clock already, normally James woke up at about six thirty.

Martin got out of bed quietly, Louisa still slept peacefully, curled up on her side of the bed. As it was still silent in James' room, he quickly headed to the bathroom for a shower and a shave. He dressed, but left out the jacket of his suit - several experiences with bottles and oatmeal had learnt him rather expensive lessons. The dry cleaner's bills had risen sky high over the past ten months...

Now he heared James babbling and gurgling, so he was awake now and training his vocal cords and tongue.

Martin entered his room and was welcomed with a huge smile.. It briefly reminded him of the smile his son gave him on the moment his son was about to leave to Spain with his mother, but he pushed away these thoughts.

'Goodmorning James, did you sleep well?'

Martin lifted his son out of his cot. He quickly changed his son's nappy. 'That wasn't really a luxury, was it, little man?'

They both went downstairs. Martin installed James in his chair, put the kettle on for tea, boiled some eggs and gave James a soft piece of bread to chew on. He also prepared the oatmeal and a bottle for James and the tea for him and Louisa of course.

After having assured himself that James was secured in his chair and couldn't reach for anything harmful on the table, he went upstairs to wake up Louisa.

'Goodmorning Louisa' he said when he entered the room, 'Sorry to have to wake you up, but it is time for you to get up. I'd like you to join us for breakfast... Uhm.. ' he hesitated but then added 'that is something I really missed in my youth, a family moment to start the day with...'.

Louisa, regretfully leaving her nice dreams on her pillow, streched, got out of bed and put a dressing gown on. Heading downstairs, she pecked Martin on his recently shaven cheek and smiled. 'Come on then, Martin, I could eat a horse, after this night's exercices...'.

Martin's ears got purple, and his cheeks also showed a dark shade of red. He still wasn't used to talking about their intimate moments..

When they entered the kitchen, James welcomed them with a big smile 'mumum, dada'. His babbles were accompanied by taps on the table with the wooden spoon he used as a toy.

'Good morning gorgeous' his mummy said, kissing and hugging him. 'Heared you have helped your father getting over a bad dream hmmm..'.

'Actually it was James who had a bad dream, Louisa..'

'Maybe, but when you returned to bed, you also slept a deep sleep, darling. Quite a long time ago, since you had a night like that, wasn't it?'

'Hmmm'.

All three of them quietly enjoyed their breakfast. 'You're right Martin, this is better than rushingly take a bite and do ten things at the time, before going to school. But I am not sure I will be able to manage it like this every day...

Now it was really time for Louisa to get dressed, so she went upstairs, while Martin cleaned up the kitchen and dressed James.

It was nearly eight o'clock now. Louisa wouldn't go to school before half past eight and his surgery would start at nine.

He took his smartphone and started to enter a text message:

'Good morning Morwenna, no you're not to late, don't worry. Actually, I want you to be late today...' He pushed the send button.

'Morning doc, I bet you want to have some privacy, for kissing your wife before going at work?! ;-)' was the message Martin received as an answer.

'No nothing like that and none of your business, although...' Martin pushed the send button again.

'What's up doc?'

'I wish you to do something for me..'

Then he typed another message with his question and ended with 'Thank you!'

Morwenna, sipping from her mug of coffee, looked at the last message the doc had sent to her, flabbergastered. The doc saying thank you! 'Well, as he puts it that way, he shows he's learning, how can I refuse his request!

She quickly finished her breakfast and went to the florist shop just around the corner. She carefully chose the indicated flowers and assured that the florist put the rightg colors in the bunch and in the mean time chose an adequate blue vase for them..

'Please arrange them in here, doctor's orders!'

The florist looked quite surprised at the order, but obeyed of course, knowing that he could charge something extra for the service. Morwenna was really pleased with the result and carefully carried the vase with flowers up the hill to the surgery. Not exactly knowing what doc Martin wished to do with them it seemed best to her to put them in the examination room.

She entered the kitchen. 'Morning doc, hello little fellow' she greeted the two Ellingham men. Louisa wasn't there yet. Martin looked at her questioningly, 'Hmm yes, good morning Morwenna, where...'

Before he finished the sentence Morwenna answered 'In the examining room. Suposed you wanted to do something special with them.'

'Right, yes, watch James for a minute, please'

Martin went to the surgery and came back with the vase. He put it in the middle of the table. It could not be missed.

'Doc?', Morwenna asked, 'Do you want me to bring James to Maureen and Roger? That 'll give Louisa some minutes extra to admire them before going to school... And it'll get me out of the way too', she added with a grin.

'Hmm, yes, good initiative', Martin replied, quickly preparing James' bag and putting him in the buggy.

'Come on James, let's leave them turtle-doves alone for a moment...'

Martin just closed the kitchen door behind them, when Louisa entered. 'Where's James?... Oh Martin, they are beautiful, where did you get those at this hour of the day, without going out?'

Louisa pointed at the beautiful blue vase with numerous red and white tulips in it. There were also three orange tulips right in the center. A little card was attached, saying Dutch flowers in the Dutch national colors to thank you for coming to the Netherlands, Martin.

Martin stood near the sink, a bit shy and not knowing which question to answer first. Best would be chronologic order, he decided. 'Morwenna brings James to Maureen today. She also went to the florist on my request..'

'Martin, what a beautiful surprise, it makes me want to prepare our visit to the country of Vermeer and all those other famous painters right away. We also can go and see the flower fields won't we? She came towards him and put her arms around his waist, smiling her most beautiful smile.

Martin was amused by his wifes enthousiasm, embraced her as well and kissed her on top of her head. 'Glad you like them', he said, 'I'll make the subscription to the conference today and I'll ask Chris to organize a locum for two weeks. Tonight we'll look at the rest together. Now, at this moment, I have patients to see and you have pupils to teach..'.

'Yeah', Louisa said regretfully, 'but not before I've given you a proper thank you!' She then kissed Martin passionately and Martin replied equally, both forgetting all about school and surgery...

Then Morwenna shouted from the waiting room 'DOC, you have patients waitinggggg!'...

To be continued..