Chapter 15 – Gifts

When Louisa told me about her day's events and the money she had spent, I felt blood rush to my face. "You spent how much?"

She ducked her head. "Not so loud, Mar-tin. You'll wake James."

"Fine," I lowered my voice. James had gone down for a nap just minutes before Louisa returned home. He'd resisted taking a rest until I read him the train book, and only then did he accept having a lie-down.

"The girl needed a wedding dress. You surely don't expect her to marry Al in a pair of blue jeans and flip-flops do you?" Louisa hissed.

I thought she'd have to wear a blouse as well, but I suppressed those words. "But £520?"

"Yes, Mar-tin! It's my money too. I work, you know."

"Part time."

"And I'm in school! Taking classes!"

"Yes. Let's not wake James?"

She froze, mouth agape. "Right," she answered softly.

I eyed her warily for she was very upset, perhaps more than me. "I appreciate that you…"

"Want to do something nice. And I have. It is part of a gift for her and Al, got it?"

I held up my hands. "Alright." Clearly she had her own ideas about this and I was losing the argument; in fact had lost it long before it started.

She bit her lip. "Plus I said we ought to get together with Bert about a reception."

I closed my eyes. "Fine." I turned away, and walked into my surgery, where I sat down and started working on next week's supply list. Most I could order through the Chemist but some had to be done on-line. I was switching on my laptop when Louisa came in.

"We weren't finished," she said.

"What is you wish to say?"

She sat down in front of my desk. "Martin, I'm not going to fight you about this. But let me explain…"

"You feel that Morwenna and Al need some help with their wedding, and so you have decided to do so. Fine. Good." I turned back to the computer and then looked up at her. "Is that all?"

She shook her head. "I…"

"Yes? Something more?"

"Ooh. Why do you have to be so… so?"

I can think of a number of words she might be searching for. Rude, brash, tosser (no she'd never say that to me), grumpy (that one she does use), or pig-headed came to mind.

Her face screwed up. "Bloody factual?"

I sighed. "I suppose I am. Look, you already said that you want to help Morwenna, and you have – er, are – so continue."

"Continue?" she said as a surprised look came to her face.

"Yes. You are right."

"I'm right?"

"To do so. Al and Morwenna; they need our help."

She brightened. "Ahm. Okay."

"Oh, by the way, Ruth told me that she was going to pay for the reception. She told me yesterday. Perhaps she has not told Al yet, and therefore Morwenna hasn't heard this news."

"Oh my gosh! Brilliant." She smiled. "That's really good news. Good old Ruth. She is very fond of Al."

"And from I was told by a patient the church ladies' club is paying for the flowers and decorations."

"Who told you that?"

"Uhm… name… old woman, blonde hair, wears a pull-over cap." I snapped my fingers in irritation.

"Ethel? Ethel Wilkens?"

"That's the one." I didn't mention that she and her friend had tattooed DNR across their chests. Strange people. "Mrs. Wilkens."

Louisa grinned. "Goodness. I'd better contact them; the church ladies."

I nodded. "And Louisa… I…"

"What?"

"I also wanted to say…" How to say this? That I've been thinking about something we talked about the other night and a few days later? "About James."

"What about James? Is he sick?" She jumped up to run upstairs, I suppose.

"No. Stop. James is fine." Still sleeping, I hoped. "Wait, yes, this is about James. Somewhat."

She looked at me cockeyed. "Somewhat? Just what is that supposed to mean?"

I stood, shot my cuffs, cleared my throat, and then walked to stand close to her. "Louisa. This would be a…"

"A what?"

A gift, I thought. "A sort of a present for James." And you and me as well, I thought, if you accept it.

She looked at me in alarm. "Martin?"

I put my arms around her and held her gently.

"Oh," she said as she pressed the side of her face against me. "Hug."

"Ahm, yes." I rubbed her back gently as I laid my head against hers. "You asked me a question some time ago. The answer is yes."

"Yes to what? What question did I ask?" She stared up into my eyes.

Her body was soft and warm, and she smelled of Kenzo Flower. "Children," I said quietly.

"Children?" Now she looked at me more intently, as she chewed at her lip.

Suddenly I felt very warm. "Uhm, about… ahem, having more… that is, another…"

Now I had her full attention. "Another what?" she asked. "Surely not another dog. One is quite enough," she chuckled.

"No! Dot a dog!" Blasted dog. I regretted the day I agreed we would take it. "A baby!" I blurted out. "Yes… that is… if you… want to… to… have another child. With me of course. I'd be… uhm, willing… to try… to have a… another…uhm, baby… with you. If you want to. That is if you still want to. You can say no, obviously. Your choice. I appreciate that you may have changed your mind… since you asked me."

Her mouth fell open, and her head went down, so the top of it was pressed against my sternum, hiding her face behind her hair. But her arms tightened around me.

"Louisa?" I asked. "Are you alright?"

Her face came up and I saw she had the most wonderful smile as she looked up at me. Her arms pulled me closer and I felt her pelvis and torso press closely against mine. "Oh yes, Martin! I'd like that. I'd like that very much. That will be a lovely…" Her arms pulled me closer. "Gift. Thank you."

"No guarantee of course… that we could… conceive again. And it may take some time to properly chart your ovulation cycles…"

She put a hand behind my head and pulled my mouth into a deep and very satisfying kiss, and we stood together for quite some time.