Chapter 34 – Late

I hurried fast as I could because, God forbid, I got back at my desk late. Mum and I had a nice lunch and chat and I didn't want to ruin my feel-good vibs by the Doc tearing a strip off me. I fairly ran up the hill, put my key into the lock, turned it, and pushed the door open. As I stepped inside it was dead quiet. The sound of something was missing; like people talking or moving around. Usually I can hear the Doc in the kitchen or in his consulting room, and Louisa typing on her laptop. "Hello? Doc?" I called out, as I stepped into reception. "Louisa?" I called out, aiming my voice up the stairs. "You two up there?"

Suddenly there were muffled voices overhead in qualities of both shock and alarm. I distinctly heard the Doc shout, "Oh God!" and then Louisa told him, "Mar-tin, not to panic! Just..."

Both were upstairs then and it seems that they weren't happy I was back from lunch. My watch showed it to be one twenty-six. Hm. Okay. I walked to my desk, sat drown primly, and reviewed the office schedule. Well, whatever was going on the Doc was not happy being caught at it. Louisa didn't sound exactly pleased either. Oh well. Not my fault.

Up above I could hear hurried footsteps, the slam of a door (bathroom?), and then the scrape of what sounded like dresser drawers opening and closing. A toilet flushed, what must have been their bedroom door creaked open, and then a very flustered Doc clattered downstairs.

His hair was a little askew, his tie was knotted crooked, and he wore a medium-blue shirt, instead of the light-colored one of this morning. "Morwenna," he said through clenched teeth. "You are back! Right…" he came to me and snapped his fingers. "Notes?" he said indignantly.

"And good afternoon to you as well." I pointed at my watch. "One-thirty just now but your first afternoon patient isn't here yet. That will be Angela Davies. When she arrives, if she arrives, I will remove her notes from the file and give them to you." I smiled up at him. "You wouldn't want me to waste effort would you?" The last was to needle him for he'd been on my case about not being efficient.

He ducked his head. "Yes. Good… I'll just be… ahem…" He turned towards the consulting room.

Louisa's feet suddenly shot into view on the upper landing, then they slowed, and she slowly and calmly came down the steps. She was running her fingers through her long hair to get out a tangle, just as she came off the bottom step faced me. "Hello," she said innocently but she was blushing, and breathing slightly fast.

"Hi," I answered her. She had been wearing lipstick when I left for lunch and now she didn't, plus she pointedly was trying not to look at the Doc, while he was just as assuredly trying not to look at her. I might have been rubbish working at the bakery or chemist but I can add two and two and come up with the right answer. Those two… they'd been… oh my! The Doc snogging with Louisa in the middle of the day? I tried to hide my smile. No, it was more! The two of them had been shagging!

"What?" Louisa aimed my way, when she saw me expression change.

I stiffened, trying to keep a straight face. "Oh, nothing." Yes, had to be. Well, well, they are human after all, especially Martin. Afternoon delight? My goodness! Will wonders never cease?

Louisa slowly blew air from her nose. "Fine."

The Doc tried to hide in plain sight, as if his six foot-three inch tall frame could ever hide. He started, and then checked his watch, just as the front door creaked open. He glared at Angela Davies as she peeped in. "You are late!" he yelled at the poor girl.

"Sorry Doc," the girl shrugged, "Only a couple minutes!" She was all of seventeen and had been seeing the Doc for acne treatment. A generally pretty girl, but her poor face was spotty.

I heard him mutter, "Teenagers," under his breath. "Fine. Go through." He waved toward his open consulting room door, and then he turned to me with a glare. "What are you gawping at? Notes!" His fingers snapped. "Quickly now."

"Hold your horses," I admonished him.

A scared Angela skittered past the Doc, as I got her notes out, and handed them to him while he scowled. So I stared right back at him until he went in to examine Angela.

Louisa stood very still, until he'd left the room. "Morwenna? Got a minute?"

I looked around the empty waiting room. "Think so."

Louisa tossed her head. "Kitchen then."

I followed her there, but she stopped and faced away from me, chewing on a fingernail. "Louisa? Something wrong?"

She hugged herself, then turned with her eyes wincing. "Morwenna… I want to share… something. Some news."

"News? About what? The wedding?"

Louisa wrapped her arms around herself. "No, not that." She pursed her lips. "It's only, well, now this is an absolute secret, just between us. Right?"

"Sure."

She took a deep breath. "Martin… says… we will confirm; with a test. Tomorrow morning. Better, more accurate, in the morning, he says."

"Yeah?" Louisa had not looked her best lately; thinner around her face and neck. Didn't seem fair that she could lose weight while I was gaining, week after week. "Are you sick?"

She smiled and shook her head side to side. "Not exactly."

"You have been looking a little peaked. Why are you telling me this thing? Whatever it is; you haven't said."

"Oh," she sighed, "You and I have grown closer these last few weeks, haven't we?"

I nodded. "We have. Like sisters, kinda." All the great things she's done for our wedding; the dress, the arrangements. "Better than sisters, seems to me, if I had one, which I don't." And neither did she.

Louisa grinned. "It's just that, you know, my job, and being married to Martin, I can't share much and sometimes I just need someone to listen to me, is all. And unlike last time, I can't keep it a secret. Have to tell somebody."

I put my arms around her. "Of course. Well don't you worry Louisa, you can say anything you like, just get things off your chest, and I won't tell a soul!" Her nervous look didn't exactly fit with my impression that they had been in bed together over lunch. "Not a peep outta me. Torture wouldn't get it out of me! Dunking, the rack, all that - zip lip from me. So go ahead. What's going on?"

She took a slow breath, then said quietly, "Good to hear. Now it's just that I'm late, and as I said, we do need to take a test…"

"Late?" Late? As in… oh late!

"We're pretty sure I'm pregnant," Louisa whispered in my ear. "About nine weeks."

In spite of my assurances of silence I shouted for joy.