A new receptionist

When Patrick entered his house, he smelled burnt food. Immediately, adrenaline shot through his veins. If Shelagh had burnt their food, something must have happened, something serious. He entered the kitchen where he found a pan still smoking, carelessly thrown into the sink. He noticed burnt potatoes sticking to the bottom of the pot. On the worktop sat a chopping board with a few carrots and onions, already cut into small pieces, on it. Just when he turned his head to see whether anyone was in the living room, Patrick noticed Timothy walking down the stairs carrying his baby brother.

"Dad, thank god you're home," his oldest sighed with relief. His face was pale and his expression earnest. Only Teddy squeaked with happiness when he saw his father.

"What is it, Timothy?" Patrick asked alarmed, ignoring his baby son's arms indicating the little one wanted to be held by his father.

"Dad, can you please go upstairs and check on Mum? When I came home she was sitting at the table crying and the potatoes were burning. I took the pot off the oven and sent her upstairs. I don't know what but something must have upset her terribly."

Timothy hadn't yet finished talking when Patrick ran upstairs, taking two steps at a time. He quietly entered their bedroom and found his wife lying on the bed, facing downward, her movements indicating she was sobbing.

"Shelagh?" he asked, his voice pained. "What is it, talk to me, please."

He carefully sat down next to her and stroked her back. Only after a few minutes, the sobbing began to ebb and Shelagh turned her head to the left so he was able to see her face. Patrick felt awful seeing her red, puffy eyes, still damp with tears.

"Shelagh, love, tell me what has upset you so, will you?" he said, almost whispering.

Shelagh swallowed and said with a voice hoarse from crying: "I am so sorry, Patrick. I don't know what is wrong with me. I just felt… I felt like I just can't go on anymore. Teddy has kept me awake with his teething for almost a week now, Angela cut a hole into my uniform this morning and then I had a very upsetting day at work. With Barbara gone they need me and I am so happy to be working at Nonnatus House again, but this week has been more than I can take."

Patrick shifted on the bed so he was able to draw his wife's head into his lap. He began to stroke her hair. "Shelagh, love, I am going to tell you something and I beg you to not be upset with me. But I have been afraid this day might come. Since Nurse Hereward's death I have been watching you get torn between me and the surgery, Nonnatus House and the children. I know you want to do everything, but don't you feel we need to perhaps slow down a bit somewhere?"

Shelagh huffed in desperation. "But Patrick, where? It has been like this for four weeks and with Christmas coming up I really don't know where to begin. With Granny Parker being ill and Mrs Penney only available on two or three days a week, I really can't rely on anyone to leave the children with. And who will be taking care of all the chores? Have you ever noticed the laundry bin which just never seems to be empty with us two at work and three children?" Shelagh sighed in a powerless voice.

Patrick considered his wife's words for a while until he spoke: "If it is too much, we need to think about a way where we can reduce the burden on all of us. Until we have found a solution, I suggest that we ask Tim to help watching the children. He can pick up Angela from nursery when he returns from school and watch her while he does his homework. She rarely gets up to any mischief, he could do this. Teddy, we will find someone to watch him on the days you are at work. I am certain the Nurses will know a capable young girl interested in earning a bit of money for a few hours every week? And loyalty to Mrs Penney, fine, but don't you think we need a housekeeper who can take on more than she can?"

Shelagh smiled a tired smile. She slowly sat up and adjusted her hair. Then she leaned against her husband, thankfully accepting his embrace. "You are right, Patrick," she began and paused for a moment. "I have been thinking about something else, for a while," she continued hesitantly at first, turning her head so she could look at his face.

Patrick looked at her in surprise: "Tell me, then."

"I think it would be good if we hired a receptionist for the surgery. At least part time." Shelagh looked at her husband, her expression showing she was not certain about her husband's reaction to her suggestion.

"Shelagh, this is a perfect idea," Patrick exclaimed. "Why didn't I think of it? I am so sorry, I should have thought of it myself. I have been increasingly concerned with you being torn between all your many tasks."

He paused and looked at his wife lovingly. "In fact, I walked past Mrs Gillespie's house earlier. We chatted for a while and she told me that she was laid off a few days ago. She is a secretary by training, we could ask her."

Shelagh bit her lips and contemplated her husband's idea for a while. "I don't know, Patrick. Has she ever worked in a medical environment, in a surgery?"

Patrick frowned. "I don't know for sure. Probably not, but she strikes me as a very open and polite person, also well-organized. I think she could be fit for this task. Why don't we call her tomorrow and ask her to come by during lunch break?"

Shelagh drew in a deep breath before she slowly nodded. "I think I don't have much of a choice," she sighed. "I feel I just can't take anymore. We urgently need someone."

Patrick carefully cupped her face with both of his hands. "There is a new pill I just read about the other day. It might help you sleep and calm down during the day. It is called Valium. You might want to try and see whether it will help you relax. I can prescribe it to you if you want to."

Shelagh blinked her eyes, feeling fresh tears. She slowly nodded. "Yes," she whispered. "Perhaps this would be a good idea. Right now, I have the feeling that everything is just getting a bit too much. Like a huge wave, threatening to crush me."

Patrick placed a light kiss on her cheek and drew her into a tight embrace. He rested his head on her hair and whispered: "I am going to take care of you. Prevent the wave from crushing you, alright? Why don't we carry out a few checks tomorrow morning right before surgery starts and then I am going to write you a prescription?"

Shelagh leant backwards and looked into his eyes:" Checks? What do you mean? I feel perfectly healthy?"

Patrick swallowed. "Well, after…" he paused, "after Distaval, I think it best to make sure you are not pregnant before…" his voice faded out and Shelagh smiled another tired smile.

"Patrick, this is considerate of you. I don't think there is anything we are going to find. But you are right, let us make sure there is nothing to worry about."

The next morning, the Turners took care to arrive earlier than usual at surgery. Shelagh had taken Teddy along and left a note for Mrs Penney that Patrick would bring him to the house later before a house call he was going to make in the vicinity.

"You were right," Patrick said to his wife, watching her adjusting her uniform after she had sat up from on the examination table. Both had been expecting the result as neither was able to remember the last time a possible conception might have taken place. Their life had become so busy and tiring that it took an occasion like this to notice.

"Well, yes, I was," Shelagh said, blushing lightly, obviously wondering how long it had been since last time. Patrick gave her a mischievous grin, bent down and whispered in her ear: "It has been a while, I know."

Shelagh's face turned almost crimson while her husband straightened up his upper body while lovingly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I am going to write your prescription," he said. "You still can go get it before work." Then he walked to his chair, sat down and retrieved his prescription pad. Next to his desk, Teddy was playing with a few building blocks and kidney dishes. His parents did not mind the loud clinking noises he produced as they were rather glad for having their youngest distracted so they could finish their private business.

Shelagh looked at Patrick and smiled. "Thank you. I know I can always rely on you, Patrick."

She got up from the exam table she had still been sitting on and slowly walked over to stand beside her husband. After Patrick handed her the prescription, Shelagh studied it for a while and suddenly said: "Mrs Gillespie, Patrick. We should call her now before I have to go. How about I call her and you get ready for the day?"

Patrick nodded and Shelagh hurried outside towards her reception desk. A few minutes later she returned to her husband's office, smiling. "Now, Mrs Gillespie was quite happy about my call. She said she could come by during your lunch break and we can talk to her about the position. I will make sure I can be with you. I could explain everything and perhaps she will want to stay during afternoon surgery to familiarize what her tasks would be."

Patrick, still sitting on his chair, reached out his hand, indicating his wife to come closer. Shelagh approached her husband so that when she was standing next to him, he could sling his arm around her waist while leaning his head against her abdomen. "I love you, Shelagh. And we will manage, we always do." He looked up at Shelagh's face. "With Mrs Gillespie coming to help, I am sure we have made a start in making things easier on us." Shelagh sighed a relieved sigh and the couple remained in their position for a long moment, each revelling in being close to the other.

A few hours later, Patrick had closed his surgery and was waiting for both Mrs Gillespie and Shelagh when the phone rang. While he jogged from his office to the reception desk, he heard a knock on the door. He quickly opened it and made a gesture to the slightly surprised Mrs Gillespie to enter. Then he jumped to the phone and answered it, almost breathlessly.

"Mr. Thomas, yes. But it is… oh, I see, yes. Of course. Yes, tell her that I will come by later to check on your wife. Good bye."

Patrick hung up the phone and looked at his guest. "I am sorry. That was the husband of one of our expecting mothers. Apparently she is in labour, four weeks early. Shelagh is with her and the birth is already well underway, so she won't be able to join us. She asked Mr Thomas to let me know she wants the two of us to speak without her."

Stella smiled her radiant smile. "Oh, too bad. I was looking forward to learning about what has to be done here," she nodded towards the desk. "Should I just come back tomorrow then?"

Patrick shook his head. "No, now that you are here, let us talk about what we need here at the surgery." He ushered her into the direction of his office. "I am sorry," he said while they entered the room. "I can't even offer you a cup of tea, I forgot to brew a fresh pot and if I begin now I will be late for my afternoon rounds."

Stella smiled at him while she shook off her coat and both sat down, Patrick on his office chair, and Stella on the visitor's chair. "Yes, looks like you definitely need someone to take care of all these little things," she said, looking around while a knowing smile playing around her lips. "So, tell me, what are you expecting of a receptionist at your surgery, Dr Turner?" Stella asked eagerly.

Patrick smiled nonchalantly. "I thought I was going to ask the questions," he chuckled, "but, well, Mrs Gillespie, what I am expecting is punctuality, politeness and a person who is well-organized and can handle our filing system."

Stella cocked her head. "This sounds like something I can do," she smiled. "I am never late, I am a very polite person and as a secretary, I am trained to be the most organized person in the workplace."

Patrick laughed. "Welcome to the Kenilworth Row Surgery and Maternity Home then. That is if Shelagh agrees and if you find you can work with her filing system. But I don't see any problems with it."

"Thank you, Dr Turner," Stella said in a firm voice while rising from her chair. "I appreciate your offer and your support. There is no need to keep you any longer. I am going to be here tomorrow before you open the surgery. I hope your wife will be here, so she can give me an introduction to the reception desk and the filing system."

"We will do as you ask," Patrick said and got up from his chair. He walked Stella outside, placing his right hand on the small of her back. He felt her lightly flinch upon his hand's first contact with her back but noticed her leaning back ever so carefully. He also noticed a feeling of satisfaction deep down in his belly at her easing into his contact.

"Good bye, Stella," Patrick said when they arrived at the door. Stella turned to face him and grinned. She raised her hands and carefully adjusted his tie. "Good bye, Patrick," she said, looking him into his eyes. "I assume a receptionist is also supposed to make sure the doctor is looking presentable before he heads out to see his patients?" she asked playfully.

Patrick grinned and nodded. "Absolutely. I think we hired the right person then."