"Are you still staying at mine tonight?" Gordon murmured in Jill's ear as they made their way up the path to the hospital at the end of their lunch break.
"You try and stop me." She replied, fighting the urge to kiss him as his breath tickled her neck.
He reached forward and pushed open the door to reception, allowing her to enter first. The sight that greeted them was quite the opposite of the morning; Lizzie was certainly not bored with nothing to do; six people crowded round the desk, shouting various demands at her, and Mr Harper stood behind them, his arms full of papers which looked to be destined for Lizzie, and the rest of reception was filled with yet more patients and visitors.
Jill turned and raised her eyebrows at Gordon as the noise was added to by a screaming child. "So much for a quiet day, eh."
He chuckled. "Poor Lizzie. Come on; let's make the most of the rest of lunch, in peace." He placed a guiding hand on the small of her back as they made their way through the crowd. When they were half way though, the sound of Lizzie shouting Jill's name stopped them.
"Yes Lizzie?" She called, straining to make herself heard over the racket.
"There's a message for you. The person said it was important." She held an envelope above her head.
With difficulty, Jill reached over and plucked it from her hand. She took one glance at the envelope, and her heart sank. "Damn." She muttered, and began tearing it open."
"Jill are you okay?" Gordon questioned, whilst pushing her gently out of reception.
"Yeah… yeah I'm fine." She replied absently. She scanned the contents of the letter, then turned abruptly and almost ran into the area behind reception. "Lizzie!" She tapped the receptionist's shoulder urgently. "Lizzie!"
"Yes?" Stress was evident in her voice and in her strained smile.
"Who gave this to you?" Jill asked, becoming guilty about making more demands on the girl.
"Erm, I can't remember." She paused, her face twisted in concentration. "A young lad I think. He said a man outside had told him to give it to me."
Jill sighed, her hope of discovering the writer fleeting. "Thanks Lizzie." She turned and headed back towards Gordon, who was standing waiting for her, looking confused about her behaviour. She just glanced at him and followed him mutely into his office, feeling defeated. The new letter, through its demands and threats, posed a dilemma, and she had no idea how to get round it without telling Gordon all, something she was adamant she was not going to do. Two emotions stopped her; fear and love.
Jill sighed sadly as she stepped back from a patient's bed. The pale form lay motionless, eyes closed, and chest barely rising and falling gently with precious breaths.
"Matron, can I have a word please?" She tipped her head towards the door leading out into the corridor.
"What is it doctor?" Matron asked once they were standing outside the doors of Fawcett Ward.
"It's Mrs Lord." She said, referring to the patient. "She's deteriorating. Can you keep a close eye on her, inform me immediately of any changes?"
"Of course doctor." Matron answered, her voice soft with concern. "Have you any idea what it is?"
Jill shook her head. "The test results are due back tomorrow. Hopefully they will shed some light." She paused and the two women looked at each other. "Look I'll come back tonight, about midnight say, just for one last check. If something happens at any other time during the night, can you let Dr Goodwin know? He's on call I believe, and I might be out."
A slight smile crept onto the older woman's face. "Oh, anywhere nice?"
Her chest tightening slightly, Jill shook her head. "No, no, just catching up with some old friends." She took a shuddering breath then rushed on. "Look Matron, I've got to go." Without giving Matron a chance to reply and not even looking at her to see if she believed her. Jill hurried away, though not quick enough to stop the guilt building in her chest from lying. She tried to convince herself it wasn't really a lie; Gordon was a friend after all, but when it came down to it, it wasn't the whole truth. And she hated it.
And that wasn't the only reason she felt guilty.
