"Are you sure you're ready to go back today?" Gordon stopped her just as they were to enter the hospital.
"What else can I do Gordon, eh? Sit at home all day, running through everything in my head?"
"Fair point." He replied. He gazed at her in sympathy as she raised a hand to her mouth attempting to stifle a yawn. She'd spent a restless night. In retrospect, the sleep during the day probably did more bad for her than good. Though she'd tried to avoid waking Gordon, twice he roused. He then proceeded to sleepily encase her in his arms, murmuring often incoherent phrases to her in an attempt to sooth her into slumber once more. Jill yawned once again, smiling sheepishly at Gordon, before leading the way inside.
"Morning doctors." Lizzie greeted them, in a tone, though more cheerful than the previous week, was still far from the usual sunshine tone staff and patients were accustomed to.
"Morning Liz-" Gordon began but stopped. The change in the receptionists appearance momentarily shocking him. In front of him was a Lizzie dressed like he never seen her before. She was dressed in a heavy, grey woollen sweater, and a glance over the reception desk revealed grey trousers and shoes. It wasn't so much what she was wearing that caused the surprise though, it was more the stark contrast to the normal bright print dresses and mini skirts, accompanied by overly high heeled shoes. "What-" He began, but once again stopped abruptly, this time by a tap on his arm from Jill. A glance to his left saw her shaking her head at him. Seeing this, he immediately stopped any questions he was about to ask, and merely thanked Lizzie as he accepted the post and patient lists she handed him.
In Jill's office, Gordon watched her for a moment, placing her papers on her desk, before questioning her. "What was all that with Lizzie?"
"Ah, yes." She turned, perched on her desk and crossed her arms. "I forgot all about that. She was dressed like that on Saturday. It seems she's been reading those books I gave her."
"Ah." Gordon responded, a smile creeping onto his face, but it quickly vanished as Jill raised an eyebrow at him.
"Surely this is better than her pining after Dave. She's getting her self-confidence back, learning to respect herself. However, Ken and Alun aren't too pleased. I don't think I'm in their good books at the moment."
Gordon merely nodded, too afraid to say anything in case it would be taken the wrong way as Jill gazed steadily at him. "Anyway." He eventually said brightly, hoping to change the subject. "Must get on, patients to see and all that."
Jill nodded, stepping forwards and surprising him with a tight hug. He laughed softly at her show of affection and slid his arms around her, gliding one hand up and down her back, feeling his wife's familiar form through the soft material of her coat. "You going to be okay?"
She nodded, releasing him and smiling broadly at him. It remained as he walked out the door, waving to her before shutting it behind him. Immediately, the smile slipped away and despite herself, a slight trembling took hold of her.
"Goodbye Mr Finch." Jill smiled, following her last patient of morning surgery out into the corridor. She entered the area behind reception, handing her file to Lizzie. "Has Doctor Ormerod finished?" She questioned, opening the lid of the kettle, checking the amount of water inside.
"He finished ages ago. Doing his house call now."
"Oh really." She replied, flicking the switch on the kettle. She fished out some tea bags from the caddy, concentrating on the act of tea making and trying to ignore the panicky feeling building within her. "Where abouts?"
"Erm." Lizzie pushed aside some papers on her desk, lifted a couple of files before coming across the information she needed. "He's only got one. The patient's on Hessel Road. It's the one by the hairdressers in town. You know, the one painted bright red. The hairdressers I mean, not the road..." She trailed off, laughing slightly.
Jill merely nodded, trying to make her next question sound as nonchalant as possible. "Did he say how long he'd be?"
"He should be back anytime now I expect." She smiled, turning to a woman with a child at her desk.
The whistle of the kettle broke into Jill's thoughts, and she picked it up, forcing her hands to steady as she poured it into two patterned cups upon the table in front of her. "Hello love!" She almost dropped the kettle as her husband's voice reached her ears. She let out a sigh, relief rushing through her. She plastered a smile on her face and turned to him.
"Tea? I think there's enough water left."
"Please." He replied, flashing her one of his smiles reserved just for her.
She once again concentrated on making tea, using it as an excuse not to talk. She couldn't trust her voice, not until she'd completely calmed down. Wordlessly, she handed him his steaming cup, then placed one in front of Lizzie, smiling as she thanked her. Gordon had already picked up her tea when she turned back, and gestured with his head to his office. She followed him in and closed the door behind them, satisfied she had calmed sufficiently to conduct herself as normal around him.
They drank their tea in silence, comfortable to be in one another's presence without filling every second with conversation. Gordon seemed deep in thought, while she herself mulled over her reaction just a few minutes previously. She couldn't deny it was fear that had gripped her at hearing Gordon was out of the hospital, despite housecalls being something they did every day and had done ever since they'd started. She knew her reaction was due to the possibility of the unknown danger. Someone had deliberately set out to hurt her, emotionally, and there was no knowing if he or she would stop at just telling her what they had, or whether that was a threat, and the worst was yet to come.
"Jill. Jill?"
She broke from her thoughts when she felt Gordon place his hand upon hers. "Mmm?" She looked up at him, blinking, clearing her vision of the blurriness staring at one place for a length of time had caused.
"I've been saying your name at least ten times. Where were you? Somewhere good I hope." His expression was filled with amusement, his tone gently mocking, but not unkindly so.
"Yeah, something like that." She murmured, forcing her expression to remain bright as he continued speaking.
"I've been thinking, since there's no evening surgery today, and Jeff's on call, how's about we get out of here early and go to the beach?"
"Well I'd love to, but shouldn't we be covering for Jeff. We did leave him on his own yesterday."
"I asked him, but he said he'd rather I cover next week. He's got his eye on someone I think."
She returned the knowing smile he flashed at her, then nodded. "Then we shall go to the beach. Meet at five?"
He nodded, grinned and kissed her on the cheek. "See you then." He replied before heading out towards the wards.
