Chapter 6

Problems Arise

"You'll sleep when the mornin' comes. And I'll lie and watch you sleepin'. And you'll smile when you dream about the night. Like it's a secret you've been keepin'. Layin' beside you lost in the feeling. So glad you opened my door. You're my song, music too magic to end. I'll play you over and over again."

XxXxXx

It is the first time since medical school that I didn't feel like I was marking time in my private life. In my medical career, I never felt expendable until that day the haemophobia struck me down. Now that I have accepted all the reasons behind that curse I have made a full recovery. Back to my personal life; at first explanations were hard but as Louisa and I learned, matured, and communicated with each other, our life together is easier. This past month was even better than our first year together, and we shared so much this past year. I have a hopeful realization that I want to live, without my awful past intruding ever again into my life with Louisa by my side. I know with her help I can be happy.

Since our weekend away, learning more about each other, we have spent every evening unlike we did those early months of our marriage. We worked more as a team starting with my surgery hours. I start earlier in the day allowing me to end my day escorting my beautiful wife home. Most of the village was happy with the new hours and my wife was happy to see me waiting for her near the Platt with shopping bags in hand for our evening meal. We walk together with our hands intertwined allowing everyone to know Louisa and I are together.

I now realize what Doctor Hayes meant when he said as a couple, each gave and received from the other. Edith only took and I gave everything and received nothing in return, but with Louisa, we are a couple and I am willing to give to this wonderful, lively woman everything to be with her because she gives me so much. I remember the feeling of laying in bed the weekend away, it felt emotionally satisfying to this man's touch-starved nature to lie in the arms of this affectionate woman. I had little prior experience with the emotional and physical gratification of snuggling in bed with someone who desired me. I thought I lost it these past few months as their bed reminded me of Edith and her lack… Enough of those awful memories of my past… Louisa is once again snuggled with me and knowing she chose me makes my future all the better.

XxXxXx

I sit at the desk in my office at the school looking out the window watching the fluffy white clouds in the sky float by, with thoughts of my husband and our wonderful erotic weekend away. It was unlike any time in the past. Why hadn't we talked like that before, so I could find the real Martin under all those layers and I believe I haven't reached the bottom! Today I believe if I was thinking of him, he would know what my thoughts were. Each night since our return has bought us closer as we work together communicating as we cook closely side by side, interacting with Phillip, and as we make love. I love this man and now know that my doctor, husband, the man in my heart return my sentiments in the same capacity is stirring and sends a flutter through me every time I remember how he touches, looks, and kisses. A knock at my door brings back away my thoughts of my husband.

Upon receiving the news from Stu McKenzie to attend the CE course in London, I called Holly asking if she is attending the course. Hoping she will agree so I inquire if it is possible to stay with her for the duration of the course. I hope this time living with Holly will be better than during our college days and my first six months of pregnancy. We catch up on our jobs, I inform her I have been rehired as the head at Portween Primary and finally, Holly directs her question to a more personal manner; the baby. I tell her all about Phillip and that I will miss him terribly attending this course being so far away for so long.

"Louisa, you did say he is staying in Portween while you are here, so is your Prince Charming going to watch him?"

"Yes, Martin will be with him, along with his nanny."

"You have a nanny?"

"Yes, Martin insisted with us away at work all day that Phillip should have stable childcare."

"So Prince Charming is paying for everything. How often do you allow him to see the child?"

"Holly, I married Martin last August."

I can hear her gasp; before her bemused voice starts in on her doubts about staying married to Martin and why did I marry him, if only for the sake of the child?

"Holly, I didn't marry Martin for the money. He invited me to stay with him when I returned from London. We talked and grew close and decided to marry after Phillip was born."

Again, I hear that annoying sigh over the phone, "I don't know what you see in him other than his bank account. I don't care how well off he is, that man is rude, stiff, and a snob."

I laugh aloud with that comment; for her to say Martin is a snob. Holly is the worse snob I ever met; I have never looked at the earning potential of my future husband. I wanted to feel loved and secure but she has a very detailed list that her man has to pass; I guess that is why they never hung around very long. She always made it known when we were together that my country accent irritated her and made my association with her embarrassing, and she says Martin is rude.

I learn that she is in another relationship with another doctor, I hope this time it works out for her. The last doctor, a Dermatologist, thought Holly needed quite a bit of help to improve her skin. She soon discovered that he was more interested in her looks and not her personally, even physically. Simply said he didn't like sex and especially with her. Of course, that ended that relationship. Her recent abhorrent socializations with Barristers, Architects, and Bankers to name a few have not worked out. Maybe the medical field will work out better as there were so many more of them. She has only known Doctor Kevin Chen a month and so far, she says it is working out. They have had a few very good dates to expensive restaurants, concerts, and theatrical plays. This might be the right man this time Holly confesses. Maybe Martin knows him; he is a surgeon at St. Mary's in Orthopedics.

"I don't know but can ask him," I reply. I end the call with the assurance I have a room for my time in London.

XxXxXx

Our weekend away from the village brought us closer together than I thought was possible. I opened the surgery as usual on Monday; patient after patient insisted on knowing where our family disappeared to for the weekend; as our usual stroll into the village didn't go unnoticed. As usual, I felt the village gossips were interrogating me to get the most information to spread among the imbeciles.

Louisa didn't fare much better; jokingly she said that the teachers put her through the wringer with their questions. She did hear that Danny left the village, heading for Wales. I mumbled, "Good, farther away the better" under my breath, but Louisa caught part of it and gave me that look of disappointment.

I spoke to Doctor Hayes by skype, thanking him for his help. We were just setting up my next month's appointment when I hear Morweena calling for help. I quickly end the meeting, jumping up and opening my consulting room door, finding the reception full of fishermen carrying an injured man. Pointing them towards my office, they place him on the couch; only stepping back far enough for me to attend him.

"What's wrong with him?" I ask.

The man has contusions on his face, which are bleeding along with blood on his arms. His pants are torn and he is missing one of his shoes. I pull on gloves, start my examination. Using my torch I check his pupils for equal dilation. Check his BP and listen to his chest, while one of the fishermen converses in his slow manner as he explains.

"Sorry Doc, I came around the bend up the hill and this bloke came stumbling onto the road in front of me. I hit him with my truck," states the fisherman I've seen before in my surgery for mycobacteria* but I can't place his name.

"You shouldn't have moved him. I should have been called to him, not the other way around."

"Doc, I didn't move him other than we pulled him off the lobster traps in the back of my truck. As I said, he popped out of nowhere and ended up with a thud on the traps in the back of the truck. So we figured we get him to you."

I grimace and roll my eyes, too tired to explain, continuing to examine my patient. "What is his name?" I ask looking around the room, receiving shrugs and head shakes, finally one responds to his fellow mate,

"Isn't he the outlander that's hanging around the pub the last couple of days?"

He grunts the affirmative as he leans around me to look at the unconscious man. Morweena comes through the door announcing,

"The ambulance is twenty minutes out. I canceled your last two appointments and the third just left figuring she could see Mrs. Tishell. Do you need me to help?"

"Yes, in the far left drawer bring me the bag of saline. In the cabinet above it pull the package of tubing for an IV. You," I point to the burly blond standing in front of my wheelie cabinet, "Move that over here next to me." Then I point at the three fishermen to my left, "You three can leave. You're in the way."

I must admit, Morweena is helpful, except when she closes her eyes and turns around as I insert the needle for the catheter into the patient's arm. The blonde fisherman holds the IV bag as I test the tubing for air bubbles, satisfied with no air bubbles I connect the tubing to the catheter hub and tape it in place. Morweena is busy pulling gauze pads and filling saline into one of the metal pans, waiting on me to clean the head wounds.

I work through my progressions with the patient and am satisfied that he is holding his own as we wait for the ambulance.

Soon the commotion of the ambulance arrival is heard; one of the fishermen directs the paramedics and their trolley towards my consulting room. Stepping aside as they start their examinations, I provide the paramedics with my findings; the patient is unconscious, palpitation of his abdomen gave an indication of internal bleeding in the upper left region with shoulder pain on the left side. BP is 95 over 60. Pupils are non-reactive on the left. He has head abrasion, along with superficial arm abrasions. Left leg possible broken tibia, started IV of sodium chloride 0.9%. They quickly transfer him onto their trolley and into the back of the ambulance. After clearing out the rest of the fisherman, Morweena and I clean up the surgery. I'll be late getting home and missed my time alone with Louisa; just another wonderful day in Portwenn. I grab a blank medical file, pushing it into the side pocket of my medical bag acknowledging my duty of care for this patient; unfortunately, my time with Phillip and Louisa tonight will be shorter due to the requirement to write up my notes. I find this especially difficult with Louisa leaving in less than five days.

XxXxXx

Early on Sunday morning, I leave for London, by train from Bodmin to Paddington and I'm sick with the thought of leaving my two wonderful Ellingham men for twenty-one days. Martin insists Phillip will be fine and we will skype every night, so Phillip will see his mum and I can see him. However, it is the thought that Phillip is almost eleven months old and he changes daily; I will miss holding him, touching his silky hair, missing his first possible steps on his own as each day he is closer to that accomplishment. To my surprise, my men present me with a wrapped package and Martin insists I not open it until I'm settled for the night in my room in Holly's apartment. Raising my eyebrow in wonderment of the surprise, I promise to call them as soon as I am settled and they can watch me open my present via skype. Martin being his usual self thoughtfully packed me lunch for the train, reminding me of the lack of healthy options served on the train. I pull the packed lunch from my bag to find crackers, cheese, apple, and two chocolate digestives; I notice as I unwrap my treat there is a note, 'We will miss you. Hurry back'. Tears well up in my eyes, lately Martin has hidden little notes in things - my computer bag, in my lingerie drawer, and the book on my bedside table, he is my heart and flowers man.

I spend most of my time on the train going over the course curriculum outlines and reading the necessary chapters as I try to keep my mind off Phillip and Martin. Each hour I take a small break and look through the album of Phillip. I notice the small changes in him from birth to his latest; he is a replica of his daddy. Joan gave me pictures of Martin that she had of his first year, I have slid them opposite Phillips with some at the same age and I see the trademark Martinisms. I wonder how different Martin would be as an adult if he received the same love and attention we give Phillip. Phillip will provide a very interesting mirror of 'what could' if Martin's life was different.

The announcement comes over the speaker that we are arriving in ten minutes to Paddington; I gather my books and papers storing them away and typing a short text to Martin informing him of my arrival in London. He answers with his reminder to be careful and to take a taxi to Holly's apartment, not the tube; he knows me so well. I stop into the loo before I get in the queue for a taxi. I wash my hands and open my bag to find my brush to fix my hair and find one on his notes attached to it. I read his loving words and smile knowing Martin loves me.

I buzz at Holly's door and am quite surprised with her hug when she answered as if we were long-lost friends; totally forgetting the way she treated me last year. She shows me to my room, the same room I used last time, telling me to finish unpacking so we can settle with some wine and talk. As usual, Holly only wants to probe into my private life with Martin and brag about her newest boyfriend. After thirty minutes of gasconading, I use the need to call Martin and check on Phillip; making my escape out of the room.

I finish unpacking my bag, finding at the very bottom my wrapped gift from my men. I forget all about the skype we planned for later, and excitedly pull the bow and the ribbon falls away, pulling the box lid off, I smile at Martin's thoughtfulness; the box contains a package of chocolate digestives, nuts, a picture I have never seen before of my wonderful Ellingham men and several stapled sheets of paper. I look closer and realize Martin has printed out three weeks of books that we usually read to Phillip. His note explains the contents of the box and his reason for each, along with a poem.

I Miss You

I miss you so much it hurts, my love.

I miss you with every fiber of my being.

I miss you like there is no tomorrow, my love.

I miss you fervently, it's all my loving.

I miss you with my entire heart.

I wish we were no longer apart.

I pick up my mobile and dial Martin, wishing the connection to hurry,

"Martin, I love the gifts and your poem, I miss you as well."

"Louisa"

Just the sound of his voice makes me want to get back on the train and stuff this course. "Martin, when did you have time to scan all those books and print them?"

"Morweena helped me when I had difficulty with the scanner and volunteered to do it all. She scanned, stapled, and packed up the box. You should thank her for the chocolate digestives as I mentioned in my note. I thought the healthy bag of nuts I included were I better choice."

"Who took the picture?"

"Once again we need to thank Morweena; it was her suggestion to give you a picture you don't have in your album collection, a current one with your 'men', as she put it."

"Is Phillip awake?"

"No, Poppy said he went to sleep about thirty minutes ago; she kept him busy after you left. She said he was agitated most of the day. I assumed he missed you and I was out on three separate emergencies. I am on my way home now from the latest one on the moor."

"I better look over the rest of the coursework for tomorrow and try to get to sleep, which will be hard without you lying next to me."

"Humm… yes...I… will miss you too. Louisa; I love you. You will call tomorrow evening, won't you?"

"Yes, around half six, I love you, Martin. Sleep well."

A smooching sound comes from Louisa's phone. I gather Louisa sent me a kiss through her phone, I wish I thought of doing that; I'll write myself a note to remember to do the 'kiss' thing tomorrow night. My mind envisions Louisa this morning as I entered our bedroom with Phillip in my arms; her fuller bare breasts, curvier body making the next three dreadful weeks alone in our bed almost unbearable.

XxXxXx

The course work is demanding and it helps to forget Phillip is not here with me, the heartache I feel separated from my child for the first time in his young life. I have called each night this week and Martin sets up our skype call, but it isn't the same as having the warm body on my lap as I read Phillip his story. I must say that Martin has helped me very much during this separation; he holds the book for Phillip to see the pictures as I read a copy of the book, that Morweena scanned for me. I end each call with a kiss to each of my men and sign off with my love, and then I sit and cry myself to sleep. I miss them very much.

I am enjoying the course work; I pay particular attention to anyway I can receive funding for the children in my care while Holly is busying making connections to further her holiday possibilities with the EU Council personnel. It is now ten days into the course and I am despondent and only want this course to end so I can return to Portwenn; I think I'm coming down with a bug I feel nauseous but haven't gotten sick. I can't wait for this weekend to rest up and push through the final week.

It is also at this time when Holly announces she has a social engagement for us at a huge medical affair this coming weekend. I am upset regarding the 'blind date' she says I will have, as I remind her I am married and Holly set up many unsuitable dates during Uni so I am leery.

"Louisa you will love it this time I assure you, he is a surgeon friend of Kevin's that needed an escort to this posh hotel and it will be fun."

"Holly, you do recall I am a married woman and my husband is taking care of our son while I am attending a course in London. I am not here to go on dates."

"Oh, Lou, this is not a typical date; Kevin's friend just needs to walk into the party with someone."

"What's wrong with him?"

"Nothing, actually he reminds me of your Martin. Unsociable and a surgeon, I believe the same as your Martin used to be."

I ignore her snobbish remark about Martin. "Tell me how I will explain this date to Martin?"

"Just tell him you are helping pay me back by attending a medical gathering at a posh hotel. He will understand you need to have some fun on the weekend after a long excruciating week with these courses."

"Holly, you do realize Martin doesn't take time off from work, so he won't understand your excuse for a night out. I'll think of something."

My phone call with Martin that night was very difficult, with Martin unable to understand my need to go out. "Martin you do understand that Holly has helped us by allowing me to stay with her for free. I am only going to this affair as a thank you to her. I'll have a glass of wine, eat the meal and excuse myself as soon as I can; taking a taxi, not the tube, directly back to her home and should be there no later than ten." After several tense minutes, he finally agrees with one request; I call him when I get back to Holly's.

Holly's idea of fun and mine are polar opposites. Holly is looking for Mr. Right with lots of money and influence while I am not looking as I hope my husband will continue to be my husband when I return to my family in eleven days. I try to think of a reason not to attend starting with the dress. I didn't pack anything for a posh evening out and I can't afford anything from a London store; by the way, where would I ever wear a fancy dress again in Portwenn? Holly does what Holly does; she uses her whining spoiled nagging voice to express her need for me to attend as Kevin needs someone to chaperon his friend. I roll my eyes but decide to go with her to shop for a dress at the end of a class day. We enter Holly's usual clothing store, only the high price designer styles for her, fearing the prices I slowly walk through aisles of eveningwear, I realize that some of the dress prices aren't totally out of my price range, especially as I have just come upon the clearance rack that Holly bypassed and found a very affordable cocktail dress. I take it back to the changing room to try on. Holly is just exiting her curtained stall wearing a foil polka dot skater style dress in navy and silver; of course, it looks fantastic on her. I quickly change into the floral black on-white midi X-line dress with a round neckline; it hugs my body in all the right places. I don't look too bad, turning around to see how my bum looks, nibbling on my lower lip; I have never liked the size of my bum. I pull the curtain open waiting for Holly to tell me 'your bum stands out a mile in that dress', but she doesn't.

"Louisa you look gorgeous. That dress really shows off your cleavage."

I turn around and look at myself in the mirror, knowing Martin will like the view of me in this dress. "But I can't see buying this for just one usage, one night and paying this much for it."

"We may be going out again and you could use the dress."

"I will need shoes and a handbag, since I didn't bring any pumps either to play dress up."

"I have plenty of shoes with matching clutches you can borrow. Maybe do some color to offset the dress? I have these lovely midnight blue heels and clutch and they would set your dress off."

Of course, I buy the dress. I wonder if I can hide the tag, wear the dress and then return it or maybe I can wear it on one of our monthly dates and ask Martin if we can go dancing after dinner.

I finally get up my nerve to ask Holly about my blind escort as all she has said 'he is a doctor, a surgeon.'

"Holly, please tell me a bit more detail about the guy I will see in less than two hours? Is he medium or tall, hair color, eye color, anything other than he is a surgeon?"

"He has blondish colored hair, and I think blue eyes, just a regular kind of guy."

XxXxXx

Phillip and I have survived our first week with Louisa in London; I believe Phillip is doing better than I am. I try to finish each day early to get back home to be with him; thankfully Morweena understands, keeping malingers to a minimum. I am with a patient when I hear shouting coming from the reception area; it sounds like a drunk on stage doing his rendition of Romero and Juliet.

'Lou, I need you, Lou.'

I excuse myself from my patient, as the continued shouting pulls me to find out, what is the problem. I find Danny at the base of the stairs, "Lou come down, my Luv. We need to leave."

"Why are you shouting in my surgery and where do you plan to take my wife?"

"Lou is leaving with me. I love her," he says as he turns towards me. "Lou come down, I need you. I miss you. Life is not the same without you."

He is wavering a bit, and points at me, "You have destroyed my life. Making Lou hate me," he says.

I sneer at him, the self-righteous arse as Danny moves closer. "Louisa is not upstairs and you look and smell intoxicated. Have you been drinking?"

"I had a few pints at the pub. Stop asking questions and step aside. I need to find Lou and remove her from this place."

I am standing in the doorway of the reception room just outside my consulting room; I step forward for more headroom, hard to be impressive when your head is cocked over in a short doorway, "Louisa is not going anywhere with you. She made her choice, she married me." I say.

A drunken Danny awkwardly walks up closer to me, now almost in my face; these words are the final blow to his ego.

"Arrg" he yells, as he lets fly his fist towards me.

I easily sidestep his punch and Danny tumbles forward into the wall, knocking himself unconscious. Patients scatter out of the way, avoiding Danny's collapsing body. The unconscious body of Danny Steele has some villagers gasping at the site while others take pictures, laughing as they congratulate me. I kneel bedside the prone body checking his pulse, feeling the bones of his neck and head before asking for help to move him. I position Danny so I can examine the rather large hematoma on his forehead. Just as I am ready to yell for Morweena to bring my medical bag, she plops it down next to me.

"Morweena call 999 for an ambulance."

I examine Danny and find he is breathing without difficulty, BP and heart rate normal seems his only injury is the hematoma growing on his forehead like a unicorn horn. I am not sure if he is unconscious due to a head injury or passed out drunk. Twenty minutes later the paramedics are loading him into the ambulance.

I'm walking back to my consulting room when I notice the damage to the wall. Bert announces, "Don't worry Doc – no problem, a little gesso and paint will cover the damage, I can fix it." I just shake my head and continue walking into my office, calling out "Next patient."

XxXxXx

End of Chapter

The opening is a few lyrics from "Somewhere in the Night" by Barry Manilow. A bit of music to set the stage for this chapter.

*Mycobacteria: pathogenic bacteria of the genus Mycobacterium, including the causative agents of tuberculosis and leprosy.

The medical information in this chapter was gathered from different websites to include WebMD. I am not a medical professional.