Chapter 108: Doctor's Orders
At Dr. Haversham's crowded, but luxurious Office, Nathan sat attentively holding Millicent's hand while sitting in a sea of waiting patients.
There were lots of blatant stares with most eyes warily planted firmly on the two of them, all from very well-dressed patients. But thankfully, those stares were also mixed with more subtle knowing smiles of recognition and goodwill.
Finally, as Nathan began to grow more and more uncomfortable being under the microscope, Millicent's name was called.
"Miss Millicent Bradford."
The name made every single patient sit up and take notice, with all suddenly and openly offering their congratulations.
"Congratulations on your Wedding! I just knew that had to be you two sitting there! The both of you are just too good-looking to not be famous!" offered one smug woman, thinking she was in the know.
"Congratulations!" "Best Wishes!" "You two truly are stunning! Even more so than your beautiful Engagement photos!" "Prayers for a wonderful life together!" followed the onslaught of congratulations as well as more compliments and good wishes.
Along with spoken wishes from many that they themselves would love to have invitations so they also could attend this note-worthy Wedding.
Nathan correctly assumed the patients who weren't asking, already had invitations and had readily responded with their acceptance.
"Thank you, thank you so much!" offered Nathan with his broad hand at Millicent's tiny waist as she smiled and waved.
The quieter, more reserved patients, who were actually friends with the Bradfords, were quite impressed seeing this young man, who they knew must be quite remarkable indeed to garner the love of their favorite socialite of all, Miss Millicent Bradford.
"Do you mean to tell me you can't even go to the Doctor's in privacy," whispered Nathan as the door closed behind them.
"Not unless I come in through the back door, Darling!"
"I'm sorry. You should have told me to go in that way!"
"No worries, Love!"
As the Nurse herded them into Dr. Haversham's private office, she was full of apologies.
"I'm so sorry, Miss Bradford! Had I noticed you were already here, I would have ushered you on through, but the patients do mean well with their wishes! They just love you so much. And they're quite intrigued to be meeting your fiancé as well," she blushed. "Everyone is just so excited about our big Wedding! I mean your big Wedding!"
Millicent giggled.
"Nurse Leandré, please meet Chief Inspector Nathan Grant, my fiancé. Nathan, this is Nurse Alicia Leandré, a dear friend of mine from school, who will be attending our Wedding."
Alicia appeared to be a fairly young Nurse and a complete romantic, but as Millicent explained to Nathan later, she was unmarried, although she couldn't understand why as Alicia was perfectly delightful, and had served as Dr. Haversham's assistant for fifteen years
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Leandré!"
The Nurse was beyond charmed and had to catch her breath before she could shake Nathan's hand or even speak.
"Here…here…we are. Please…please be seated. Dr. Haversham won't…won't be long at all," she smiled nervously.
Flustered Alicia backed out of the office into the hallway, straight into the good doctor himself, who immediately threw his arms up in the air, having been through this same dance many times before.
"Oops, Nurse Leandré! Someday the two of us are going to be falling down all the way to the floor. And as I'm quite a bit larger than you are, I'm afraid the poor person squashed on the bottom will be you!"
"Sorry, Doctor!"
Dr. Haversham was a good-looking, extremely fit gentleman with silvery-gray hair, very friendly, but also most professional too.
"No harm this time around," he chuckled, entering his office. "Just do be cautious Nurse Leandré! I certainly can't afford to lose my best assistant!"
The good doctor paused inside his office door, silent while he performed a quick check of his patient, using his photographic memory to mentally compare what he was seeing now to what he had observed at her last visit.
"Miss Bradford, I take it this is your intended!"
Nathan noticed the man's kind dark eyes, which belied his highly coveted medical degrees scattered all over his plush Office walls.
"This is my fiancée, Dr. Haversham, Chief Inspector Nathan Grant. Nathan this is my doctor since childhood, Dr. Lewis Haversham."
"A pleasure to finally meet you, Chief Inspector! All of Montreal is quite excited for this Wedding of Weddings that is looming ever closer. But I see our Bride is still looking just a bit paler than I'd like. Although quite a bit of improvement from before. What's going on Miss Bradford? How can I help, besides getting your color fully back?"
Millicent hesitated, so Nathan stepped in.
"Millicent's not eating much at all, Sir. As the iron supplement seems to have caused her to lose her appetite rather than improve it. We were wondering if you could help her get her appetite back so she feels more like herself before our Big Day?"
"Oh, I see! Why didn't you call me, Child? This isn't a common occurrence, but it does happen from time to time. We simply need to switch you back to a tonic with a much smaller amount of iron in it, along with a bit of copper mixed in, so it doesn't take your appetite away. But that means you have to promise me to start eating, especially foods high in iron content."
"But if I eat the food with iron in it, won't that mean we'll be right back where we started?" asked a concerned Millicent.
"No, not in this case, dear Millicent, the amounts of iron in the foods are smaller and more easily tolerated than in the tonic. You'll just have to eat as much as you can of those foods that are indeed rich in iron. We don't have much time left till all eyes are on you as the Bride! And you most certainly can't look as pale as you do right now. A little added weight wouldn't hurt either!"
"But my Wedding Gown and my trousseau," she objected.
"You just call your dressmaker and fit in one last fitting just before the Wedding. It will all work out. Besides, I bet that Wedding gown of yours is loose on you as we speak."
"How did you know that? It is loose, Doctor," she admitted. "I didn't want to take it up any more than what we already had!"
"Of course, you didn't. You just want to feel like yourself on the most important day of your life, which is completely understandable! And rightfully so! Most Brides are coming to me wanting to lose weight prior to their big day, but you're so naturally thin, of course, you don't want to lose any more. Do as I say, and I think we can get you back to your normal weight, or at least pretty close, for your Wedding Day! Besides some of your color is already coming back, just being inside from the cold. The iron-rich foods will quickly take care of the rest of your paleness. You're going to be the most beautiful Bride out there! That, I promise!"
"I definitely agree with that," assured Nathan as his sparkling blue eyes looked lovingly into his Bride's glistening eyes of emerald.
"Are you still feeling exhausted, Millicent?" asked Dr. Haversham.
"No, Sir! Not since Nathan and I have been together again!"
"What about the headaches? Still having them? Are they as frequent?"
"Thankfully, I haven't had any since I finished filing all my Court Documents before I traveled west for the Mountie Ball!"
"Great. Still craving ice?"
"No, thank goodness! I felt so silly and in the dead of winter too!"
"Believe it or not, craving ice is fairly normal for anemic patients. Any shortness of breath at all?"
"Not at all!"
The Doctor got up from his chair and moved to where his patient was sitting still holding Nathan's hand when he stuck his stethoscope earpieces into his ears and bent down to listen to his patient's heart.
He paused and raised his head to speak.
"I'd suggest you two stop holding hands for a moment," he suggested dryly, then he listened intently again.
"You're right, no heart flutters except for your fiancé," chuckled the doctor. "As it should be!"
Both Nathan and Millicent blushed.
"Are my patient's hands cold, Son?"
He asked Nathan as the couple had automatically reached for each other's hands again.
"Not cold nor clammy, Sir, just a bit cooler than normal!"
The doctor grabbed his patient's free hand to check for himself, while also checking the veins in her wrist and hand.
"Not bad. We're getting to where we need to be, slowly but surely!"
"But we're running out of time," noted Millicent, a bit frantic.
"No worries, Child, we don't need that much time," assured the doctor.
Then he returned to his leather-tufted desk chair and began writing furiously.
"I want you to eat lots of Red Meat, Pork, Chicken, Turkey, and especially Seafood. Oysters are extra good. So are Shrimp and Crab. Also consume as many Bean dishes, and as much Spinach, Kale, and other Leafy Vegetables as you can. Lots of oatmeal at breakfast. It wouldn't even hurt to eat a lot of Bananas Foster throughout the day!"
"Why the Bananas Foster, Doctor?" asked Nathan, curiously. "Not that we're complaining. It's one of our favorite desserts!"
"For some reason, Son, cooked Bananas have more iron than non-cooked ones. I hate to admit it, but we're not quite sure why."
"That's great by me! I love Bananas Foster," smiled Millicent. "That, I could eat all day long!"
"Yum! That means I'll get to sneak bites from one of my favorites too," grinned Nathan.
"Eat dark chocolate with those Strawberries you like so much! But no milk chocolate. And I'm sorry, Millicent, but no coffee or tea either, not for the next week or so! They're going to work against us here. Believe it or not, two alcoholic drinks per day would be helpful, though."
"But I don't drink, except for an occasional glass of wine or champagne."
"I know you don't. But let's say for the next two weeks, see that you have a least one serving, two is better, of wine or champagne per day. It really will help fight against the anemia. And don't worry, I'm writing all this down for Miss Estella. Also, I want you to snack on lots of dried fruit and plenty of nuts throughout the day whenever you can, but whatever you do, no peanuts!"
"I don't even care for peanuts, so not a problem there. But, Dr. Haversham, will all this really help me to get back to myself before the Wedding?"
"If you work really hard to eat even when you don't feel you want it, and if you, Sir, continually spoon-feed your Bride-to-be all day long, yes!"
"That will be my pleasure, Sir! I give you my word," agreed Nathan. "I just want my healthy Millicent back. Whatever it takes."
The Doctor smiled, knowing the young man was earnest and deeply in love with one of his favorite patients.
Sitting back in his plush leather chair, Dr. Haversham steepled his fingers in front of him.
"You two do know that a lot of this boils down to stress, right? Unfortunately, I'm sure you both have been under a lot of that recently, juggling locations, traveling from place to place, restructuring your lives, and preparing for this big day as well as after, with all the social obligations that are involved. My best advice is this: do something fun today and forget all about this Wedding stuff for a bit!"
Nathan and Millicent looked at each other blankly.
"We had planned to open Wedding gifts today," admitted Millicent. "We're very grateful for all the gifts, but there are so many, my brother and sister-in-law have been recruited to help."
"Not today, you're not. And neither is your family. Besides, the gifts will be there waiting for you after your Honeymoon. Those of us who have given our gifts love you and want the very best for you. If it takes longer to receive a thank-you, so be it! Take her out to a nice restaurant, or better yet, a good play, Son! Both of you just need to relax! Doctor's orders!"
Nathan's and Millicent's faces lit up.
"Now, those are Doctor's orders we'll be more than happy to follow!" enthused Nathan.
"But, Millicent, also start on these iron-rich foods today as you relax with your fiancé. It's not a bad diet, nor a difficult one. The hardest part will be leaving off your coffee and tea, but just drink juice, soda, or water instead. And don't forget to add in wine or champagne. Knowing you, it's also going to be hard for you to eat more than you're used to eating. I promise the results will be worth it, though."
"If it means I can be myself for my Wedding and Honeymoon, I will do my very best," promised Millicent. "I just want to be perfect for my soon-to-be husband."
"You already are perfect, Darling. I just want to make sure you're as healthy as you can be!"
Millicent reached over and kissed her fiancé's cheek.
The doctor watched as the two shared an intense look of love, and smiled lovingly at each other.
"I now see why the two of you chose each other. You obviously belong together! Godspeed!"
Nathan stood, helping Millicent up, and shook Dr. Haversham's hand.
"All my best, Son, to both of you! In one short visit, I can certainly see that you and Miss Bradford were made for each other. Call me at any time if either of you have any questions or clarifications. You have my personal number. Don't be afraid to use it!"
"We can't thank you enough, Dr. Haversham. You've greatly relieved our worry. It's been a pleasure to meet you."
"I'm here for you and your daughter, too, Son, any time you need me when you're here in Montreal. The pleasure is truly all mine, Chief Inspector…"
After Millicent's appointment, under Doctor's orders, the two young couples decided to squeeze in some last-minute Christmas Shopping during the rest of the afternoon, Bradford Style, which meant arranging a few coveted back-door, very private spur-of-the-moment, walk-in appointments.
Calling from one of the shoppes, Richard was able to snag the private dining room of Montreal's top restaurant for an early dinner.
Nathan supposed that once Richard had given his name as a Bradford, their reservations were a shoo-in, which in fact had been exactly the case. He only hoped they hadn't bumped off someone else's reservations.
"Richard, when they work us in like that, does someone else lose their reservation," asked Nathan, concerned.
"No, not at all. They simply rearrange dining room locations, as they have several. They've just always given us the private dining room in order to prevent a commotion. Which, I might add always occurs when we join other diners. I think it's just easier for their staff this way, Nate."
Nathan nodded, at least grateful they weren't ruining someone else's dinner and night.
"Oh, Darling, do you mind calling Hendrix to see if he has any messages for us," asked Millicent as she and Margaret were looking at sweaters for the children.
"I'll do it right now!"
Nathan walked to the desk and initiated the call.
"Bradford-Grant Residence, may I help you?"
"Hendrix! Millicent wanted me to check for any messages?"
"Oh, I'm so glad you did, Sir! Miss Estella just called from the Theater having had a complete stroke of luck. Apparently, the people who had rented the VIP Box for tonight had to cancel due to unplanned visitors from out of town. She was able to procure all twelve box tickets for her Operetta tonight. Are we in?"
Given Dr. Haversham's orders and desperately wanting to see their Essie perform again, Nathan and Millicent jumped at the chance, and by now, both couples were getting quite excited about their afternoon and evening plans together.
Richard and Margaret took their limousine back to the Bradford Estate to change into evening wear, while Albert drove Nathan and Millicent back to the Townhouse to change.
The couples planned to meet back up at both Millicent's and Margaret's favorite restaurant, 'Au PIED De COCHON,' for an early dinner in their private dining room that Richard had made reservations for earlier, now prior to Estella's operetta they were attending.
Edward, Victoria, Archie, Sophia, and Hendrix agreed to meet the two couples later tonight at the Theater, along with Allie, Jackson, and Maggie, leaving the remaining ticket for Hendrix.
Albert happily delivered Miss Allie's dress to her at the Bradford Estate, leaving all adults along with the children very excited about their hastily planned, but marvelous evening, now including an evening performance of Estella's Babes in Toyland Operetta, something that each of the adults had wanted desperately to see…" (*105)
With Nathan, standing at the bottom of the Townhouse's Grand Staircase waiting for her, Millicent appeared at the top, once again taking his breath away.
She was an absolute vision in red.
As she floated down the stairs, beaming at her fiancé, their eyes never left each other's.
She was wearing a ballgown like no other Nathan had ever seen, reminding him of some rare flower blossoming in the desert.
Or was it an extraordinary butterfly taking flight?
She was simply breathtaking, ethereal, and he was having trouble remembering to breathe.
'Breathe in and out, Grant! In and out,' he reminded himself as she drew closer.
The strapless gown stunningly bared her beautiful Dresden shoulders, highlighting her long slender neck, as a low collar of red petals grazed across the top of her bust, swaying ever so slightly against a tightly fitted bodice with each movement, also in red.
The skirt was an explosion of silky red gathered full to the floor, but also layered with staggered petaled panels of the same silk, that fluttered with each graceful movement, just like the collar, floating out around her tiny waist, with the largest panel creating a fluttery overskirt.
Simple red silk pumps with shimmering diamond-like heels peeked out from under her skirt as she moved, highlighting her slender feet, all the while scandalously sparkling. At least for Montreal, although the diamond-like heels were all the rage in Paris! But for Millicent, she simply wore what she liked, no trend-setting involved, although somehow she always managed to set them!
She wore three simple strands of small oval Diamonds at her neck as though they were casually tossed about, several more tangled strands encircled her dainty wrist as a bracelet, with larger oval Diamond drop earrings finishing her mesmerizing look.
But still, to her, her Emerald-Diamond Engagement Ring was the star!
She had gathered her silky blonde tresses into a low chignon, leaving a lock or two of hair loose to frame her gorgeous face, his favorite formal style, yet on her, it looked so effortless.
He trembled, realizing he was the lucky man who would get to loosen her hair combs and pins, soon, each and every night of his life.
Everything simple, item by item perhaps, yet on her, more elegant than he could have ever imagined.
"You look like a Princess, Darling," he called waiting in his tux, with arms reaching toward her from the bottom of the stairs. "Ready to rule the world!"
Laughing she fell into his open arms, as he gathered her to him.
"And you, Nathan Grant, are the Prince I've been waiting for all my life!"
Their lips met, and explosions of refined ecstasy ensued, filling both of them with the promise of their dreamy future life together.
"You know, I can barely breathe with you in my arms," he whispered longingly.
"Exactly the same for me in your arms, my Love. When I'm there I'm simply home…
*105. "Babes in Toyland Operetta," Book and Lyrics by Glen MacDonough, Music by Victor Herbert, 1903, 1905, Public Domain
