Doctors Without Borders

Chapter 7: A Sad State of Affairs

Jessica stood on the porch of the small cottage staring at the sun rising over the ocean. The sensation of the sea breeze rippling through her hair felt nice. It helped her think. She and Seth had been coming here a lot recently. She was grateful the two of them had somewhere private nearby to retreat to, and even more grateful that she'd remembered her friend Bethany had this delightful summer cottage going unused for the better part of the year. Bethany had been more than happy to loan it to Jessica for their secret love nest, and she had hinted more than once that she wasn't opposed to the idea of Jessica buying the property off her hands entirely. The house wasn't visible from the road and its weathered stone walls blended seamlessly into the scenery. It had a long, hidden drive and a set of steep stone steps carved into the hillside. Jessica didn't mind the bit of exercise it took to reach the house, but she suspected the trek was too much for her friend. In any case, the house suited their needs and let them explore this new side of their relationship more freely.

To be perfectly frank, it was necessary. The two of them were like teenagers- no, that's not quite true, she never acted like this when she was a teenager. "Honeymooners" was a more apt term. They couldn't keep their hands off one another. She hadn't been with another man since Frank and yet since their initial encounter it was like a long slumbering beast had awoken within her. It had surprised her, but no one was more taken aback than Seth. It wasn't a week into Seth's plan to woo her when the insatiable urge for his touch on her skin overwhelmed her.

At first, it was easy, ingenious really. Seth's morning visits now began earlier and earlier than ever before- their clever solution to spending more time together without raising the suspicion of friends and neighbors. Everyone knew they often spent mornings together, and while heads would roll had he left his car parked there overnight, thus far no one seemed to notice Seth's car was always parked at Jessica's house squarely by five each day.

They were in her kitchen when it first happened. It was a Thursday and Jessica was already chipping away at her next book when she heard Seth's knock at her kitchen door. She smiled and shook her head. He had insisted that gentleman always knocked whenever courting a lady. The scent of his aftershave tickled her nose when he kissed her cheek and made his way inside with the fixings to make a delicious breakfast for the two of them. Heat flushed the cheek where his lips had touched. Her stomach fluttered as her thoughts turned to their time together in New York.

"Now I was thinking I'd whip us up some eggs Florentine. I think these long mornings together will be the perfect opportunity for me to experiment with some recipes I've been wanting to try out. I- Jess? Are you all right? You look-"

He wasn't allowed to finish. Jessica had crossed the space between them and crushed her lips against his causing Seth to stumble back against the counter. She was worried he'd put a stop to her amorous advances, but his body reacted just as she'd hoped. She wasn't the only one whose self-control felt unbearably weak these days. Soon enough, clothes were shed and strewn onto the kitchen floor below them. It was only after their burning passions were satisfied, redressed, and presentable that they realized that the kitchen door was unlocked.

In present day, the door clicked shut behind her; the sound of Seth's steady footsteps followed. She felt his arm snake around her waist from behind as he pressed himself against her back, inhaling the scent of her floral shampoo as he did. She automatically reached for the mug of coffee he readily slipped into her hands. His hot breath tickled her neck as he planted a kiss just behind her ear.

"Good morning, my dear." He rumbled in a hushed gravelly voice.

"Good morning," she murmured. They stood quietly, enjoying the serene scene before them. Seth let out a heavy sigh and Jessica smiled weakly.

"I know, I know."

"Do you?"

"I know it's difficult for you- for us, when I leave town, but I promised my niece that I'd visit ages ago, and I've already put it off for months. It'll only be ten days and I'll call every night, just like always." She felt his body tense against hers.

"It's not just that. It's him. You know he's going to ambush me the moment you leave."

"Seth, we've talked about this. Now I don't condone his actions either, but there's clearly more to the story than what he's told us. Why not find out what it is?"

"If he thinks I'm going to forgive him- No, not for that. He isn't who we thought he was."

Jessica sighed, rubbing circular patterns on his hand with her thumb.

"I know."


True to his word Nicholaj had moved to Cabot Cove and had already caused quite a stir in the community. According to Eve, upon meeting him the first words out of his mouth had been that his dearest friends Dr. Seth Hazlitt and Jessica Fletcher had convinced him to take up residence in town- something that thrilled the local gossip mill. Single bachelors were a welcome addition to the town's mostly female population. Jessica didn't have the heart to reveal he was off the market; in any case, it was none of her business. Nicholaj was quickly becoming intertwined with the community without either of their assistance. Not only had he volunteered to help with the library's annual book sale, but he was also already invited to Mort's biweekly poker games with some of the other men from town.

A week after he'd officially moved in, they encountered him at the diner for the first time.

"Jessica, Seth, it's so marvelous to see you at last!" Nicholaj exclaimed, "Please, join me. I insist." He told them with a smile. "I apologize we haven't met up sooner, but I've been incredibly busy tying up some loose ends and exploring the town of course."

Jessica chuckled light-heartedly. "Well, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself so far. Have you finished unpacking yet?"

"Goodness no. There was… well, let's just say that now that I'm back I have a lot of things to sort through. My downstairs is a maze of boxes, and I don't expect that to change any time soon." He chuckled.

"Well, let us know if you need a few extra hands, Seth and I would be happy to lend our assistance." Seth gave a quick jolt at this, and he shot her a sour look. Taking a closer look at Cabot Cove's newest resident, she noted that he looked trimmer since they saw him last. Perhaps he'd begun exercising or started a new diet like Seth.

"Ah, I'll be okay for now. I must say, you downeasters are much more accommodating than your reputation portrays. Would you believe that in the time I've been here, I've received four different casseroles and a peach cobbler from my neighbors? If either of you would like to take some of the food off my hands, please do so."

"That wouldn't happen to be Mary Hartford's peach cobbler, would it?" Seth asked hopefully. Jessica smirked to herself.

"I believe that was her name, I take it you're interested?"

"I can swing by after my shift at the hospital if that suits you."

"Wonderful!" Nicholaj cried delighted, "I'll see you then."

The rest of the morning went by quickly. As they ate, Seth gave Nicholaj the rundown on who in the town made the best cranberry scones and so on. Conversation came easy and despite any previous apprehension they might have had, it seemed as though they were readily becoming friends.


True to his word, Seth pulled up to Nicholaj's home on the edge of town. The house was older, but in good condition, with brown shingled siding and large cottage-styled windows.

"Nicholaj?" he called out through the screen door.

"Over here, Seth! Come on in!"

Seth weaved through towering columns of boxes toward the sound of his voice and found him sitting in front of a typewriter at a dining room table covered in stacks of paper and yellow legal pads. As Seth entered, he stood and welcomed him with open arms.

"Wonderful to see you my friend, did your hospital shift go okay?"

"Fine, fine," Seth replied, "A little slow, but in our line of work I'd say that's a good thing."

"Quite. Let me grab the cobbler from the fridge. Could I also interest you in a tuna casserole? Or perhaps some lasagna? Eve Simpson dropped one by earlier and I didn't have the heart to tell her it isn't to my taste."

"Not today, I'm afraid. The cobbler is already enough of an indulgence," Seth said, patting his stomach. It was notably less rotund since starting his diet and he was proud of himself for sticking to it, but that didn't mean he couldn't treat himself now and again.

"Right," he said. "I'll be just a moment then." He smiled warmly and made his way out of the room.

Seth looked around surveying the place. The only other item on the table was a wooden picture frame showing four tanned individuals, two men and women, arms draped around one another's shoulders smiling brightly at the camera. A younger Nicholaj was sandwiched in the middle, his face not yet scarred, his hair much shorter. The woman to his left was certainly beautiful with shoulder-length chestnut hair and warm brown eyes. A blond man with a thin face stood to his right, and a smaller woman with chocolate skin and a dazzling smile finished the quartet. So, this is Emmy, he thought to himself eying the brown-haired woman. He picked up the frame to examine it closer and had to suck in a breath. Clear as day, he spotted a small gold ring sparkling on her left ring finger. All of them, save for Nicholaj, wore wedding bands. He recalled what Jessica had told him. The two never married and now he knew why. Emmy was already married.

"Here we are! One peach cobbler, all for you, my friend!"

Seth's head gave a quick jerk but he held firmly onto the frame. "Is this you?" he asked, pointing. Nicholaj set the cobbler on the crowded table.

"Ah, yes. I do look a bit different these days, don't I? These are some of the others who worked with me in Zambia." He took the photo, pointing out each person as he named them. "Dr. Bowen-Emmings, Dr. Rochester, and of course Gwen there, at the end. She and Rochester hadn't been married for a fortnight when this picture was taken if you could even call it that. It was a rather sad situation. Gwen lived in one of the villages we made our rounds to- smart as a whip, always wanted to be a doctor herself. Her stepfather wasn't so keen on the idea. Her mother had died when she was young, leaving Gwen to be raised by that horrid, abusive man. When he wasn't telling her what a burden she was to him, he'd be off about how girls didn't need an education and promised to marry her off the first chance he got. One night she showed up at the clinic in tears. Her stepfather had arranged a marriage to a much older man who lived very far away. The man already had two other wives significantly younger than him, and when Gwen protested her father beat her. The next morning, Rochester went to speak with him to see if anything could be done, but to him, she was a leech that he was happy to be rid of. When it became clear that he was only interested in marrying her off, Rochester offered to marry her instead for an even greater dowry than what the first suitor had waged. Easily the best money I'd ever spent, although I hadn't realized so until weeks later."

Seth raised his eyebrows, unsure of what to say. Nicholaj seemed to sense his discomfort.

"It was only for appearances, I assure you. All of us loved Gwen like a daughter and were happy to do whatever we could to get her out of that situation. She was enrolled in one of the best schools in England shortly afterward, that's where this was taken, and eventually went to medical school to join us at the clinic." He smiled at some far-off memory. "That never would have been possible if she had stayed."

Seth nodded slowly, as he continued to stare at the chestnut-haired woman in the photograph. He pursed his lips as anger began bubbling underneath the surface.

"Mighty fine thing you all did then, taking care of the girl." He cleared his throat, gesturing to the picture once more. "And Dr. Bowen-Emmings? Emmy? Who was she married to? That's her, isn't it? Why else would this be the only photograph you've bothered to unpack?"

Nicholaj's face fell and grew pale. All the blood had left his marred face as if to confirm Seth's suspicions. The air in the room felt cold; neither could speak. Finally, Nicholaj sucked in a forced breath.

"Ahem… Siobhán… was married to Dr. Peter Bowen. A bit like me in a way, always working, always traveling. He was much more ambitious than I ever was- wanted to be in the spotlight a little too much for Siobhán, making addresses to the UN or meeting with government officials and such. As much as I was away, he was away more and they seemed to prefer it that way. Divorce wasn't done in those days. She wasn't a bad person. Just… someone who realized they'd made a poor match far too late."

"…And so, you were the bad guy."

Nicholaj said nothing. His silence only made Seth angrier. Hospitals were full of sordid affairs between medical staff and knowing that, knowing how some doctors preyed upon the women working there, regardless of whether they were married or not, made his blood boil. There was even a time another doctor had the audacity to comment to him about Ruth- to his face as if she were a piece of meat, free for the taking. For everything he wanted to do to that vile man, he thought it lucky that Ruth had made him want to be a better man. From then on, he avoided those kinds of men like the plague, lest his temper truly get the better of him. Men without principles, ones who couldn't respect nor fathom the bonds of a marriage.

"Seth, I know what you must think of me." Nicholaj began.

"Do you?" Seth retorted.

"You can't help who you fall in love with. If there had been another way, I would've married Emmy in a heartbeat."

"So you say."

"I do say." he said resolutely, "If the circumstances had been different… I would have done the honorable thing. It was safer for her to stay married to him."

"I don't want to hear your excuses. Just because they never officially separated, that doesn't mean you're free of blame. You don't get a gold medal for destroying someone else's marriage. I'm to take it her husband never found out?"

"No, no one knew," Nicholaj whispered.

Frustrated, Seth couldn't bear to be in the same room any longer. He started towards the door, but quickly turned on his heels, snatching the cobbler off the table. As he weaved his way back, he had the overwhelming urge to "accidentally" bump into one of the towers of boxes and watch them topple like dominoes. As he made his way to the car, he saw Nicholaj peek through the curtains before disappearing. Starting the engine, he made his way to Candlewood Lane, burning to tell Jessica what he had learned.