Hero

The pub was full of opinions and gossip, most of it far from the truth. The sea of voices were all talking, and no one was listening to anyone else.

"I heard that Strain fellow tried to drown the Doc!"

"Well, I heard it was Louisa!"

"Both the Doc and Louisa?"

"Well, maybe Strain sorta dunked the Doc in the ocean, right? My old lady heard that…"

"No, no, he threatened bodily harm to the school kids!"

Bert, who'd missed all the excitement could only take in all the varying ideas. "Seems to me…"

"And then Joe Penhale got him in a headlock and wrestled him to the ground!"

"The Doc?" Bert asked.

"No, no, are you daft, man? That Strain fella. Seems to me he had the proper name. Strain. Straaainn."

"Still is, I heard. When Penhale took him away he was laughing one second then crying the next!"

A head shaking began. "Right bodmin the man was."

"Poor sod," agreed many, as they pulled at their pints.

Bert laughed, "I imagine being round all them kids could make you a bit doollaly."

The head shaker spoke up. "There was a time we had this able seaman, Royal Navy Days you know, and he went right off his nut one night. Started screaming about Nazi U-boats, which was sorta funny, for it was 1980. Had to lay him out with a spanner, cuz he was trying to unlimber one of the ack-ack guns to fire on our sister ship. Took 'em off in a strait jacket, that one." He took a long drink of his beer. "Shame really. Nice fella, in normal times, but he could get a bit odd when the wind was up. I visited him in base hospital after he calmed down. Seems his grandfather had fought them U-boats off the American coast, and them stories of his? Well the idea got deep seated you know."

"What happened to him? Your sailor mate?"

Laughter. "He's now a Member of Parliament. Hah."

"Right. Now back to this Strain fella…."

Penhale entered the pub, and the discussion started all over again.

"Joe! Joe! What happened down on the beach?"

Penhale hitched up his belt, and hooking his thumbs over it, began his version of the tale. "Me and the Doc, dynamic duo, right? Pauline Lamb called from the Doc's surgery, so I drove straight to the beach. Right as I arrived, here come all these kids – school kids – from the littles to the biggest, come marching up to the street, and I'll have you know…"

"Okay, okay, yeah, but what about Strain trying to drown the Doc?"

"Now, now, Stanley, let me finish…." Joe looked around to make sure he had attention. "If you lot want to hear this I'm only tellin' it the once! Got it?"

When the room quieted, one voice, the head shaker, said, "Sure, sure, Joe. Now, from the beginning."

Joe took a deep breath. "It's all about the proper application of constabular force to keep the peace. Now, when I arrived, I rapidly performed a recon from the road, afore I entered into the situation. Operational awareness is the key…"

Bert, sitting far from the door, muttered, "There he goes. Good old Joe. Log on wind; short on smarts." He pulled himself to his feet. "Joe! Hey Joe!"

Joe sighed, as he was interrupted. "Yes, Bert? You interfered with my story."

"Story is too right," someone yelled with a laugh.

Joe gritted his teeth. "Bottom line is me and the Doc, we took care of the situation, right handily. Dynamic duo; always on call – ready to do what has to be done!"

0=0

"I can't believe you threw out your shoes," Louisa said sadly, turning towards Martin as they sat on the sofa.

Martin nodded as he lowered his medical journal. "Had to be done. Seawater - the salt – will make leather split and crack upon drying."

Louisa grinned for Martin did have several more pairs just like the binned ones. All were black, well-polished and in an old-fashioned style. She patted his knee. "Shame though."

"I couldn't exactly take the time to strip off, now could I?" Martin protested.

Stifling a laugh, she replied, "No, and that might get the neighbors to talking." She chuckled softly. "'Local Doc goes skinny-dipping!'" she added in a stentorian tone.

Martin cleared his throat. "Do the gossips ever stop their chin wagging?" he grumbled.

Louisa squeezed his knee, after setting her novel aside. "Martin, it's oh… local entertainment is all. No harm in it."

"Humph." Martin knew that he'd always be a figure for discussion, if not fun, he'd always be an outsider. "Well, they should just shut up and move on."

Louisa turned more towards him and transferred her hand to his arm. "Oh, Martin…"

"Do you like it, when they go about you, uhm, or us?"

Louisa shrugged. "At least we got married before anyone found out we are going to have a baby together." That would have given them plenty to jabber on about. Her other hand rested on her belly, relishing the size and feel of it. "Seeing it today; moving… it… it…" she had to stop, overcome by emotion.

Martin snatched up a tissue box and handed it to her, but he too recalled that moment of seeing the foetal movements. Yes that will be a baby soon enough. His breath caught in his throat.

She wiped her eyes and then blew her nose. "Thanks." She peered at him. "You alright? Swimming in the sea and everything?"

He nodded, his mind whirling about being a father.

Louisa scooted closer to Martin, putting an arm over his shoulders, the other around his waist. "My hero."

Martin shook his head no. "The man was in crisis, brought on by a genetic disorder, most likely."

Louisa looked soulfully into his eyes. "Will he get better?"

"Yes, in time, most likely. I doubt you'll see him at your school again." Martin looked at the distance. "He's been ill for some time and when the condition reached a critical level. Phew… he blew."

"Poor man." She hugged Martin more tightly, then she yawned. "You tired?"

Martin glanced at his watch. "Not nine yet."

Louisa began to rub his neck below the hairline. "Been a full day."

Martin perceived that Louisa was not so tired as to fall asleep right away. "Uhm," he looked over at her full bustline, and recalled the look of her lovely chest without clothing. "Shall we go upstairs?" he asked huskily.

Louisa, stretching, kissed his cheek. "Yes."

Soon thereafter, Martin, the champion of Portwenn, received a hero's reward, as the fair local maid did her very best to make him feel both loved and satisfied.