‘Don’t take it personally,’ Jeremy said, glancing at her sideways as she glared at the machine. ‘They probably let me use the machine because they’ve got a bit of a soft spot for me. I was a patient here for a while.’
Alice gave a cynical laugh as the printout appeared. The staff might well have a soft spot for Jeremy Foster, but it certainly wasn’t all down to the fact he had been a patient here, or even that he was a consultant.
Ripping the result off, she handed it to him.
‘Better than I thought. Good. But keep an eye on her, Alice. Given that I’ve upped her pethidine and prescribed her Valium, her respiration rate could go down. Tell the nurses to do strict one- to two-hourly obs and keep a close eye on her oxygen saturations.’
Alice nodded.
‘I’ll catch you later, then.’
As he left the tiny annexe, the baby suddenly let out a massive kick. Alice’s hands instinctively moved to her stomach and she tenderly massaged it. ‘Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten you’re in there,’ she whispered, and watched out of the window as Jeremy made his way down the unit, every nurse in the place turning her head to catch a glimpse as he left. At least she didn’t have to worry about Jeremy trying his well-rehearsed lines on her. Just as well really, Alice thought to herself as she made her way back to the ward. With those blue eyes and that sultry smile she doubted whether even she would be able to offer much resistance.
Pre-op clinics always ran overtime and today was no exception, given the fact it was the intern’s first day and the consultant had only just returned from sick leave.
It was Alice’s job to clerk the patients, which involved taking a full medical history. From there she would order any test she thought necessary prior to the patient’s admission, such as ECGs and blood tests. Then the consultant would review the patient and agree or disagree with the intern’s suggestions, invariably adding or removing a test. At this point, Jeremy explained, he would like her to be present.
‘There’s not much point otherwise. At least we can both explain our thought processes behind the pre-op work-ups. The down side is it means we won’t be out of here much before six.’ He gave her a sideways look. ‘Or maybe even seven. Is that a problem?’
Alice shook her head. ‘Sounds fine to me.’
And so they battled away. Alice took excellent histories. Somehow she managed to get the patients to open up—maybe because she gave a bit of herself back. But under her steady, unaccusing gaze the ‘occasional smoker’ would admit to a twenty a day habit and even the ‘social drinker’ admitted to a few cans mid-week. She took Jeremy’s advice, though, and somehow by remembering that it was she that was holding the consultation she managed to avoid some of the more embarrassing questions that, until now, patients had assumed it was their right to ask. Not that she wasn’t personable and friendly, but Marcus’s rejection and her current circumstances were something Alice was having difficulty dealing with herself without the constant, however well meaning, advice from strangers.
Jeremy, on the other hand, seemed to be taking his own advice to the extreme. He was courteous, friendly even, yet he gave nothing away about himself. Every personal comment, every attempt by a patient to make small talk was immediately and skilfully rebuffed. So skilfully, in fact, that it took Alice the full afternoon to realise he never spoke about himself other than with reference to his work.
Jeremy didn’t seem remotely bothered by her apparent slowness. In fact, by the time the last patient had been seen and the clock was edging towards seven, he seemed more than happy to prolong the evening with a chat.
‘That’s the last, Mr Foster.’
The young nurse popped her head around the door and Alice noticed her looking pointedly at her watch.
‘Thanks, Emily, you did a great job today. I’m sorry we’ve made you so late. And, by the way, it’s Jeremy.’
Instantly the bitter expression melted.
‘No problem.’ Emily paused. ‘Jeremy. It’s nice to have you back.’
That man could get away with murder, Alice thought. Why, even the most respected consultant wouldn’t be left in doubt of the nurse’s wrath if he let the clinic run more than two hours over, but for some reason Jeremy could get away with it. The nurses had been just as forgiving as the patients.
‘I’d just like to run a couple of things by you before you go,’ Jeremy said, interrupting her thoughts.
‘OK.’ Putting the pile of notes she had completed into the in-tray, Alice took a seat at his desk.
‘You’re sure?’ Jeremy checked. ‘You haven’t got a babysitter you’ve got to get back to or anything?’
‘I don’t have to worry about that for a few months yet.’
‘And if Mrs Marshall’s observations were correct, I can assume you don’t have a husband or partner wanting his dinner on the table?’
Alice swallowed nervously. She had known it would only be a matter of time before he asked. ‘Another thing I don’t have to worry about.’
‘Good.’
Alice looked up sharply. ‘Is it?’
Jeremy gave her a brief smile. ‘For me it is. Look, Alice, you’ve heard the gossip. I’m a has-been, I’m coming back too soon, I’m half the surgeon I used to be, and all that.’
Alice flushed. ‘I’ve heard nothing of the sort,’ she lied.
‘Bull.’
His expletive hit the mark. ‘Well, maybe a few remarks,’ she admitted. ‘But you know what this place is like. Once you’ve been back for a couple of weeks you’ll soon put them right. Anyway,’ she added somewhat more forcefully, ‘what on earth has any of this to do with my marital status?’
‘Everything and nothing. You know how politically correct everything is these days, Alice. Apparently, I’m not supposed to notice the obvious fact that you’re pregnant. And even if it’s brought to my attention I’m not supposed to let it affect my judgement of you in any way. Even by having this conversation, effectively you could run off to the anti-discrimination council and have me up to my neck in hot water.’
Alice was totally confused. ‘Why would I?’
‘Because, as I said, your rather large bump supposedly shouldn’t affect my judgement of you in the slightest.’
‘And does it?’ Alice asked boldly.
Jeremy stared at her for an age. Her heavy dark hair was too much for the loose scrunchy she was wearing and was slipping from its grasp, and dark grey eyes were staring up at him as if waiting for his judgement. For a second he lost his train of thought, but only for a second. His eyes flicked downwards again, and came to rest on the soft yet firm swell of her stomach.
‘Yes,’ he answered simply. ‘Yes, it does.’
‘But why? Just because I’m pregnant, it doesn’t make me any less a doctor.’
Jeremy put his hands up. Tanned, manicured, long-fingered hands, Alice noticed...surgeon’s hands. ‘I never meant—’
But Alice interrupted him, jumping to her feet. Suddenly she felt threatened. Maybe he was about to say he didn’t want her on his team, would never have agreed to it had he been in on the interview. All she knew was that it was imperative he let her stay. ‘Being pregnant makes me a better doctor. I now know what it’s like to lie on an examining couch and be prodded and poked. I know how it feels to be vulnerable, to be a number in the system.’
‘Whoa.’ Jeremy gestured for her to sit down.
Furious with herself for reacting so violently, Alice meekly did as she was told. Not trusting herself to speak,