The Doctor's Christmas Gift

by Jennifer Taylor

  All of a sudden her blood started to fizz with excitement. It felt rather good to know that Matt liked her ‘a lot’.

  It was a busy morning and Catherine was rushed off her feet. Fortunately, most people were sympathetic when they found out that Matt had been called away on a family emergency so there were few complaints about the delay. Catherine dealt with everyone as quickly as she could but there was still a queue in the waiting room when Lauren Hoskins tapped on her door. One look at the troubled expression on Lauren’s face was enough to tell her that this was one patient who wouldn’t be quickly dealt with.

  ‘Do sit down, Mrs Hoskins.’ Catherine waited until the woman had taken a seat. ‘So what can I do for you today? Have you had a repeat of your earlier problems and been feeling dizzy again?’

  ‘It’s not just dizziness now. I keep getting these pains as well—right here.’ Lauren pressed a hand to her chest.

  Catherine frowned. The ECG results hadn’t shown any problems with Lauren’s heart but she couldn’t take any chances. ‘I think I should examine you again, Mrs Hoskins. Would you pop behind the screen and take off your blouse?’

  She gave Lauren a few minutes to get ready then opened the screen and discovered that the woman was perched on the edge of the couch, sobbing her heart out.

  ‘Why don’t you tell me what’s wrong?’ she said quietly, plucking a tissue out of the box on the shelf and handing it to Lauren.

  ‘Everything! It’s all gone wrong and I don’t know what to do or how we’re going to manage!’

  Lauren began to sob even harder. Catherine took hold of her hand and held it. ‘Problems are rarely as bad as we think they are. Why don’t you tell me all about it? I suspect that the real reason why you’ve been feeling so ill recently is because of what has been happening in your life.’

  It all came tumbling out after that. Catherine listened with mounting sympathy as Lauren told her how her husband had lost his job and how they were having difficulty paying their bills without his salary. They had taken out a huge mortgage when they had bought their house and they were behind with the repayments and were being threatened with repossession. It had been a doubly bitter blow because they’d bought the house so they could start a family and now they’d had to give up the idea because they couldn’t afford Lauren to leave work.

  Lauren took a wobbly breath as she came to the end of her tale. ‘I just don’t know where to turn. I lie awake at night, worrying about what is going to happen to us.’

  ‘It’s no wonder you’ve been feeling ill,’ Catherine observed. ‘You’re suffering from stress, Lauren, and that’s why you had those dizzy spells and now have pains in your chest.’

  ‘But I didn’t imagine it! I really did feel dizzy and the pains I had were definitely real, Dr Lewis. I honestly thought I was having a heart attack!’ Lauren declared, sounding upset.

  ‘I know they were real. Stress can and does cause very real physical symptoms,’ Catherine assured her. ‘People can suffer horrendously from stress-related symptoms such as palpitations, muscular pains or feelings of anxiety.’

  ‘Oh, I see. I thought you were trying to say that it was all in my mind.’

  ‘Not at all. Stress is one of the scourges of modern life, I’m afraid. Although most people don’t realise it, the problems they encounter on a daily basis can have a marked effect on their health,’ she explained. ‘There is actually a scoring system which allocates points for various stressful events. Things like moving house, getting divorced, changing—or losing—a job are all known to increase stress levels.’

  ‘And you think that’s what’s been happening to me? That it’s worrying what Peter and I are going to do that has caused me to be so ill lately?’ Lauren asked, sounding a little calmer.

  ‘I’m ninety-nine per cent certain that is the cause. However, I want to examine you just to make sure that nothing has been overlooked.’

  ‘I doubt it.’ Lauren laughed shakily. ‘I think I’ve had every test in the book in the past few months!’ She shook her head. ‘I never dreamt it could be worry that was making me feel so dreadful.’

  Catherine gave her a thorough examination but once again she could find nothing physically wrong with her. She left Lauren to get dressed, wondering what she could suggest to help Lauren through this difficult period. Until the pressures were removed from her life, it was likely that Lauren would continue to feel ill.

  ‘Is there anything you can give me, Dr Lewis, maybe some tablets to help me cope?’ Lauren came and sat down again.

  ‘I’ll prescribe a mild antidepressant to help you cope with the anxiety but it isn’t a cure.’ Catherine chose her words with care. ‘The root cause of your problems, Mrs Hoskins, is what is happening in your life. You need to address the situation and see if you can work out a solution. Have you talked it over with your husband and told him how worried you are?’

  ‘No. Peter’s been very down lately. Losing his job hit him hard and I didn’t want to make things worse. I haven’t even told him that I’ve been feeling ill,’ Lauren admitted. ‘I’ve just tried to carry on as normal, to be honest. I deal with all the bills so Peter has no idea just how bad the situation really is.’

  ‘Then your first priority must be to tell him,’ Catherine said firmly, thinking to herself that Matt had been right in his assessment. Lauren had been keeping up a front and the pressure had made her ill.

  It just went to prove once again how very astute he was. It also made her realise that any woman who was married to Matt would never find herself in the same position as Lauren. Matt would always be there to give his support, rock-solid in a time of crisis.

  A shiver ran through her. It wasn’t the first time she’d thought that but it seemed to have had a bigger impact this time. It wasn’t easy to dismiss the thought that she could lean on Matt and that he would always be there if she needed him. It was such a reversal of her usual view that it both shocked and scared her. It would be only too easy to accept it as the truth but what if she were wrong, what if Matt wasn’t as steadfast as she assumed him to be?

  Her head whirled as the question spun round inside it so that it was an effort to focus on Lauren’s problems. ‘Obviously, I can only suggest that you talk to your husband, Mrs Hoskins. At the end of the day the decision is yours. But at least promise me that you’ll think about what I’ve said.’

  ‘I suppose I’ll have to.’ Lauren smiled faintly. ‘It’s fast reaching the point where Peter is going to find out that something is wrong. I suppose it was silly to keep pretending everything was fine but it isn’t easy to let your friends and family know that you’ve made a mess of your life, is it?’

  ‘I’m sure that nobody will think that. Not if they are real friends, anyway,’ Catherine assured her, hoping it was true. ‘Now, would you like me to write out that prescription for you?’

  ‘No, thank you.’ Lauren sounded much more sure of herself. ‘Drugs aren’t going to solve the problem, are they? It’s time Peter and I faced up to what has happened. Burying your head in the sand only works until the tide comes in!’

  Catherine laughed. ‘That’s one way of putting it. But I’m here if you need to talk to anyone, Mrs Hoskins. Do remember that.’

  ‘I shall. Thank you, Dr Lewis.’

  It was a far more confident woman who left the surgery. Catherine was still smiling as she went to press the buzzer to summon her next patient. It was good to know that she had helped…

  ‘It takes a lot of stamina to still be smiling after a morning like you’ve had.’

  She felt her heart jolt when she looked up and saw Matt standing in the doorway. ‘Have you just got back?’

  ‘Just this minute. Sharon told me that you’ve been holding the fort.’ He studied her for a moment then shook his head. ‘I don’t know how you do it.’

  ‘Do what?’ she said, thinking how handsome he looked with his hair all mussed from the breeze. He was still wearing his coat and she felt a little shiver ripple through
her when it struck her that he must have come straight to find her as soon as he’d arrived.

  ‘Manage to look as cool as a cucumber, of course.’ He shook his head. ‘I expected to find you looking as though you’d been put through the mill after the morning you’ve had, but not a bit of it. What’s your secret?’

  ‘Oh, some people just rise to the occasion,’ she declared airily.

  He rolled his eyes. ‘That puts me firmly in my place, doesn’t it?’ He sobered suddenly. ‘Joking aside, though, I’m really sorry to have dropped you in at the deep end like that. I take it that you read my note?’

  ‘I did. It must have been a rush for your mother, getting ready to fly out to Canada like that at a moment’s notice.’

  ‘It was panic stations, I don’t mind telling you.’ He glanced round when the phone rang, and grimaced. ‘Anyway, I’d better get a move on. I’ll speak to you later. OK?’

  ‘Fine.’

  Catherine pressed the buzzer as soon as he left. It was only when her next patient arrived that she realised she hadn’t told Matt that she was collecting Hannah from school that afternoon. She made a note to tell him later then smiled when she recalled what the little girl had said about her daddy liking her a lot. Was it any wonder that she seemed to be coping so well with all the problems after a boost like that?

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  ‘SORRY to bother you, Catherine, but I wondered if I could have a word.’

  Surgery had just ended and Catherine was clearing up when Ann Talbot knocked on her door. She put down the notes she’d been holding and beckoned the older woman into the room.

  ‘Come in, Ann. Actually, I was hoping I’d get the chance to speak to you. How’s David?’

  ‘Not too good, I’m afraid.’ Ann sighed as she closed the door. ‘That’s why I wanted to talk to you. I know it’s supposed to be your afternoon off, but Matt’s still tied up with a patient, plus he’s got a list of calls that need doing later.’

  ‘Don’t worry about it,’ Catherine quickly assured her. ‘Sharon told me that you’d had to go and see David because his carer hadn’t turned up.’

  ‘That’s right.’ Ann sat down by the desk. She was an attractive woman in her late forties with softly waving blonde hair and a quiet manner. Catherine knew how highly she was regarded by the patients at Brookdale Surgery. Ann was a skilled professional who did her job with very little fuss so it was all the more surprising to see her looking so flustered that day.

  ‘David was in a terrible state when I got to his house. He’d tried to get himself to the bathroom and had fallen out of his wheelchair. He had a nasty bump on his head from where he’d managed to hit it on the edge of the washbasin.’

  ‘How awful!’ Catherine exclaimed. ‘Was he badly hurt?’

  ‘More shaken up than anything else. Plus, of course, his pride was badly dented at having to phone me for help.’

  There was a wealth of sadness in Ann’s voice. Catherine studied her downcast face. ‘You’re very fond of David, aren’t you?’ she said gently.

  ‘He’s just a patient,’ Ann began, then sighed. ‘Is it so obvious? Yes, I’m fond of him. More than just fond if you want the truth. After his wife left him David became very despondent and I got into the habit of calling round to see him each day after work. I was worried that he might…well, do something silly.’

  ‘It must have been terribly difficult for him. Finding out that he had motor neurone disease must have been bad enough, but to then go through the trauma of his wife leaving must have been a horrendous experience for him.’

  ‘It was. However, David is a fighter and he rallied after a while. I kept visiting him, telling myself that it was just to make sure that he didn’t slip back into depression.’ Ann laughed sadly. ‘It was a lie, of course. I’d fallen in love with him and that’s why I wanted to see him.’

  ‘And how does David feel?’ Catherine asked quietly.

  ‘I think he feels the same way about me.’ Ann stared at the ceiling but Catherine could see that there were tears in her eyes. ‘The problem is that he absolutely refuses to discuss the possibility of us having a relationship. He says that he’s going to die and that there’s no point thinking about the future.’

  ‘But there’s no knowing how long he has left,’ Catherine protested. ‘He could have several years.’

  ‘Or he could have just a few months.’ Ann took a tissue from her pocket and wiped her eyes. ‘Nobody knows for sure, do they? But it doesn’t matter to me if it’s months or years because I just want the chance to be with him. At least I’ll have something to look back on when the inevitable happens.’

  ‘Is there no way that you can make him see how foolish he’s being?’ Catherine asked, thinking how brave Ann was.

  ‘I’ve tried, believe me, but he’s so stubborn!’ Ann gave her a wobbly smile. ‘I’m sorry, Catherine. I didn’t mean to offload all that onto you. What I really came to ask was if you would get onto the care agency. Apparently, his usual carer is off sick with this wretched flu and the agency forgot to arrange for a replacement to visit him. I’ve phoned their office and read them the Riot Act but it would have a lot more clout coming from you. David could have been lying on the bathroom floor all day if he hadn’t had his mobile phone with him and my number programmed into it.’

  ‘I’ll certainly phone them. It’s unforgivable that he was left to fend for himself. I take it there was someone there when you left him?’ Catherine asked worriedly.

  ‘Yes. The agency managed to find someone to cover. To be honest, it’s reached a point where he needs twenty-four-hour care, but he refuses to have anyone living in the house. He says that he doesn’t need a nursemaid!’

  ‘It’s understandable,’ Catherine pointed out, although she could understand why Ann was so worried. ‘It must be hard to accept that you can no longer be totally independent.’

  ‘I suppose you’re right. But I just wish he’d see sense!’

  Catherine laughed. ‘Maybe you’ll just have to try harder to convince him that he’s making a mistake by pushing you away. You have my full permission to tell him that I think he’s an idiot for not realising how lucky he is to have someone you like you to worry about him.’

  ‘I might just do that!’ Ann laughed. ‘He can only tell me to get lost and that can’t make me feel any worse than I’ve felt these past six months.’

  Catherine sighed as Ann left the room. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Ann did manage to make David see sense? So maybe there was a chance that Ann might get hurt but surely it was worth taking that risk?

  She frowned because it was completely out of character for her to think like that. Normally she would be the last person to advise anyone to take a risk but she really did believe in this instance that it would be worth it if Ann succeeded in winning David over.

  It struck her then just how much she had changed in the short time she’d been working at Brookdale Surgery. Ideas which would have been alien to her now felt quite natural. What had brought about such a massive change in her thinking?

  Unbidden, the image of Matt’s face sprang to mind and she sighed. Matthew Fielding had an awful lot to answer for!

  The school playground was crowded with parents when Catherine arrived to collect Hannah that afternoon. She went and stood near the main doors so the child would see her when she came out. Matt had left the surgery by the time she’d finished talking to Ann so she’d not had a chance to tell him about the new arrangements. She’d toyed with the idea of texting a message to his mobile phone but decided not to bother him in the end. She’d seen the list of calls he had to do that afternoon and there was no point worrying him when there was no need. So long as Hannah was safely delivered home then there wouldn’t be a problem.

  Hannah was delighted to see her. She skipped along beside her, chattering nineteen to the dozen about all the things she’d done at school that day. Apparently, there was a carol concert being held the following week and Hannah’s class was singing �
��Away In a Manger’. She insisted on practising the words as they headed back to the surgery, bringing an unexpected lump to Catherine’s throat as she unselfconsciously sang the the lovely old carol in a piping little voice. There was something very special about the innocent joy the child exuded that touched Catherine’s heart in a way she would never have expected, so it was little wonder that she was feeling a little edgy when Matt drew up alongside them in his car.

  ‘This is a surprise!’ he declared, grinning at them through the open window. ‘I expected to find Aunt Bet doing escort duty, not you, Catherine.’

  ‘I’m sorry, I should have told you about the change of plans,’ she apologised. ‘Your aunt’s knee was playing up so I offered to fetch Hannah from school to save her having to walk all the way here.’

  ‘Catherine took me to school this morning, as well,’ Hannah put in. ‘I told Aunt Bet you wouldn’t mind, Daddy. You don’t, do you? You told me how much you like Catherine.’

  Catherine tried to hide her smile when she saw a wash of colour run up Matt’s face but he must have noticed her amusement because he grimaced. ‘I did. And I should have known better, shouldn’t I?’

  Catherine wasn’t sure what he meant by that. However, before she could work it out, he got out of the car. ‘Hop in. I’ll drive you back to the surgery.’

  ‘I may as well get off now that you’re here,’ she demurred.

  ‘What about your car? Haven’t you left it at the surgery?’ he reminded her, and she sighed.

  ‘Yes, of course. How silly of me to forget.’

  She quickly got into the car while he helped Hannah into the back seat and fastened her seat belt. Matt pulled away from the kerb, glancing at her once they were safely under way.

  ‘I really do appreciate you helping out like this, Catherine. I hope it didn’t cause you any problems.’

  ‘Not at all. I wasn’t planning on doing anything this afternoon apart from some Christmas shopping, and I can do that any time.’