by Lucy Clark
‘Keep me company,’ CJ suggested, as she put a plate and knife on the table before easing herself down into the chair. ‘Whew. I tell you, just getting up and down now is such an effort. I’ll be glad when this is all over.’
‘You’ll still have to get up and down to the baby,’ he pointed out, as he pulled out a chair at the opposite end of the table and sat down.
‘Sure but at least I won’t be lugging him or her around with me twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The baby can sleep in the cot and I can enjoy having my body back to myself.’
‘Except for feedings.’
‘True.’ She sighed. ‘Donna told me the other day that so many women spend so much time focusing on the pregnancy that they give little thought to what happens afterwards. The feeding, the nappies, the constant alertness even when you’re exhausted.’ She took a sip of her drink, then remarked, ‘I think I’ll be good at the last bit. Being a doctor, I’m used to the odd hours and the constant demand for my time.’ She reached for a pickle, before proffering the jar to him. ‘Are you sure you won’t join me?’ Before he could answer, she smeared the pickle with chocolate spread and held it out to him. ‘It’s oddly delicious. Want to try?’
A bubble of laughter escaped before he could damp it down. ‘Thanks, but, no, thanks. You go right ahead.’ His new colleague really was like no other woman he’d met before. She was open, honest and sometimes he wondered if she filtered her thoughts before speaking them out loud. Still, it was a refreshing quality to be around. It was as though she was more than comfortable with who she was and she didn’t care who knew it. Abigail had always been so conscious of adhering to the dictates of society that sometimes he’d been worried at her lack of confidence in exerting her own opinions and thoughts. Where his wife had never wanted to rock the boat, it appeared CJ was more than happy to jump overboard and splash around in the water.
Ethan rubbed his chin and sighed. It was wrong of him to compare the two women as they’d clearly had very different upbringings. Why he was comparing them at all, he had no clue. What he was conscious of, however, was the salty and sweet scents of what CJ was eating and within the next moment his stomach growled, betraying him.
CJ chuckled. ‘Grab some food. Shut that growling stomach up.’
‘It’s OK. I don’t like to eat between meals.’
‘Between meals? Ethan, it’s...what...?’ CJ glanced at the clock on the wall. ‘It’s three o’clock in the morning and clearly you were wide awake, as I’m pretty sure I wasn’t that noisy. Perhaps you couldn’t sleep because you were hungry.’ She waved another chocolate-smeared pickle in his direction. ‘If this doesn’t tempt you, grab an apple or whatever takes your fancy. Go on. Live on the edge. Eat something between scheduled mealtimes.’
Ethan listened to her, his smile increasing as she chatted away, teasing him with light-hearted banter. ‘Does everyone in this town talk the way you do?’
Her answer was to shrug as she chewed her mouthful, then swallowed. ‘You’ll have to figure that out for yourself. As far as I’m concerned, we only live our lives by the restrictions we force upon ourselves.’
‘And do you have any restrictions?’ His stomach growled again and he was rewarded with another light tinkling chuckle from the woman opposite.
‘I guess you’ll have to figure that out, too.’
He had to admit she had a nice laugh. It was a lovely sound and as it washed over him, he breathed in deeply and relaxed a little. ‘Perhaps I will have a piece of fruit.’ With that, he stood and went to the fridge. ‘You keep bananas in the fridge?’ he asked a second later and again she chuckled.
‘Why not? It stops them from ripening as fast.’
‘Is that true?’
CJ swallowed her mouthful. ‘I have no idea but it sounds as though it could be true. And speaking of bananas...’ She reached for the one in front of her and began to peel it, pleased she’d managed to break through his defences. After he’d stalked out of her consulting room, she’d sat there confused. She wasn’t sure where he’d gone, but as she’d had to go over to the hospital after finishing her measly clinic, she’d found him there, in a deep discussion with the Clinical Nurse Consultant. Together the three of them had done a round of the ward, with Bonnie, the CNC, introducing Ethan to the rest of the staff.
She watched as he polished the apple on his robe before taking a bite, walking back to the chair he’d recently vacated. ‘You have a nice smile,’ she stated, and he paused, apple poised for another bite, and glared at her. ‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to blurt that out but it’s true. I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable.’
CJ shook her head as she watched him take another bite of his apple. ‘My dad used to say that I had no filter, that what I thought was what I said. Sometimes he said it was very refreshing and other times quite annoying.’ She chuckled and took another bite of her banana. Life was what you made it and as far as CJ was concerned, she didn’t have time for double talk and silly games.
‘So...how do you handle it when someone just blurts out the truth, perhaps saying something you don’t want to hear?’
‘Huh.’ She laughed without humour. ‘My husband used to say a lot of things I didn’t want to hear.’
Ethan nodded. ‘I think that happens in most relationships.’ At least, it had for him. There were things he’d regretted saying to Abigail and things he regretted not saying to Abigail. She, however, had preferred to keep quiet, had preferred not to tell him what was really going on in her life...even though he had kept asking her if something was wrong. She’d been so secretive. And too late he’d understood why. He slammed the door shut on his thoughts yet again.
‘Well, in my marriage...’ She hesitated for a moment, then continued. ‘I may as well tell you because you’ll no doubt hear my sad tale from the gossips in town.’
‘You don’t have to.’
‘I’d rather you hear it from me, without the added embellishments. You see, my husband was having affairs. I, of course, was the last to know.’
‘That...er...would have been...devastating.’ Ethan shifted uncomfortably in his chair and took another bite of his apple.
‘I guess I’d known our marriage wasn’t working for some time as we rarely spent time together.’
Ethan’s gaze momentarily dropped to look at her pregnant belly before meeting her eyes again, the lift of his eyebrows stating he believed otherwise.
‘Well...clearly we spent some time together, but it was the last time as well.’ CJ suddenly realised she was full and put the lids back on the food jars in front of her, just like she’d put the lid on her marriage, and shoved those memories back onto the shelf.
‘You’re very open, very trusting,’ Ethan blurted. ‘I’ve never met anyone like you before, CJ.’ He put the apple down. ‘I’m practically a stranger to you and yet I’m living in your home. Did you do any background checks on me? Did you research me?’
‘Of course I did. I may try my best to be open and honest, as I find it avoids confusion, but I’m not naive, Ethan. I checked out your references and spoke to a few mutual acquaintances.’
‘What? Who do we know in common?’
‘I have several colleagues and friends at St. Aloysius Hospital.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes. I did my training there.’
‘Huh.’ He picked up his apple and took another bite. ‘I didn’t know that but, then, I know less about you then you clearly know about me. So, who do we know in common?’
‘Carol Blacheffski. Steve Smith. Patrick Janoa. Melody Janeway.’ She raised her eyebrows as she said the last name.
‘You know my sister?’
She nodded. ‘I know her well enough to ensure you weren’t an axe-wielding homicidal maniac.’
Ethan sat up a little straighter in his chair. ‘Wait a second. You know her? She told me she found the job
in the classified section of a medical journal.’
‘She did. I advertised for the locum then, as she knew me, she called me and we talked.’
‘About me?’
CJ laughed and slowly started to ease herself up out of the chair. ‘Clearly.’
‘You both set me up!’ He put the half-eaten apple onto the table and glared at her.
‘How is this a set-up?’ She spread her arms wide, as though she had no earthly idea what he was on about. ‘I need a locum.’ CJ gestured to her pregnant frame. ‘The fact I was able to get a brilliant surgeon to come and cover my leave was a godsend. Trying to get a GP out here, in a small tourist town, for any length of time is bad enough as all the newly qualified doctors want to get their foot in the door at the big city practices and start earning the big bucks. You, on the other hand, needed some respite and to downsize your workload. Melody thought it was just what the doctor ordered.’ CJ grinned at the pun.
‘So you were organising me.’
‘I wasn’t. Your sister, on the hand, might have been. She sounded very worried about you.’
‘And you didn’t think to mention this to me earlier, that you knew Mel?’
‘I thought you knew!’ CJ spread her arms wide again before sighing heavily. ‘It wasn’t some big conspiracy and why does it matter how things transpired? The point is, you’re here now and I’m very grateful.’ Clearly Ethan was upset at this news but right now, with a small foot shifting awkwardly across her abdomen, she wasn’t in the mood to have an in-depth conversation on the matter. She rubbed the baby, trying to ease the little one into a more comfortable position.
‘Wait. Did my sister know I’d be sharing accommodation with you?’
‘Uh...’ CJ thought back to the conversation but her forgetful pregnancy brain made it difficult. ‘I think so.’ She shook her head and smothered a yawn. ‘I honestly can’t remember, Ethan, and I’m tired now so I think I’ll go brush my teeth again and head back to bed. Gotta be up in another three hours.’
‘Actually, before you go, there’s something I need to say.’
When she looked at him, it was to find him standing rigid in the middle of the kitchen, arms crossed over his chest. ‘What’s that?’
‘Uh... I think it’s best if I find somewhere else to live.’
‘You don’t like it here?’
‘I don’t like sharing.’
She pondered his words. ‘That would have been interesting for you and your siblings while you were growing up.’ It also rang some alarm bells in the back of her mind that she needed to watch her step where Ethan was concerned. Quinten, her husband, hadn’t liked sharing things, except his bed. Quinten had also become overbearing and controlling. Was Ethan really like that or was that just the image he liked to convey so that people didn’t question him too deeply? Either way, she had no room in her life right now for a drama king.
‘That’s not what I meant.’
‘I know what you meant. You’re not used to sharing accommodation. I get it.’ CJ smothered another yawn. ‘I don’t think you’ll find a furnished apartment in town available for the length of your stay. Most of the bed-and-breakfast places around here are booked up for the weekends and school holidays.’ She rubbed her belly. ‘However, you’re more than welcome to try. If you’re uncomfortable here and you feel that’s what you need to do, then I guess that’s what you need to do.’
‘Just like that? You’re OK if I go, even after you went to so much trouble to remodel your house?’
CJ hooted with laughter. ‘I didn’t remodel it for you.’ She put the banana peel in the bin and stacked the dishes in the dishwasher.
‘Uh...of course not,’ he said. ‘But is it OK if I stay here until I can arrange something else?’
‘Of course.’ After she’d finished tidying up, she headed to the door that led to her part of the house, but paused and turned to look at him. ‘I’m guessing you’re not used to being sociable and chummy with your work colleagues?’
‘Did Melody tell you that?’ He was annoyed with his sister and didn’t disguise it.
‘No. Your manner does.’
‘Is that so?’
‘Yes. It tells me that you’re used to being respected, to not having your decisions questioned and that you don’t particularly like interacting with subordinates.’
If he’d been uncomfortable before with the way she just blurted out her thoughts, it was nothing compared to now, and it was mainly because she’d hit the nail right on the head. In a matter of hours of their first meeting, CJ Nicholls had seen right through to the heart of him and it completely unnerved him.
‘Ethan, if it makes you feel better, stay somewhere else and only interact with the staff and patients when absolutely necessary. So long as my practice is in one piece when I get back from maternity leave, I don’t care what else happens.’
‘I’ve upset you,’ he stated.
‘No.’ She shook her head sadly. ‘I’m not angry or annoyed, Ethan. I feel sorry for you. I thought we could be friends, but it’s OK if that’s not the case.’
‘Look, Dr Nicholls, all I want for the next six months is to get out of bed, do my job and spend my evenings in peace.’
She stared at him for a long moment before nodding. ‘OK. If that’s the way you want it, that’s fine.’ There was no anger in her tone, no girlish outrage, but there was definitely a hint of pity, which was the last thing he wanted. ‘Goodnight, Ethan. I hope you’re able to sleep.’ With that, she headed through the door that led to her part of the house.
Ethan stood in the kitchen for a while longer, pondering their conversation. He’d survived pity before. He’d been the source of gossip, people whispering in the corner, stopping whenever he walked by, then starting up again the instant he left. He’d locked himself away, just as he’d locked his belongings away and it had been working...until he’d met CJ Nicholls.
It really did leave him with one major question—should he stay, or should he go?
CHAPTER THREE
WHEN SHE WOKE on Saturday morning, CJ felt as though she’d been put through the wringer. She turned on her side, swung her legs over the edge of the bed and slowly pushed herself upright, keeping her eyes closed in an effort to stop the spinning sensation.
Gradually opening her eyes, she tried to focus but it was no good and a wave of nausea hit with force. She clamped a hand over her mouth and rushed to her bathroom. Once her early morning dash was over, she showered and dressed, beginning to feel much better, even though she was already exhausted.
‘No one said the last trimester was easy,’ she mumbled as she shuffled into the kitchen.
‘Feeling better?’
She stopped. Ethan was sitting at the kitchen table dressed in a pair of casual trousers and navy cotton shirt, eating a stack of pancakes drowned in maple syrup. She sniffed appreciatively and smiled as she walked over to the stove.
‘Yes, thank you. I guess baby didn’t want the pickles, chocolate spread and bananas after all. These, however, smell delicious.’
‘You still want to eat after...being sick?’ There was concern in his tone.
‘I do. Once the morning sickness has passed, I’m usually fine—’ She chuckled. ‘That is until the next time I eat something baby doesn’t appreciate.’ CJ peered at the pancake batter in the jug. ‘So does this mean you know how to cook?’
‘It does. Please, help yourself.’
CJ did just that and soon was sitting down with one pancake, drowning her own in real maple syrup. ‘Mmm. These are heavenly, and if you decide that you do want to stay here for the next six months, feel free to make these any time.’
By now, Ethan had finished his breakfast and was stacking the dishwasher. ‘Are you usually sick in the morning?’ His tone was one of doctorly concern.
‘No. Not really. I mean it depends on wh
at I’ve snacked on around three o’clock in the morning.’
‘That’s your usual middle-of-the-night routine?’
‘At the moment, but some advice I was given regarding children is that just when you think you’ve got them into a routine, they change it. So I’m not holding out because Junior here changes his, or her, mind almost as much as I do.’
‘You don’t know the baby’s sex?’
She shook her head. ‘I’m more than happy to be surprised.’
‘And you’ve spoken to your obstetrician about your morning sickness?’
CJ angled her head to the side, surprised to hear the hint of real concern in his tone. ‘You’re concerned about me?’
‘Naturally. You’re a pregnant woman, I’m a doctor. It’s part and parcel of who I am.’
She chuckled at that. ‘I hear you wholeheartedly. I can’t go to a restaurant without silently diagnosing the people sitting around me.’
‘OK, then you understand that I’m only asking these questions because I’m professionally concerned?’
‘I do.’ She nodded. ‘And although I know all the ins and outs of pregnancy and giving birth from a doctorly perspective, going through the process is giving me a whole new perspective.’ She took a mouthful of pancakes, savouring the flavours. After swallowing, she continued. ‘I’ve come to realise that my pregnancy doesn’t run parallel to many of the medical texts but then, as Donna has said, each pregnancy is different and with mine, morning sickness has been sporadic throughout, not just in the first trimester. Even now, with only a few weeks to go, my appetite is as hearty as it’s always been.’ She smiled.
‘And just to appease your concern, my blood pressure is fine, my ankles aren’t swollen and I’ll continue to see Donna weekly until the baby decides to make an appearance.’