Finally Kate and Tom found themselves alone together in the sun lounge enjoying the last of the afternoon sunshine.
‘I must say, you have everything very well organised,’ she observed, ‘especially where the children are concerned.’
‘They have their tasks,’ he said, ‘and usually things run smoothly, as they did today. But I have to say, sometimes they have their moments and the fur flies.’
‘I would be concerned if it didn’t,’ said Kate with a laugh. ‘Mine certainly scrap from time to time but I guess that’s all part of growing up.’
‘To be honest, I’m rather apprehensive about the forthcoming teenage years,’ Tom admitted, ‘especially when you consider the number of teenage pregnancies we come across in the course of our work. I worry about Francesca, and I’m only too glad that Jennifer is around to guide her.’
‘I worry about Connor not having a man around,’ Kate confided slowly after a moment. ‘He misses Liam desperately and I find myself feeling terribly inadequate…’
‘I think you’ve coped admirably,’ Tom said quietly, ‘and the future is, well, a case of one day at a time, don’t you think?’
‘Yes, I guess so.’ She gave a little sigh, then, glancing around, said, ‘I suppose really we should think about going…’
‘Do you have to rush away?’ he asked quietly.
‘Well, no, not really.’
‘Then stay.’ His gaze met hers.
‘I don’t want to outstay our welcome…’
‘You won’t,’ he replied. ‘The children are happy for the time being and, besides, I want to talk to you.’
‘You do?’
‘Yes,’ he said. ‘I want to tell you about Jennifer.’
‘You don’t have to,’ she said quickly. Kate wasn’t at all sure she wanted to hear about his ex-wife.
‘Actually,’ he said, ‘I think I do.’
CHAPTER FOUR
‘YOU know she left me.’ It was more of a statement than a question but Kate felt compelled to answer.
‘Yes,’ she agreed quietly, ‘I did hear that somewhere.’ There was no point in lying or evading the issue. Tom was as aware of staff gossip as she was.
‘I’ve never really spoken of this to anyone,’ he said, looking slightly embarrassed, ‘but if you will let me, I’d like to tell you.’
It was very quiet in the sun lounge. She could hear a small aircraft outside as it performed aerobatics high above the Sussex countryside. Kate wasn’t at all certain why Tom felt the need to tell her about his marriage and its breakup, or why it should be her he should have chosen to tell when by his own admission it was not something he had previously discussed. She only knew as she sat there and listened that it was something he had to do, as if in doing so he was in some way setting the record straight.
‘We met at a hospital in Kent,’ he said. ‘I was a junior houseman at the time and Jennifer was a medical secretary. It was what I believe is commonly known as a whirlwind affair and we were married shortly after I took my finals. I have come to realise, slowly and painfully, that we should never have married.’ He spoke carefully and precisely as if weighing and considering each word.
‘But surely you were happy at the time?’ Kate frowned.
‘I was, or rather I thought I was,’ he replied, ‘but I wasn’t aware of the real facts.’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘Jennifer married me on the rebound from a previous relationship,’ he said. ‘Maybe she thought she loved me—I don’t really know. Maybe she even thought she could make it work, but the fact was she was still in love with someone else.’ He paused as if struggling to find the right words. ‘His name was Max Oliver,’ he continued at last, and as he spoke, once again Kate saw that nerve working at the edge of his jaw. ‘He was a solicitor in Jennifer’s father’s law firm—he’s since become a very successful barrister. Anyway, he and Jennifer had known each other since their schooldays. I was aware of the relationship but not the extent of it. And I thought that once we’d had children Jennifer would settle down.’
‘And did she?’ asked Kate.
‘I thought she had to start with, and later we heard that Max Oliver had also married. Life went along fairly smoothly for us, although I often doubted Jennifer’s love for me. But then we heard that Max Oliver’s marriage had broken up. It was the beginning of the end for us and eventually Jennifer left me to be with him.’
‘And are they happy?’ asked Kate.
‘I think so. Who knows?’ He shrugged. ‘The children sometimes hint that it is a stormy relationship—but it was what she wanted.’
‘But what about you?’ Kate frowned. ‘What about your feelings in all this?’
‘Well, I loved Jennifer at first,’ he said slowly, ‘of course I did, otherwise I wouldn’t have married her. And I really wanted our marriage to work. I guess I’m a bit old-fashioned there, because although we weren’t married in church I happen to believe that marriage is for life…’
‘I don’t think that’s old-fashioned at all,’ said Kate. ‘I believe it, too.’
‘The only thing is, that for it to work, I also believe there has to be love, and unfortunately it wasn’t me whom Jennifer loved.’ He spoke calmly, without a trace of self-pity.
‘How did you feel when she left?’ asked Kate curiously.
‘Hurt, angry, betrayed, bitter, I suppose.’ He shrugged. ‘But you get over these things in time—learn to live with them if you like.’ He paused, his gaze meeting hers. ‘You have to, otherwise you’d go insane.’
‘Yes,’ she said slowly, ‘I suppose so.’ She was not at all sure how she would have coped with such betrayal—heaven knows, she’d been through pain losing Liam, but at least she had always been secure in the knowledge that he had loved her.
Tom was silent for a moment and then, his eyes finding hers, he spoke again. ‘My problem now is that since my divorce I’ve found it incredibly difficult, maybe almost impossible, to trust anyone again.’
‘I would say that’s completely understandable in the circumstances,’ she replied. ‘I would feel the same way in your shoes. I was just thinking, I don’t know what I would have done if Liam had betrayed me—I think I would have gone to pieces…’
‘No, you wouldn’t,’ he said levelly, ‘because you also have children and, like me, you would have kept going, if only for their sakes.’
‘Maybe.’ She shrugged. ‘But I would still have found it very difficult. Why, as it is…’ She trailed off, uncertain how to continue.
‘As what is?’ he asked quietly.
‘Oh, nothing, it doesn’t matter.’
‘No, please, tell me—this, after all—’ a smile played around his mouth ‘—seems to be turning into confession time.’
She laughed. ‘All I was going to say was that I’ve found it bad enough since Liam died.’ She hesitated, wondering how much she should tell him, how much she should bare her soul. ‘One of the managers in Administration at work asked me out about a year afterwards,’ she went on at last. ‘I was dubious. I didn’t want to go, but the girls on the unit persuaded me, said it would do me good, that I needed to get out, all the usual…’
‘And did you go?’
‘Oh, yes, I went.’
‘And?’
‘It was an absolute disaster. He quite obviously had only one thing on his mind and I couldn’t…I simply couldn’t…not after Liam. I had loved Liam so much, we’d had years together…and there was this…this comparative stranger expecting me to…to…’ She broke off, unable to continue.
‘I understand,’ he said simply.
‘You do?’ She stared at him.
‘Oh, yes,’ he replied gently, ‘more than you think.’
Shortly after that, the children returned to the sun lounge and Kate told them it was time they went.
Tom, Francesca and Joe came out to the car to say goodbye, and as she drove away Kate glanced in her rear-view mirror and saw that Tom was standing in the d
rive, watching them. Briefly she wondered what he was thinking. Was he pleased to have his home to himself once more or had he enjoyed the day as much as she had? Was he regretting having told her so much about himself and his failed marriage, or was he relieved to have unburdened himself?
‘We’ll have to do it now,’ said Siobhan with a little sigh as she settled herself in her seat.
‘Do what?’ Kate cast her daughter a sidelong glance.
‘Invite them to Copse End,’ Siobhan replied. ‘Won’t we? Mum?’ she persisted, when Kate remained silent.
‘Of course we will, stupid,’ said Connor from the back seat. ‘Anyway, Joe has already said he wants to see my console and I’ve said he can come over when he likes, so that’s settled.’
‘Mum?’ Siobhan’s glance was a little fearful now. ‘Is that all right?’
‘It looks as if it’s all arranged,’ Kate replied.
‘Well, Mr Fielding did buy us that meal…and then today…’
‘Yes, Siobhan, I know,’ said Kate, ‘and, believe me, I was thinking the same thing. It’s time we returned the hospitality—that’s why I’ve invited them all to lunch next weekend.’
‘You’ve…?’ Siobhan gaped at her and then, as what her mother had said fully sank in, she punched the air. ‘Yes!’ she said, then wriggled down in her seat, pulling the baseball cap she was wearing over her eyes.
‘Mr Fielding, this is Kirsty Austin,’ said Kate. Turning to the woman sitting by the side of the bed, she added, ‘And this is her mother. Kirsty’s in early labour,’ she explained as Tom picked up the rather sparse set of notes and flicked through them.
‘Hello, Kirsty.’ Tom nodded at the girl over the notes. ‘Have we seen you in the clinic?’
‘No.’ The girl sullenly shook her head.
‘Was there a reason for that?’ asked Tom.
‘Yes, I didn’t know I was pregnant,’ muttered the girl.
‘It’s been a terrible shock to us all,’ said her mother. ‘I couldn’t believe it. I just thought she was putting on weight, but this…well! I can’t imagine what my husband’s going to say when he finds out.’
‘He doesn’t know yet?’ asked Kate.
‘No.’ The woman shook her head. ‘He works away—on oil rigs. Goodness knows what he’s going to say…’
‘How old are you, Kirsty?’ Tom sat down on the side of the bed, closer to the girl and with his back half-turned towards her mother.
‘Fourteen,’ Kirsty replied.
‘And I imagine you must have had a pretty trouble-free pregnancy. Am I right?’
‘Yes.’ She nodded.
‘No discomfort at all?’ He spoke so gently that, just for a moment, Kate could imagine it was his own daughter he was speaking to. She was reminded of how he had admitted being apprehensive about the forthcoming teenage years, especially where Francesca was concerned, and for the very reason they were witnessing at that moment.
‘Well, I didn’t get periods,’ said the girl. She still spoke sullenly but somehow seemed to be responding to Tom’s manner, a mixture of compassion and authority. ‘But I sometimes used to miss them anyway so I didn’t think anything of it.’
‘Anything else?’
‘I get a sort of burning feeling here.’ She indicated the centre of her chest. ‘Usually after I’ve eaten something.’
‘And that’s all?’
She nodded.
‘What about the baby’s father?’ asked Tom, his tone as matter-of-fact as if he’d just enquired about the weather.
The girl’s gaze flickered to her mother, who gave a sound that was a cross between a sniff and a snort. ‘We’ve yet to establish that,’ she stated angrily, ‘although it doesn’t take much to work it out. Homework in her bedroom, my foot! I don’t know how I could have been so stupid!’
‘Well, I’m sure Kirsty will tell when she is ready,’ said Tom, standing up. ‘My only reason for asking is that very often fathers like to be present at the birth of their babies, and if that is the case here, he should be contacted.’
‘Over my dead body!’ said Kirsty’s mother. ‘That lout isn’t coming anywhere near Kirsty again, I can tell you. Besides, she’s underage. He’s broken the law.’
‘Mrs Austin,’ said Kate calmly, intervening, ‘Mr Fielding will want to examine Kirsty now, so how about you go and get yourself a nice cup of tea? You can come back and sit with Kirsty again afterwards.’
‘What?’ Mrs Austin blinked and she looked from one to the other. Then her shoulders seemed to sag and she turned away. ‘Oh, all right,’ she muttered. Picking up her belongings, she stood up then stalked out of the bay.
‘She’s upset, Kirsty,’ said Kate gently when she saw the girl’s lip tremble and tears fill her eyes. ‘She’ll come round when she sees the baby, you’ll see.’
‘Right, Kirsty,’ said Tom, ‘if you’ll just let me check that all is well with your baby.’ Gently but firmly, and watched by Kate, he examined the girl’s abdomen, listened to the baby’s heartbeat and finally checked her cervix. ‘You’ve got a little way to go yet,’ he said, ‘but all is well with your baby. He or she should be with us a little later today. Now, Kirsty, is there anything you want to ask me?’
‘What you said just now,’ muttered Kirsty, ‘about the father being here…?’
‘Yes?’ Tom raised his eyebrows.
‘I would like that.’
‘In that case, I would say we really will have to know who he is.’ A smile played around Tom’s mouth. ‘If you like, you can give Sister Ryan the details and she will arrange for him to be contacted. Just one thing, though. Does he know? About the baby, I mean?’
‘Yes,’ Kirsty whispered. ‘We sort of guessed a few weeks ago.’
‘And yet you didn’t see a doctor?’
‘No. I thought…well, at first I didn’t believe it…and then, well, I didn’t realise I was so far on. Then in the night I had some bleeding and some pains and I told my mum. She brought me here this morning…’
‘And the father?’
‘He’s gone to school, I guess. His name is Scott—he lives next door.’
‘Right,’ said Tom. As Kirsty clutched at her stomach and moaned in pain, he added, ‘I’ll leave you in Sister Ryan’s hands now, but no doubt I’ll see you later.’ With a smile at Kate he left the antenatal bay.
‘You would like Scott here, Kirsty?’ asked Kate. When the girl nodded she went on, ‘What I suggest is that I bring a phone in here and you can ring the school and ask to speak to him. Maybe we’ll tell your mum what you intend doing.’
‘She’ll go mad,’ said Kirsty.
‘Nevertheless, she needs to be told. Have you discussed any plans over what is to happen to the baby once it’s born?’
‘Not really.’ Kirsty shook her head. ‘There hasn’t been time, although when Mum asked what on earth I thought I’d do with a baby and I said that I’d keep it and look after it, she said, no way, that we didn’t have room for a baby and that she’d end up looking after it and she wasn’t having any more of that—not at her time of life.’
‘Well, we’ll see what happens after the baby is born,’ said Kate. ‘Maybe we’ll need to involve a social worker to sort things out for you, but first things first. I’m going to get that phone for you, then I’m going to give you an injection to help with the pain and make you a little more comfortable. Now, just try and relax for a while and I’ll be back shortly.’
She hurried to the nurses’ station where she found Natalie talking to Tom, apparently discussing another case. ‘Problems?’ she asked, catching sight of Natalie’s expression.
‘Not unless you call a decided shortage of beds a problem,’ Natalie replied.
‘We had two spare an hour ago,’ said Kate.
‘Not any more we don’t.’ Natalie sighed. ‘We’ve had to admit a threatened miscarriage, which could prove to be a long-term stay, and we have another on her way in—a possible breech delivery. We hadn’t bargained on Kirsty, of course,�
� she added. ‘I only hope we don’t have another unexpected one otherwise it could be trolleys at dawn in the corridor.’
‘Not on my ward it won’t,’ said Kate with a shudder. ‘We’ll manage somehow, come what may.’
‘I have a meeting to go to,’ said Tom, ‘but if possible I would like to attend young Kirsty—she’s a tiny thing and I fear she may have difficulties delivering naturally. Perhaps you could page me, please, Sister, at the appropriate time?’
‘Of course, Mr Fielding,’ Kate replied. As he moved away in the direction of his office she picked up a cordless telephone from the desk. ‘I’ll just take this back to Kirsty,’ she said to Natalie, ‘make her a bit more comfortable—and placate her mother by the looks of it,’ she added as Mrs Austin appeared in the corridor, heading purposefully towards the antenatal suites.
‘Rather you than me,’ said Natalie with a grin. ‘I bet you’re wishing you hadn’t come in this morning, aren’t you?’
‘You could say that,’ agreed Kate with a sigh. ‘Monday mornings are bad enough as it is without all this…’
‘Have a good weekend, did you?’ asked Natalie.
‘Yes, very good actually.’ Kate smiled.
‘No more tenpin bowling trips with the Fieldings?’ From the tone of her voice Natalie was quite obviously joking, but when Kate didn’t deny it, as Natalie had apparently expected her to, she threw her a quick, searching glance. ‘Kate…?’ she said.
‘Yes?’ Kate raised her eyebrows.
‘I said, no more tenpin bowling trips with…?’
‘Yes, I know what you said. I heard you.’
‘So…?’
Kate sighed. Somehow she couldn’t lie, at least not to Natalie. Natalie was her friend. ‘Well,’ she said, ‘not tenpin bowling trips, anyway.’
‘Not?’ Natalie stared at her. ‘You mean there was something else?’
‘There might have been.’ Kate smiled enigmatically then began to move away from the nurses’ station towards the antenatal suites.
A Very Special Surgeon Page 6