Chapter 23 #2
It was lucky she’d made such haste because Helena’s instincts had been right, and labour had progressed to the point where it might have made it unsafe to transport her, and so she’d jumped into a routine she knew well, ordering members of Helena’s family to fetch cushions and glasses of water and whatever else she needed, and shortly before 11 p.m., just as the rest of the medical team arrived and with her three other children crowded around, she’d given birth to a healthy little girl.
The following morning, Zoe got ready for work and planned again to go over to Hilltop to tell them about Stacey’s childminding plans.
But once again, the day wasn’t to go the way she’d anticipated.
Morning clinic was uneventful, but lunch brought big news.
As they all tucked into their tuna pasta bake, Fliss dropped the bombshell with the nonchalance of someone who had simply decided hers needed more salt.
‘While I’ve got you all here, I might as well tell you I’ve decided to retire. I’d like to be gone by the end of the year.’ She glanced at Simon, who was so unmoved that it was obvious he’d already been told. But Lavender looked horrified and then burst into tears.
Fliss shook her head impatiently. ‘Now, now, Lavender. You must have known this was coming.’
‘Not this soon!’ Lavender sniffed, getting a grip again.
‘It’s a bit sudden, isn’t it?’ Zoe asked.
‘Not really. I’ve been thinking about it for some time, and I have Charles to think about.
He’s recovered from his heart attack last year, but he still gives me the odd sleepless night worrying about it happening again.
We both need to slow down, and so this is the decision we’ve come to.
’ She glanced at her watch. ‘Look, there isn’t time to go into details now, but I’d be happy to do that later when surgery is done for the day. ’
‘Of course,’ Zoe said. She’d made plans, but they hadn’t been solid ones and only really in her own head. She was tired, too, from her late night at the home birth, but this was important, and she’d have to muddle through somehow.
Despite Fliss’s insistence that there wasn’t time to discuss the details over lunch, Zoe, Ottilie and Lavender were full of questions for Fliss that simply wouldn’t wait until the planned after-work meeting. Most of them revolved around timing.
Fliss laughed. ‘There’s really nothing sinister at play here.
As you well know, it’s been on my mind for some time, but I’ve kept putting off the decision for one reason or another.
I didn’t say anything before, but Charles had another minor scare and that settled things.
We have both come to realise that life is too short to spend it working, and there are many things we’d like to do before we shuffle off.
We’re comfortably off, have one another and a long-held but unrealised thirst for travel.
In fact, we decided over a bottle of red last night that we’d quite like to rectify that last bit.
Charles said I’d change my mind once I sobered up, but I woke this morning feeling it was still the right decision, and there we are. It’s done.’
‘When?’ Ottilie asked. ‘When is all this going to happen?’
Fliss looked at Simon, who took up the baton. ‘We haven’t worked out the details yet, but as soon as we can find a replacement for Fliss, she can begin her countdown.’
‘So you are going to get a replacement?’ Zoe asked.
Simon nodded. ‘I’d like to say I can manage this place alone, but it’s impossible when you take on-call and emergencies into account. I can only do so much.’
‘Of course,’ Zoe said. ‘Where…I’m not trying to make this about me, but where does all this leave me?’
Fliss gave her a blank look. ‘What do you mean?’
‘I’ve only just arrived, and at your request. Will the new doctor still want me?’
‘I don’t see why not. And in any case, Simon is going to take over my role, so the new doctor will be junior to him. Not in skills, of course, but as far as the running and staffing of the surgery is concerned.’ She turned to him. ‘And you have no plans to change any of that, have you?’
‘It’s a big-enough transition as it is without disrupting a good existing team into the bargain. I wouldn’t want to change anything. And I hope’ – he glanced at Lavender – ‘you’ll all be happy to stay. But that’s something we can talk over later at the meeting. Inevitably, some things will change.’
‘We’re not going to get rid of our lunches?’ Lavender asked with real horror in her face.
Simon paused and it was clear he realised he was on shaky ground. ‘Nowhere else has them,’ he said.
Lavender opened her mouth to reply, but Fliss got in first. ‘I’m sure you’ll all be able to work something out. Let’s think about some solutions and talk them over later.’
‘Do you want me to get food in, if we’re staying behind?’ Ottilie asked. ‘How long do you think the meeting will be?’
‘I was thinking I’d take you all out for food,’ Fliss said. ‘What about that pub you and Heath go to? They do good food, don’t they? That’s if everyone is free. If not, we can make it another night.’
‘I’m not doing anything,’ Zoe said, noting with a pull of regret that she had planned to be doing something, and the others all nodded their agreement.
‘Good,’ Fliss said, going back to her tuna pasta bake. ‘I think we should save any more discussion on the topic until then, otherwise our lunch will be cold and the break will be over before we’ve finished it.’
The surgery meeting more or less reiterated what they all already knew about Fliss’s retirement, and once again she stressed that she wanted to go before the year was out.
They reminisced about old times over a pub supper at a place new to Zoe called the Happy Greyhound.
It was all warm stone and heavy woods inside, with small casement windows and low ceilings hung with dried flowers and brass pots.
Around the walls were paintings of Lakeland scenes during various seasons, the artwork styles ranging from very traditional to modern, Some of them had price tags in the corners, so that people who took a particular fancy to them could buy them.
At the top of the meeting, Lavender complained that life at the surgery would never be the same and then mooted the idea that she might also quit her job, leaving Simon looking so hurt that she immediately took it back.
Not to mention the loud complaints from Ottilie and Zoe, who reminded her that as the surgery mum, it was her duty to stay and look after them, even if it took her beyond her own retirement.
It went on longer than anyone had intended, especially when Fliss got stuck into a bottle of red and they all had to stay until she’d finished it.
As a result, once again, Zoe was too late to go over to Hilltop.
As soon as she got home, she sent Alex a quick message.
Are you by any chance free tomorrow night?
Sorry, but Billie needs me to take her to antenatal class. You could come over when we’re home, but it might be a little late for you.
It sounded as if he’d rather she didn’t come after antenatal class.
Perhaps he wanted to dedicate that evening to Billie – Zoe could hardly be mad about that.
And she didn’t want to be so needy that she’d be trying to tie him down to a time and day, so she played it cool, while feeling anything but, replying that she’d maybe see him at the quincentenary celebrations, assuming he would be there.
As she put her phone down, her eyes fell on the little gift bag sitting on her kitchen table containing the rattle she’d secretly bought for Billie at the baby store. She’d planned to take it over with her, but she wondered now whether it was a good idea or not.
Her phone buzzed another text message. She smiled as she read it.
You have no idea how sorry I am about tomorrow.
It’s all right. You’re busy; I get it.
Still gutted. I hope we can do something soon.
What did that mean? It meant he wanted to see her, didn’t it?
Did it mean more than just those words? He was gutted that he couldn’t see her.
Clasping her phone to her chest, she went to the window.
She’d wondered how she’d feel if he asked her out, and now she knew.
She’d love it. She only hoped she wouldn’t have to wait too long for it to happen.