Page 49 of New Dreams for the Village Nurse
‘I’ve come to a decision about my retirement.’
‘I thought as much.’ Ottilie offered Fliss a seat, but the GP shook her head.
‘I won’t keep you. Much as I want to tell you all about it I am aware that now’s not the best time. I’ve mentioned it to Lavender and she’s amenable, so I wanted to ask if you could come also. I was thinking about cooking dinner one evening this week. The soonest everyone is free. If we must discuss it, we might as well do it over some good food.’
‘That sounds good.’
‘So when are you free?’
‘For something this important I can be free any night you like. Has Lavender got a preference?’
‘Lavender says her diary is fairly empty too, and Simon will stay behind if needs be. In fact, they’re both free tonight if you are?’
‘I mean, yes, but does that give you enough time to cook?’
‘I was thinking Italian. I’ve got what I need in for a rustic pasta dish, if you don’t mind slumming it.’
‘It’ll hardly be slumming it if you’re cooking,’ Ottilie said with a smile. ‘Tonight sounds brilliant. Might as well get it off your chest as soon as you’re able, eh?’
‘Then we’ll all know where we are going forward, won’t we? Seven suit you? Don’t want to keep Simon here too late as he’ll be driving back to Liverpool afterwards.’
‘Seven is perfect. I’ll see you then.’
Ottilie had finished work later than she’d meant to. She hated turning up to dinner at someone else’s house empty-handed and had been hoping to throw together some kind of dessert or side dish but was now running out of time. In fact, she’d be lucky to get a shower and make herself look presentable in the time she had left. Rifling through the cupboard produced a bottle of red and a box of chocolates that she had spare, and at this point they’d have to do.
She’d just put them out to take and was heading up to shower when her phone started to ring.
‘Hi. How’s your day been?’
Heath sounded like he was in a good mood. Ottilie was glad to hear it after their strange day at the spa, but while she didn’t want to put him off, she was in a bit of a rush.
‘Good,’ she said briskly as she raced up the stairs, phone to her ear. ‘Interesting, actually.’
‘Oh?’
‘Fliss has made up her mind.’
‘About her retirement?’
‘Yes. She’s invited us over to talk about it.’
‘You and Lavender?’
‘And Simon.’
‘Simon?’
‘The locum who’s been covering for her. Dr Stokes.’
‘Oh, right! What’s it got to do with him?’
‘Well, I’m not sure yet. There was some talk of asking him if he wanted to stay on. It makes sense, as he’s already used to the surgery now. And he’s looking for a permanent job. Or rather, I think he still is.’
‘And the patients of Thimblebury haven’t managed to put him off yet?’
‘Doesn’t look like it. I mean, I’m only guessing this is how it will go – I have no idea yet. I might be on the wrong track completely.’
‘Right.’
