Page 63 of Confessions of a Christmasholic

For the next half-hour, Sutton answered questions, made suggestions on patient treatments and was grilled on ethics, procedure and theory. By the end of the thirty minutes, she felt like a well-used and tightly squeezed, but still damp, kitchen towel. She’d done her best, given as much as she could. She didn’t think she could do any more.

Sutton watched anxiously as they made notes, both of them quiet. Then the chief recruiter looked up and gave her a small smile. The head of the department gave her a bigger one and Sutton resisted the urge to beg them to give her the job. She’d never wanted anything as much as she did this.

‘Um…when do you think I might hear whether I’ve been successful or not?’ Sutton asked, trying to sound professional.

‘Right now.’

For the next five minutes, she listened, trying to take in the information, wishing she felt confident enough to ask the caller to stop so she could take notes.

‘Of course, I will detail everything we discussed in an email so you can read through and digest our offer.’

Right. They were offering her a job. Her dream job. ‘If you find the package acceptable, you could start work at Fort Johns Hospital in January,’ Anders said.

‘I’m sorry, Anders, but I’m not a UK citizen. I have to go back to South Africa and apply for a work permit from there. And you have to send the British Consulate—’

‘I’ve got that in hand, Ms Alsop,’ the head of personnel replied. ‘We’re working to expedite the process. But we’d appreciate it if you could apply for a work permit as soon as possible—’

‘I would go back now, but I have commitments up until the New Year. But I suppose I could cancel—’ Layla would freak at their plans being changed but this was her career, her future, and she’d just have to deal.

They laughed. ‘I said I was desperate but I’m not that desperate, Ms Alsop,’ Anders said. ‘You stick to your plans and hopefully you’ll be back sometime in January.’

‘Thank you so much, I’m so excited to work with you.’

She had a job! Yay.

Anders looked down at his notes. ‘I’d like you in London, but I have to tell you that we have job opportunities to work in our other hospitals, we have facilities around the country—’

‘But you’re offering me a position at the London hospital, right?’

‘Yes. But it’s all in the email you’ll be sent later today,’ Anders replied. ‘Welcome aboard. I’ll see you in the new year.’

Sutton garbled her thanks, said goodbye and shot to her feet. She had her dream job…she got it! She did a little shimmy, then a boogie. Greatest day ever!

Ev-Ah!

She reached for her phone to call Layla and then hesitated, thinking about Gus’s words. Would she be happy for her? Or would she make some snotty comment, something along the lines of ‘it sounds too good to be true’ or ‘please check your contract’s small print, Sutton, before you get too excited.’ She couldn’t be sure of Layla’s reaction, even if she managed to get hold of her. She’d yet to answer any of the messages she’d sent since speaking to her on Sunday. Sutton wasn’t sure Layla would be happy for her and she didn’t want her deflating her high.

No, she’d keep this news to herself. This washerwin,herachievement,hersuccess. She was allowed to fully enjoy it. Even if that meant doing it by herself.

ChapterFifteen

‘I’m home!’

Sutton, still fizzing, shoved Gus’s Christmas present – a lovely framed photograph of the twins she’d captured on her phone – under a couch cushion and whipped around to face the table, still covered in Christmas wrapping paper and ribbon.

Gus bent down, dropped a kiss on her upturned mouth – so normal, so lovely – and gestured to the table. ‘And this?’

‘I bought the kids some presents,’ she told him, picking up a bottle of kids’ perfume. ‘On Christmas day your daughter will smell like a hothouse trollop.’

‘Awesome,’ he replied, walking into the kitchen. He opened the fridge, pulled out a bottle of wine and reached for two glasses. ‘Shouldn’t they be back from the bunny museum?’

She smiled. ‘They are.’ She lifted her phone and waved it back and forth. ‘Eli just sent me a voice note informing me they are watchingShrekand they’ll give them their tea.’

Gus grimaced. ‘Shrek? Again?’

‘Apparently, it’s the twins’ favourite movie,’ Sutton said, thanking him when he handed her a glass of Chenin Blanc.

Gus snorted. ‘It’sEli’sfavourite movie and he probably bribed the kids into watching it with him.’

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