The Nurse by J. Corrigan (list of ebook readers txt) 📕

That was when Stella asked who she could call to come and pick me up. I gave her Daniel’s number.

I hadn’t mentioned the flowers or the uterus to Daniel in the calls we’d made to each over the past grim two weeks. I’d thought about it, but then the misery of the placement overtook my anger at Ed, and to some extent at Daniel for having a mate like him.

I waited for Daniel in the car park with a holdall on the ground either side of me.

‘You can finish your training after the baby’s born, defer a year,’ he said, putting the bags in the boot. Then he opened the door and helped me in.

I stared out of the window at the rain, waiting for him to get into the driver’s seat. ‘Daniel, did you ask Ed to deliver flowers on my first day?’

‘I did. You never mentioned you’d got them and I didn’t want to press or hassle you. I wanted you to settle in.’ He glanced at me. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘Apart from me being kicked off the placement and undoubtedly kicked off the course?’

‘They can’t kick you off the course for being pregnant.’

‘They’ll find a way, and anyway, I’m quitting.’ He didn’t respond, and I carried on. ‘Ed put something in the bottom of the flower box.’

‘What?’ He turned to look at me.

‘A cow or sheep’s uterus, I’m guessing. Does he know I’m pregnant?’

No response.

‘Daniel?’

‘Yes. Look, did Ed give you the box?’

‘No, he gave it to Stella, another student. I was in my room.’

He burst out laughing. ‘That old trick, eh? Your mates pulled a prank on you, Rose. Don’t tell me you’ve been a med student for four years and no one has done anything like that before?’

They had. In my second year, I’d been told to take the vital signs of a geriatric on ICU. He had pancreatic cancer, final stages, and was intubated. I couldn’t find a pulse. I pretended I had, like students often did. I remembered saying it was 98. The man had died an hour before. My supervisor and a few of the other students were huddled at the other side of the unit, sniggering. Once I’d got over my mortification, we had a laugh about it. The humour amongst med students was juvenile as well as black.

I allowed myself a smile. ‘It has happened before, yes.’ I fell quiet. ‘But Stella told me she’d put the flowers in a vase for me. Why would she do that if she intended me to find it? And her shock at finding the uterus was as genuine as mine.’

‘Sounds as if Stella is a good actress as well as a budding doctor. I don’t know, but honestly, that’s what it was: a silly med student prank.’ He picked up a pack of mints and popped one in his mouth. ‘Those flowers cost me a fortune.’

He’d put it into perspective. Stella had been great, but she was a bit mischievous. Fun. Like I’d been once, though then I wondered if I ever had been any fun. ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with me.’

‘Hormones,’ he replied.

I tutted at the male response. Briefly he touched my knee, his hand high up on my thigh, and for the first time since meeting him, there was no spark of sexual anticipation.

He carried on. ‘It’s all going to be okay. I’m taking you back to my house. I’ve spoken to Tom and Casey, and they’re packing up some stuff you might need. Ed’s going to pick it up.’

I swivelled around. ‘I don’t want Ed picking anything up.’ I didn’t want Ed anywhere near me, or my baby.

‘You really are hormonal.’

I sighed, suddenly too tired to argue. Maybe the astute Stella had known I was pregnant as soon as she met me. I was that easy to read. And that was why she’d put a uterus in the flower box. Maybe I had it all wrong, and Daniel was right.

‘I love you, Rose. Why don’t we just enjoy ourselves until the baby’s born?’

My dream of qualifying next year had been obliterated, but I was going to be a mum; I was with Daniel. It was enough, for now.

‘It’s a thought,’ I said. ‘And afterwards? We’ll have fun afterwards too?’ I tried to smile. It was difficult.

‘I’ve made dinner already for tonight. You’re too thin for a pregnant woman,’ he replied, not answering my question.

‘You made dinner? We could have gone to Mussels.’

‘Not my scene any more.’ He started the engine. ‘Too many blacks and gays in there these days. Must be Noah’s influence.’

‘What the hell do you mean, Daniel?’

He glanced at me. ‘Nothing. I mean nothing. I’m sorry. I’m just worried about you.’

I held my stomach, a rolling feeling lurching through me, like soldiers marching unrelentingly to their next battle.

40

24 July 1991

Daniel had gone to town with dinner – roast lamb, dauphinoise potatoes and four different veg – and as he prepared it, and I watched, he apologised again.

‘We’re half a generation apart,’ he said as he made the mint sauce. ‘I’m sorry, it was a crass comment.’

‘It really was. And being older doesn’t excuse it. At all. You really need to work on your prejudices.’ I paused for effect. ‘Work very hard.’

‘I do.’

He served up the dinner, but my appetite was poor, and I pushed the food around my plate, silence hanging between us. The more objective Rose recognised he was doing the right thing by not talking. He was more than aware that communication was off the agenda and that nothing good could come from it anyway when I was so tired and fractious and still reeling from his car comment.

It was the doorbell that saved me. He got up from the table and touched my shoulder as he walked by. ‘You eat as much as you can, and then go get some sleep.’

I nodded and looked at my watch. ‘Late for visitors.’ I got up too. ‘I’m going to bed. Thanks for the food and I’m sorry your