Summer of Love by Marie Ferrarella (easy to read books for adults list .TXT) 📕

that he usually pops in with his notes after he’s finished the house calls, but he’s not been in yet this afternoon.’

‘Maybe he’s running late,’ Emma suggested.

‘Probably, although there weren’t that many calls to do today.’ Ruth shrugged when the phone rang. ‘Maybe he got held up. You know how some people love to talk—he probably couldn’t get away.’

‘I expect that’s it,’ Emma agreed as she carried on along the corridor, although she was surprised that Daniel would have allowed himself to be late. He was a stickler for punctuality and was usually at his desk well before his first appointment was due.

She booted up her computer then glanced through the list that Ruth had left on her desk. It wasn’t too long for a change so, hopefully, she could finish on time for once. She buzzed through for her first patient, smiling when Judith Fisher walked into the room.

‘Hello, Judith. How are you?’

‘I’m all right, Dr Roberts.’ The young woman sat down in front of the desk. ‘I had an appointment at the hospital on Wednesday. The consultant did a laparoscopy and confirmed that I have endometriosis, like you suspected.’

‘At least we know what we’re dealing with now,’ Emma said quietly.

‘I suppose so,’ Judith agreed wistfully.

Emma guessed that it had been a blow for Judith to have her suspicions confirmed and tried to focus on the positive aspects of the diagnosis. ‘What did the consultant suggest by way of treatment?’

‘He’s put me back on the Pill to prevent me menstruating. It will help to control the pain and, hopefully, stop the cysts from getting any bigger. He also said that he might surgically remove some of the larger cysts at a later date.’

‘And you’re worried about how that will affect your chances of having a baby?’

‘Yes.’ Tears rose in Judith’s eyes. ‘I don’t think I’ll ever have a baby now, will I?’

‘I haven’t received a copy of your consultant’s report yet, Judith, so there is no way that I can tell you that everything is going to be all right. However, what I can say is that between sixty and seventy per cent of women who suffer from endometriosis are able to have children.’

‘That sounds much better than how the consultant put it.’ Judith managed a watery smile. ‘He said that thirty to forty per cent of women with endometriosis are infertile.’

‘I suppose it’s the glass half full or half empty scenario,’ Emma said with a chuckle. ‘It depends which way you choose to look at the figures.’

‘Well, I prefer your way.’ Judith sounded more optimistic all of a sudden. ‘I have almost a seventy per cent chance of becoming a mum and that’s pretty good odds, I’d say.’

‘So would I.’ Emma smiled at her. ‘I know it must be hard but try to remain positive. Once you’ve completed the treatment, who knows what might happen? And the plus factor is that pregnancy is known to suppress the symptoms of endometriosis.’

‘A case of fingers crossed.’ Judith laughed as she stood up.

‘Exactly.’

Emma was still smiling as she buzzed through her next patient. It was always good to know that you had helped someone be more positive about their life. That was one of the reasons why she loved surgery, of course, although she hadn’t realised that she would derive the same pleasure from general practice work. No wonder Daniel enjoyed his job so much.

The thought startled her. Ever since Daniel had announced that he planned to go into private practice, she’d had a jaundiced view of his motives for becoming a GP. Now she could see that she may have misjudged him.

It didn’t necessarily mean that it was purely financial gain that drove him.

It was uncomfortable to find her view of Daniel knocked off kilter. Emma found it difficult to push the idea aside as she dealt with her next patient, an elderly man who suffered from chronic bronchitis. She renewed his prescription for an inhaler and gently suggested that he might benefit from oxygen therapy. Once she had explained that oxygen cylinders could be delivered to his home, he happily agreed. She made a note to ask Ruth to contact the nearest supplier and saw him out. She was just about to sit down again when Ruth, herself, hurried into the room.

‘I’m sorry to barge in, Emma, but Daniel still hasn’t appeared. I’m getting really worried now, because it just isn’t like him not to turn up,’ the receptionist told her anxiously.

‘No, it certainly isn’t,’ Emma agreed. ‘Have you tried his phone?’

‘Yes, but it goes straight to voice mail.’ Ruth bit her lip. ‘You don’t think he’s had an accident, do you? Some of the roads round here are a bit tricky if you don’t know them that well.’

‘I’m sure we’d have heard if he had,’ Emma assured her, although her heart had started to race at the thought of Daniel lying injured somewhere. She took a deep breath before panic could set in. ‘Do you have a list of the calls he was supposed to do this afternoon?’ When Ruth nodded, she hurried on. ‘Then I suggest you telephone everyone on the list and check what time he visited them. That way we’ll have a better idea of where he might be.’

‘Good idea!’ Ruth exclaimed. She hurried to the door then paused. ‘What about his patients, though? There’s a real backlog forming.’

‘I’ll have to see them,’ Emma told her. ‘I’ll see one of mine then one of Daniel’s—that will be fairer than making his patients wait till I finish my list.’

Emma picked up the phone as soon as Ruth left and dialled Daniel’s phone but the call went straight to voice mail again. She hung up, feeling her stomach churning with nerves. What could have happened to stop him even answering his phone? She had no idea but it was extremely worrying. Maybe they didn’t see eye to eye on a lot of things but she couldn’t bear to think that he may have been hurt or worse