‘Give and Take’
by Lisa Kennard
"Maybe it’s for the best Alex!"
"He’s my patient Tom! Why can’t you just stay out of it?"
Above the cacophony of coughs and sneezes in the waiting room at the Beeches, two raised voices could be heard. Some patients shuffled uncomfortably in their seats feeling guilty for overhearing the exchange. Others sat, ears pricked, enjoying the entertainment.
Carol glanced over at Bridget and Kerri, "What should we do?"
The two women shrugged.
"Well we’ve got to do something," Carol added feeling slightly uneasy about the whole situation.
Just then, Will appeared from one of the consultation rooms. "What the devil’s going on?" he said peering over the top of his spectacles. Carol nodded to Tom’s room where the argument was taking place. "Right . . .I’ll sort this!" he said as he moved towards the shut door.
Suddenly the door flew open and the tumultuous affair burst out into the waiting room.
"I can’t believe your taking this so personally."
"Well, how am I supposed to take it . . . huh? You’re saying this has nothing to do with me now. You’re just taking over . . .well I won’t let you do that."
"I didn’t think you’d want to be involved Alex"
"Too right you didn’t think! Well if that’s the way it’s going to be then . . ."
The two continued unaware of their audience until Will cut in.
"Excuse me!" he said silencing the warring couple immediately.
Alex stood stunned, her cheeks glowing with embarrassment. Tom shuffled nervously, like a schoolboy in trouble with the headmaster. Both felt ashamed – they had not meant for their differences to be heard by half of Cardale.
"If you’ve got a moment, I’d like to see you both in my office." Will added in his dictatorial manner.
Alice North stood up from her chair in the waiting area and moved to the reception desk where Carol stood. "I’ve never seen anything like it," she cooed. "They should be ashamed of themselves." Leaning on the side of the counter, Alice watched the three doctors enter Will’s office and shut the door. "It would never have happened in my day," she added, "Never!"
In Will’s office:
"What’s this all about?" Will addressed both doctors who stood rather sombrely in front of him.
"It’s nothing," Alex answered.
"Didn’t look like nothing to me," Will responded.
Tom spoke up, "Thanks for your concern Will, but it is really between me and Alex."
"Really, so that’s why you were arguing in front of everyone then."
Alex’s rage returned, "It’s none of your business Will!" she exclaimed her voice rising slightly.
"I think it is . . . when it starts affecting the patients at this surgery." Will paused to let the words sink in. "Now, if you both can’t sort it out now, I suggest you go home and do it. Arguing in front of patients is not very professional, is it?"
"We’re sorry Will," Tom apologised. "It won’t happen again."
Will looked at Alex, but she remained tight-lipped. He didn’t want to push her. The anger was still present in her eyes and Will feared another outburst like before. He softened his tone, "If either of you ever want to talk to me about anything, you know where I am. My door is always open," he said hoping that the situation was now under control.
Tom remained in Will’s office for a while after Alex left.
"I’m sorry Will, she’s just upset."
Will looked at Tom’s perturbed expression, "Is there anything I can do?"
Tom thought for a moment. "No, it’s alright . . .I’ll talk to her. Thanks anyway."
There was a soft knock on Will’s door and Kate popped her head into the room. "Oh sorry!" she said when she saw Tom sitting there.
"No it’s alright Kate," Tom protested, getting up. "I’m just going . . . "I’ll leave you two to it." He smiled at Kate as he left the room and shut the door behind him.
Kate stood for a moment wondering what she had interrupted. "Is everything alright?" she asked Will.
"Tom and Alex are just having a few problems."
"I’m sure they’ll sort it out." Kate moved around to Will’s side of the desk and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I sometimes wonder," he said. "You know, they always say that you shouldn’t have a personal relationship with someone you work with."
"Hmmm," mused Kate. "But ours is working out alright, isn’t it?" She sat on his knee and he placed an arm around her waist to support her.
"Hmmm," Will echoed Kate as he kissed her lightly, "It’s working fine." Forgetting his earlier speech on professionalism, Will got carried away with the moment much to Kate’s delight.
Alex’s house:
Alex sipped the glass of wine she held as the music played on in the background. The empty bottle lay discarded on the floor where she left it. The days events tumbled about in her mind as she relived her earlier argument with Tom. She hated arguing with him, but it just sort of happened. Now, she regretted it. She winced as she remembered the way she had lashed out at him. He was only trying to help and she had thrown it all back in his face.
Lost in thought, Alex began dreaming of all of the good times she had had with Tom. Hazy pictures and happy memories floated through her mind aided by the wine that she had consumed. They were so right for each other . . .
The shrill ring of the telephone interrupted her reverie. Wiping the sleepiness from her eyes she made her way up the hall and picked up the receiver, "Hello, Dr Redman speaking."
"Alex," a familiar voice spoke her name.
"Tom?" Alex questioned the voice, still feeling slightly sluggish and unawake. She had been hoping he would call and was a little surprised, but her premise was incorrect. "Oh, hi dad," she sighed, recognising the voice at last. "Yes I’m fine," she lied. "Everything’s fine . . .
Tom’s house:
"Daddy’s not very happy tonight," Leanne cooed over Joe as he sat on her lap. "I wonder what’s wrong?" She clapped his hands together as he bobbed up and down on her knee, making giggling noises in the back of his throat.
Tom watched them but did not offer any answers. His earlier argument with Alex was running through his head and he felt bad for upsetting her. Leanne interrupted his thoughts. "Ring her," she whispered sensing the problem was connected with Alex.
Tom sighed and smiled at Leanne, "Maybe I will."
"Right then," Leanne said getting up. "I think its time for bed baby." Come on Joe, say good night to Daddy."
Tom kissed Joe on the forehead and stroked his hair, before Leanne took him upstairs. While Leanne was putting him to bed, Tom reached for the phone and dialled Alex’s number. He paused a while, then slammed the phone down as soon as he recognised the engaged tone. "Damn!" he cursed under his breath. He paced the floor for a few minutes before trying again. The phone was still engaged. Tom slumped down into the chair dejected. He would just have to wait until the morning.
At the Beeches the following morning:
Arms folded across her chest, Alex sat alone in the middle of the surgery. Time passed slowly, the clock on the wall pronouncing each second, every minute, while she waited. Eventually he would come to work, and her waiting would be over. They had to sort this out – she had been able to think of nothing else all night.
Alex hoped Tom wasn’t still angry with her. She tried to imagine what it would be like working with him, if they never made up. Tom would enter and pretend that everything was all right, playing a charade before their colleagues. He'd block out his feelings and hide all emotion presenting only a void façade to camouflage how much he was hurting. He would throw himself into work, focusing on cases he didn't really care about, as a distraction from her. Trying to avoid all contact, he would concentrate his mind on his patients. Ignorant and stubborn, he never seemed to listen to what Alex had to say. Arrogant, self-centred, chauvinistic…her thoughts trailed off, as the door to the surgery opened and he appeared.
Their eyes met; a merciful moment of recognition and solace. Each of them was hurting, the pain enveloping their entire physique and evident in them both. After that one acknowledging glance there was silence. They stood across from each other neither saying a word, praying this encounter would not lead to another argument. Both waited in vain as they searched for the right words; a nervous disposition recreating in each mind a feeling of doubt.
Summoning every inch of courage they could muster they both spoke at once, "I’m sorry!" An apology expressed in unison echoed around the empty room. Alex smiled slightly, unsure of what to say next, and Tom moved in closer. Words could not capture the significance of his feelings for her. A thousand "I love yous" would fall short of expressing his unmitigated desire to be with her.
He kissed her gently on the forehead and then moved to her lips. Compassionate and captivating, the sensitive doctor held her in his arms, dissolving her earlier tension. He was kind and gentle, with a tender soft and sweet caress. The anger, frustration and tears of the night before were forgotten. As the rest arrived for work, Alex and Tom moved towards his office, needing the peace and privacy of his own room to carry out their reconciliation.
"Looks like they’ve made up," quipped Bridget who entered the surgery, closely followed by Will and Kate.
Will smiled at Kate, "I guess these working relationships do have some advantages."
Kate giggled knowingly.
"So have you got time for a quick meeting in my office Mrs Preston?"
"Yeah, I think I can fit you in."
The two of them sidled off to the privacy of his room. Bridget watched them go and then turned to see Kerri and Carol entering the building. "We’ve got a bit of an epidemic happening," she announced. The two looked concerned until Bridget broke into a smile, "All the doctors in this surgery are love sick."
THE END