‘Especially with your hair up?’ I say, before he gathers his hair into a mock ponytail.
‘Shut up,’ Lauren says, with a small smile.
‘Lauren Morris?’ says a woman with dark hair, about my age.
Angus tosses the magazine on to the table, before the three of us approach her. ‘Hello, I’m Dr Stratton. If you’d like to follow me.’
‘How can I help?’ Dr Stratton asks, as we take a seat in her office. She directs her attention towards Lauren.
Lauren turns to Angus, who gives her an encouraging nod, saying, ‘You tell Dr Stratton what you told us.’
‘I’m tired,’ Lauren replies. There’s a long awkward pause. Lauren turns to face Angus again. ‘Is there anything else you wanted me to tell her?’ Without waiting for an answer, she also turns to me.
‘We were worried about you, Lauren,’ I say, ‘you know, how low you’ve been feeling, and we wanted you to get some help.’
As I’m talking, Dr Stratton must wonder who we are. She reads my mind, asking, ‘It’s useful for me to know who’s come with a patient, so I’m aware who’s helping them?’
‘I’m Holly. We’re friends. We work together.’
‘I’m on pudding duty,’ Lauren murmurs.
‘Angus. We work at my friend’s café. We’re volunteers.’
‘Good,’ Dr Stratton says. ‘So, Lauren, you said you were feeling tired. Have you got any other symptoms?’
Lauren chews her lip.
Dr Stratton helps her out. ‘For example, is your appetite OK?’
‘Fine.’
I have to fight not to say she barely eats and then binges on sweets and chocolates.
‘Have you lost any weight at all?’
She shakes her head.
‘Are your periods normal?’
Lauren withdraws further into her seat. Any minute now she’ll be hiding under the chair.
‘No other symptoms like a cough or shortness of breath, bowels and waterworks OK?’ the doctor persists.
Lauren eyes the door longingly.
‘She’s tired, Dr Stratton,’ Angus stresses.
‘And you get back pain, don’t you, Lauren?’ I add.
Angus nods. ‘We were wondering if—’
‘I’m aware I’m asking lots of questions,’ Dr Stratton interrupts us, ‘but it’s important for me to make sure there’s nothing else going on. Lauren, would you be happy to have a blood test? It’s routine, to make sure we don’t miss anything.’
‘Like?’ Angus asks.
‘Possibly a low blood count or thyroid problems,’ she replies, trying to maintain eye contact with Lauren. ‘Underactive thyroid is fairly common and can cause tiredness. I’d like to check your liver too, and a few other things, to make sure everything is all right.’
‘That sounds like a good idea, doesn’t it?’ Angus says when Lauren remains silent.
