“Ninety-nine-point nine percent.” I typed out a message to Rose.
“You’re asking her, aren’t you?”
“Yep.”
Me: Laurie seems to think you’re avoiding me because you faked it in bed and I was below par. X
I watched for the read notification, not sure if she was in work today or not. I didn’t need to wait for long.
Rose: I can confirm it’s not that. I’m okay. Just feels a bit weird, that’s all. X
Me: I get that. Take your time. I’m not going anywhere. X
Rose: I know. It’s Harriet’s leaving party on Saturday as well, so I’m having Big Feelings about that too. And Fallon went on a second date last night with a cardiologist, so I’m assuming the end of the world is nigh. X
Me: I see you’re catastrophising X
Rose: Absolutely. X
Me: What are you doing tonight? X
Rose: Having a sleepover with Erin, Harriet and Fallon. You will be discussed and I suspect they will want me to draw diagrams, so be warned. X
Me: You have no idea how much that terrifies me. X
I talked Laurie through the messages in between her newly appointed shop manager coming in to check on various things, including two authors who were due in to do signings. There was another event planned for the following weekend to celebrate the release of a book that was tipped to be a bestseller, all organised and publicised. Laurie had been interviewed by a couple of magazines and an industry journal, all celebrating the waves she was making already. She was a force of nature, and I was proud of her. Which I remembered to tell her.
“That means a lot, Carter. What would mean even more is if you’d carry these boxes to the front so the courier can collect them.”
I was surprised to find Fallon on my doorstep that night, dressed in an outfit that suggested she was about to bring down the government, and looking less like a doctor than anyone I’dever met. Her hair had been dyed black with red tips, and there was something else different that I couldn’t work out.
“What’s up?” I asked as I let her in. ‘Where are you off to?”
“Nowhere. I’ve just given a talk at one of the universities about women in medicine and decided to dress like this for shits and giggles. It worked. There were a lot of middle aged white men who were completely appalled and a lot of teenaged girls who were inspired, so I’m going to call that a win.”
“Fallon McGrath, bringing down the patriarchy one white man at a time.” I followed her through to the lounge where I had a fire blazing. “I thought you were having a sleep over at Rose’s?”
“I’m on my way there. I wanted to check on you first though.” She sat down on the chair nearest the fire. “I can’t wait until summer. I think I’ve been freezing my tits off for the last four months.”
“I’m not sure I can help you with that. Maybe ask your cardiologist?” It was a dig.
She inched closer to the fire. “I made an appointment. I need another op.”
“Valve replacement?”
Fallon nodded. “Amongst other complications. I’ll be off work for nine months to a year, which I’m not happy about.”
“I hear your cardiologist was last night’s date?”
“Fuck, the hospital rumour mill is good, or did you hear it from Rose?”
“Both. Rose told me, but I heard it from Cathy in ENT and Anne-Marie, of course.” There was nothing more efficient in the hospital than the grapevine. “I think David Gillian mentioned it too at the coffee machine.”
“Jesus, it’s been two dates, and you’d think it was headline news. Don’t people have anything else to talk about?”
“Clearly not. I hope he’s passing your case over to someone else?”
Fallon paused before shrugging. “I like how he deals with me as a patient, so I’ve asked for him to continue, but be overseen, so that should avoid any ethical issues.”
