the paperwork was done, it was time to start the damage limitation. Jane knocked on Theo’s open office door.
He looked up from his desk. ‘Janey, you’re supposed to be off duty. What are you doing here?’ He raised one hand to silence her reply. ‘Oh, don’t tell me. Ellen Baxter.’
‘Yes. I’m discharging her this morning. She’ll call me if she has any worries and she’ll come straight back here if she has the slightest twinge.’
‘And did you come in to tell me that, or to bring me coffee?’ he asked, looking hopeful.
‘Actually, a large brandy might be more in order,’ she said ruefully.
He frowned. ‘What’s up, Janey?’
She dragged in a breath. ‘I need to show you something. I’m sorry, I had absolutely no idea about it until I got the email last night.’ She pulled the article up on her phone and handed it to him.
Theo read through it, his mouth set in a grim line; when he’d finished, he looked up at her. ‘I’ve never seen such utter spite in my entire life. I can’t believe this is focused on something so shallow and it doesn’t even say what you do! Are you all right?’
No. She was ragingly angry and desperately hurt. She yanked the emotions back. No more tears. Just smiles. ‘I’m fine,’ she fibbed. ‘But this is going to look really bad for the department. If you want me to resign, I understand.’
‘Resign? You must be joking. Janey, you’re an excellent doctor and this rubbish has got nothing to do with you.’ He flicked out of the screen. ‘When does the magazine go on sale?’
‘I’m not sure. This week, I think.’
‘Right. I’ll have a word with the shop manager and make sure it’s not on sale in the hospital this week. If necessary, I’ll buy their entire stock of the magazine myself. I can’t do anything about people who buy it elsewhere and bring it in, but my guess is that anyone who knows you—staff or patient—will be fuming on your behalf.’ He looked grim as he handed the phone back to her. ‘And those who choose to spread gossip or make stupid comments to you—well, their opinions are worth nothing in the first place, so just ignore them, OK?’
‘Thank you.’ She felt humble beyond belief that her boss was prepared to buy up the entire stock of magazines to try and spare her from an awkward situation.
‘I take it that—’ he said something in Greek that she didn’t understand, but from the expression on his face it definitely wasn’t anything complimentary ‘—sister of yours was behind this?’
Jane spread her hands. ‘She asked me to do the interview months ago. It was meant to be a feature about twins, “the beauty and the brains”. Except I was up to my eyes with work and exams, so I said I couldn’t do it. I thought she’d just forgotten about it.’
‘More like she used it to have another dig at you, because she’s incredibly jealous of you.’
‘She can’t be. There’s absolutely nothing to be jealous about. She’s a supermodel,’ she reminded Theo.
‘She’s also heading towards thirty and she’s not going to get the same kind of work opportunities she had when she was eighteen. Looks don’t last, but education does. You’re clever, your career will be going from strength to strength while hers is starting to go more slowly, and everyone who meets you really likes you. That’s why she’s jealous,’ Theo said. He sighed. ‘Do your parents know about this?’
‘Probably not. But I’m not going to say anything. You know my mum’s fragile.’
‘I know depression’s tough to overcome,’ Theo said gently, ‘but it doesn’t mean you can just give up on being a parent to your children. When have either of your parents ever put you first?’
Jane didn’t want to answer that. ‘It’s OK.’
Theo gave her a sympathetic look. ‘You’ve got more patience than anyone else I know.’
‘It’s not easy for Mum. She was right at the height of her career when she fell pregnant with Jenna and me and had to give it all up.’ According to Sophia, pregnancy had ruined her skin and her figure; and, with the crippling post-natal depression she’d suffered afterwards, she’d never been able to return to her modelling.
‘You know, Maddie could say the same thing. Being a mum means that she’s had to give up some of her career choices, and I’ve turned down offers as well because I don’t want a job that’d mean I can’t give her and our daughters enough time. But neither of us would change a thing, because the girls have brought so much joy to us,’ Theo said softly.
Jane had to swallow hard. What would it be like to have a family who loved her unconditionally, the way Maddie and Theo felt about their children, instead of making her feel guilty for being born? What would it have been like if Jenna had supported her and cheered her on through the long years of studying medicine, instead of pulling her down and mocking her all the time?
Though it was pointless dwelling on it. She couldn’t change the way they were. All she could do was try to love them as best as she could—and, since Shaun had betrayed her with Jenna, that had meant from a safe distance. Which, she supposed, made her just as bad as them.
Theo reached out and squeezed her hand. ‘Sorry. I’m overstepping the mark. It’s not my place to criticise your family. Though I wish they’d appreciate you for who you are.’
He paused. ‘Do you want me to call Maddie? Or Sorcha?’
‘No. I’ll be fine.’
‘Hmm.’ He looked at her. ‘Is that article the reason why you disappeared from the ball so early last night?’
‘No.’ Not exactly. She definitely wasn’t telling him the real reason behind that.
‘Sure?’
‘Sure,’ she confirmed.
‘I’ll believe you—for now.’ He smiled at her. ‘Now, go and have two nice days off, forget about that stupid article, and come back all bright-eyed on Tuesday morning, yes?’
‘OK, Theo.’ She dragged in a breath. ‘And thank you.’
‘Any time.’
On Tuesday morning Jane had just checked up on her first patient when Theo walked in. ‘Janey, have you got a moment?’
She looked over at him, saw the man in the white coat next to him, and her knees went weak as she recognised him.
Oh, my God.
He couldn’t possibly be… Could he?
Theo’s next words confirmed it. ‘I’d like to introduce you to our new consultant.’
If Theo said his name was James or Bond, she was going to collapse in a puddle of hysterical laughter.
‘Edward Somers,’ Theo continued. ‘Ed, this is Jane Cooper, one of our F2 doctors, but it’s not going to be long before she makes registrar.’
She
