you?’
‘Yep. She thought I would try to talk her out of it. She said that she wanted to have children one day but that she knew she couldn’t study to be a doctor and be a teenage mum … Alessi turned from Isla and looked back at the ceiling. ‘I get that, I understand that. I get that it was her body …’
‘It was your baby, though?’
Alessi nodded and he waited and hoped for Isla to share.
‘Go to sleep,’ Isla said, and Alessi smiled into the darkness.
If it took for ever he would find out what went on in that head, and then he smiled into the darkness again. ‘Jed and I have swapped. I’m working this weekend.’
‘But you’re already on call twice next week,’ Isla pointed out sleepily.
‘I know,’ Alessi said, ‘but it will be worth it to have next weekend off. You know what next weekend is?’ he checked. ‘Valentine’s Day. The anniversary of when we first met.’
‘And?’
‘I have plans for us.’
‘Such as?’
‘You’ll find out,’ he said. Yes, he’d had plans when he’d swapped the work arrangements with Jed—an intimate meal with Isla, perhaps a night in a gorgeous hotel, but right now those plans were getting bigger and he gave a wry laugh.
‘Hopefully it will end better than the last one.’
IT WAS THE promise of the weekend and the fact that her period was due that had Isla knocking on Darcie’s office door on the Monday morning.
‘Hi, Darcie …’
‘Hey, Isla.’
‘I was wondering …’ Isla started, but then she changed her mind. She would make an appointment with her GP, Isla decided, and turned to go. Except her period was due any time and for it to be safe she’d need to start the Pill on her first day. She also knew that she needed to have her blood pressure checked and things … So Isla took a breath. ‘Have you got a moment?’
‘Sure,’ Darcie said. ‘I’ve got precisely six.’ She frowned when Isla didn’t smile. ‘I’ve got all the time you need, Isla. Is everything okay?’
‘Oh, it’s not a biggie,’ Isla said. ‘It won’t take long. I was just wondering if you could write me a script for the Pill …’
‘Sure,’ Darcie said. ‘Have a seat.’
Isla did, though again she was tempted to change her mind. ‘What do you usually take?’ Darcie asked, pulling out a blood-pressure cuff. When Isla didn’t immediately answer, Darcie said, ‘Sorry, Isla, but I’m not just going to give you a repeat without checking your blood pressure.’
Isla nodded. She knew that Darcie was thorough and was starting to realise what a stupid idea this had been as Darcie quickly checked it. ‘All good.’ Darcie nodded. ‘So, what are you on?’
‘I’m not,’ Isla said.
‘What type of contraception do you usually use?’
‘Condoms,’ Isla said, and then cleared her throat.
‘Okay,’ Darcie answered carefully. They both knew that condoms weren’t the safest of choices.
‘Look, sorry, Darcie, I should have gone to my GP. I just—’
‘Isla, it’s fine.’ Darcie interrupted. ‘I’m not just going to write out a script, though, if it’s something that you haven’t taken before.’
Isla nodded.
‘Have you any history that I should know about?’
Isla shook her head.
‘Blood clots, migraines …’ She went through the list of contraindications.
‘Nothing.’
‘Good.’ Darcie smiled. ‘When did you last have a smear test?’
Isla sat there, her cheeks on fire.
‘Sorry, I keep forgetting I’m in Australia,’ Darcie said into the silence. ‘When did you last have a Pap?’
Isla had never had a Pap because she’d never been sexually active.
‘It’s been …’ Isla gave a tight shrug. ‘It’s been a while.’
‘I’m not going to tell you off for leaving it too long,’ Darcie said. ‘Let’s just get it over and done with. When is your period due?’
‘Today or tomorrow.’
‘Have you had any unprotected sex?’
‘No.’ Isla shook her head, but more to clear it. What the hell was she lying for? ‘Once,’ she amended. ‘But he …’ She let out a breath in embarrassment. God, no wonder the patients loathed all the questions. ‘He withdrew.’
‘Did you do it standing up?’ Darcie grinned as she teased. They’d both heard it all before and knew that withdrawal was far from safe.
‘I’m not pregnant,’ Isla said. She knew that she wasn’t—her breasts had that heavy feeling they always got when her period was near. Not that it put Darcie off.
‘Fine, then you won’t mind peeing in a jar to put my mind at ease. Then I’m going to do a Pap and give you a work-up and get all the boxes ticked so you can hopefully forget about things for another couple of years.’
‘You don’t have time.’
‘I just made time.’ Darcie smiled. She was a thorough doctor and refused to be rushed by anyone, especially her patients, and a little while later as she looked at the pregnancy card on the desk before her, a patient Isla suddenly was.
‘Isla,’ Darcie said, and Isla watched as she pushed the card over to her.
Isla stared at it for a long moment. There were possibly a thousand thoughts in her head but not a single one of them did she show on her face. She just looked up at Darcie.
‘Can we leave the Pap for another time?’ Isla said, her voice completely clear, her expression unreadable.
‘Of course, but, Isla—’
‘Can we not discuss this, please?’ Isla stood. ‘Just …’ She turned as she got to the door. ‘You won’t tell anyone …’
‘You don’t have to ask me that, Isla,’ Darcie said, and Isla nodded. ‘But if you want to talk any time, you can.’
Isla
