Page 9 of Only You

Andrew did not know if that was the case. He and his brother hardly spoke anymore, work and life got in the way.

“Ok then. I had better let you get back to work.”

His mum’s voice let him know she wasn’t convinced. This, however, was on him. They were and had been amazing with Olivia. Still, his father had retired, and it wasn’t fair they were putting their lives on hold because he had been in a disastrous relationship and needed support raising his daughter.

“Thanks, Mum. Give my love to Dad and don’t give him a hard time. This is on me,” Andrew said before adding., “I’ll see you tonight when I pop in to say goodnight to Olivia.”

“Okay, Darling. We can talk more about this later.”

Andrew dropped the phone back onto his desk. He ran a hand through his hair and down his face before pinching the top of his nose to stem the sudden pounding in his head. A soft knock on the door had him looking up. His next patient wasn’t due for at least ten minutes, so it had to be his secretary Suzie or one of his colleagues.

“Come in,” he said, straightening the folders Suzie had left on his desk.

“Oh, dear.” Suzie’s voice came from the doorway. Andrew looked up in surprise at her tone. “What’s happened?” she asked, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her.

Suzie was a happily married, glamorous, middle-aged mother-of-two and the most efficient secretary he had ever had. He was not sure how he would have coped without her over the past year. After moving to a new job and city, she ensured his working environment ran smoothly, even when the rest of his life was running out of control.

“Why do you think something is wrong?” Andrew asked.

Suzie gave him her motherly, raised-eyebrow look, which told him not to be so obtuse. “Andrew. I’m the mother of two teenage boys. Your hair is all messed up where you have run your fingers through it. You have stress lines around your eyes.”

Andrew’s fingers flew to the edge of his eyes, feeling for the lines she was talking about. At thirty-six, he supposed lines were a thing that was part of his future.

Suzie pursed her lips and ignored him. “You’re either stressed or coming down with something. As a surgeon, you would not hang around the hospital if you thought you were sick, so it must be the former. So, spill.”

She dropped the folders she was carrying onto the desk and sat down in the chair opposite him.

Andrew sat back and stared at her. “There is such a thing as overstepping,” he said, looking at Suzie across his desk.

Suzie waved a dismissive hand at him. “Piffle. Come on, you’ve got your next patient in less than ten minutes. You need a clear head,” she said, ignoring him.

Andrew sighed. “My mother just rang to tell me she and Dad are taking a trip to Australia to visit my brother and his fiancée.”

Andrew paused.

“That’s nice...” Suzie said, raising a questioning eyebrow.

Andrew grimaced.

“In four weeks...”

Suzie sat up.

“And, of course, you have childcare in place to replace them?”

Andrew knew his guilt must be written all over his face. “Uh, that’s the problem. I forgot.”

“Andrew, you forgot your parents told you they were going to Australia. That you wouldn’t have any childcare?”

Andrew bristled. “It was the night before the TV drama with the board. Dad didn’t want her hassling me, so she hasn’t mentioned it since. I promised her the night she mentioned it, I’d be on it and not to fuss.”

Andrew groaned again and dropped his chin to his chest. He could remember the conversation clearly.

“Mum, please don’t fuss. This is an amazing opportunity for you both. You’ve wanted to tour Australia for years, and it gives you a chance to meet your soon-to-be daughter-in-law. Don’t worry about us. We can manage.”

Andrew landed back in the present. “Before you say anything else, yes, I am aware, they look after Olivia three nights a week when I work late shifts.”

Andrew’s shoulders slumped, and he exhaled. How had he got himself into this state?