April
Matthew
Brookfield was a native Beaumont Islander, but he was no longer a resident, but
he had been brought home in order to visit his sister Shirley who was waiting
to undergo major heart surgery.
In fact, it had
brought him back to the country, from sunnier climes where he had been filming
his TV Show.
When he got to
the Bellevue Cottage Hospital he went straight upstairs to the private room he
had arranged for her and found her lying in bed with wires and tubes coming out
of her, he hadn’t seen her since Christmas and she had deteriorated severely
since then, and he had to fight back the tears.
“Blimey sis,
I’ve seen net caught tuna in better condition” he said, and he embraced his
brother-in-law Trevor before taking hold of Shirley’s hand.
“Thanks Mark,
that’s just what I needed, comparing me to a dead fish.”
“The fish
lived” he assured her and kissed her.
She was about
to utter a contradiction but then a very attractive female Doctor entered, Dr
M. M. Flaxmer according to her name tag, and he made a quick appraisal, as if
she were a game fish, albeit one with a pretty face, blue eyes, and soft
shoulder length brown hair.
He ascertained
her to be 5t 3 or 4, early thirties, a nice figure, everything where it should
be, equally proportioned, and an exceptionally good catch, who was emitting a
very subtle yet exotic perfume every time she moved.
A brief
introduction followed and then he had to leave while they did all the medical
stuff.
“I’ll go and
grab a coffee and come back later” he said.
When he
returned half an hour later there was no sign of the sweet-smelling Doctor and
nor did she appear over the following two hours he was there.
Shirley had
begun to tire so he said his farewell, and promised to see her the next
morning, and stay with her until the surgery which was scheduled for midday.
He was staying
at the Beaumont Manor Hotel, which boasted an
excellent restaurant, but as he travelled a lot for his job he had eaten in
excellent restaurants in all four corners of the world.
What he really
craved was something he could only get in St Pierre, an Emperor burger from
Ceasars Burger Bar.
Having
sufficiently filled the hollow with reconstituted meat, saturated fats, and
carbohydrates he ambled his way to the Hotel which was close to the Hospital.
When he reached
the Hotel he found it was very busy, and according to the signage it was due to
someone’s Wedding Day, and there was an event going on in the main function
room.
Matthew decided
on a nightcap before bed and sat at the bar, drinking a large Gin and Tonic
while doing a spot of people watching, which was when a voice broke in.
“Matthew Brookfield?” they said and when he turned
around he saw that the voice belonged to an attractive looking woman, pretty
face, blue eyes, soft
brown hair, 5t 3 or 4, early thirties, nice figure, wearing a black cocktail
dress and heels, whom he didn’t recognize.
It was clearly
a woman he’d met at some function or other, an encounter so unmemorable he
instantly forgot her, which was embarrassing, but an occupational hazard, or
maybe she was some fan of the show that he had never met and just wanted an
autograph or a selfie, and then it registered.
“Dr Flaxmer” he
replied, not a random woman he’d met and instantly forgotten or an intrusive
fan, phew she was Shirley’s Doctor.
“Do you mind if
I join you?” she asked.
“Not at all” he
said, “please do” and gestured to the neighboring stool.
“Can I get you
a drink?” Matthew asked.
“Thank you,
yes,” she said and to the barman who had miraculously appeared “Bitter lemon
please, ice and a slice.”
“And for you
sir?” he asked.
“I’ll have the
same again please.”
While they
waited for their drinks she asked
“Did you enjoy
the food? The restaurant here is marvelous” she said and in response to his
expression she added.
“Didn’t you eat
here?”
“No, I have to
confess I did not” he replied sheepishly, then he went on to explain where he
had actually eaten and the reasoning behind it and she laughed a rather
delightful laugh in response to his confession.
“Well, they are
the best burgers in the world” she said.
“Is that your
medical opinion Doctor?”
“No, merely
that of someone who has consumed her fair share of Emperor Burgers” She
replied, “And please call me Max, I try to play down the Doctor bit when I’m
out.”
“Oh, why’s
that?”
“Well people
have an annoying habit of telling me about their complaints” she replied, and
he laughed.
“Your sister
told me that you’re famous” she said and qualified it by adding “in the fishing
world.”
“I am”
“Well, I bet
when you go out and you get recognized, the worst that happens is people ask
you about bait or lures, I get shown body parts, with lumps bumps and rashes.”
And then came
her delightful laugh again.
When they had
both stopped laughing he said
“On your name
tag earlier, it said M.M. Flaxmer.”
“That’s
correct”
“So where does
Max fit?” he asked, “Is it the first M or the second?”
“Maxine, is my
middle name,” she replied and then in a hushed tone added “My first name is
Millicent, and I really don’t like it.”
Matthew
sniggered.
“So why are you
staying here anyway?” He asked, “and wearing your formal Ceasar Burger Bar
evening wear, stunning by the way.”
“Thank you for
the compliment, in answer to your first question, I don’t live on the island,
so I always stay here when I’m consulting in cardiology, and secondly I have
been attending the wedding reception of a colleague.”
“Well, that
makes sense, would you like another drink?” he asked, and she checked her
watch.
“I would but
can I be a pain and have a cup of tea?”
“Of course,”
As they waited
for the drinks she asked
“Shirley said
that you have an agent.”
He nodded
superciliously.
“I didn’t know
that fishermen needed agents.”
“Well, the
agent is more for the media side than the fishing” he explained.
“So let me get
this straight, you go fishing and they film you doing it, and people actually
watch that?”
“We all have to
make a living” he said, and she laughed her delicious laugh.
“So, do you not
like fishing?” he asked.
“I’ve never
fished.”
“Really?”
“No never, I
wouldn’t have a clue how to do it” she said.
“Well, you just
need a good teacher” Matthew said.
“Are you
offering?”
“I’m game if
you are” he said.
“That’s a date
then” Max confirmed and then glanced at her watch.
“I’m sorry but
I really must get to bed, I’ll look a proper fright in the morning.”
“I find that
hard to believe” he said, and she blushed as she slipped off her barstool.
“Allow me to
escort you” he said, “In case you get approached by infectious patients who
want to show you their boils.”
“Yes best to be
on the safe side” she agreed and giggled, then he escorted her to her door, via
the lift, and after saying good night he kissed her cheek.
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