Best kept secrets

Coming home

Looking around Amelia could not believe she was back here! The place where it all began. She stepped off the ferry and the wind hit her face. She had forgotten how cold it could get up here, even in the summer months. She had also forgotten how incredibly beautiful it was! She wondered if a small part of her had wanted to come back after all. Even if that was the last thing she ever planned on doing.

The smell in the air, salty but fresh, the rolling green hills and significant lack of trees, the surprisingly quiet ferry terminal, everything took her back to her childhood. She had had some of her happiest days on this island and some of her worst days. She experienced true love for the first time and unbelievable heartache here. She had made memories here and secrets and the latter terrified her. It was only a matter of time before she was found out. Panic started to rise in her, heart pounding in her chest she fought back the tears. Coming here was a mistake!

“Ready?” Cole asked taking her hand and snapping her out of her own head.

“Yip!” She replied “as ready as I’ll ever be!”

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“And this will be your office Nurse Waters” the friendly receptionist informed her as the finished their tour of the gp practice. Amelia instantly liked her. Jussy was her name? She thought! She would have to double check that before embarrassing herself and creating an awkward situation. Short and plump with dark hair, greying at the roots she reminded her of her friends grandmother growing up. Jussy had only been on the island for four years though so she didn’t know Amelia, or her past! And that, is probably what Amelia liked most about her!

“Thank you so much for showing me around” Amelia answered managing to miss out her name for the time being. “And please call me Amelia!”

“Ok Amelia, just call me Jussy” the older woman replied with a smile “I’m not one for formalities either”

Thank you. Amelia thought internally as she now knew for sure what the ladies name was.

“It’s so nice of you to come all the way out here! We have really been struggling since Nurse Munro left us” Jussy said with a slight catch to her voice. Nurse Munro had tragically passed away after being involved in a car accident last month. Both she and her friend, another young woman, had lost their lives while the driver of the other vehicle had survived. Drunk at the wheel his bad choices had wiped out two innocent lives and now he would be forced to live with the consequences of his actions.

“That’s ok” Amelia answered without adding I didn’t really have a choice! Her job on the mainland was no longer required and if she wanted to keep her job with the health service she had to agree to this relocation. Luckily they had covered all moving costs and given her a generous moving allowance to help her get started. They had also rented her a lovely 2 bedroom cottage near the surgery which they paid the first three months rent on. They felt that with her knowledge of the island she was a perfect fit. She felt that her knowledge of the island and certain islanders knowledge of her was exactly the reason she wasn’t a good fit but she needed the work! Luckily it was only a 12 month secondment and then she and Cole could go back to their real lives.

After taking a look around the small office she had been allocated she was ready to get back to Cole. She had left him in the very capable hands of Merida. Merida was the only person on the island she had kept in touch with over the years, the only person who knew her secrets and the only person who knew she was back (so far!). She had been her best friend through thick and thin ever since that first day at primary school and had even been to visit her on the mainland a few times.

“Jussy!” She called out leaving the room. “I’m heading out now!”

“Oh, sorry Amelia” Jussy muttered coming out of the back office “I didn’t hear you there. Are you sure you want to head off so soon? Dr Platten normally takes us all out for lunch on a Friday with it being our half day?”

“Aww” Amelia replied “I would have loved that but I really want to get settled in and ready to start work on Monday”

“Oh forgive me! Of course you do” the older woman replied as she patted Amelia’s hand. “Well have a peaceful weekend and we will see you here bright and early Monday morning”

“About that” Amelia answered sheepishly “I had arranged with head office that my start time would be 10am. Just wanted to make sure that message had gotten through”

After confirming that it had and bidding goodbye to Jussy and Hayley, the other receptionist and only other member of staff Amelia had met so far she headed to her cottage. When she opened the door Cole was sitting on the settee watching TV and Merida was busying herself in the kitchen making lunch.

“How did that go then?” Merida asked as her friend approached her

“Really well” Amelia replied. The office is small but it has an examination table, height chart, scales, vision chart, desk etc etc etc everything I should need really and it’s at the back of the building with a sea view so I can’t really ask for anymore.”

“Fantastic” Merida replied holding amelias hand. “I hope you don’t mind, I thought I would make us some lunch. I didn’t think you would be ready to go out just yet”

“You thought right! You really are a superstar Mer”

“Don’t mention it babe.” Merida replied as she struck a superstar pose!

Amelia was so grateful for Merida. She had been the one to make sure the cottage was set up and ready for her and Cole’s arrival so Amelia didn’t have to deal with anyone too soon. She had even made sure the fridge was stocked and made an amazing lunch of lasagne and salad for their first meal in their new home.

They spent the weekend chilling in the cottage with Merida popping by in the evenings to watch a movie or two and by Monday morning Amelia felt much more relaxed and peaceful in her new environment. She was in a relatively good mood as she waltzed into work. Her first day consisted of a couple of height and weight checks, a baby weigh in clinic and a phone consultation about a baby with a milk allergy! Her colleagues were easing her in gently and she was eternally grateful. Not because she wasn’t good at her job or confident in her abilities but her constant fear of running into certain people was always on her mind.

Her fears turned out to be founded as she arrived for her immunisation clinic on Tuesday morning and realised who her first patient was.