Chapter 35
“THIS, is the yummiest sandwich I’ve EVER eaten!” Buffy savoured another bite of her smoked ham, fresh tomato, onion and cheddar melt ‘skyscraper’.
“What did I tell you, and their muffins are to die for, so are their cheesecakes! William added with a grin.
Buffy drank some orange juice and grinned
“So, is there anything in particular you wanted to do besides treat me to lunch?”
“Yes – I DO have an ulterior motive – I want you to see what you think of this apartment I’m thinking of renting”
Buffy was just about to take another bite when she stopped
“Really - you’re thinking of renting round here?”
“Why not?” William looked slightly worried
“No, nothing, I mean that’s fantastic!”
“You think? – It overlooks the top end of the park, it’s quiet, got automatic gates to the private parking lot, a concierge, it’s got a short lease left, 16 months, but that would suit me until I could find somewhere to set up a clinic”
“Oh wow!”
After ordering three pieces of tropical fruit cheesecake to take out, William and Buffy went to his car.
“How’s the foot – you okay to walk, it’s only a few yards”
“I’m fine, I could walk miles, feels like there’s never been a problem”
“Good, come on then”
***
“Dr William Carling, Victoria Monckton made the appointment for me” The automatic gates slowly opened and William drove into the parking bay.
The doorman held the door open for them
“There you go sir, top floor, all the amenities are still connected sir, and did Miss Monckton tell you she needs an answer by Friday afternoon at the latest?”
“Yes, she did, thankyou”
William slid open the gate lift door and he and Buffy went up to the third floor.
He unlocked the front door and they went inside. The first thing that struck Buffy was just how spacious it was – the kitchen was huge! The lounge had a large window that overlooked the trees and park. The room was, according to the plan they’d got was 15ft by 17ft.
“Lovely view!”
She followed William down the hall that led to the two bedrooms and the bathroom – all done out in beautiful aqua and gold coloured tiles, the bath was a corner spa/whirlpool type, and there was a separate shower cubicle.
“What do you think?”
“It’s lovely - I love the tiles!”
They walked into the large spacious back bedroom
“It’s really quiet, gets the sun in the afternoon” They wandered into the small room, the second bedroom
“I was thinking, I could make this room my study, have my computer set up here, so that keeps the lounge free for just watching TV and hanging! – so what do you think Kitten, do you like it?”
“Me, I love it, but it’s not up to me is it?”
“Well course – well, it matters to me if you like it, I’d like it if you’d come stay with me sometimes – if you wanted?”
“IF? – Are you crazy - that would be fantastic!” Buffy went up and hugged and kissed him.
“I ask only, well you haven’t said what you’ll be doing, skating wise” William rested his chin on the top of her head.
“Oh that…the nearer it comes, the more I want to push away”
“Are you frightened of injuring yourself?”
“No…it’s not that, and it’s nothing to do with my coach either, it’s…”
“Go on”
“Sure you want to listen?”
“I’m sure, go on, lets sit, there’s a bench on the balcony I noticed”
They went out onto the balcony and sat
William had his body twisted to face Buffy
“It’s like, well, I’ve had my little-girl fantasy, and I’m now in the last year of my teens, and I just keep thinking that well – I’ve had my fun, it’s about time I did something proper – got myself a real job. I’m sick of the dieting, no family life, and the pushing and pushing my body beyond the limits and each time, each competition gets harder – another new skater, another new move, quadruple jumps, back flips – and the worst of all? – The politics. How the Turks will always vote for the Cypriots, and the Germans vote for Austria, or how the French hate the Brits, who in turn hate them, and the only decent mark I’m gonna get is from the Brits, coz nobody else in the world likes us! And I get sick of the political correctness of it all, how a girl who’s from Belarus or Bosnia could skate like a three legged donkey but still get top marks. All the fun has gone out of it now, and I don’t have the dedication any more. People say to me, ‘you’re lucky, you’re so young and you’ve travelled the world’ yeah and seen what of it? The inside of this airport terminal or that building, I didn’t get time to see any of the actual places I’ve been to – it’s pack your case and back on the bus to the airport.”
“I actually know how you feel – about the travelling bit, that’s why I want to put down some roots, have a place I can call home – and I’m young for my profession, the youngest in fact, I get professors look down their noses at me like I’m some whipper-snapper who should know my place, and like you, I have to keep abreast of things, technology – you can bet, there will be some so-called revolutionary new operating technique shown on TV, that if I’m not expert at it then pfft- that’s it so much for my so-called reputation!”
Buffy grinned
“Right couple of old moaners aren’t we?” They both giggled and William nodded towards the lounge
“What do you think then, shall I take it? – Vicky, she’s one of the paediatricians at the Lacey, she will let me have it a third off the rent if I take it as it’s such a short lease, usually people want at least three years”
“Then I would say yes, definitely take it!”
“Yeah?”
“Absolutely!”
“Come on then, lets go give her the good news”
*******************
Buffy woke just as her mother put a mug of tea on the nightstand for her.
“There you go honey, I’ll probably be late again, can you order in take away or something?”
Buffy sat up and grinned
“No problem, William’s taking me out to dinner – to celebrate he’s officially no longer my doctor!”
Joyce grinned
“That’s nice dear – got any plans for today?”
“Furniture shopping – he’s taking this gorgeous apartment in town, the west side, overlooking the park, the top end”
“You mean Oakenfield (Joyce gave a whistle) very posh!”
Buffy went on enthusiastically to describe it to her mother, about the whirlpool bath and the view.
“I’ll have to come and give it the once-over!”
“Of course – I know he won’t mind”
The news came on and this spurred Joyce into action
“Golly look at the time, I must fly or I’ll never get through the traffic on the bridge – ring me later will you?”
“Sure, bye mom…”
“Oh, and there’s mail for you, looks important” Joyce’s disembodied voice called from the hall
“’Kay mom, bye!”
The front door shut and Buffy heard her mom’s SUV leave the drive.
*****************
Buffy read the letter again. Didn’t look like she’d got any option now did it? – She was being subpoenaed…
She dialled the number on the letter and asked to speak to a Lilah Traherne
“Miss Traherne isn’t available right now, can I take a message or ask what it’s about?”
“I’ve had this letter this morning, I’m being subpoenaed to appear in court for the Coach Angel O’ Connor trial”
“Oh right, are you Miss Buffy Summer?”
“Summers”
“Summers, right, sorry………could you come into the office sometime in the next two days?”
Buffy looked at the address and rolled her eyes. Annoyed at being forced into doing something she didn’t want to do, she said,
“Actually, I’m still recuperating, I was in a plane crash just before Christmas, and-“
“Oh my goodness yes – I remember that, how AWFUL for you…look um…can I just put you on hold for a few seconds…………
Buffy sat listening to a snippet of classical music, when the girls voice came back on the line
“Miss Traherne said she could come over to you at lunchtime today” Buffy said,
“That’s fine, although I hope it won’t take long, I have to see a doctor at three o’clock”
She wasn’t about to add it was her boyfriend doctor…
“One o’clock then Miss Summer, bye”
“Bye, and it’s Summer zzz, with an ‘s’ on the end”
“Right, sorry, bye”
************
“They expect you to go thirty mile round trip to-“
“No mom, she’s coming here lunchtime, I told her I’m recuperating I shall put a blanket over me – they want me, they can come to me”
“Right. What did Will say?”
“He said good for me – he’ll be here about three”
“Okay honey, don’t let this woman bully you into saying something you don’t want to”
“I won’t, bye”
*******************
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