Chapter 10

 

Chapter 10

 

We left Steve and his shop around 7pm. Steve wanted us to stay longer but I thought it was time to go home and I was a little hungry so I wanted to leave. Of course I didn’t reveal this to Steve because I feared that I would hurt him. We had been there for four hours after all and besides, Steve usually shut up the shop at 7 anyway. As we got up from the sofa to take our leave, Steve walked over to the strange panel that I had seen earlier.

“I’m going to secure the shop now, you can go out the back. I just need to check the shop floor to see if everyone has cleared out.” He told us, he began to walk away but before he could get to the shop front, a loud buzzer sounded.

     Steve took a detour to his desk, and placed his finger on a small button, a lower buzzer sounded when Steve pressed the button. Then the office door opened, I was putting on my jacket and Laura was checking her make-up in the mirror that hung on the wall. The security guard that I had seen standing at the back of the shop appeared in the open office doorway. He was holding two cash register trays that were jam-packed with money.

“Everyone’s cleared out, boss. And I have the day’s takings.” He said to Steve, his voice deep but full of charm. He seemed to be one of those men that could get a woman easily. But he would use women, he was not a gentleman. Steve gave him a wide smile. I could read his mind for that split second. He was thinking: ‘Oh yeah! Money time!.’

“Ok, thank you Chris. Just leave it on my desk.” He instructed Chris. Chris stepped forward and placed the trays of cash gently on the desk.

“I’m going home now, boss. If that’s ok? You just need to lock up.” Steve was ruffling through some paper that sat in the desk drawer. He took his eyes from the stack of paper and looked at Chris.

“Yeah, that’s fine. I’ll see you tomorrow, Chris. Have a nice evening.” Steve shook his and the security guard disappeared through the office door. Steve walked over to an oil-painted picture that hung on the wall to the right of his desk. It was one of those classic things really. He removed the picture from the wall and instead of a wall, there sat a safe. It was a large safe, about the size of two briefcases. He tapped the combination into the electric keypad and the safe swung open by itself. He picked up the two trays of cash carefully and stashed them in the safe.

“I’ll do these tomorrow.” He muttered to himself. Then he shut the large metal door of the safe and replaced the picture that hid it from the world.

     He then returned to the strange panel and pressed three buttons. Then an electronic whirring kicked in. The window that stood behind me and Laura had a shadow cast over it. Then we saw that a shutter was creeping down the window, then it secured itself in place. Now we could no longer see the back of the shop. I took Laura’s hand and we walked to the back door with Steve following closely behind. I opened the door and stepped out into the cold night that was starting to form, the moonlight shining brightly even though it was not yet completely dark. We turned towards Steve who stood in the doorway.

“Ok, guys. Thanks for coming down, I’ve really enjoyed myself tonight.” Steve said quietly and hugged us both. I gave him a broad smile, which he returned. Then Laura gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“Great to see you. Love the place very much.” Laura said sweetly.

“See you later, mate.” I whispered to Steve. He gave me a wink.

“See you.” He replied kindly as me and Laura began to walk around the front. Then we heard the door close behind us, a second whirring began, I turned to see a shutter beginning to cover the door where Steve had just disappeared from.

     When we got around the front we saw that all the window and the main entrance were obscured by those metal shutters, it was like a fortress, with Steve tucked away safely inside. We both got into the car, I turned the key in the ignition and crept away from the kerb.

 

     When we got back home, I was greeted with the last surprise of the day. Laura went upstairs as soon as she got through the front door. I proceeded to the living room, where I found my Mother sitting in the dark. I flicked on the light and saw that she was staring blankly at an envelope that rested on the coffee table. In her hands was a large glass of bourbon. I frowned.

“What’s that?” I asked her. She did not look at me but continued to stare blankly.

“It’s your reply.” She told me. I felt a sudden rush in my body, I think that deep down, I already knew what it was, I just didn’t believe what I thought. I froze for a few seconds before I could no longer resist the temptation to hold that envelope in my hands like a precious stone. I scooped it up and vigorously tore open the envelope.

     Here it was, the place where I had worked so hard to get too. I scanned the paper, not really interested in what it said, I just wanted to find the part where it would tell me if I had been accepted or not. My Mother was watching me hopefully, Laura stumbled into the room. She frowned and moved closer to me.

“What’s going on here?” She asked gently. I licked my lips enthusiastically.

“It’s his future.” My Mother replied without taking her hopeful eyes off of me. My eyes fell over the part that I had long awaited. I read it in my head.

 

‘It is my profound duty to inform you that you have been accepted into St. George’s Hospital Medical School. I hope that you will be an exceptional medical student and that you appreciate the importance of modern medicine in the times in which we live. I look forward to meeting you soon.

 

Yours sincerely,

Dr. Michael Yates M.D.

Chief Of Staff’

 

I read the paragraph once more, just to confirm what my now watery eyes had just read. Then when I had just about got it straight in my head, I spoke, my throat a little dry.

“I’m in. I got in!” My Mother jumped up, knocking the bourbon onto the floor. She paid no attention to it, then she kissed me on the cheek and hugged me. Once she let got of me, I could see she was weeping heavily.

“Well done, I knew you could do it.” She said quietly. Then Laura kissed me hard on the lips and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. I held her around the waist, the letter hanging from my left hand.

     It was late July, I would have to wait for two months before I could go to med school. Everyday I would have to face unbearable excitement, I would go to sleep and then wake up with the same excitement hanging on my head.

     One late afternoon, when my Mother was out at the bank, I was walking through the house, making my way to the kitchen when, shockingly, two hands grasped my clothes and pulled me into the living room.

“What the hell?” I exclaimed as I came face-to-face with Laura, she had been crying. Her makeup was running down her face.

“What’s…What’s the matter?” I asked gently. She shrugged.

“I’ve got some news and I don’t know how you’ll take it.” She told me. Dread covered my face. Thoughts were racing through my head. Was she dying? Was she leaving me? Was she having an affair?

“Well, tell me then!” I replied croakily after a few moments of silence. Tension was building up inside me, I thought my insides would rupture with the tautness. She looked deeply into my eyes.

“I’m…. I’m pregnant.” She stuttered. Relief flooded me like a reservoir.

“So, why are you crying then?” I said humorously. She bowed her head slightly, I thought she looked pretty when she cried. It gave her a sort of angelic appearance.

“I want this baby. I was scared in case you didn’t want to be with me anymore if I told you.” Laura replied sadly. I was overwhelmed with this news, why would I be angry? I gave a wild laugh as I gave her a comforting hug. I gently kissed the top of her head.

“Don’t be silly. I’m not angry, I’m really excited.” I assured her. I released her and she looked up at me.

“Really?”

“Yes, of course. My Mum will love this!” I replied excitedly.

     When we both told my Mother, she was very happy for us.

“Your Father would be proud.” She had said to me and this made me feel some sort of joy. My life seemed to be at it’s very best so far. I was going to be a doctor, my girlfriend was pregnant and all my friends and family were doing ok. I guess, at times, I was a little too happy, but that didn’t matter to me, I was on top of the world.

     September finally came, Laura was doing well in her pregnancy and Nikki had just graduated from law school. She was now hunting for a job with a small, local lawyers firm. I was soon ready for the off, my first day at medical school. I would leave in the late hours of the morning and return in the early hours of the evening. There was a small dorm on site for those who had come to study from other places but I deemed it unnecessary too as it was only short drive to and from my house.

     So I set off for medical school, this day was a day to remember, Wednesday 5 September. I was heading for the light at the end of the tunnel. I drove away from my house on that very cold morning. I left my pregnant girlfriend and Mother behind. Laura had been placed on maternity leave as she could not train while she was pregnant. She would start training after the baby was three weeks old.

     Once I got to St. George’s Hospital Medical School, I saw about thirty medical students approaching the hospital from all places. Some arrived by car, some walked and others arrived by bus. I pulled into the visitors car park for now because I didn’t know whether I qualified for the staff car park. Then I locked my car and went into the hospital through the main entrance, following the crowd of the future doctors.

     I stood there in the crowded reception area, waiting very nervously. This is so important to me, the only one who understood this was Laura. Then the wait was over. A slim, lanky, black haired doctor approached the huge group of people in front of him. He spoke with a very deep, loud voice.

“Attention everyone!” He bellowed, the noise was bouncing off the walls, only a few of the people turned to look at him.

“Can I have your attention please?! I said! Can I have your attention, please?!” He shouted. Now everyone was looking at him.

“Thank you. Please can this half of the group please follow Dr. Stevens behind you and can the other half follow me please?” He said at normal volume, he pointed to the man called Dr. Stevens at the back of whom I had not seen loitering behind the group until this moment. I was in the half that was instructed to follow Dr. Stevens and so I obliged.

     My first day was over, it had been a very long day for me. Most of my body ached, the day had been brilliant but I was glad to get into my car and drive home to see my family.

     I took a small detour on the way home, I went into a jewellery shop, not far from my house. Recently, I had thought about the idea of asking Laura to marry me, I was still unsure about the idea because I did not want to move to fast and risk getting rejected. I loved her very much and I knew she loved me, but would she say yes? She was already pregnant and she was shocked at this but she wanted the baby, should I gamble like this when the odds were probably 50/50?

     I looked at some of the rings that were there, so that I could get an estimated price range. I didn’t want some huge ring with a diamond the size of a Brazil nut. I also knew that Laura would not like that either, so I just spent about five minutes just browsing. Then I wandered to my car, thoughts about Laura’s reactions rushed in and out of my head like a subway train, these thoughts occupied my head all the way home. I suddenly came back to reality to find myself sitting in my car outside my house. My body had brought me home to my family on it’s own and I was so glad to be home.

     When I entered my house, my nostrils filled with the sweet smell of dinner. It smelled like chilli, which was my favourite.