‘Can we play the number game again?’ Rosie asked.
‘I can take her to the nursery for eight,’ Dr Morrison said to Libby.
‘I can’t …’ Libby cleared her throat and it was her turn to break eye contact. ‘I can’t pay you or anything,’ she whispered, and Dr Morrison jerked in surprise.
‘I do not need anything in return for taking care of Rosie.’
‘Millie’s my friend, Mummy. Stop being so obtuse,’ Rosie said impatiently, and Libby’s eyebrows travelled up into her hairline.
‘Where on earth did you learn that word?’ she muttered, but noticed Dr Morrison’s face flushing as she cleared her throat. Libby sighed. ‘Okay, well, I guess if you don’t mind. That would be great, Dr Morrison.’ To her shock the other woman’s body visibly relaxed in relief and she smiled. It was the first real smile Libby had ever seen Dr Morrison give anyone. It transformed her face from cold, flawless perfection to a warm beauty that was almost breathtaking.
‘Thank you,’ Dr Morrison whispered.
‘You can call her Millie you know,’ Dr Phillips cut in. ‘And call me Donald.’
‘Yes, please. That would be … vastly preferable,’ Dr Morrison added.
‘Okay… Millie,’ Libby said slowly, still feeling a little wrong-footed by this different side to Dr Morrison. Millie sat on her chair and Rosie climbed up into her lap.
‘What bacteria do you want to look up today?’ Millie asked Rosie as she clicked her computer on and brought up dozens of microbial images.
‘Oh! What’s that one?’ Rosie asked, bouncing up and down and pointing at the central image.
‘That is Chlamydia.’
‘Combidia?’
‘No Cla – mid – ee – a.’
‘Maybe move on to the next set of slides, eh, Millie?’ Donald put in, and Millie shrugged.
‘This is one of the most important single-celled bacteria for her to – ’
‘I think the correct pronunciation of common STIs can wait a few years. You can revisit it with her when she’s a teenager,’ Libby said gently. Millie blinked and when she looked up for a brief moment Libby could have sworn there were unshed tears in her eyes before she looked away.
‘Are you …’ Libby moved forward and touched Millie’s shoulder, but withdrew her hand when Millie gave a tiny flinch.
‘Yes,’ Millie said in a hoarse voice, then cleared her throat. ‘Yes, of course. I was just … well, I mean. …’ She closed her eyes for a moment, squared her shoulders, then gave Libby direct eye contact. ‘I would very much still like to know Rosie as a teenager. It was kind of you to … to say … to imply …’ She trailed off and looked back at the screen. ‘Thank you,’ she muttered, blinking as she took in the images.
‘One of the girls in our flats is called Chlamydia,’ Rosie said, and Millie refocused on the little girl. Libby rolled her eyes to the ceiling. She really had to get enough money together to move out of that place.
‘That is a strange, uninformed choice and highlights exactly why microbial knowledge is so important,’ Millie said as she glanced up at Libby again with a small smile. ‘Although maybe the correct pronunciation can wait until after you’ve left pre-school.’
Libby hovered for a moment as Millie clicked through another set of slides and started to discuss the physical symptoms of Campylobacter (to a four-year-old, talk of bloody diarrhoea before nine in the morning was obviously quite acceptable). She caught Dr Phillips’ eye as she turned to leave. He gave her an almost imperceptible nod of his head, then directed a warm look at Millie and Rosie.
‘See you later then, Little Louse,’ Libby said.
‘Mummy! This one can be flesh-eating!’ Rosie cried, pointing at a picture of Streptococcus. ‘Can we get some to take home?’
Libby started backing away, wishing for the first time that Rosie were the kind of child to be appeased by a simple trip to Toys ‘R’ Us.
*****
‘We just think that you might want to step down from any educational role whilst we get this sorted out, Dr Grantham.’
Jamie ground his teeth and forced himself to stay in his seat. He was separated from the Hospital Director by a huge expanse of desk – something that had long been abandoned as a way of intimidating patients, but was still used in the world of managing employees, which, it was being brought home to Jamie, was exactly what he was.
‘I’vebuiltthe educational programme in Anaesthetics from the ground up here, Nigel.’ Jamie refused to sink to Nigel’s level and revert to the cold formality of ‘Mr Derwent’. ‘All the simulation training across all the specialties is coordinated by me. You’re saying I should just walk away from years of work over something so bloody ridiculous?’
