Lily stepped out of the lecture hall, and Philip was already bounding toward her.
«Well? Did you pass?» he asked, his expression a mix of worry and admiration.
«With flying colours!» Lily waved her exam results in front of him. «And you?»
«Brilliant! Never doubted you.» Philip winced slightly. «I got a bit muddled. Scraped a B+. Fancy celebrating?»
Lily dropped her gaze and hesitated.
«Ah. Second fiddle again, am I?» Philip guessed.
«Sorry. Denis is probably waiting for me already.»
«Right,» Philip sighed, disappointment plain in his voice. «How can I compete with the future Einstein of microbiology? At least let me walk you to the gatescant beg for more than that, can I?» He took her hand and tugged her toward the grand iron staircase.
The wrought-iron steps hummed faintly underfoot as they descended. Lily realised shed miss this placethe old medical school with its musty scent of formaldehyde and dusty textbooks, cool and dim even on the hottest days.
Philip shoved open the heavy door, and they stepped into the sunlight. Lily spotted Denis waiting by the gates, tall and impatient, clutching a bouquet. Her cheeks burned.
«Tell me you love him,» Philip said, still holding her hand.
«He proposed.» She felt his grip tighten.
«Ow!» she yelped.
«Sorry.» He exhaled and let go. «Cant argue with the heart, I suppose.»
«Lily!» Denis called from the gates.
«Phil» she started.
«Go on, dont keep the groom waiting,» Philip muttered bitterly.
As she walked away, she could feel his eyes on her back. Shed miss the university, but shed miss Philip more. Hed always been there, steady and unnoticed, like an old jumper you never appreciated until it was gone.
«I told you not to come,» she snapped when she reached Denis.
«Dont be cross. I was worried.» He leaned in for a kiss, but she dodged it. When she glanced back, Philip was already gone.
«Come on. Mums expecting us for lunch. Wants to discuss wedding venues.» He thrust the flowers at her. «These are for you.»
«I never actually said yes,» Lily said.
«Mum found a lovely hall» Denis prattled on, ignoring her.
At graduation, Lily hoped to talk to Philip, but he never showed.
«Wheres Samuels?» she asked his mate, Mikey.
«He collected his diploma yesterday and bolted for London. Some relative got him a job there. Lucky bloke.»
Lily nearly cried. There was nothing to celebrate. The moment diplomas were handed out, she went straight home, furious at Philip. How could he leave without a word? After all his talk of love?
Neither called the otherpride got in the way. Two months later, Lily married Denis.
Seven years passed.
«Hi. Got a minute?» Lily poked her head into the gynaecologists office and shuddered. «Ugh. How do you work here? That chairs a medieval torture device.»
«Lily! Come in. Perfect timingjust finished my shift.» Olivia grinned. «How are you?»
After exchanging pleasantries, Lily side-eyed the nurse tidying instruments.
«Ruth, you can head off,» Olivia said, taking the hint. Once alone, she leaned in. «So? Finally expecting?»
«I wish. Came for advice. Denis and I well, its not happening. His mothers convinced its my fault. Did some tests, but I dont trust my local clinictoo many gossips. Fancy helping?»
«Course. Lets see what weve got.»
Lily handed over a folder. Olivia scanned the results, brow furrowing.
«And?» Lily pressed.
«Minor irregularities, but nothing alarming. Need more tests. Who did theseDr. Smallwood? Has Denis been checked?»
«Dont be daft. Wouldnt even consider it.»
«Right. Can you come tomorrow at eight? Brilliant.» Olivia beamed. «God, its so good to see you. Spillwhats really going on?»
Lily sighed. «Caught him with his assistant a year ago. Wanted a divorce, but his mum and mine ganged up on me. Boys will be boys, they said. As if it were some harmless lark! Assistant got sacked, but things between us never recovered. Mum reckons all men stray eventually, and a babyll fix everything. Like its solely my job to magic one up.»
Next day, further tests confirmed the worst.
«Well?» Lily asked, fiddling with her blouse collar.
«See for yourself.» Olivia slid the scans across the desk.
«Tumours? But Ive been examined so many times» Lilys voice trembled. «Surgery, then?»
«Youre a doctoryou know the drill. Best do it in London. Listen, Ive got Philips number. Hell refer you to a top specialist.» Olivia reached for her phone.
«Nodont call him. Not yet. Let me do it.»
«Suit yourself. But dont delay.» Olivia scribbled the number. «Lily Im so sorry.»
Walking home, reality sank in. She felt finejust the odd backache. Not even thirty, and now this? Sunshine, future plans, dreams of motherhoodgone. Surgery, chemo Why her?
She wandered for hours, weighing options. No point worrying her parents yet. Shed claim exhaustion, take leave, and slip off to London.
Exhausted, she found Denis glued to his computer.
«Denis?» No response. «Denis!»
«What?» he snapped, not looking up.
«Hungry?»
«Busy. Datas not aligning.»
Typical. Always his research, never her.
«Im going away for a bit. Two weeks, maybe longer. You listening?»
«Mmm.»
Good. No interrogation. She reheated his dinner, left it by the keyboard, and retreated to bed.
Later, as he climbed in beside her:
«Did you say something earlier?»
She pretended to sleep.
Next morning, she arranged unpaid leave, packed lightly, and scribbled a note. Denis was still snoring when she left.
Londons chaos greeted her at Paddington. From the station, she dialled Philip. He answered instantly.
«Hi,» she said, forcing cheer.
Silence. She checked the screenstill connected.
«Phil? You there?»
«I hear you.» His voice was thick. «Lily? Bloody hell. After all these years»
«Didnt expect it either. You once said if I ever needed help Well, I do.»
«Of course. Whats wrong?»
«Can we meet? Ill come to your clinic.»
«Youre in London?» He sounded dazed. «Ill text the address. Cant believe this»
An hour later, she hovered at his office door.
«May I?»
«Lily!» Philip shot up from his desk.
She studied himwhen had he gotten so handsome? That boyish charm had sharpened into something downright disarming. Bet he broke hearts daily.
«Sit.» He gestured to the sofa. «Tea? Coffee?»
«Im here as a patient,» she said, settling opposite.
Philip sobered instantly. «Go on.»
She handed him the test results. He pored over them, firing off questions. Oddly calm, yet her hands trembledwhether from nerves or his proximity, she couldnt say.
«Where are you staying?» he finally asked.
«Nowhere. Came straight from the train.»
«Luggage?»
«In the cloakroom.»
«Right. Lets get you admitted. You must be knackered. Cafeterias decent if youre peckish. Rest upIll consult colleagues and pop by later. Nursell sort your paperwork.»
«Philjust say it. Its operable, isnt it?»
«Too soon to tell.»
More tests followed. Philip visited but skirted the subject, chatting about everything except her health. On day three, the nurse summoned her.
«Its bad, isnt it?» Lilys heart hammered.
Wordlessly, Philip laid out fresh scans.
«Im too nervous to read it. Just tell me,» she pleaded, twisting her fingers.
«Nothing to tell. Youre perfectly healthy.» He smiled.
«What? But the tumours»
«Never were any. Just inflammation Olivia misread. Antibiotics cleared it. No surgery needed.»
«Im healthy?» She choked up, flipping through the pages.
«Should be celebrating, not blubbing.» He tossed her a tissue.
«Its happy tears!» She blew her nose loudly. «Cant believe it. I saw the scans myself Thank you.»
«Thank the lab. Stay three more days to finish treatment. Call Denisgive him the good news.»
She froze mid-sniffle.
«He doesnt know. I left a note. No kids, his mum blamed me Phil, any GP vacancies here?»
«Want to stay? Ill ask.» Hope flashed in his eyes.
«Christ, Id already made peace with dying»
«Mistakes happen. You know that.» His gaze softened.
Three days later, she returned home, resigned her post, and found her mother-in-law lying in wait.
«Had your fun?» the woman snarled. «Weve been worried sick»
«Denis knew I was leaving,» Lily began, but the tirade continued: Shed get nothing in the divorce, she was barren, good riddance
«Enough!» Lily snapped. The woman gaped. «Im fine. Perfectly capable of having children. But your son? Might want to check his swimmers. You knew that, didnt you? Fancy supervising while I pack? Wouldnt want to nick the silver.»
The older woman spluttered and retreated.
Lily told her parents she was leaving Denis. Ignoring her mothers protests, she walked out. Clean break. No kids, no disputesjust a quick divorce.
Philip kept his word. A job awaited her at his clinic. Like old times, he was therepatient, steady. Only after the divorce did she let herself reciprocate.
«Marry me?» he asked one evening. «Or am I still second-best?»
«I made a mistake. Let me fix it. Just give me time. You left so abruptly back then. I never got to sayI didnt want to marry Denis. Mum pressured me»
«I was such a prat.»
A year later, Lily married Philip. Their son arrived, healthy and loud.
Well. Mistakes happenin medicine, in love. But as they say better late than never.
