It's a Vet's Life by Woodman Cathy

Author:Woodman Cathy
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781407088150
Publisher: Random House UK
Published: 2011-11-09T23:00:00+00:00

The next day, I catch up with Emma over coffee and cream slices in the staffroom.

‘I’ve heard all about the goat.’ Emma sits down on the sofa and touches her bump which has already expanded to surprising proportions for someone who is only seventeen or eighteen weeks’ pregnant, even if she is having twins. ‘That was brave of you, considering the last time I remember you anywhere near a goat was in the dissection room at vet school.’

‘Actually, the last time was when I took George on the Toddler Group outing to the petting farm at Talysands over Easter,’ I say. ‘He wanted to stroke a kid, but it nudged him and made him cry.’

‘Not an auspicious start for a budding vet expected to inherit the family practice.’ Emma grins.

‘Alex wasn’t impressed when I told him.’

Emma is wearing a cream belly band with a navy cotton blouse over the top. She has her hair loose around her shoulders. ‘Apparently, there’s some goat’s cheese for you in the fridge. Frances said Russ Jackson dropped it in this morning.’

‘That was kind of him. I think he realised I wasn’t best pleased about having to operate on a goat.’

‘Did you have a word with Alex about it?’

‘I did, but you know what he can be like. He didn’t take it seriously.’ My heart sinks a little at the memory of our conversation. ‘I talked to him about taking on another vet at Talyton Manor because he’s working virtually single-handed.’

‘And?’ Emma bites into a cream slice.

‘He’s in denial, just like his father.’

‘He’ll have to get either a locum or an assistant by Christmas,’ Emma says, aghast. ‘He’s got a wedding to go to, and a honeymoon.’

‘Tell me about it. Occasionally, I wonder if Alex is hoping the whole wedding thing will go away.’

‘No? You’ve got that wrong, Maz. He adores you.’ Emma tries to reassure me. ‘There’s no way he’d change his mind. He’d have me to deal with, if he did.’

‘That’s enough about me, Em. How about you?’

‘I felt the babies move for the first time the other day,’ she says happily. ‘Properly, I mean. I wasn’t sure before. It could have been wind, but this is definitely them, like butterflies.’

I think back to George, remembering how, as he grew bigger, he ended up booting me under the ribs like a footballer.

‘It’s going so quickly now,’ Emma goes on. ‘Another three weeks and I’ll be having another scan. Although they have said I can ask to be checked at any time if I’m worried.’

‘You’re bound to worry.’

‘What with the consultant, midwife and Ben, I feel like a medical case study. Would you like to check my blood pressure, Maz, only Ben hasn’t checked it since breakfast?’ Emma’s being ironic. ‘I can tell you without using any gadgets, that it’s pretty high right now. I’m not sick. I’m pregnant.’

I laugh. ‘Would you like a cup of tea?’

‘No, thanks. I’m here to work, not put my feet up. Really, Maz.’

‘Do you need to cut down your hours at all yet?’

She smiles wryly, her upper lip dotted with cream.

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