She didn’t shout or get angry at work, she was calm and gentle with her patients, even offering lollipops to children who were sick. Kelvin sent a message that they meet for lunch, she agreed. Her lunch lasted an hour and she would find patients waiting for her in the reception. She wanted to tell him about what been happening with her and her suspicions of being pregnant.

“Baby, I want to test for pregnancy,” she said, sipping her fruit juice.

“What? Are you?” he said touching her belly.

“I think,” she smiled.

“This isn’t a relationship, how many times should I tell you? You are going to be on your own. I can’t leave my wife for you,” he said angrily but spoke in a low voice.

He stood up and put money on the table to pay the bill. He walked away. Nomatter cried then saw people looking at her. She couldn’t believe this, he got angry without knowing she was pregnant or not. Even if she was, children are gifts, why refuse them? She wiped her tears and walked away. She returned to the surgery.

Lindsay saw how heartbroken she was when she entered the waiting room, and pulled her closer.

“What is wrong?” she asked quietly.

“It’s nothing,” she said, looking at the patients.

“Wash your face and smile a bit. Did you take the test?” she whispered.

Nomatter shook her head and walked to the bathroom. Lindsay smiled and notified them that the doctor was back. She came back with a fresh face and gave a fake smile. The patients didn’t notice how sad she was, except the last patient, an old granny.

“You don’t look happy today doctor. Is something wrong with my health?” she asked.

Nomatter was busy writing the prescription after checking her Blood pressure and temperature of the old woman. She looked at her and shook her head. It was not easy to open up, especially about how Kelvin had treated her like a mosquito which you squashed before it bit you.

“You are sad and you’re a good doctor who deserves joy,” she said gently.

“It’s life,” he said, giving her the prescriptions.

“Life is up and down. You go left and right on a merry-go-round. Smile, you have a good job and you are your own boss,” she stood up smiling.

Nomatter smiled and waited for her to walk out of the door. She grabbed a syringe to take her blood for pregnancy. Lindsay came in, holding two takeaways coffees.

“How are you feeling now?” she asked curiously.

“I’ll be better after I know if I’m pregnant or not,” she answered.

“Did you test?” she asked, sipping coffee.

“Tell Sharon and Mandisa to come back to work,” she said sadly, nodding her head.

“The way you dismissed them wasn’t good,” Lindsay said pitifully.

“OK, you have to apologise to them.”

She threw the empty cup in a bin. Nomatter drank hers silently, thinking about her future. They walked home together after locking the premises. Nomatter couldn’t wait for tomorrow. Her life was at stake. Kelvin had already rejected the pregnancy and she never wanted to see him ever again.

***

Tell us: What do you think of how Kelvin reacted?