The Doctor

32

"I'm glad you liked it," Julie said over the phone.

"I really did. I just finished it, I've been really busy, sorry."

"That's fine, An. Honestly, I'm surprised you were this quick. It's been three months, I expected four."

"Yeah, well, I really liked it." Anna looked down at the manuscript that was crumpled in the bottom of her suitcase, she had read up to the point where her brother died and she couldn't go any further.

"What did you think about the part where they got coffee?"

"My favourite part in the book," Anna lied. 

"Anna, there isn't a part like that."

Anna didn't say anything, she sighed and sunk down onto her bed. She shouldn't have lied to Julie, she should have told her the truth, she would have understood. "I'm sorry, Julie."

"I should be apologising, if you don't want me to release it, I don't have to."

Anna closed her eyes. "I really did enjoy it, the part I read. I trust you, you should release it."

"Are you sure, please be sure."

"I am certain."

"I really appreciate this, Anna, when my cheque comes in from it, I'm sending you most of it."

"No, you are not."

"Let me."

"I'm a doctor dating another doctor, Julie, I don't need any more money."

"Fine," Julie groaned, although she was going to sneak her some money somehow. "How is Stella?"

Anna craned her neck to look out into the backyard where Stella was sitting with her dad drinking a cup of coffee and talking. Stella threw her head back and laughed at something, the sound floating up to Anna's window making her smile. "She's good, I think she likes it here."

"That's great. What's going on over there?"

"We're going down to Melbourne for a trip tomorrow, staying there for a couple of weeks and then going somewhere from there."

"I miss our Fridays! When are you coming back? You've been gone three months already."

Anna smiled, she felt sad when Julie said things like that because she loved being home but she loved Julie also. "I think we'll be home in a month or two."

There was muffled shouting in the background and Julie sighed. "My lesbian daughter is here, I'd better go."

"Again, she is married and has children."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. GIve my love to Stella, be careful, don't be bitten by a snake."

"You, too. See you." Anna hung up and looked out the window at Stella for a while before walking out of her room and heading down to the kitchen where her mum sat at the bench reading a book.

"Hello, love," Phillipa said, looking up and folding a corner of the book.

"Hey."

"All packed?" Phillipa asked as Anna slid into the seat beside her.

"Yeah, I've done Stella's as well, she'll probably unpack it again though."

"Why?" Phillipa laughed.

"Oh, she doesn't like how I just throw things into the suitcase not folded."

"I think that's very understandable," Phillipa laughed. "Did you two live together in America? Be honest, you don't have to be uncomfortable."

"No, we didn't. We'd only been together for like four months or something, anyway I was really in a bad spot."

"You're better now, though?"

Anna smiled and sighed in relief. "I can't remember feeling any better, I feel incredible."

Phillipa wrapped her arm around Anna and pulled her in to kiss the top of her head. "I'm proud of you."

Anna nodded and rested her head on her mum's shoulder, closing her eyes and relaxing. The front door opened, Anna didn't open her eyes, she was comfortable. Footsteps stopped in front of her, forcing her to open her eyes and when she did she was in shock. "What's wrong, Stella?" She jumped off the stool and pulled Stella, who had tears streaming down her face into her arms. "Are you ok?"

"It's Mum and Dad," Stella gasped into her ear. "They're dead."