Ficlet: Hay Fever
Happy Monday in Hawaii! :D
A little thing I dashed off (and I do mean dashed, heh) after Sunday's episode. A missing scene, if you will... ;p Matthew makes no appearance, but does he have to for Monday in Hawaii? I mean, really -- ALL BETS ARE OFF. :p
Enjoy this random bit of randomness. Randomly. ;p
Dr. Clarkson closed the file, as one of the nurses appeared in the doorway.
“Lady Mary is here to see you, sir,” she informed him, looking at once both hesitant and nervous. He had to suppress a knowing smile - the girl was new to the village, after all, and Lady Mary presented somewhat of a challenge even on her best days.
Nevertheless, his brow wrinkled in slight consternation. “Did Lady Mary make an appointment-“
“No, I’m afraid this is rather an…unexpected visit.”
The voice came from the doorway, where Lady Mary was now standing with the nurse in question. She presented quite an imposing picture, and the nurse seemed stuck between cowering and gawping at the formidable Lady who sat herself down in front of his desk, her hands folded primly on her lap - as if he was the one seeking her counsel.
Clearing his throat, he tried to reestablish his role. “How may I help you, Lady Mary?”
Her head jerked up - almost as if she hadn’t been listening - but she appeared to have recovered quite nicely in the next moment. “I believe I …” she paused briefly, seeming almost unsure before her lips flattened into a thin line. “I was wondering if you might recommend something…for my hay fever.”
“Hay fever?” Clarkson repeated, his brow furrowing slightly - before he remembered his manners. “Of course, Lady Mary, I’d be happy to…” There was something not quite right about her request, but he couldn’t put his finger on it exactly.
If she noticed how he’d trailed off, she made little mention of it. “Thank you,” she said, with a firm smile and a definitive nod.
He made a show of rising from his chair and opening the store cupboard, trying to buy himself a bit more time. “Forgive me, my lady,” he began, apologetically. “I have many patients, but…” Now he hesitated, “I don’t recall if this has been a chronic problem for you.”
She was silent for a moment. “I’ve always…suffered from hay fever.” Another pause.
“Of course.” He selected several vials from the cabinet, pausing a moment before he shut it once more. “Now, we have a few options here. I don’t recall what I’ve recommended in the past…” It was a leading question, he knew - but he could see no other alternative.
Another bout of silence followed, before she gave him another seemingly tolerant smile. “This is the first time I’ve sought treatment,” she admitted, her smile broadening as she spoke. “I suppose I’ve never felt the need to trouble you, but…” Her hands clenched tightly together in her lap. “I couldn’t ignore it this time.”
Clarkson nodded, studying the woman in front of him. She appeared to be the very essence of poised - though her white knuckles belied her outward calm. “Lady Mary…” he began, folding his own hands on the desk. “Are you quite certain this is hay fever?”
Now she looked shocked. “Of course it is!” she said, quickly - before her eyes narrowed. “Dr. Clarkson, do come out with whatever it is you’re trying to say.”
In that moment, she reminded him so much of her grandmother, he didn’t doubt she had the ability to fire him on the spot. But he’d never backed down from his medical opinions and he wasn’t about to start now. “Very well, m’lady,” he assented - reminding her she’d given him leave to speak. “It’s a bit late in the season for hay fever - I’m simply surprised you would have symptoms so severe you’d feel the need to seek treatment at this juncture.”
Her smile only tightened, though it never faltered. “Perhaps it is simply a bad year for hay fever.”
“Well…” he began, weighing whether or not he should continue, before he pushed ahead anyway. “That’s the thing, Lady Mary. It’s been an extremely mild summer.”
“Surely you don’t mean to say I am the only person complaining of hay fever this year?”
He paused. “Not…the only person, no-“
“Well, there you have it,” she interjected, a little too brightly.
“But I’ve not had a complaint about hay fever in over a month.”
When that bright smile didn’t falter - not even to respond to his query, he tentatively added, “How long…have you been experiencing these symptoms? Did you…have them when you returned from honeymoon, for example?”
“No, of course not,” she said, almost automatically. “Nothing that severe, thank God - it’s only been…” There was a brief pause before she continued, “the last couple weeks.”
“The last couple weeks…” he repeated, thoughtfully. “So, you’ve been under the weather for two weeks now?”
“Not under the weather,” she corrected him. “I have hay fever. I’ve had it for years, I have it now and if it’s not too much trouble…I would like some treatment for it.” She leaned forward on the last part of the sentence, as if to emphasize her point.
Clarkson had been in the business long enough to realize when to step back. Raising his hands in a conciliatory gesture, he pushed a vial towards his reluctant patient. “Two drops in the morning and evening, as symptoms arise.”
Finally, he could see the tension begin to drain from Lady Mary’s face. “Thank you, Dr. Clarkson.” she said, clutching the vial firmly in her grasp. “I’m…quite certain this will take care of it.”
He gave her a deferential nod. “Always happy to be of service, m’lady.” As she rose from her chair, however, he called after her, “However…please do return if your symptoms don’t improve within the next month…”
At this, she laughed briefly. “A month? Oh, I think that’s a little far down the line, don’t you? Besides…” A look of uncertainty crossed her face for a moment as she lingered in the doorway. “It’s only hay fever.”
But before he could respond any further, she was gone.
The End.
A little thing I dashed off (and I do mean dashed, heh) after Sunday's episode. A missing scene, if you will... ;p Matthew makes no appearance, but does he have to for Monday in Hawaii? I mean, really -- ALL BETS ARE OFF. :p
Enjoy this random bit of randomness. Randomly. ;p
Dr. Clarkson closed the file, as one of the nurses appeared in the doorway.
“Lady Mary is here to see you, sir,” she informed him, looking at once both hesitant and nervous. He had to suppress a knowing smile - the girl was new to the village, after all, and Lady Mary presented somewhat of a challenge even on her best days.
Nevertheless, his brow wrinkled in slight consternation. “Did Lady Mary make an appointment-“
“No, I’m afraid this is rather an…unexpected visit.”
The voice came from the doorway, where Lady Mary was now standing with the nurse in question. She presented quite an imposing picture, and the nurse seemed stuck between cowering and gawping at the formidable Lady who sat herself down in front of his desk, her hands folded primly on her lap - as if he was the one seeking her counsel.
Clearing his throat, he tried to reestablish his role. “How may I help you, Lady Mary?”
Her head jerked up - almost as if she hadn’t been listening - but she appeared to have recovered quite nicely in the next moment. “I believe I …” she paused briefly, seeming almost unsure before her lips flattened into a thin line. “I was wondering if you might recommend something…for my hay fever.”
“Hay fever?” Clarkson repeated, his brow furrowing slightly - before he remembered his manners. “Of course, Lady Mary, I’d be happy to…” There was something not quite right about her request, but he couldn’t put his finger on it exactly.
If she noticed how he’d trailed off, she made little mention of it. “Thank you,” she said, with a firm smile and a definitive nod.
He made a show of rising from his chair and opening the store cupboard, trying to buy himself a bit more time. “Forgive me, my lady,” he began, apologetically. “I have many patients, but…” Now he hesitated, “I don’t recall if this has been a chronic problem for you.”
She was silent for a moment. “I’ve always…suffered from hay fever.” Another pause.
“Of course.” He selected several vials from the cabinet, pausing a moment before he shut it once more. “Now, we have a few options here. I don’t recall what I’ve recommended in the past…” It was a leading question, he knew - but he could see no other alternative.
Another bout of silence followed, before she gave him another seemingly tolerant smile. “This is the first time I’ve sought treatment,” she admitted, her smile broadening as she spoke. “I suppose I’ve never felt the need to trouble you, but…” Her hands clenched tightly together in her lap. “I couldn’t ignore it this time.”
Clarkson nodded, studying the woman in front of him. She appeared to be the very essence of poised - though her white knuckles belied her outward calm. “Lady Mary…” he began, folding his own hands on the desk. “Are you quite certain this is hay fever?”
Now she looked shocked. “Of course it is!” she said, quickly - before her eyes narrowed. “Dr. Clarkson, do come out with whatever it is you’re trying to say.”
In that moment, she reminded him so much of her grandmother, he didn’t doubt she had the ability to fire him on the spot. But he’d never backed down from his medical opinions and he wasn’t about to start now. “Very well, m’lady,” he assented - reminding her she’d given him leave to speak. “It’s a bit late in the season for hay fever - I’m simply surprised you would have symptoms so severe you’d feel the need to seek treatment at this juncture.”
Her smile only tightened, though it never faltered. “Perhaps it is simply a bad year for hay fever.”
“Well…” he began, weighing whether or not he should continue, before he pushed ahead anyway. “That’s the thing, Lady Mary. It’s been an extremely mild summer.”
“Surely you don’t mean to say I am the only person complaining of hay fever this year?”
He paused. “Not…the only person, no-“
“Well, there you have it,” she interjected, a little too brightly.
“But I’ve not had a complaint about hay fever in over a month.”
When that bright smile didn’t falter - not even to respond to his query, he tentatively added, “How long…have you been experiencing these symptoms? Did you…have them when you returned from honeymoon, for example?”
“No, of course not,” she said, almost automatically. “Nothing that severe, thank God - it’s only been…” There was a brief pause before she continued, “the last couple weeks.”
“The last couple weeks…” he repeated, thoughtfully. “So, you’ve been under the weather for two weeks now?”
“Not under the weather,” she corrected him. “I have hay fever. I’ve had it for years, I have it now and if it’s not too much trouble…I would like some treatment for it.” She leaned forward on the last part of the sentence, as if to emphasize her point.
Clarkson had been in the business long enough to realize when to step back. Raising his hands in a conciliatory gesture, he pushed a vial towards his reluctant patient. “Two drops in the morning and evening, as symptoms arise.”
Finally, he could see the tension begin to drain from Lady Mary’s face. “Thank you, Dr. Clarkson.” she said, clutching the vial firmly in her grasp. “I’m…quite certain this will take care of it.”
He gave her a deferential nod. “Always happy to be of service, m’lady.” As she rose from her chair, however, he called after her, “However…please do return if your symptoms don’t improve within the next month…”
At this, she laughed briefly. “A month? Oh, I think that’s a little far down the line, don’t you? Besides…” A look of uncertainty crossed her face for a moment as she lingered in the doorway. “It’s only hay fever.”
But before he could respond any further, she was gone.
The End.