non-sexual physical relationship or any of that wishy-washy stuff open to interpretation, is it?â
âBut â¦â
âGet with the program, Jacqueline. Start playing by their rules. Or do you just want to give up your job, your career?â
âNo.â
âWell?â
âBut it would still mean I couldnât have a relationship with Damien for two years. Nothing would have changed,â Jacqueline said, unable to hide her frustration.
âOh. Right,â Ethel said, looking clearly deflated.
They sat back in their chairs and were silent for a few moments.
âCould you write and ask for permission to have a relationship with Damien?â
âIt would be a very long shot.â
âBut worth a try, right?â
âI donât know, Ethel. Why would they grant permission â effectively a breach of the rules? Itâs no skin off their noses if they quash my love life. Theyâre all about keeping their profession squeaky clean. And fair enough, too.â
âWell, I bet this sort of thing happens all the time â relationships forming with past patients before two years is up. You canât help who you fall in love with, or when.â
âYes, it probably does happen all the time, but most likely in a city where youâre so much more anonymous than out here. I wonder who dobbed me in â that lady at Hope Springs CWA?â
âNo, I doubt it. I canât imagine these organisations act so quickly. She only raised it the other day.â
âBut she could have already written to them, or phoned them.â
âYes, she could have. But if that was the case, she wouldnât have been able to resist telling me she had the other night. Of that Iâm sure.â
âHmm, youâre probably right. So, who?â
âNo idea. Maybe that nasty Bolton fellow? He was pretty upset at being dragged off in handcuffs. And he did see how Damien was there for you. Probably put two and two together.â
âBut he wouldnât know Damien had ever been to see me professionally.â The cold finger of fear traced a line down Jacquelineâs back. She shivered. Had Jacob been in her office? She felt her blood disappear again while she looked around her room, scrutinising every item. All appeared just as it should. But sheâd moved everything and dusted just the week before, when it had been quiet. Anyway, Jacob would have been careful not to leave any sign. When heâd been in her house in the city heâd left a sign â subtle, but noticeable for someone tidy and observant. Heâd wanted her to know he could get in any time he liked.
âIt could still have been him,â Ethel said. âWhat if he didnât know anything, but has reported you just to cause you grief â payback? If only you could find out who made the report.â
âIt will all be kept confidential for now. And rightly so. People need to be able to make complaints without fear of retribution.â
âI suppose so. So youâre really going to resign? And write and plead guilty?â
âI donât see any other alternative. Iâve got to cop it on the chin, Ethel, as much as I donât like it.â
âWell, at least discuss it with Doctor Squire. Perhaps he can help,â Ethel said, shrugging her shoulders helplessly.
âI doubt it. But I wonât just hand in my resignation without an explanation. That would be too strange. Heâll probably be pleased to see me go. I can just hear him, âOh, the young of todayâ,â she mimicked.
âHe might surprise you.â
Yeah, and pigs might fly, Jacqueline thought.
âI wish there was something I could do to help,â Ethel said, lifting her hands and dropping them again in a gesture of helplessness.
âI do too, I do too,â Jacqueline said sadly.
There was a feeble knock on her door. They both looked up, startled.
âIâd
âBut â¦â
âGet with the program, Jacqueline. Start playing by their rules. Or do you just want to give up your job, your career?â
âNo.â
âWell?â
âBut it would still mean I couldnât have a relationship with Damien for two years. Nothing would have changed,â Jacqueline said, unable to hide her frustration.
âOh. Right,â Ethel said, looking clearly deflated.
They sat back in their chairs and were silent for a few moments.
âCould you write and ask for permission to have a relationship with Damien?â
âIt would be a very long shot.â
âBut worth a try, right?â
âI donât know, Ethel. Why would they grant permission â effectively a breach of the rules? Itâs no skin off their noses if they quash my love life. Theyâre all about keeping their profession squeaky clean. And fair enough, too.â
âWell, I bet this sort of thing happens all the time â relationships forming with past patients before two years is up. You canât help who you fall in love with, or when.â
âYes, it probably does happen all the time, but most likely in a city where youâre so much more anonymous than out here. I wonder who dobbed me in â that lady at Hope Springs CWA?â
âNo, I doubt it. I canât imagine these organisations act so quickly. She only raised it the other day.â
âBut she could have already written to them, or phoned them.â
âYes, she could have. But if that was the case, she wouldnât have been able to resist telling me she had the other night. Of that Iâm sure.â
âHmm, youâre probably right. So, who?â
âNo idea. Maybe that nasty Bolton fellow? He was pretty upset at being dragged off in handcuffs. And he did see how Damien was there for you. Probably put two and two together.â
âBut he wouldnât know Damien had ever been to see me professionally.â The cold finger of fear traced a line down Jacquelineâs back. She shivered. Had Jacob been in her office? She felt her blood disappear again while she looked around her room, scrutinising every item. All appeared just as it should. But sheâd moved everything and dusted just the week before, when it had been quiet. Anyway, Jacob would have been careful not to leave any sign. When heâd been in her house in the city heâd left a sign â subtle, but noticeable for someone tidy and observant. Heâd wanted her to know he could get in any time he liked.
âIt could still have been him,â Ethel said. âWhat if he didnât know anything, but has reported you just to cause you grief â payback? If only you could find out who made the report.â
âIt will all be kept confidential for now. And rightly so. People need to be able to make complaints without fear of retribution.â
âI suppose so. So youâre really going to resign? And write and plead guilty?â
âI donât see any other alternative. Iâve got to cop it on the chin, Ethel, as much as I donât like it.â
âWell, at least discuss it with Doctor Squire. Perhaps he can help,â Ethel said, shrugging her shoulders helplessly.
âI doubt it. But I wonât just hand in my resignation without an explanation. That would be too strange. Heâll probably be pleased to see me go. I can just hear him, âOh, the young of todayâ,â she mimicked.
âHe might surprise you.â
Yeah, and pigs might fly, Jacqueline thought.
âI wish there was something I could do to help,â Ethel said, lifting her hands and dropping them again in a gesture of helplessness.
âI do too, I do too,â Jacqueline said sadly.
There was a feeble knock on her door. They both looked up, startled.
âIâd
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