No one likes Mondays. All day Ben Sanders had been run off his feet at work and couldn’t quite believe the number of patients that had walked through the door of Peony Practice. The phone hadn’t stopped ringing and as soon as the clock struck six-thirty, Helly, his reliable receptionist, switched on the answerphone and turned the sign on the back of the door to closed before slumping into the reception chair. She stared at the huge mound of filing that Ben had placed on the edge of her desk.
‘What a day!’ she said, exhaling and looking over towards Ben, who was taking a breather and standing in the doorway of his office.
‘A hell of a day,’ he confirmed, blowing his hair off his forehead. ‘I thought birthdays were meant to be relaxing and fun.’
Helly placed her hands on her desk and slid backwards in her chair. ‘I nearly forgot,’ she said, standing up and pulling open the drawer of the filing cabinet. ‘Your present!’
Helly had been the receptionist at the doctor’s surgery since Ben had arrived. She’d applied for the job on a whim after not knowing what direction her life was going in and had been quite surprised to discover she loved being in charge of the office. Each day brought its own challenges, but with her brilliant organisational skills and kind nature, the job suited her just as much as she suited the job.
‘Happy birthday to you! I’d break into song but maybe that’s not the best with me being tone deaf and all that. Do you think there’s any sort of medication that could help?’
‘I’m really not sure there is but it’s the thought that counts,’ Ben said, taking the oblong present wrapped up in Christmas paper.
‘Sorry about the paper.’ She grinned. ‘It’s all I could find in the dark depths of the dresser at home.’
Ben raised an eyebrow. ‘There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of Christmas spirit in the middle of July.’
‘And what do you get a doctor who has everything?’ Helly gestured for him to open the present. ‘It was a tricky one. I trawled the internet for hours.’
‘Really?’
‘Don’t be daft, I saw an advert on the TV and thought…that’s it …that’s exactly what you get a doctor.’
Ben laughed as he began to tear open the Santa wrapping paper.
Ben Sanders had arrived in the village of Heartcross six months ago. His adopted parents were Irish but had moved to Edinburgh due to his father’s job when Ben was a baby. Ben had a burning ambition from an early age to become a doctor and through sheer hard work and determination, Ben had attended medical school at St Andrews and his dream had come true. Having always been a city guy, he loved the hustle and bustle of the bright lights, but he’d begun to enjoy the slower pace of life since arriving in Heartcross. His two-bedroom apartment was above the practice, so his commute to work was a flight of stairs. For his last job, his commute had been a hectic hour and a half, which had included the Tube, a bus and a ten-minute walk.
‘An Ancestry DNA test…every man’s dream present,’ mused Ben, scrunching up the wrapping paper and tossing it in the wastepaper bin. He knew the smile had slipped from his face for a second as the tiny pang in his heart returned once more. Ben had actually considered taking a DNA test on numerous occasions, but he knew the results could change his life for ever. ‘A very unusual present.’
‘I just thought it was very doctorish,’ replied Helly, not noticing the suddenly serious look on Ben’s face. ‘Not that that’s even a word, but you never know what you might discover or who you’re related to – could be royalty or even Harry Styles. Could you imagine?’ Helly took the box from Ben and slapped it lightly against his chest. ‘I think I need to do one of these. Interesting stuff.’
‘I really couldn’t imagine being related to Harry Styles.’ Ben shook his head in jest.
‘Free tickets for all of his gigs.’ Helly gave him a knowing look. ‘It’ll definitely be worth taking the test just for that. It could open up a huge list of possibilities.’
‘Or a huge can of worms.’
‘Is this what it’s like reaching the grand age of thirty-five? You just become cynical?’ she teased. ‘I’ve got all this to look forward to.’
‘It’s called being a realist.’
‘You are no fun. I hope you’re going to up your game for your birthday party tonight.’
Ben really wasn’t one for making a fuss about his birthday, but his new friends Drew and Fergus were not going to let it pass without a beer in the local pub, which had escalated to a party with a buffet and now a local band had been added to the mix. But he knew he mustn’t grumble. Since arriving in the village, everyone had made him feel so welcome. Just to know he could walk into the local pub after a hard day’s work and have a chat with anyone that was propping up the bar was welcoming in and of itself. It had been a different story in the city where everyone seemed to avoid eye contact and conversation.
‘Of course I’m going to up my game,’ he said, making some weird movements with his arms and body.
‘Woah! Just stop!’ Helly ordered, shielding her eyes from the embarrassing chicken-like dad moves. ‘Do not dance like that tonight. If you do, do not let on that you know me,’ insisted Helly, with a chuckle.
‘The youngsters of today have no taste. And thank you for this,’ he said, holding up the DNA test. As Ben walked back to his office, he glanced towards the blank name plate on the office door next to his.
‘What do you think they are like?’ asked Helly, picking up the pile of filing but following Ben’s gaze.
‘It’s not long until we find out. They arrive in the morning. Here’s hoping they’re just as laid-back as us and fit in nicely.’
Six months ago, Dr Taylor had retired from being the village doctor and Ben had stepped into his shoes. It wasn’t until Ben had been in the job three months that he realised that Dr Taylor must have been superhuman. He was a one-man medical machine who had done the job of two doctors. It just wasn’t possible for Ben to carry on that way. He had contacted an agency, and now help was arriving to lighten the load.
‘And at least we might get home at a decent hour. Leave the filing until morning.’ Ben glanced at his watch. ‘The birthday celebrations will be starting in just over an hour.’
Without question, Helly dropped the filing into her desk drawer and picked up her bag. ‘I’m not going to argue with you, boss. Catch you later, alligator.’ Within a blink of an eye, she was gone and the office door closed behind her.
An hour later, Ben had showered, changed and was on the way to the Grouse and Haggis pub. The sun was still high in the sky, providing a welcoming warmth with only a few clouds sporadically dotted about. As he stepped inside, he paused to take in the view. The pub was heaving. Happy birthday banners hung from the wooden beams that crossed the ceiling and at each end of the bar, a cluster of colourful balloons danced. There were curled streamers dangling from the light fittings and confetti scattered across the tables. The party was already in full flow.
‘Here he is: the birthday boy!’ Fergus bellowed above the chatter. Everyone turned and cheered.
‘Just look at this!’ Ben said with a grin, gesturing around the room.
Allie was working the bar alongside her parents Meredith and Fraser and waved in Ben’s direction. ‘Drink?’
‘A cold beer. Thank you.’ Ben turned towards Drew and Isla. ‘I’m feeling so humble. All this trouble just for me?’
‘Any excuse for a party,’ teased Isla. ‘How’s your day been so far?’
Ben blew out a breath. ‘Honestly, run off my feet. I’m looking forward to the new doctor arriving tomorrow, believe me.’
‘That bad?’ replied Isla. ‘At least you can let your hair down now. Have a drink and grab something to eat.’ She gestured towards the fabulous buffet that was laid out at the far end of the room on long trestle tables adorned with crisp white tablecloths.
‘I am starving,’ admitted Ben. He had missed lunch that day.
Walking towards the buffet table, Ben was surrounded by his new friends wishing him happy birthday and patting him on the back. After everyone had suitably piled their plates with mounds of food, Meredith took to the microphone.
‘Welcome, welcome!’ She left a little pause until everyone was looking in her direction.
‘It’s not your usual quiet Monday night in the pub, but tonight we have a birthday in the house. It’s been six months since Dr Ben Sanders joined the village of Heartcross and a very welcome addition he is too. Please do join me in wishing Ben a happy birthday.’
Everyone held up their glasses and mirrored Meredith’s words. Ben nodded and tried to make eye contact with as many of the well-wishers as he could.
‘Please do enjoy your food,’ continued Meredith, ‘and let the celebrations begin. Without further ado, please put your hands together and welcome our band for the evening.’
Three men and a woman walked onto the makeshift stage at the front of the pub and picked up their instruments. ‘I believe we have a birthday in the house,’ the lead singer bellowed into the microphone.
Ben nodded his appreciation and gave a thumbs up. The drummer banged his sticks together and the band began to play. Within seconds, Isla dragged Drew in front of the band and began to dance. Other partygoers followed suit.
Ben felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Helly behind him. She gave him a mischievous smile and gestured towards the bar. There were six shots lined up.
‘Shots?’ exclaimed Ben. ‘It’s a Monday night!’
‘And? It’s your birthday!’ replied Helly, pushing him lightly towards the bar and taking his plate of food from him.
‘We have work in the morning!’
‘And…?’
‘We have a new member of staff arriving. We can’t be breathing alcohol fumes all over them.’
‘Just give your teeth an extra brush.’ Helly handed Ben the first shot glass. ‘Tequila! Come on, don’t be a party pooper. One…two…three.’
Ben threw back the shot and scrunched up his face. ‘Yuk,’ he said, not liking the taste, but before he could protest more, Helly crookedly balanced a party hat on his head and dragged him off to the dance floor. Within seconds, Ben was in the centre of a circle and dancing like no one was watching. The mood was jovial and everyone was enjoying the night. At first, he’d had reservations about working as a village doctor in a close-knit community, but as soon as he arrived, his social life had increased tenfold.
A couple of hours later, the lead singer announced there was only one song left, so everyone gathered on the dance floor in anticipation. He gestured for Ben to join him up on the stage and the band began to play ‘Happy Birthday.’ The whole pub erupted into song. Helly walked on stage with a cake made by Rona from the teashop. When everyone stopped singing, Ben blew out the candles. Whilst everyone was still clapping, he took hold of the microphone.
‘This morning, I really wasn’t a fan of Mondays, but my day has certainly got better! I have to admit this is one of the best birthdays I’ve had in a long, long time. Thank you to ...
