Chapter 17

It rained all day Friday as if to match her dismal mood, and it was still raining the Monday of the following week when she went to work in the morning. The weather did not keep the patients away, and dripping raincoats and umbrellas left puddles of water on the tiled floor in the reception area. The waiting room was packed when Dr Cleave from his early morning rounds at the hospital, and it took almost three chaotic hours before the waiting room started clearing.

It was during the course of that morning that Theo Allen telephoned to invite Elena to dine with him at his restaurant in town.

A refusal sprang to her lips, and then she thought, why not? She had not seen Theo for some weeks, and having dinner with him would be preferable to spending another evening alone at home with nothing but her miserable thoughts for company.

She accepted his invitation and, knowing that she was busy,he ended their brief conversation with an abrupt, "I’ll pick you up at seven."

Elena did not question