The Doctor

Epilogue

Anna sat out on the veranda watching the sunrise over the lake. She had a coffee in hand and her face was free of makeup, she'd just woken from a deep sleep, she rarely didn't sleep well back home in Australia and on the farm that she and Stella owned. They brought it after their engagement, a small weatherboard cottage with a few kilometres of trees and open plains all around, a lake out the front and mountains on the sides giving them perfect views to wake up to in the morning. They got married in the front yard one spring afternoon, they were surrounded by everyone they loved and blossoming trees. It was an extremely happy wedding, one that all guests would remember for the rest of their lives and hope that their own wedding would live up to it. They honeymooned in Europe, visiting Stella's relatives and then headed back to Australia and to their place in country Victoria that they called home and their own. Stella worked as a GP in a big doctors surgery in the nearby town, she wanted to one day get into surgery but the studying turned her off and it felt like such a big deal for something that she was only slightly interested in. Her work mannerisms stayed the same as the American ones, she was stiff and blunt with most, letting down her guard if she liked the patient or colleague, children were especially her weak spot. Anna got her teaching degree, she taught at a high school in the same town as Stella, she taught science and math to the seniors at the school. A lot of girls had crushes on her and even a few came to her for advice in their own life with sexuality matters. When she first started and her students found out that she was married to a woman they tried to use it against her, but it proved to be a stupid way to put her down because she acted so blase towards homophobia, as if she was deaf to sarcasm. Anna and Stella had made friends in the town, they joined sporting clubs and associations and pretty soon they were quite well known around and about, people would wait on a waiting list for three weeks to get an appointment to see Stella and parents requested that Anna taught their own children math or science. They both worked hard, they fought a lot about silly things, but they never felt as if they were falling sick of each other or wanting to see new people. Their sex life was great, amazing even, they occasionally included another woman they knew from the town to spice it up, but they hadn't been with anyone other than each other. Anna's parents visited once every two months, Stella loved Alex and Phillipa so it was never a drag for her when they came down. Molly flew over once to visit them before she started at her job in the summer after she finished school, her love life was complicated and she groaned when Anna or Stella said something slightly traditional or not up to her standard. She was at the time dating two people and trying to find out which one she liked the most, and although it was stressful for her, Anna and Stella had to sit back and try not to laugh. 

The front door opened and Stella walked out with a cup of coffee and pyjamas still on. 

"Hey," she said softly, pecked Anna on the cheek and sat on her knee.

"Hi," Anna said back, wrapping her arms around Stella's warm body.

"How long have you been up?"

"Not long, the bloody cat scratched me to wake me up, I think it was hungry."

Stella twisted and looked down at Anna. "I told you not to get a bloody cat."

Anna narrowed her eyes. "You love Timmy, don't lie."

"You're right," Stella said guiltily. "What time will you be home tonight?" 

Anna shrugged. "I've got a staff meeting and one of the girls needs help with advanced math, around 5?"

Stella nodded and groaned, looking back at the sun. "I don't want to go to work, I want to stay here all day."

Anna gasped. "Stella!"

Stella spun around on Anna's knee and looked down at her in panic. "What?"

"The baby! It kicked!"

Stella placed her hand on Anna's belly and Anna put her own on top of Stella's, they smiled at each other.