Perseverance (The Resident FF) by Frances51163

CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE: Surprise Visitor

As Jude approached the door the banging intensified and he cursed the timing of wayward travellers.  Opening the door he was nearly blown back by the force of the wind which rushed in.

"I'm so sorry," a bedraggled woman stood shivering and swaying on the doorstep, "I was on the way home when I got a flat tyre ...,"
"Come in," Jude quickly instructed and closed the door, "lucky you found this place."
"I pass it on my way home," the middle aged woman commented as she continued to shiver as she glanced around, "this is some place."
"Yeah it is," Jude frowned as he got a better look at the unexpected visitor, "please take your coat off and sit by the fire."
"Thank you so much," the woman obeyed eagerly, obviously anxious to warm up as she sank down on the leather armchair closest to the fireplace.
"I'm sorry but have we met?" Jude asked as he headed for the mud room with the soaked trenchcoat.
"You were in the clinic," the woman nodded as she brushed a hand through her damp greying brown hair, "your friend saved my life when Wilson acted up."
"Julie? Jude called out a guess as he put away the coat and then headed back to the fireplace.
"Janice," the Nurse smiled as she held her hands in front of the orange flames.
"Small world.  I'm Jude," the Surgeon grinned, "are the rest of your clothes okay? I could rustle up some stuff if they're wet."
"No they're fine thanks," Janice replied taking another look around the high ceilinged surroundings, "I always wondered what this place looked like."
"Well now you know.  Listen if you don't mind I want to check on my friend, Conrad. He's still not feeling well.  Please help yourself to coffee or anything else," Jude gestured to the kitchen area, "I won't be long."
"You're very good. Can I do anything for your friend?"
"Nah. I'll look after him," the tall man headed off sensing he was overlooking something but unsure of what it was.

In the bedroom Conrad was still sitting on the side of the bed when his friend entered.

"Why aren't you lying down?"
"Wanted to make sure you were okay.  Who was it?" Conrad asked quietly as his friend helped him to stand up so he could take off his jeans.
"The Nurse from the clinic, Janice.  She had a flat tyre."
"Lucky she made it here," Conrad eased back down as the older man threw the jeans on the end of the bed after pulling back the covers.
"It's on her way home," the Surgeon explained as he made short work of relieving the ill man of his top, "she'll have to stay the night at least."
"Didn't think there were any other roads nearby."
"What?" Jude arched an eyebrow as he helped his friend to lie down on his side and pulled up the covers.
"Didn't think there was any road close by ..... besides the one leading here."
"Actually ..... you're right. Well anyway she's here now so we'll just have to put her up."
"Just be careful," Conrad cautioned as he squeezed his eyes shut.
"Why? You think she's an ax murderer?" Jude scoffed as he straightened up.
"You've got to stop watching horror films."
"I'll get you a facecloth with some ice," Jude offered, "you want a shot?"
"No man.  Need my senses intact."
"You sure?" the Surgeon frowned, his friend was uneasy about their guest for some reason but he couldn't think why.
"Yeah just get me a facecloth. Thanks."
"Won't be long," Jude headed back to the kitchen/living area with.

In his absence the visitor had been busy in the kitchen as he found two plates of scrambled eggs on toast sitting on the marble island counter.

"Hope you don't mind? I'm starving and it felt wrong to just make one meal," Janice looked up from where she was stirring a mug of coffee by the sink.
"Not at all. Actually I am hungry," Jude smiled as he picked up the facecloth and dish from the counter where his friend had left them, "just going to sort Conrad out first."
"Sounds ominous."
"Not at all," the Surgeon assured as he took out the ice cube tray and released some of the small ice blocks from their home, "hopefully he'll be able to sleep for a while."
"Hopefully," Janice concurred as she sat down on a stool and picked up a fork, "do you mind if I start without you?"
"Course not.  You're the Cook so it's your prerogative."
"Thanks," the Nurse sprinkled salt and pepper liberally over the dish in front of her, "always loved scrambled eggs."
"Me too," Jude smiled as he rinsed out the cloth and wrapped the cables up neatly before head back to the bedroom with the dish, "just don't start on mine while I'm gone."
"I'll try not to but no promises."

In the bedroom Jude was surprised to find his friend once again sitting on the side of the bed.

"What's wrong?"
"Changed my mind," Conrad explained tiredly as he gestured to his jeans, "could you help?"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
"This over our guest?" Conrad queried as he helped the other man dress.
"Just don't want to sleep."
"Conrad be honest with me okay? Is it over Janice?" the Surgeon persisted as he pulled the jumper down over his friends' head gently.
"Sounds stupid," the pale man reluctantly spoke, "I just have a feeling."
"Well since we're being honest I have an uneasy feeling too."
"You have this feeling before our guest arrived?" Conrad enquired softly as he stood up on bare feet, no way was he bending over to put on socks, his head might explode!
"No I didn't," Jude sighed heavily after a few moments before giving the younger man an assessing look, "you're going to take some painkillers with food okay?"
"No I'll ...,"
"If there is something wrong I need you to be able to function properly. If you're in too much pain you won't be able to concentrate.  This time you take six DFs."
"Six! I usually take two or three at most," the fair haired man argued.
"Need to make sure you get as much pain relief as you can," Jude reasoned, "they won't knock you out as long as you don't actually try to go to sleep.
"You worried?"
"Yeah I am.  My gut is telling me there's something wrong and your instincts are usually right," Jude nodded thoughtfully, "she knows you're not well.  Might be an idea to make her think you're more incapacitated than you are."
"She saw me pull that ruse back at the clinic."
"All the more reason she wouldn't expect you to pull it again," Jude decided, "besides the way you look she won't have any problem believing you're very unwell."
"Think I'm insulted."
"I think your ego can take it," Jude winked before becoming serious, "you said before you thought there was something going on with Wilson at the clinic.  What did you mean?"
"The way he reacted to me.  It was at odds with what he was doing.  Don't suppose the Officer you met earlier shed any light on the matter?"
"Not really.  He just said Wilson had no previous record and he didn't know what caused him to go off the deep end."
"Well hopefully we're just being over cautious and we can laugh about this tomorrow," Conrad stood up carefully and picked up the pill bottle from the bedside table, "I'll take three DFs here.  She's a Nurse she'll query six."
"Sure," Conrad nodded and picked up the glass of water to hand over, "you let me do the talking okay and if you start feeling really bad say you want to lie down and I'll stay in here with you.  Same goes if you need to talk to me in private, just say you want to rest for a while."
"Definitely we're being over cautious," Conrad insisted but he knew he wasn't just trying to convince his friend.

tbc