A Dark Fall [ORIGINAL & UNEDITED VERSION]

Eight

When I wake up on Monday I feel refreshed. Unlike most people, I like Mondays. I know I'm in the minority who has that view, it's not a day most people look forward to and I'd probably be called a sadist in some circles. However it's my "on call" day which means I get out of the office, and instead drive around visiting patients rather than treating them from behind my desk.

My first visit of the morning is Mrs Matthews; who lives closest to the surgery but has been bed bound for the last few months after a nasty fall. She also suffers from Alzheimer's which means that on some days when I visit her we don't talk about how she's feeling at all and talk instead about the weather and the large oak tree at the foot of her garden and whether she should have it preened or not.

Lucy Hale who I visit after Mrs Matthews is a 32-year-old expectant first-time mother who looks after an elderly father-in-law at home. We get on really well and after her check up, I spend too long chatting with her, mainly about how we don't get out much anymore since we became old and boring. Lucy seems totally happy with her husband Chris, and that coupled with her nervous excitement about the baby makes some place deep inside me flare with something like envy. I don't regret not marrying Ben and having his children. I only regret spending so much of my best years with the cheating arrogant prick. Years I wish I'd spent with someone else. Lucy knows I'm single with a cat, and so tries to be nice and offers to set me up with her 34 year old, also single brother in law - which I politely decline. I have more than enough male related excitement on my plate at the moment, Sam and a certain other keeping me more that mindfully entertained.

My next couple of appointments seems to drag, and Mr Harris my 12 o'clock doesn't even answer when I arrive. I make a call to his next of kin who apologises and tells me that he's visiting family in Bath this week and must have forgot to cancel his monthly appointment. It's actually a little triumph because it gives me an extra long lunch and I stop in for something to eat on the way to my next appointment. I'm reading the paper and sipping my cappuccino when I see a feature on the opening of Jakes nightclub in the going out section. It makes me freeze mid sip and makes the goose bumps on my arms raise and tingle.

"Under much secrecy and a cleverly executed viral marketing campaign, Saturday night saw the opening of Brick Lane's newest - and at the risk of sounding uncool myself - coolest nightclub. Up until its opening night, no one had a clue what was being done under the tarpaulin covering the monolith structure at the junction of Parker St and Bond. Then the covers came off and the worlds highest paid DJ played a set that almost blew the roof off the neo gothic space, and all of those questions were answered. Surgery (a name picked by a guest apparently - another genius marketing ploy by the owners if you ask me) has been touted as the next Ministry of Sound, and if last weekend was anything to go by then they may well have hit the nail right on the head. Decadent, atmospheric and ridiculously stylish, it is the place to be for all dance fans. (Or pseudo-cool journalists who really just want to be as cool as the people who were there on Saturday night) ~ Chris Harder - *****"

I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding. So Jake's club got a 5 star review from The Standard. For some reason I feel proud of him even though I know I have absolutely no right to feel anything on his behalf. I wonder if he's seen it. He must have. The next Ministry of Sound - high praise indeed. An image of his smile as he reads the review flashes before my eyes and I find myself smiling too. I'm really happy for him. I'd tell him that if I saw him. Or would I because technically I'm still angry that he thinks I'm the sort of woman that invites men over for sex. I take my phone out of my bag and re-read his message over for the umpteenth time as well as my response.

Yes I was blunt in that final one and since I haven't heard from him Im guessing he got the idea. Which was good. Wasn't it? Well, it was fun while it lasted I suppose.