Since their honeymoon, Clare had begun to teach Alan how to cook, as she said every man should be able to look after himself. Alan enjoyed cooking and could now cook simple pasta dishes. Tonight, he was cooking spaghetti bolognese. He was stirring the meat sauce when Clare came into the kitchen. He glanced at her. He was concerned about her lately. She had dark rings under her eyes and seemed to be completely exhausted. When they came home from work, she would sit on the sofa and fall asleep and if Alan woke her up she would be cross with him. If he didn't wake her up she would be cross with him and whatever he did was wrong. She was nervy and jumpy and not at all like herself.

"I'm making an appointment for you to see the doctor and I'm coming with you." said Alan, as he put the spaghetti on to boil. "You can't go on like this. There has to be something wrong."

"I'm not a child. I can sort this out myself, thank you." she said.

"Well you better had, or there will be consequences." said Alan. "And don't say another word. I don't want an argument."

Clare frowned and marched out of the kitchen and when he took their dinner into the lounge, fifteen minutes later, she was fast asleep in the chair. He had to wake her up to eat dinner, but at least this time she didn't complain.

Clare did visit the doctor, but she told Alan there was nothing obviously wrong, although the doctor had booked her in for a few blood tests.

Nevertheless, he was still concerned. On the next working day, he spoke to Angie about it. They were alone in the kitchen one lunch time and he had a quiet word. Angie was sitting at the table, drinking a cup of tea and eating an orange.

"Clare sometimes keeps her problems to herself, when she should share them with others." said Angie. "Her second miscarriage being a good example. She only told me about it after you got married. I was shocked, it hadn't occurred to me at all. It's not something you think about when someone has lost their husband, is it?"

"I was staggered when she told me." Alan replied, pouring hot water from the kettle into his cup.

"I'm not surprised." Angie replied. "I'll have a word with her and see if I can prise anything out of her, but I know what she's like. If she doesn't want to talk, she won't."

"Kathy did say she suffered from Anaemia twice when she was younger and that made her feel exhausted, so perhaps it's that?" Alan said.

"Well, let's hope it's nothing serious." Angie replied.

Just at that moment, Clare walked into the kitchen. Alan cringed. He hoped she hadn't heard their conversation.

"Seeing as you two are so concerned about me, I suppose I'd better tell you I've had the results of my blood tests and I am anaemic, so perhaps you'll both stop fussing. I have to take iron tablets and the doctor told me to rest as much as possible, so Alan, you will be cooking again tonight!" And with those words she waltzed back out of the room.

"Ooh!" said Angie, laughing.

"Yes, ooh! Very much Ooh! Now you know what I've had to put up with!" whispered Alan. "But I'm not cooking again tonight, there's only so much pasta you can eat. I'll take her out to a restaurant."

They laughed quietly together and then Alan took his drink back to his office.

Alan and Clare enjoyed the summer and spent time with Laura, Sophie and Toby, taking them swimming and on day trips out into the countryside, or by the sea. Daniela and Gheorghe were getting on famously with Libby and Philip and they invited all of the family over for barbecues at their house, during the fine weather. Philip's barbecues were lovely parties with good food, drink and music and everyone enjoyed themselves in the fabulous garden.

The summer came and went. By the end of September, they still hadn't found a suitable property, although they liked the Westbury-On-Trym area and continued to look there. Alan found that he was suffering from Migraine less these days. He secretly wondered if it had been aggravated by Marie and all of the stress she had caused him. He certainly felt more relaxed now she was no longer around, as horrible as it was to admit, even to himself.

During September, Stephen Miller, the guy Alan had met in the hospital chapel came to see him for his 'free' financial advice. Sadly, his wife had died in the Hospice within a week of being admitted and left him with three small children. Stephen's mother, who was a widow, lived nearby and was very helpful to him, but nevertheless it was very hard work trying to keep a full time job and looking after three children at the same time. It was heart breaking for Alan to hear his story, but he gave his help as kindly as he could, which Stephen found very useful and Alan learnt something to his advantage. Stephen Miller was a builder and Alan was able to have a conversation with him about perhaps, his building them a new home to their own specifications if they couldn't find anything they liked. Alan took to Stephen, as he was easy to talk to and very down to earth. Stephen left the office very grateful for the advice Alan gave him and in fact the meeting was mutually beneficial.

* * * * *

One Saturday afternoon near the end of September, Alan was watching a football match on the television and Clare was curled up in a chair reading. She was feeling fit and healthy now, after her course of iron tablets. Several people had remarked how pink cheeked she looked, especially Alan and it had made her smile.

The phone rang and Alan immediately went to answer it. Clare wondered who was calling. All she could hear was one word sentences from Alan and it all seemed very mysterious. Alan put the receiver down.

"Right, get your coat on Mrs Harding, we're going for a drive."

"Why? It's cold outside. I'm nice and cosy in here."

"Please Clare, this is important."

"But you've been looking forward to this football match all week. Nothing is more important than that, surely?"

"I can record it."

"Where are we going?" asked Clare, as she rose from the chair.

"We're going to Westbury On Trym. It won't hurt to get to know the area better. There's a lovely little coffee shop on the High Street. We'll go for a coffee if we get cold walking around."

"Oh, do we have to?"

"Yes." said Alan, as he set his video to record and turned off the television. "We really do and you might find it interesting."

"You're up to something aren't you? I can tell."

Alan didn't answer, but he grinned his boyish grin and Clare laughed at him.