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Her heart scattered across her chest and she hid the smile as she focused on her patient. ‘Welcome, Ana, it’s lovely to see you again.’
* * *
He folded his arms as the coffee percolated. He could have gone out to buy some from across the street but that would only have killed time and he couldn’t put this off any longer. He had to tell Arissa who he really was.
His stomach was churning. His two weeks were rapidly coming to an end. He knew that he’d be heading off on the plane soon, what he didn’t know was whether he’d have a chance to pursue this blossoming relationship with Arissa.
It surprised him just how much he wanted to. Just how important this was to him. They were right at the beginning. Who knew where this could lead? But with him in Corinez, and her heading to the UK, there would be hundreds of miles between them. Could a long-distance relationship actually work? Particularly when they were both so dedicated to their jobs? All he knew for certain was that he wanted to try.
He waited as she saw the last patient out of the clinic and closed the door for lunch.
But before he had a chance to speak she stopped at the computer to check her emails.
Her face fell.
‘What’s wrong?’ he couldn’t help but ask.
She was staring at the screen, then shook her head for a few moments and picked up her phone. ‘Give me a minute, would you?’
The expression on her face was a mixture of panic and worry. She disappeared into the office with her phone pressed to her ear. The door didn’t entirely close.
He paced around outside. Attempting to be busy doing other things and trying his best not to listen, but it was hard not to hear the rising tones of her voice.
After around fifteen minutes she appeared at the doorway, her face drawn.
‘What is it, Arissa?’ He couldn’t help himself. He walked over and put his hands on her arms.
She shook her head. She looked numb. ‘There’s been a problem with my visa. The agency I’m due to start with in London hasn’t applied in time. I needed the visa to secure my post in London at the children’s hospital.’
Philippe frowned. Doctors moved to positions in other countries all the time. Visas were always a tricky issue, but usually dealt with promptly and without delay when the paperwork was submitted. ‘Have they made a mistake?’
She nodded. ‘Oh, yes.’
‘Can the hospital sort it out for you?’
She gulped and shook her head. For the first time he thought he could see tears glistening in her eyes. ‘No. It’s too late. They need someone to start August the first. My visa will never process in time. It was part of the terms and conditions of the contracts that the visa requirement would be met by a certain time. They can’t afford to leave posts like this vacant, Philippe. These kids need doctors. They don’t have time for delays.’ Her voice was shaking now.
Philippe could see the pain in her eyes. ‘But they need you. They’ll be able to pull some strings. Doctors are a priority around the world. If we can speak to the visa office, I’m sure they’ll sort things out for you.’
She shook her head again. ‘They won’t buy it. As soon as the hospital were notified my paperwork wasn’t agreed in time, they offered the post to someone else.’
She sagged down into a chair. ‘For the first time in my life—I don’t have a job to go to.’
He could see how upset she was by this. He was upset for her. Most doctors were meticulous planners. They all knew that job visa requirements could take months and generally worked with agencies to ensure all these things were in order well in advance.
He knew how hard she’d been working. Covering the job she’d had in Washington, spending all her holiday time here, and helping document the research. It was no wonder something had slipped. It could happen to the best of people.
But from the look on her face it had never happened to Arissa before.
‘I can try and help. Let me see what I can do. Let me try and speak to someone.’ He was babbling now and he knew it.
But she shook her head again. Her eyes were vacant when they met with his. ‘But the job’s gone already. Even if strings were pulled and I got my visa, I wouldn’t get this job. The opportunity is gone.’
