The phone was ringing as I entered my office. Picking it up I answered "Martin's Printing works, Patsy Martin speaking, how can I help you"
"Mrs Martin" a voice said, "This is Veronica from Dr Wilkins office. Dr Wilkins would like to see you and he was wondering if you could call in this evening" My immediate thoughts went to my children "Are my children hurt" I asked. "No" Veronica answered, "Dr Wilkins has something he would like to discuss with you."
The last time that I had any dealings with Dr Wilkins was just over two years ago when he told me that my husband of 21 years had a particular aggressive type of Cancer and only had three months to live. My husband John lived for four months before succumbing to the disease dying and leaving me a widow at 39 years of age.
John and I had met at college and started our romance only for me to fall pregnant after we had been going together for only three months. Of course our parents were not very pleased with this turn of events however John decided that we should marry and move away from our parents. John started a small printing business to support his unborn child and me and the business flourished after we were awarded a number of Government contracts.
About six months later our daughter Erin was born. Not taking any precautions following Erin's birth about four months later I found that I was pregnant again. Our son Joel was born later that year.
Within two years the business had developed to such a stage that we were employing about 50 staff and we were doing quite well financially. Then the tragedy of the cancer struck.
My immediate reaction after John's death was to sell the business, however friends and relatives talked me out of selling out.
Joel was a gregarious 18 years old who did most of the selling of the company products throughout the country. Erin on the other hand although a most attractive girl was extremely shy and although she was 20 years of age had never had a boyfriend.
That evening with some trepidation I called at the medical centre to see Dr Wilkins. I was ushered into his office and he asked me to sit down. He started our conversation by asking me how I was coping after the death of John, how the business was going and generally trying to put me at ease.
The he got to the reason why he had called me to see him. "Mrs Martin I don't usually do this and it is only that your daughter asked me to break the news to you that I am doing so. Erin felt that it would be better coming from me than for her trying to explain it"