A Proposal to Remember

Sam reached into his wallet for his credit card and Anna frowned. ‘What’s that for?’

‘Well, unless you intend to spend the rest of the night in the kitchens, washing up, I was planning to pay.’

‘You’re not paying for me. We’ll go halves.’

Sam yawned. ‘For goodness’ sake, Riggs. Can’t you even let a guy buy you dinner?’

‘I can buy my own dinner and this wasn’t a date, McKenna. It was an alternative to omelette.’

Sam surveyed the pitiful remains of food on the table. ‘It was a good alternative. Especially given that there were no eggs. And I’m paying.’

‘That’s just ridiculous.’

‘No, that’s just the way it is.’ He handed his card to Ken. ‘Fantastic food, Ken. Great evening. Make that appointment to see me any time.’

‘Has anyone ever told you that you’re stubborn and opinionated?’ Anna rose to her feet and reached for her bag. ‘Just for the record, your macho, he-man act doesn’t work on me, McKenna. If you’re expecting it to make my legs go weak, it’s only fair to warn you that I’m still walking with no problems.’

‘Really?’ He pulled a face. ‘Damn. I must be losing m

y touch. Need to lift a few more weights. Practise my walk. And for the record, you’re more stubborn than me.’

They left the restaurant and walked back to the car.

‘Now, this is when I love Cornwall.’ Sam stopped and stared out across the darkened beach. The sea hissed as the waves hit the sand and behind them they could hear laughter from the restaurant. ‘I love it when the tourists leave and the beach is ours again.’

Anna stood next to him. ‘The trouble is nowadays the tourists never leave. Most of these beaches are as crowded at night as they are during the day. Once it gets dark the partying starts.’

They stared at a group of teenagers gathered at the water’s edge and Sam frowned. ‘The problem with this place is that the teenagers don’t have anywhere to go. And there’s no privacy. If one of them makes an appointment at the surgery, everyone knows.’

‘What’s wrong with that?’

‘Well, if you’re trying to be cool, or if you’re trying to hide something from your parents, then making an appointment with us is like taking out an ad in the paper.’

Anna stared at him. ‘You think that’s why teenagers don’t come?’

‘One reason.’ He looked at the group on the beach. ‘We ought to start a teenage health group. Somewhere they can go, mingle and chat to a doctor if they want to.’

It was a great idea. ‘No one would turn up.’

‘They’d turn up if we made it cool.’

‘And how would we do that?’

He turned and gave her a lopsided smile. ‘I’d be the doctor.’

She grunted with exasperation. ‘You are so arrogant.’

‘What’s the teenage pregnancy rate here?’

‘It’s high, as you well know.’

‘Probably because if they go to the doctor, they broadcast the fact from the rooftops. If there was a clinic for teenagers, we could deal with all sorts of things. Drugs, eating disorders, contraception and the positive stuff, exercise, healthy eating.’

It was a fantastic idea. ‘It would never work.’

‘Let’s try it. Send invitations to all the teenagers in the area.’

‘I’ll think about it.’ She was definitely going to do it. ‘You’re afraid I’ll be proved right.’