Chapter 1

The attractive young woman walked up to the young man sitting on his own in the classroom.

"Are you Gwilym Edwards? My name is Michelle Dunbar, but my friends call me 'Mikki': I see we are down on the list to be lab partners. Shall we get a cup of coffee and get to know each other." The young man smiled, and nodded.

" ... Gwilym is my name, but I'd rather you called me the English version: 'William'; or even better, 'Will'!"

They were sitting in the hospital cafeteria, a couple of weeks later, when another young man came over to them.

"Hi! It's Michelle, isn't? I'm Tony, Tony Prescott! A few of us are going to the pub after, and we were wondering if you wanted to come along!" Mikki looked up at him and smiled sweetly.

"Sorry, Tony! Maybe another time ... I've already arranged something with Will." She turned back to Will, who had been sitting quietly the whole time, with an expressionless look on his face.

"Arrogant twat!" she said, when Tony had gone. "I hope you don't mind, Will?"

"No, not at all! You're an attractive woman; you must get that all the time."

"I suppose so. But it doesn't make it any less irritating! We are supposed to be doctors, for God's sake ... not bloody Barbie Dolls! Look, we've known each other for a while now, and you seem like a nice guy, Will ... I'm going to tell you something ... in confidence..." Will sat fingering his coffee cup, waiting for Mikki's revelation.

" ... I'm gay, Will! I like the company of men, but not sexually!"

"Have you told many people?" he asked her, " ... Here at the Hospital, I mean."

"No. You're the only other student who knows. I'm not ashamed, or anything: it's just that I think a person's sexuality is their own business!"

A few days later they were sitting in the cafeteria again, at the end of another busy week. Mikki yawned.

"Thank goodness it's Friday at last! Well, I suppose I ought to drag myself off home! But I could really do without a long bus journey at the moment!" Will looked thoughtful, then he spoke:

" ... Look, I hope you won't take this the wrong way, Mikki, but I only live around the corner and my flatmate has gone home for the weekend ... would you like to stop over tonight?" Mikki looked at him with a big smile on her face.

"Really! Would that be all right? I tell you what, Will ... I'll buy you a takeaway ... it's what I would be having tonight, anyway! I've just got to call someone ... to let them know..."

Will's flat was in a converted three-storey house, about ten minutes walk from St. George's. It looked a bit shabby from the outside, but that didn't bother Mikki. He opened the front door and looked for any mail that was addressed to him or Tom, his flatmate, then he and Mikki climbed the stairs to the first floor. Will turned the key in the lock of his flat and pushed the door inwards. They went straight into a fairly large room with several doors leading off of it. Will led her down the length of the room, first pointing to a door on the left:

"That's the kitchen, and this," he said, indicating the room next to it, " ... is the bathroom. Sorry ... it's not very private ... but you can always sing, or something!" Mikki laughed. They crossed to the room opposite the bathroom.

"This one is mine and that's Tom's room next door; I'll sleep in there tonight."

He pushed open the door to his room: it was a fair size, with a standard size double bed; a wardrobe; a chest of drawers, with four drawers; a small armchair; and a large, sturdy bookcase. He went to the bottom drawer of the four and took out fresh bedding.

"Would you like to give me a hand?"

She took off her coat and put it on the chair, with her bag. They then quickly changed his pillow cases, duvet cover and bottom sheet. He put the other ones in the bottom of the wardrobe.

"Do you have any phone numbers for local takeaways, Will?" she asked, when they had finished making the bed.

"Yes, in the kitchen; I'll show you."

The kitchen was about the same size as the bathroom: not particularly modern, but clean and functional. Will filled and switched on the kettle, while Mikki looked for phone numbers.