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Half a year later the most exquisite opportunity presented itself to Belle. Jack and she were invited to Oxford to have a lecture about their success with aortic aneurysm. Jack couldn’t leave the hospital as he just became the Head surgeon, but Belle accepted. She decided to stay there for a month, she planned to attend some lectures and meet up with the best doctors of their time. She hoped that she would be taken more seriously now after their success. Her father and Sneed were also planning a trip to London, so they all decided to link it up.
“I will miss you so much,” Jack whispered into her hair as he hugged her tightly. She had a suspicion that it slipped him. He was truly supportive of this trip all the time.
She stepped back from him and cupped his cheeks in her palms.
“I will miss you even more but it’s just five months, we will survive it,” Belle kissed him and didn’t care that they were surrounded by people.
“I know and I will write to you every day,” Jack smiled at her and kissed her once more.
“We have to leave, Mrs. Dawkins,” Sneed said as he passed them. He looked upset.
“Well, he won’t make a joyful companion,” Jack remarked.
“He just doesn’t want to leave Fanny and the baby. But on the other hand, he wants to be named as father’s successor so much,” Belle just shrugged and then hugged Jack again.
“I love you so much,” she whispered.
“And I love you more.”
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The 50-day voyage to Great Britain was once again terrible but also exciting. When Belle and her family sailed to Australia ten years ago, she thought that she would get mad during this voyage. To be locked on a ship where she could interact only with her family and read a limited number of medical books was truly maddening. It could be even worse this time without her mother and sister, but Belle spent lots of time preparing for her lecture. She was reading and rewriting it all the time.
Her father spent most of the time the same way as he did at home and Sneed was most of the time just sitting around and looking at pocket picture of Fanny and their baby - little Belle. Evenings were the most pathetic, the three of them usually had dinner together but the conversation always turned to Australia and to people they all so terribly missed.
Well, they all survived the voyage and got safely to London. Belle was travelling to Oxford by train almost every day and it was the first time she felt like a real doctor outside of their little hospital.
A week later the first letter from Jack arrived.
My dearest Belle, the love of my life (I know how much you love dramatic declaration of love),
I hope this letter finds you well.
Honestly, I am probably not the best pen pal, you admonished me that I write like an angry cat which I still don’t completely understand. I usually don't write letters and if I must I now have you to write them - one of the reasons why I married you.
No, but now truly, how are you doing? How was your lecture? How was the audience, did you get many questions and how is everyone acting towards you? Have you visited some medical lectures?
I can’t wait for you to come back and tell me all about it. I can’t wait for you; you have no idea how my life is hollow without you here. The only thing keeping me sane is that I am counting the days until you get back.
It is a rush in the hospital right now. Doctor Frank is a great addition but without you, it’s still too many patients, not enough doctors. If you can pursue some doctor in Oxford to work in our hospital, it would be ideal. Hetty is obviously the biggest help, I can’t imagine the hospital without the nurses.
Anyway, your mother invited me for afternoon tea. Just the two of us because your sister couldn’t make it. It was truly a weird afternoon but both of us managed it somehow and we survived. I think that she is truly trying to accept me into your family now. We will see how this is going to develop.
I visit Fanny and little Belle a lot. Little Belle is objectively the cutest baby. Fanny started her own herbal journal and it’s all she talks about but it’s great to see that she found a passion for herself. Of course, we also spent so much time just talking about the fact that we both miss you incredibly much. How could we not?
I truly miss you. Sometimes I just want to tell you something small and stupid or something else great and clever, but you aren’t here. I am counting every minute to your return.
I love you with my whole heart.
Your loving husband
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My Jack,
Your letter made me smile, thank you for that. You have no idea how much I miss you.
There isn’t a time when I wouldn’t think about you.
Apart from the fact that I miss you so terribly I am doing great. The lecture about aortic aneurysm was such a success that they asked me to repeat it one more time. Everyone is treating me with respect, and they all are calling me Doctor Dawkins! They want to meet you, all of them ask about you and they want us to come back and refer about medicine in Australia. I promised that I will talk about it with you.
I also visited other lectures and I found so much useful information, I can’t wait to tell you all about it. My journal is already full, and I have to continue with another one.
Usually, I am in Oxford the whole week, but I must stay in London on weekends. Father is arranging dinners with his friends from Mayfair, and you have no idea how dull these evenings are. The only fun is to rail up Sneed, just a small comment about how he is missing an important part of his daughter’s life, and he is completely shattered. I know it’s mean but I only do it when he talks about himself too much.
I am happy to hear that you are spending time with my family, I am sure that Fanny appreciates it a lot. I was a bit surprised that my mother invited you alone for tea but it’s a good sign, she wants to make peace with you and as long as you want that too, I will be only glad if it works out.
I love you so much, I can’t explain it, but I miss you in a way the words can’t even describe. I hope you are all well. I love you.
Yours and yours only,
Belle
It seemed endless but the five months somehow passed. And when Jack was finally holding Belle in his arms, they promised each other that they would never leave the other for so long ever again.