Not long after Chris began working full-time, the role of opening in the mornings soon became his role. Martha trusted Chris that much to take over her morning ritual. This proved to be a blessing to Chris, especially as he entered the dark corridor and flicked the lights on. With no one around, Chris was free to slip his second note into Dr Marshall’s locker without being seen.

The previous evening, Chris had researched numbers online and on his table, at home, were the notes made to help with the post-it notes over the remainder of the days. Prior to slipping the note into the narrow gap at the bottom of the locker, Chris read the post-it note one last time.

Yay! Day 19.

You made it. CONGRATULATIONS.

Here’s some useless information about the number nineteen to help you through your day. (Followed by my ramblings to put a smile on your face)

19 is the command in Age of Empires for the laughing emote. This, ever before “LOL” existed. (LOL)

Renault 19, (manufactured in 1988. The last of the numeric names cars. Interesting? Likely not.)

In golf the “19th hole” is the clubhouse bar. (Can I buy you a drink sometime? 19... LOL haha. I crack myself up. Get it... 19... laughing emote.)

Anyway, don’t let Dr Max get to you.

Chin up.

The personal messages Chris left after the information were written in much the same way he always added silent opinions when speaking out loud. Once again, Chris did not sign the note, but couldn’t be sure if Dr Marshall would suspect it was him. With fifteen women working in the clinic, Dr Marshall was bound to think it was one of them–right!

That’s what Chris hoped, anyway.

As the day progressed, every time Chris saw Dr Marshall he noticed his demeanour grew darker. Chris heard from one of the nurses Dr Max had been particularly hard on all the interns that day. Chris only hoped Dr Marshall had found his note a little helpful.

And he did.

Late in the afternoon, Chris found a post-it note written by Dr Marshall attached to a file that read - Dr Marx would like a copy of this please. 19.

Only Chris would have known who wrote the message because the writer had use the number nineteen to denote LOL. Chris chuckled to himself. Dr Marshall had been making a joke but anyone else reading the message would not have understood. Well, Dr Marx was an inside joke but the number nineteen would have confused them.

Chris pulled the post-it note from the file and slipped it into his pocket, then photocopied the pages. There was no hiding the smile from his face for the rest of the day. Even Martha questioned Chris several times as to what he was up too but Chris kept his secret.

Day 18.

This isn’t as easy as I first thought it would be.

In many countries, 18 is the age of consent.  (I’m well past eighteen, and twenty-one and twenty... 19)

In the Chinese mythos, Hell has 18 levels. (18 levels. I wonder if you enter at level one and work your way up or enter at level 18 and work your way down. Or you go in at one level depending on how bad you were while alive. Not sure about this one but knowing there are 18 levels of hell and not one, is scaring me)

Chris decided, as he slipped the note into Dr Marshall’s locker, being a twenty day stalker might not have been a good idea. The time it took finding information about numbers had been consuming but proved fascinating. Yet trying to decide which facts to use took up much of Chris’s evenings, the littered post-its over his kitchen table evidence the number of times he’d re-written the notes.

The day was much like any other. Martha and Chris worked on the reception desk. After lunch Chris spent time in the records room and when he returned to the front desk he overheard Dr Marshall say to Martha, “I hear there are eighteen levels of hell. I’ve experience all of them today.”

Chris held his breath, returned to the records room and burst out laughing. He didn’t mean too, he was sorry Dr Marshall was having a bad day, but he found it a little exciting to know Dr Marshall had been enjoying his notes enough to share the information.

Day 17.

Isn’t this fun?

17 is the number of Sickles in one Galleon in the British wizards’ currency. (I read Harry Potter on the advice of a friend I would like it. They were right - I loved it. I heart Alan Rickman)

Seventeen Seconds is the second studio album by The Cure, released in April 1980 by Fiction Records. (I LOVE listening to The Cure)

The number of syllables in a haiku. (This is crazy right. To be stalked for twenty days. But I see you smile.)

I like to see you smile.

Today was a bad day for everyone. A backlog of surgery occurred due to Dr Max performing emergency surgery that would have been avoidable had the patient followed the correct treatment plan. This put Dr Max in a foul mood even Chris could not hide from. He’d been yelled at twice - both times when Martha had not been around. It was not a good day for any of them. Chris only hoped his little note had made Dr Marshall’s day a little better.

Day 16.

What the hell was up with yesterday? I don’t think anyone smiled at all. I hope today is better.

The previous Roman Catholic Pope was Pope Benedict XVI (I always thought of eggs when I heard the pope’s name. Is that a bad thing?)

Sixteen is the minimum age for getting a job in some countries. (My first job was serving fries. I hated it. Didn’t get much better after that but at least I was earning money. Not like some of the lazy friends I went to school with, always trying to borrow money from me, calling themselves friends. Blah!)

The day was a little better than the previous one. With only one more day until the weekend Chris looked forward to Friday. But that left him a little anxious given there were only two more weeks before Dr Marshall finished. Chris didn’t want to admit to himself how much he was enjoying the note writing. It was on his mind almost all the time and during the day, he couldn’t help smile when thinking about it.

Martha caught him sometimes and would give him a puzzled gaze but Chris ignored her. He would share his little secret after Dr Marshall left. For the most part Chris continued to keep an eye out for Dr Marshall hoping he might catch a smile from him at least once during the day.

“Martha here is Monday’s in patients. Dr Max would like you to contact them tomorrow, blah blah. You know the drill.”

Chris heard Dr Marshall behind him, as he faxed through documentation, and couldn’t help smile. It was the same every afternoon but this time Dr Marshall chose not to concerned himself with formality.

Martha’s reply was what Chris had expected. “Well Dr Marshall aren’t we a little hung up at the moment. Could it be that this place has finally got to you?”

“It got to me after the first month Martha but if not for your beautiful gentle nature I would never have made it this far.”

“You liar.” Chris smiled. Martha was always straightforward.

“Actually, it was Chris all along.”

Chris's cheeks burn and he didn't dare turn around as he focused on the machine in front of him pretending he had not been listening. But it was no good, as Martha replied, “Did you hear that Chris. We need to add Dr Marshall to you list of adoring fans.”

Martha really knew how to put people in it.

Chris didn’t dare turn around, but replied, “Ok, I’ll add him to the bottom.”

“I’d prefer to be on top.” As Dr Marshall spoke, several things happened. Chris turned sharply to glare at him and knocked the papers on the desk to the floor. Martha burst out laughing at the look on Chris’s face and Dr Marshall grinned at him as Chris stared at him mouth open wide.

In between breaths, Martha said, “You should see you face Chris, it’s priceless.”

Chris shut his mouth and dropping to his knees picked up the papers.

He didn’t know how to answer that question because when Dr Marshall said he’d rather been on top Chris never considered his name on a list. But as Martha continued to laugh Chris relented and laughed too.

“Ok, you can both laugh. There doesn’t seem to be enough of it at the moment. If you want to be on top, then fine, you can be on top.”

Dr Marshall gave Chris a wide grin before giving him a nod and leaving.

“Do you think he got your meaning?” Martha asked after she had calmed down.

“I don’t want to think about it.”

“That’s too bad, it would have been fun seeing you both flirting.”

“Martha.” Chris exclaimed. “I wonder about you sometimes.”

“Come on love, I only want to see you in a nice stable relationship with a nice young man who will treat you well. A shame Dr Marshall isn’t that way inclined. You would both make a great couple.”

Chris gave Martha a big squeeze. She said the nicest things.