The Doctor's Tender Secret. Kate Hardy

      ‘Sure. If you’re right, the parents are going to have to learn to read labels and cut out anything with aspartame in it—phenylalanine’s one of its main components, and it’s in some medicines as well as sweetened foods and soft drinks. And you’ll need to bring in a dietician—they’ll have to cut out high-protein foods and restrict starches. A slice of bread can contain over half a day’s intake of phenylalanine.’ He looked thoughtful. ‘She’ll need dietary supplements for essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals, and she’ll need specially formulated substitute for protein foods. She’ll probably also have some attention problems, even with treatment.’

      ‘And if they don’t treat it or let her snack on chips and high-protein foods?’

      ‘They’ll start seeing behaviour problems, and she’ll have problems coping with school.’

      ‘When’s it safe to drop the diet?’ Zoe asked.

      ‘In theory, once the brain has finished growing and developing. But it’s pretty controversial—I’d say right now it’s a long-term thing. For the rest of her life. And especially if she decides to have a family when she’s older—during pregnancy, if she doesn’t keep her levels stable it’ll expose the foetus to high levels of phenylalanine, which could cause birth defects, brain damage, or even a miscarriage.’

      Good. It had worked. She’d headed him away from personal subjects and onto something safe.

      She was just starting to relax again when he said, ‘So what are you doing tonight?’

      Cleaning the house. Tackling the ironing mountain. Anything to stop herself thinking about Brad Hutton. ‘I’m meeting Tom.’

      ‘Tom?’

      ‘My boyfriend. The one I was telling you about,’ she gabbled.

      He raised an eyebrow. ‘You don’t have a boyfriend.’

      How did he know? Unless…No. Judith and Holly wouldn’t have told him. Surely they wouldn’t. ‘Yes, I do,’ she lied.

      ‘Zoe—’

      ‘And I’d better get going or I’ll be late for our date. It’s Friday night, after all. See you later.’ And she left before he had a chance to say anything else.