Good afternoon fanficers!
This is my attempt at a modern A/U Turnadette Fanfic, set in an undisclosed London maternity unit, I've played about with the characters a little, one's changed gender (Jane) , one's change ethnicity (Trixie) and one (Sister Monica Joan) appears only in the background and not as a midwife. I also had to have a little fiddle about with names, because the nun's names are a bit … nunish for life as modern women.
But the core is all there – and the relationship we all know and love is still there!
Please Read and Review!
xxx
Disclaimer: I own nothing of CMT, and it's characters are all the work of Heidi Thomas-McGann and Jenifer Worth
"Catch a revolution, now your waging war again, marching on the spot when you should have made amends, cause you say you fight for us, cross your heart and hope to die, you're the bully in the playground and we'll hang you out to dry … " Shelagh McDonald came to a screeching halt on her bike, pausing the ipod clipped to her rucksack strap, she had been quite happy signing along as she cycled down the high street towards the hospital until the navy blue saloon car had pulled out in front of her at the cross roads. Dismounting she had been about to go and give the driver a piece of her mind, but when the driver had rolled down their window she saw who it was and her anger dissolved.
"Sorry Shelagh! Sorry – I was in a rush – bloody school's having an inset day that they didn't tell us about!"
"I did tell you about it – you just don't remember!" Came a sullen reply from the back of the car, turning slightly to look behind the driver, Shelagh saw Tim Turner sat with his arms crossed and sulking loudly.
"Hello Tim, inset day eh? Lucky you – I could do with one of those! Morning Dr Turner – it's fine, no bones broken."
"Good good, well I'll see you inside. See you!"
"See you, and you Tim!" Remounting her bike, Shelagh peddled off, turning left into the staff car park of the hospital. They were busy at the maternity department at the moment – 9 months before England had beaten Ukraine in the UEFA 2012 quarter finals, and the result was a great deal of pregnant women with England fans for partners. Padlocking her bike three times over, East London was notoriously bad for bike thieves, she made her way into the hospital and up three flights of stairs up to the maternity unit.
Coming in silently through the staff door, she managed to catch Jenny off guard scrolling down her phone at the nurses' station.
"Nurse Lee!" She barked at her friend, who promptly jumped up from her seat, pushing her phone into her tunic pocket as she did.
"Oh – Shelagh, that's not funny you know!"
"Oh it was – watch out Sister doesn't catch you mind, you know what our Lord and Master says about mobile phones."
"Oh I do, I've been treated to that lecture more than once thank you very much! I was just texting my mother, she wants me to go up and see my grandmother soon, apparently she's not doing well."
"I'm sorry Jenny, I liked your gran when I met her – she was always very glamorous!"
"I think glamour is compulsory when you're called Monica." She replied with a smile, she turned to read the off-duty chart behind her on the wall. "You're on with Julie and Cynthia today."
"Oh good – because god forbid we should have enough staff of duty, really it's getting ridiculous now – 3 midwives on duty! I'd go on strike but I'm not sure it'd help! Who were you on with?"
" 'Sister Evangelina' but she left an hour ago, John and Trixie, Trixie's taking a baby down to neo-nates and John's in with one of his ladies now. He certainly had a spring in his step last night, I think things are getting serious with him and his Vicar chap. Julie's in her office if you want to see her, Cynthia's got a student, she's meeting her downstairs – she got a bit lost I think."
"Oh that's all we need – a student with no sense of direction. Well come in for handover once the other two are back and then you can get off home – you look shattered."
John Sutton, collapsed down in a seat In the ward sister, Julie's office, he smiled at Shelagh before picking up the hand over notes off the desk.
"How was your day off John?" She asked,
"Mmm? Oh fine fine … I saw Michael … Which was nice."
"Jenny said you were looking cheerful when you came in last night, all going well then eh?"
"Oh – you know, early days yet … any biscuits about?"
"No! I'm making my office a no biscuit zone – I've got a wedding to go to in a month, and I want to look my best." said Julie without looking up from her computer. "So no biscuits, no cake, and if we get any grateful parents bringing in boxes of chocolates I want them out of sight in the staff room!"
"Yes boss." Replied Shelagh with a smile, "I hear we've got a student on the ward now?"
"Mmm – yes – no idea who she is, but security rang up – apparently she parked in front of the doors to A&E spent ½ an hour in there before she realised how lost she was, and found a security guard, but not before she had accosted a policeman who was trying to pull apart two drunk lads."
"Well … at least she sounds fun …"
"We have fun, that's what Trixie's for – what we need is dependable." said John, voicing what they were all thinking. The office door opened, and the figure of Trixie entered the room, Trixie had moved from Trinidad to London 10 years before, already trained as a midwife, loud and vivacious Trixie was impossible to dislike. Having entered the office she reached up to untie her wild afro hair from its scrunchie, and began to apply a layer of lipstick.
"Trixie – it's 7:30 in the morning, why are you putting on makeup?"
"Because my dear, not all of us can pull off the 'I just stepped off my bicycle" look, if I'm going to find me a man, I gotta be prepared you know? He might be round any corner – or on my bus home – gotta be prepared baby? Now – where's me girl Cynthia, I gotta get going you know, busy life that's me, busy busy busy!"
"She's getting her student from A&E."
"What? Why's her student in A&E?"
"Don't ask Trixie – it's easier that way! Oh lord, get Jenny will you someone, we'll just have to do handover without Cynthia, you three'll be exhausted."
Shelagh walked into the staff room and reached into the biscuit cupboard, to find nothing but empty packets stuffed into the battered Roses tin. Sighing she turned on her heel to find something else to eat, before jumping as she spotted Tim sat silently at the table behind the door.
"Blimey Tim, you made me jump – I didn't realise you were in here!"
"Sorry."
"Don't worry – what are you up to? And more to the point, have you seen who took the last biscuit in the tin?"
"No – sorry, no-one's been in yet. I'm meant to be reading this book for English – but it's not going very well."
"What's the book?"
"A midsummer nights dream, it's rubbish."
"Shakespeare? Yes, he can take a bit of work – but Midsummer's not too bad. I had to do Hamlet for my English GCSE, about 15 years ago now, but I still remember how much I hated it at the time!"
"I just hate reading."
"Ahh – that's a generational thing, are you more of an x-box kind of boy then?"
"No PS3, and it's not that – I just don't like reading, the words don't always make sense."
"In Shakespeare?"
"No – in everything, they get all jumbled up, when I write it does too … I'm not thick though!"
"I never said you were Tim. Don't worry – it'll come OK in the end … have you tried the new Tomb Raider game yet?"
"Which one - PS3? It's not out yet is it?"
"I got an advance copy off my friend – it's brilliant, I'll lend it you once I'm done if you want?"
"Yeah! That'd be great – Thanks Shelagh! Is there any food about – I'm hungry, and I think Dad's forgotten about my lunch …"
"Well he's a busy man Tim, tell you what, you can have my yoghurt now – and I've got my dinner break in an hour – how about I take you down to the canteen for some sausage and chips?"
"Thanks Shelagh – you're the best!"
Patrick Turner caught the passing midwife by the arm,
"I meant to say – thank you so much for taking Tim down for some food, I was elbow deep in cervix and he just slipped my mind."
"It's fine Doctor, I didn't mind, how is Laura Delaney?"
"Oh fine fine, bloody big baby though – I don't envy her perineum when the time comes!"
"Is this the lady in 3?" Said Cynthia looking up from the file open in front of her,
"Yes." they both answered, turning in towards the desk.
"Have you seen the size of her bump?! That baby's got to be a good 12lb!"
"Nah – I'd say 13 … Shelagh?" Dr Turner replied quietly, with a smile playing on his lips.
"I'll put a fiver on 10 – she looks like all bump and no baby to me."
"Ok – count me in, £5 on 13? Fiver on 12 for you Cynthia?"
"Go on then – I could do with a new pair of shoes!" There was a bumping bang from behind them, and porter, Fred, pulled a trolley filled with computer keyboards into the ward. With a smile he parked up beside the trio.
"Morning all – I've got to install new wipe clean keyboards in every ward. 'Er blimey, did you see that woman I brought in earlier? Size of an elephant – she's going to have fun getting that one out …"
"Oh alright Fred, what's your money on?" Dr Turner said with a raised eyebrow,
"Lets see … 13?"
"I've got 13, Cynthia's on 12 and Shelagh's gone for 10lb."
"Blimey – alright then – fiver on 14, and If I'm right – I don't envy your lots jobs!"
"Well doctor, £20 for you – and you deserve it, I don't know how you two got that done!" Fred turned and left the ward, £5 poorer, but relentlessly cheerful none the less. Turning to the midwife stood beside him Patrick smiled at her,
"Well done – I feel like an officer and a sergeant the morning after the Some!"
"Which am I?"
"The officer – trust me, you were excellent, well done!"
"Doctor Turner, I know it's not really my place, but I was talking to Tim earlier. I just wondered if you'd ever had him tested for dyslexia? He was just mentioning about finding it hard to read – and I just wondered …"
"It's been mentioned but I never really thought … Good God on highlands – who's that?!" He said nodding towards a white tuniced individual, who was walking backwards out of a side room, as they watched her manage to get her pocket caught on the door handle, which having closed the door slam in her face she managed to disentangle herself with such force that she lurched sideways and propelled herself into the nurses' station where she gripped on for dear life to steady herself. The tall figure of Camilla Brown wandered over to the pair.
"Golly! That was a near miss wasn't it!"
"Ahh – you must be Cynthia's new student? I'm Dr Turner."
"Oh Hullo! Yes – Gosh, that's me, I only scraped a pass on my last placement so it's fairly imperative that I pass this one you know!"
"Really – well I probably wouldn't tell the patients that eh … I'm off for the night Shelagh. Have a good one!"
"Will do – and you Doctor!" She watched the Doctor walk off down the corridor to fetch Tim from the staff room, running a hand through his already messy hair she gave a tired smile,
"Gosh – he's quite a dish isn't he?" she turned to face Camilla Brown,
"You think? Yes I suppose he is, that's his son over there, Tim, sweet boy."
"Oh he's married? Worse luck!"
"No – he's widowed, his wife died about three years ago, it was all very sad, car accident."
"Crikey – how sad!"
"Here, Shelagh, you seen me lady's fella? He's been gone 40 minutes now – some men, they never learn man. You gotta stick by your girl!"
"Sorry Trixie – I haven't seen him. By the way – how was your night out with your TV presenter?"
"Ahh – all a bit of something and nothing, and far too much nothing and not nearly enough something for my likeing!" Shelagh smiled at her and turned back to the computer, "Ahh – I'll go and find my Lady in 4's fella then!"
As Trixie wandered off on her hunt for the missing partner, Shelagh turned slightly, catching sight of Patrick Turner out of the corner of her eye. He looked tired, he always looked tired but today she could see his shoulders hunched in exhaustion, he had one hand on his forehead propping himself up. He was scrolling through his phone slowly and worriedly, before tossing it down on the desk with a sigh,
"I don't suppose you know any baby sitters do you Shelagh? Mine's off sick and I'm on nights this Saturday – I need someone to keep an eye on Tim … things would be so much easier if …" he tailed off and turned back to the desk.
"Umm I don't, no – but if it's just a question of tea and bed then I could give you a hand if you like?"
"Really!? No – I can't ask that of you … although it would get me out of a bit of a fix I suppose … are you sure?"
"Yes of course, he's a good lad – ummm, here's my address," She said, scribbling the flat number and street down on a post-it note from the desk, "you can drop him off before you start and pick him up in the morning?" Doctor Turner beamed at her, taking the post-it.
"Thank you so much Shelagh, you really are a life saver!" Grabbing his mobile he bounced up and made his way down the corridor towards the staff room. Smiling after him, distracted by her thoughts as she watched his retreating form she was surprised as someone coughed behind her, jumping and turning in her seat she looked at the man stood behind her.
"Good Evening? Can I help?"
"Evening – umm I'm PC Noaks …"
"Right PC Noaks …"
"Oh umm – I had a run in with one of your midwives last week … literally actually, she sort of … ran into me …"
"Let me guess – student Nurse Camillia Brown by any chance?"
"Yes – yes I just wondered if she was about, I just wanted a word …"
"Oh – well she's not on duty today, she's working the Tuesday day shift, so you can probably catch her then, did you want me to pass on a message?"
"Ahh – no – oh well – umm … could you just tell her thank you for the whisky … umm and I'll just see her when I see her."
"Right – good-bye then PC Noaks …"