Trixie had always prided herself in her ability to read other people; that was until she met one Patience Mount. The redhead had moved into Nonnatus in a whirlwind of red hair and slacks, quickly fitting into the team with her brusque manner swiftly being adored by midwives and nuns alike. Sharing a room with her allowed Trixie to get to know her, or at least it allowed Trixie to get to know the parts of Patsy she allowed her to see. Often following discussions, Trixie felt as though she was left with more questions than she had began with.
One evening, upon returning from a long labour, Trixie made her way into the room that the two of them shared to find Patsy rummaging through her cupboard for something to wear.
"What on earth has got you in such a tizzy?" asked Trixie, depositing her bag by her bed and walking round to stand next to Patsy.
"How is it I can have so many clothes, but still have so very little to wear?" sighed an exasperated Patsy, flopping backwards onto her single bed.
"Now, now sweetie," Trixie smirked, "there is no need to give up the search just yet."
Trixie began pulling viable options from the cupboard, laying them on her bed for Patsy to look at when she had stopped her sulking.
"What is the occasion?" quizzed Trixie, "have you finally got yourself a date with a dashing man?"
Patsy sat herself up, pondering the answer to the question, "I have a date."
The squeal that left Trixie's mouth was bound to have startled all of the dogs in Poplar. A cringing Patsy on the bed covered her ears.
"Oh please do not do that Trix. It really is not a big deal," Patsy begged.
"Not a big deal?" Trixie scoffed, "I think you will find, Miss Mount, that this is one of the biggest deals actually. I am so happy for you. Tell me everything."
Soon Patsy found herself sat at Trixie's vanity mirror, her hair being violently combed with such vigour, she worried that there would be none left to style at the end of Trixie's attack.
"Erm, well," Patsy cleared her throat in preparation, "he worked with me at the hospital. It is the first time I have been able to meet him since I have moved to live here. Our clashing shifts lead us to keep missing each other I am afraid."
The blush creeping up Patsy's well defined cheekbones did not go unmissed by Trixie, although she chose not to comment on it out of fear that Patsy would clam up and stop sharing.
"Oh that is a shame Patsy. It is good you are able to see him tonight."
"Yes it is I just wanted to look good for tonight. I know he is going to look perfect; gorgeous brown hair styled perfectly and a smile that could make anyone melt," Patsy smiled, "it is just so nice to find someone that I feel so comfortable around. We have known each other for a while. He is insisting on taking me to see some musical on at the picture house, not exactly my cup of tea, but I swear that Welsh lilt would make me agree to anything."
Patsy cringed slightly as though she had inadvertently said too much, she hoped Trixie had not noticed. She was brought back to reality with a pat to the shoulder to signal that Trixie was finished with her styling session. Her red locks had been half pulled up into a beehive, with the remainder sitting just below her shoulders, with the faintest hint of a curl. The look complimented the make-up Patsy had applied so carefully before Trixie had arrived home.
Slipping on one of the dresses that Trixie had looked out, Patsy looked at herself in the mirror. The faint pink tones to the dress highlighted the colour of her hair while giving her skin a healthy glow.
"Wow Patsy. You look beautiful."
"Thanks Trixie, I appreciate your help," Patsy pulled her into the briefest of hugs. Stepping back, she glanced at her watch and jumped when she saw that time, "oh dear goodness, I better run, they wont be happy if I am late. I am afraid I would never hear the end of it."
As Patsy dashed out through the door, Trixie laughed at the vision of the usually unflappable Nurse Mount looking so out of control. Trixie changed out of her uniform and removed her makeup, all the while only feeling the faintest bit jealous that she did not have a date for the evening. It had been so long since she had been swept off her feet by a gentleman suitor.
Her evening passed in a haze of hiding cake from Sister Monica Joan and catching up on the latest television programmes. It seemed that hardly any time had passed since Patsy had left when she returned, and she was not alone.
"Hello everyone, this is my good friend Delia," Patsy introduced the smaller figure beside her to a resounding welcome from those gathered in the living room at Nonnatus, "we worked together at the London."
Trixie smiled, "hello Delia, it is a pleasure to meet you. Did you bump into Patsy on the way home from her big date?" Trixie shot an unsubtle wink at Patsy that caused Delia to laugh.
"Yes, actually, I was out a walk and passed by the pictures just as Patsy was leaving, I decided it was time for a long overdue catch up. Our shifts have not been kind to us, this is the first time we have seen each other since Pats left the nurses home." Delia's soft Welsh accent was not missed by Trixie, who now was taking more of an interest in the pair stood in front of her.
The smile on Patsy's face as she looked down at Delia speaking could have lit up even the darkest of rooms. The pair stood close together, and Trixie detected the protective aura that Patsy exuded, as though she was ready to save Delia from any negativity following their introductions.
"I told Pats here that it was high time that I was introduced to her Nonnatus family," Delia smirked, "she always has been so easy to convince." She looked up at Patsy and smiled, and the twinkle in Patsy's eyes was hard to miss.
Between Patsy's unmistakable blush and the use of the private nickname, the situation instantly became clear in Trixie's head. "Oh." She gasped, a little louder than intended.
"You ok Trix?" Patsy asked.
"Yes, yes I am. Sorry." Trixie babbled. How had she not seen it sooner? Patsy had never been easy to read, but at that moment it had never been so simple. She had become a completely open book to those who bothered to look close enough. It was as though Delia was the key to Patsy's apparently unbreakable lock.
"I am happy that Patsy has someone she can be so comfortable with Delia," Trixie smiled, "and I am glad that both of you have managed to get some time together in between your shifts."
Trixie stood and wafted by a perplexed Patsy, pausing only to lean up and whisper in the redhead's ear, "it would appear that Delia was forgiving of your tardiness earlier. She has even let you share her lipstick."
Patsy's mouth gawked open, and her eyes met Trixie's and saw nothing but kindness and acceptance. Delia read the change in Patsy's body language and leant a miniscule amount closer to her, the protective aura shifting in an instant with the exposure of Patsy's vulnerability.
"Feel free to join me upstairs for a drink you two," Trixie called out over her shoulder, breaking the spell that had frozen Patsy to the ground, the grin on Trixie's face was not masked in her voice, "I would love to hear everything about that musical you went to see Pats."