Winter 1931
It had been a long hard labour for June Dyer in the winter of 1931. A blizzard had swept Poplar and through no fault of her own, her second child was on its way. Thank goodness for Sister Monica Joan and Sister Evangelina she thought. The two most experienced midwives at Nonnatus House. The local convent that also provided midwifery services for those in Poplar. Her husband Dennis was at the Hand and Shears while June's sister May was looking after her first born Marie. She always had a thing for French names.
"Well Done June, you are nearly there." The beaming face of Sister Monica Joan said to June as she was panting and pushing through the contractions.
"You have done this before. Let your body do the work." Sister Evangelina spirited her on. Despite it being her second baby, this one was taking longer, as if it did not want to come out into the cold. It wanted to stay inside where it was warm. She held onto Sister Monica Joan's hand like a ratchet.
"One final push." Sister Evangelina said as the baby crowned. Both Sister's had delivered Marie so June knew she was in safe hands. They were the safest pairs of hands in all of Poplar, people thought.
The baby cried as Sister Evangelina held it up to June, who despite being exhausted beamed with relief that she had a new baby.
"What is it?" June asked
"A girl. A beautiful girl."
"Sister Monica Joan would you like to cut the cord?" Sister Evangelina asked as she clamped the cord and gave the scissors to her Sister.
"Of course". With a simple snip the baby was free to be given to June. The baby had a mop of brown hair already on her head. As Sister Monica Joan gave the baby to June, she gave the new mother a smile as if she was praying to God saying 'Thank you for another precious one'
"Do you have a name for her yet?" Sister Monica Joan asked.
"Valerie. Valerie Clara Dyer"
"That is pretty." Sister Monica Joan replied. While the after-birth was coming Sister Monica Joan bathed little Valerie and wrapped her in a blanket. Sister Evangelina got June settled and set word for Dennis to come back from the Hand and Shears but the blizzard was too bad for anyone to get through so the two Sister's stayed in the Dyer's home for the first full day of Valerie's life. Sister Monica Joan could not stop staring at the little one. She had delivered hundreds of babies before but she had an inkling she would see this one again.
30 years later
When Sister Monica Joan first saw the new midwife, she instantly recognised the mop of brown hair. It was Valerie Dyer, the baby she and Sister Evangelina had delivered. She looked up to the sky and sent a prayer to her dearly departed Sister. 'She has come home.' It was the first time any of her babies had returned to where they had come from. The Nuns of Nonnatus House considered every baby they delivered as theirs. It was the one connection they could give the people they served.