The Truly Unexpected

Another little One-Shot for my favourite class breaking couple, thanks ever so much for the reviews on my last attempt at writing, everything said is highly appreciated. Here's to you!

She looked up at the clock on the wall, the second hand seem to take minutes not seconds to pass by. Time ebbed slowly, the dull ache of her bones almost seemed to ring as she cast her eyes back over the doctors notes. 'Mr Jones has...' the words seemed to merge, melting into a blur. She blinked 'Mr Jones...' again the words started drawing into each other. This was odd, this was like nothing she had felt before, not this early hour. After a twelve hour shift drowsiness would cloud her, but it was only ten thirty in the morning and she had only been working for two hours.

She closed her eyes, and for a second time drifted past her...

'Nurse Branson!' The shrill shout brought her to her slowing senses. Blinking hard, she looked down the corridor.

'Coming matron!' Sybil retorted with forced enthusiasm. Gripping the clipboard she walked fast down the long corridor towards the waiting nurse; whose arms crossed her body in an intimidating stance.

'Nurse Branson are you quite well, you have been more than hesitant this morning' the woman's Irish brogue hit harshly against Sybil's temple.

Sybil clenched her eyes shut as a wave of nausea hit her, 'I'm sorry matron I have no idea what is wrong with me, I must have got out of the wrong side of bed.'

'Well make sure you get in the right side this evening; A nurse with her head in the clouds is as good as no nurse to me.' The weathered and hardened woman replied, it was a clear by the look on her face and the lines round her mouth and eyes that this was a woman who had seen everything and feared little. This was a woman, who had worked hard for little return over the long years and had little sympathy for those who did not keep up with the schedule she had kept for most her hard working life.

'Yes matron.' Sybil answered, with a meek sigh. Banishing the thoughts of a soft bed that she may rest her head on, and moments silence to regain her composure. 'Think of something else' she thought, 'think of Tom; Oh Tom, her heart, her darling, her beat, her reason for rising.'

Sybil stepped forward into the ward, and was suddenly hit with the strong smell of blood. Thick, warm blood, wafting under nose, it was a familiar smell, but this time it made her stomach turn. This time it made bile rise in throat, and saliva gather under tongue, it made sweat pour from her brow and the heady scent made her sway. She was going to be sick, grabbing her stomach and lurching towards the sink at the side of the room, she found herself bowed over as she threw up into large white basin.

'Ah, so that's the problem.' Came the sardonic tones of the matron.

Tom Branson had struggled, he had started their new married life with enthusiasm and joy, but slowly that had begun to ebb away. Whereas at first he had refused to use the small dowry that Sybil brought with her, he had to given into his wife's demands and started picking away at the money she had. At first it was food, and then a few bills, and then as the month came round a small amount was used to top up the rent that they were paying on their humble lodgings. And with each coin spent, guilt began to eat away at him, yes he promised to make her happy and look after her, but he had long forgotten what it was to have to pay for all his food, his rent, and his keep. For too many years now his positions had included all his lodging and he had through little of saying his money and sending the rest home to his mother. But it was all different now, he had no job security, no guaranteed pay, and on top of that he had a wife to support. So much had changed, and for the first time in his life his confidence in his ideals and dreams was slipping away beneath him.

On this day he found himself even more aggrieved, for as the sorry thought of how is failures were beginning to catch up with him, he had received a telephone call at the newspaper where he was trying to make his way as a, and in his opinion; a very poor, free lance journalist.

'Call for Branson', came the shout out over the office floor. Could this be the call he had been waiting for, the information to break a story, the beginning a successful career in a world of political fire and sharp quote? He leapt across the room, and seized the mouth piece and receiver.

'Branson speaking' He yelped with just a little too much enthusiasm.

'Yes. It's Dr. Dean from the Royal Infirmary, regarding your wife, Nurse Branson.'

The colour drained from Tom's face, his stomach jolted. 'Sybil' he whispered and then his mind lost focus, 'Sweet Jesus, what's happened? Where is she?' his voice frantic with fear.

'Its really not too much to worry about Mr Branson, I just don't think your wife should be working, normally I would not bother telephoning but she has not been at all herself today and I don't think she is much use to either the hospital or herself at this current moment. Most women are fine, but I think it's more the shock than anything else-' Doctor Dean rattled on.

'What do you mean most women are fine?' Tom interrupted, his head overwhelmed by the information being poured onto him at rapid pace.

'Well, about being pregnant Mr Branson.' The doctor replied without hesitation.

'Pregnant?' Tom almost gasped.

'Yes, about six weeks I would say.'

'Six weeks?' Tom just could not quite believe what he was hearing, Sybil six weeks pregnant, his Sybil was having their baby. They had been married not two months ago, could she really already be carrying their child. He sank into the chair behind him and let his fingers run through his already tousled hair. A baby, how could they be having a baby, they barely even had a home.

'Yes...Mr Branson are you quite alright? I'm happy to send Nurse Branson home, but I wanted to make you aware as she seems a little too delicate for someone in her position.'

The doctor continued with an easy pace.

'No, no tell her to wait, I'll come and get her.' Branson blinked, bringing himself back to reality, 'Tell her I will be there within the hour.'

'Very well Mr Branson. She'll be waiting in staff hall.' The doctor rung off, leaving Tom standing silent in shock at the news.

'What's wrong Branson, you look as though you've just seen Cromwell.' Chuckled Jim Cairney.

'Wha- Oh its Sybil...she pregnant.' Tom said with a distracted voice.

'Haha! You don't hang about do you son!'

She sat on the edge of the bed sipping the hot tea she had been presented with by nurse Doran.

'Were you planning on a baby?' Nurse Doran asked, her head tilted as she smiled at Sybil with genuine concern.

Sybil blinked, smiling weakly up at the pretty face with the kind eyes, 'No, not really, we've only been married a couple of months. It must have... I just didn't think it would-'

'-So soon?' Nurse Doran replied sympathetically.

'I didn't think about it full stop. I mean I was just thinking about Tom, and work, and well, I just didn't think about having a baby.' Sybil stumbled over her words, as she looked back at the kind face in front of her. And she meant every word she said. She hadn't planned this, by any stretch of the mark. She had just broken away from the conformities of womanhood, she had a life, a purpose, a cause, she had so much and now she had done what she had set how to avoid. And not only that, she and Tom were already struggling to make ends meet, and baby simply would not help that equation... A baby though, a child, her and Tom's child. Something they between them had made. The very essence of the love they had. How could she doubt it, how could she fear it, how could she want anything else?

'Nurse Branson!' Sybil looked up. Matron stood in the doorway, 'Mr Branson is here to take you home. And nurse Doran, do get back to work, this is a hospital not a mothers meeting'

Nurse Doran jumped to her feet, 'Sorry matron,' smiled softly at Sybil before turning on her heel and leaving.

Sybil looked up at the matron 'Sorry matron,' Sybil whispered.

'Don't apologise Nurse Branson, it is a cross all married women must bear.' And raising her eyebrow continued 'anyway, you have a very frantic looking man waiting for you in the corridor.'

Sybil smiled.

He looked up from his pacing mark, she stood in front of him, her nurses cap gone and her dark hair hanging below her chin. Her skin appeared dewy, her skin a little pale, and her eyes shining as though she had been crying, her lips curved into a even smile as she looked up at him with an expectant expression. He swallowed, but found himself straining against his dry throat. 'Are you alright?' he rasped.

'It depends' Sybil replied still smiling.

'On what?' Tom searched her face, for some answers.

'On what you think...on whether you're fine with...this.' There was a note in Sybil's voice, one that was not quite sure on how her husband actually felt at this moment in time.

As it was, her question was promptly answered as Tom seized Sybil's lips with his own and clasped his arms tightly around her, before breaking away only for a second to kiss her and start babbling a mush mash of words in between kissing her, 'Oh god Sybil, you scared me. They rung the newspaper, they said something had happened, and that...that...that arse of doctor wouldn't get to the bloody point...an-an-and then he said you were pregnant.'

Sybil pulled away slightly, staring up at Tom, the smile that had rested on her lips had slipped away. 'Oh Tom, do you mind, I know we hadn't planned for this, and I know it would have been better-'

But Tom interrupted her 'Sybil, this is the very best news I have ever had in my whole life. We're having our baby. And I could not be happier.' His eyes seemed to fill with an ocean as his words began to crack under emotion of his statement. And in doing so Sybil's heart gave way to the flood of emotion she felt, and she too began to let tears fill her eyes as she stood in the arms of Tom Branson.

Hope you enjoyed!