Standing outside a brothel on Cable Street was never Peter Noakes idea of a good time; yet on an unusually brisk May morning, here he was.
Resplendent in a carefully pressed uniform there were the funny looks and guilty stares as men quite literally fell out of public houses around him and girls gave him the eye. He knew he was a target because of the uniform but tonight he had a rather specific job to do and shut out the catcalls and whistles with odd comment but mostly a stern face. He was a familiar face to this patch and most of it, most of it, was taken in good grace.
Up above his head, he assumed, was a woman in labour and dutifully, and entirely unplanned, it had been him who had been on duty to escort Sister Bernadette and Nurse Browne – as he still knew her - from Nonnatus to this godforsaken hole. They had both said he need not wait and they would really be perfectly alright. Instead, and admittedly thankful for it, they settled on a compromise that he would stay regardless. Something about Nurse Browne's sweet, shy and yet grateful smile as she shot up the stairs behind the Sister wedged itself firmly in his chest and he would not pretend it was not one of the reasons for his suggestion.
A few weeks ago, not very much unlike this one with its chill in the air, he had met her properly for the first time as she followed behind Sister Evangelina, not looking at him; head down and clearly nervous of something or other. He'd felt sorry for her that the Sister's harsh words seemed to cut so deeply. It made him curious about her and made him wonder what she had done to deserve it. Was it really necessary to speak to anyone in such a tone? Silently he was glad Sister Bernadette was here tonight – or today as it now was - instead. He had always got on with the younger sister, liked her; she seemed fairer to all and sundry and thoroughly less judgemental. It also gave him the opportunity to, maybe, say a few words to Nurse Browne.
Peter shifted from foot to foot, a twinge in his back from standing still for so long. In half an hour he was officially off duty and in their haste to get to Cable Street, he had almost not realised that Sister Bernadette was letting Nurse Browne take the lead. Still, he'd stay here as long as they needed, although, as it transpired, it was no long at all.
Twenty minutes later, after he had been a short sojourn up and down the street, keeping the brothel in sight, but with a dire need to stretch his legs, Nurse Browne had reappeared in the doorway . He was expecting this to be a trip to tell him it would be hours yet. Peter saw her hesitant smile and her coat on. Dawn was about to break and she was suppressing a yawn. Ten yards behind her was Sister Bernadette who appeared not looking too chipper herself.
"Would..." Peter began, hesitating as the two moved their bicycles from the wall. "Would you like me to accompany you? I know it's getting light and you know your way back but..."
Chummy was clearly thinking about it or perhaps waiting for Sister Bernadette to answer on their behalf. Perhaps it was not so much weighing up if she needed the company or the safety of a police officer, but feeling that awkwardness of knowing she would barely be able to say word to him if he did; Sister Bernadette or no Sister Bernadette. Bless him, he had tried to engage in conversation with her on the way here and that went west.
"Why do you not escort Nurse Browne back to Nonnatus, Constable?" Sister Bernadette interjected. "She is at the end of her shift and so am I. I rather think though I will cycle the long way around. It has been a long night and I feel I wish to breathe in the air".
Without thinking for another minute, Chummy nodded her head, seeing him smile shyly and, instead of cycling, they somehow fell into walking. Sister Bernadette took the other way around to Nonnatus; knowing precisely why she had made her excuses and she hoped it worked. She had known Constable Noakes for a long time; seen the fact that his gaze seemed to rest on Nurse Browne many a time already. She might wear a veil, but it was not lost on her that he seemed to have been on his own for quite a while.
A good few minutes later, Chummy heard Peter clear his throat. "So what did she have?" He had this undying need to be interested and it seemed an appropriate opening question.
"A little boy" Chummy announced. "She will be calling him Thomas after her father".
Peter nodded, wanting to sit with her properly and communicate, not just this small talk to pass the time as they walked. "Are you, are you finished for the day now?" he asked, admittedly concentrating more on her than the path ahead of them.
"Yes," she sighed, looking forward to Nonnatus and its warmth. She was tired and hungry.
"Me too" Peter responded. She gave him a hesitant smile and they must have walked another hundred yards before courage decided to speak up. "Do you think, well, if we could go...go and have a cup of tea or something? Neither of us have eaten for hours and...well I'd think you'd want a sit down after the night you've had". The sentence dissolved into an awkward laugh.
Chummy almost stopped walking, slowing her pace even more; time almost stopping still as he waited for an answer. In truth, her heart had skipped of its own accord. These last few times she had been on shift at night and it always seemed to be him that turned up if the ever needed an officer. It could only ever be co-incidence. Why on earth would he actually manufacture it or even try to? It was almost impossible in its probability. Yet though, she had seen him many a time in passing, even just cycling past each other and he'd always smiled or waved. No, she sighed to herself, he was just being nice. It had had not utterly passed them by that Sister Bernadette had removed herself from the equation quite deliberately, maybe both not quite allowing themselves to think it more likely.
She had still not answered him though. "But if you don't want to, that's fine" Peter had continued as they continued to wander along. "I'd understand if you didn't". Since Enid there had been no-one and he was not entirely sure he had loved her anyway. Girls didn't tend to look in his direction and even if they did he got bored quickly with their vanity and preening. He had wondered if there was someone out there for him. Maybe he was just meant to be on his own. "You don't have to if you are too tired". It was almost as though he was giving her a get-out.
"One would like to" Chummy replied, her voice barely heard again the rush of a van that passed them by.
"Sorry?" Peter responded. He hadn't heard properly.
"One would like to. I would like to" she repeated, slightly louder and gaining a touch of confidence in her voice. "One could do with a cup of tea".
Peter tried not to smile too widely. "Well, how about over there?" he said, gesturing over the road. "It's not too bad". He knew the owner and had been in there many a time. He also knew Ivy would leave them in peace and not gossip.
Chummy nodded shyly, feeling colour rise in her face. Words left her again and she nodded in assent and followed him across the road, propping their bicycles against the wall.
"After you" Peter said, opening up the door for her, bowing his head. As he looked up again she caught his eye, finding him smiling at her again. Something inside her was quite touched at the gesture of the bow and he followed her towards a seat at the back. He nodded to the woman behind the counter who smiled in return. He must have been here before, Chummy mused as they sat opposite each other and silence descended again.
If she found an ease of speech, that only so very often appeared with those of the opposite gender, she might like his company for a while and she already knew he seemed an affable kind of chap. She might like to sit and take tea with him, not just in a tiny cafe off the Commercial Road with its wonky tables and a lingering smell of fried eggs but maybe in those Dining Rooms she passed every day.
If he would have her, that was. Maybe she might want to find out.