Call The Midwife
Time frame Series 4 during the time Chummy ran the Mother and Babe House. There should be any spoilers because this happens while Chummy was away on TV. Freddie is about 2ish here so that gives us a time frame.
Title: The Blue Elephant!
"It's1943 and this is a story about two young lovers which during the time of war weren't allowed to be seen together…." Chummy pauses and glances at her husband who lies with them as a young Freddie tries to fall to sleep.
"…so, let's find out if this woman gets what she wants shall we?"
Is this a story we should be reading to a child, Camilla?" He asks wearily.
"It's just a story and besides, if it helps to lull him into a good sleep then I am all for it." She picks up her book and finds her mark in the book and begins to read:
It took meticulous planning and timing creating her great escape; they must handle it with utter care as time is the essence with one wrong move then it's for not. She waits for him by the garden wall, under the white Magnolias, where they always met once a week for the past few months. The hour grows darker and the temperature drops just a few degrees creating a notable difference in just a short time. The shadows were hiding in the trees and growing longer on the ground where she would hide from prying eyes just waiting for him when he arrives. You could hear the hoot of an owl, and how the wild life came out from their slumber. She would wait there all night if she had too; hidden well by the shadows she shivers as the cool breeze picks up sending slight shivers down her spine. She tightens her shawl around her shoulders protecting them as much as it could; the thin cotton dress wasn't enough to keep her warm.
That's when she heard his footsteps coming near her. "Lenora?" he whispers in her direction.
"This way, Frankie." She calls to him.
They connect like they've not seen each other in a hundred years. His lips part hers, with his tongue probing inside her mouth, he could have continued to kiss her forever but his lungs fill with hot burning air and he pulls back to take in deep breaths before he spoke.
"You must be here, over that wall exactly at five minutes after five o'clock."
"How do I know you'll be here?" She questions politely.
"Trust me; you'll know what to do when you see it. Just be on time." He said in a matter of fact tone.
"I don't like this, sneaking around, and you're leaving to fight a war that is out of our control." She sniffs.
"Now, dry your eyes, don't worry, I will be fine, just remember it's for us." He steps closer to her a hand on her hips squeezing it tightly.
There wasn't any time left as they heard footsteps within a few feet from where they stood. He hastily pulls away, and with quick movements he's climbing the wall but before he does jump off, a white flower flutters to her feet another sign to just trust him. This would be their final secret meeting before tomorrow.
Chummy pauses her reading and finds her son sleeping nestled between them. She removes her glasses and wipes them clean then slips them back onto her face. "Shall I continue?"
"Only if you desire too, I don't mind." He yawns.
That was the last thing Lenora would ever expect to see after she scales the wall and sets on a run for freedom. As her heart leapt out of her mouth as she took a double take and steadies herself holding a hand over hear heart trying to regulate the heartbeat back to normal. She could feel the warm wind blowing gently across her hat; with her free hand she holds her straw hat in place while she stood there with a look of bewilderment. She's seen one before, but not of this shade of blue, like teal from the sea. The elephant moves from her place startled at first, with a foot up she stomps once then a warning snort and a flick of her trunk making herself look big to the human.
Lenora responds apprehensively to the elephant's movements and shuffles a bit closer to the flat service of the wall, reaching up on her tippy toes she slides her hand as far as it could reach, glancing up she saw there wasn't another way back up over that wall. The large wall scales over a quarter mile long with the hedgerow growing wildly over the top, so climbing over was easier than it looked.
She isn't the type to panic or become weary of her situation, and if there is a way out of one she'll find it. This is another road not taken and an adventure a waits past the garden wall. But going back wasn't an option and facing this new challenge isn't difficult just a detour to her real destination. The blue elephant could stand there all day long; she knew this from reading old magazines when she was younger during her youth at boarding school. This thought travels down to her feet, the ruby red pumps made her feet ache already. Why didn't she pick another pair was beyond her. They didn't even match her teal green dress. "Never mind that now" she thought, "I have to decide what to do with this elephant?"
The elephant eyes rest on the young woman never blinking, she stood there stock still like a statue, ears flickering hearing voices from far away, her trunk raises pointing in the direction warning the woman who seems to be on the run. With a soft grunt, she offers the introduction a good sign of trust.
"Lenora Elizabeth Mauve Anderson, at your service, please to meet your acquaintance and what is your name?" She said in a rather low tone so they couldn't hear her.
They both step towards one another, meeting up under the pretty white flowers. "You're a friend of Frankie's aren't you?"
A nod and a snort to indicate she is in fact his friend.
"Let me see what you have here." She pulls off a note attached to the elephant's collar.
Block letters stand out on a thin slip of paper with a simple phrase; she reads it silently so no one could hear her.
"Anna…" she runs a soft hand touching the young elephant on her trunk. "Shall I remove these beastly shoes?"
She turns her head in the direction where the snoring sound came from. Peter was also asleep after the last bit she's read. With that, she yawns placing the book down on her night table an slips her glasses off to sleep. She'll resume her reading again tomorrow night then turns the light off to fall a sleep as well.