"What-ho Hannah" Chummy said as she stopped next to the teenager who was sitting in the middle row of chairs in the Parish Hall. Morning clinic was over but after short break it would all begin again for the afternoon and Chummy was on a mission to tidy up. "Been abandoned to your fate then?"
The girl smiled. "No Nurse. I said I would meet my sister here. I'm a bit early" Hannah replied, shrugging. She had picked up one of the leaflets from the table and had been flicking through the pages absently whilst she waited.
"Late surely?" Chummy replied, sitting down next to her, grateful for two minutes rest off her feet despite the uneven rows and toy explosion there had been in one corner. This morning had been entirely not cricket and she had been willing this break in proceedings to arrive to cure the itch of the mess but she was concerned about the girl. "Esther and young Asher left about half an hour ago".
"Oh!" Hannah noted, voice quite cheery. "Not that sister, Nurse. I said I would meet Rina. I am going to stay with her to help with Rose and the boys whilst Sol is away. He's at sea again now. As of yesterday".
Chummy nodded. She barely ever saw Sol Abrahams around, his occupation taking up so much of his precious time with his family. "How is little Rose?" she asked, remembering the little lady she had delivered to Rina almost six weeks ago now.
"She is so perfect Nurse, you'll see when they come. I know I'm only her aunty but she's just the prettiest thing" Chummy saw the teenager smile before she remembered. "Did you get the gift?" Hannah added quickly. She had helped to choose the 'thank you' from the family to the midwife and the shining ornament seemed just so very perfect for the newly married Chummy.
"I did" Chummy smiled, remembering the delivery to Nonnatus as she peeled away the layers of wrapping to find two exquisite gold – solid gold - lovebirds that had now found themselves on her and Peter's mantelpiece. "And they are beautiful. I will pop in to see your Pa later on this week to thank him myself".
She remembered the note with them in Avner Goldman's exceptionally neat cursive script. "With blessings and eternal gratitude. Tzeteh' Leshalom VeShuveh' Leshalom".
"Pop has been on cloud nine, Nurse, he really has" Hannah continued. "His first little grand-daughter after all those boys!" The nurse could see how excited the young girl was to be an aunty again as her eyes shone.
"I did tell Rina I would come and visit her on Friday for the quick once over so there was no need for her to come here. Not after that delivery…" Chummy said, remembering she speed of the whole palaver and the damage it caused.
"I know Nurse, but you know what she's like. Nothing ever gets her down!" Hannah laughed as Chummy nodded in agreement. She knew Rina Abrahams of old and had in fact delivered one of her boys; in much the same speedy circumstances almost two years ago now.
Chummy smiled before they both heard Dr Turner's voice from the side room.
"Nurse I wonder if you could assist me for a moment?" His tone was official.
Chummy pulled an 'uh-oh" face at Hannah who giggled as she got up and walked over, expecting perhaps something for the second tranche of patients this afternoon.
"Three across" Dr Turner started as she stepped through the beaded curtain towards him. "14 letters - Christian symbol used during the Crusades. I was never top of the class with History" he noted to her with a grimace.
Chummy smiled. She knew this one. "Jerusalem cross".
Dr Turner raised his eyebrows. "Spot on! Fits perfectly" he smiled, scribbling the last clue in the crossword. "A good days work done!" he joked, sliding the pen back into the pocket of his white coat.
"Is that Hannah Goldman there?" he asked, leaning on the hatch as Chummy began to busy herself drying the glassware at the side of the sink to swallow up these last few minutes of peace. "I remember her when she broke her wrist when she was four!"
"Yes it is her", Chummy replied. "Her Sister Rina is coming into clinic with little Rose so she's waiting for her".
Patrick nodded. "And that I would hope is all I would see a seventeen year old in clinic for!"
Chummy was about to agree with him then there was a thud as the door crashed open and there was an influx of noise.
"And so it begins…again!" Dr Turner whispered straightening his coat and gesturing for Chummy to leave the side room first so that they could face their patients for the afternoon.
"Rina Abrahams?" Chummy announced quietly ticking off the list of mothers and babies that she was to see today. Everywhere was aching and she was looking forward to sinking into the bath the moment she stepped over the threshold of the flat.
Across walked her patient and Hannah who had her niece held proudly in her arms as though she was the mother herself.
"Do you want her or me first Nurse?" Rina asked as the curtains were closed behind her. Chummy looked over at the infant who was sound asleep in her aunts arms.
"I think you first Rina if you don't mind old thing". Chummy said, tapping the bed for her to hop up. "Wouldn't' want to disturb Madam's rest with horrid things such as stethoscopes and nasty clicky hip checks quite yet!"
Rina huffed as she sat up on the examination table. "Would that she was like that last night…picks and chooses her moments she does, usually when her Mamma is nodding off!"
"Well I will give you the once over and then we can turn our attention to Madam", Chummy smiled pulling out a blood pressure cuff and wrapping it around her patients arm. "I will need to examine your stitches Rina too. To make sure you are healing the way you should". Her patient could hear the warning in the nurses voice, immediately realising that the nurse was only thinking of her and such an intimate examination in company.
"Oh don't your worry about Hannah here" Rina assured her, watching the mercury bob up and down on the pressure metre.
"No its alright Nurse" Hannah insisted, attention suddenly drawn from the baby in her arms. "I helped Sister Evangelina when she delivered Asher. I had to take the afterbirth into the garden for their vegetable patch".
"There's nothing hidden between us girls Nurse don't you worry. We've always been close ever since our Momma died" Rina concluded with a definite nod of affirmation to the nurse.
Chummy smiled, deflating the blood pressure cuff and with chit chat about life in generally she continued her examination of both mother and baby, satisfied that all was well.
"Nurse, can I ask a question?" Hannah asked as Chummy wrapped young Rose back up in her knitted blanket. The teenager was curious.
"Of course" Chummy replied, brushing the babies cheek with her finger. She could see the youngster was nodding off again after the rather rude intrusion of being stripped bare in the chill of the clinic.
"Are you having a baby too Nurse?" Hannah asked, skin immediately flushing red at the impertinent question after seeing her Sister's face contort in horror.
"Hannie!" Rina scolded. "My Sister! Seventeen years of age and should know better! A disrespectful question if ever I heard one!"
"Only I heard someone talking the other day and I thought…." Hannah continued, feeling awkward trying to justify herself although Chummy herself did not mind one bit as any talk of her and Peter's child only served to cause her to smile wildly as she smoothed a hand over her barely there stomach. "I am" she answered, voice laced with tranquility.
"When?" Hannah replied excitedly as Chummy folded over the bed sheets, ready to change for the next patient.
"In the middle of October" Chummy replied.
"And you are married to the policeman?" Hannah asked again. She may be seventeen years of age but somehow she always struck Chummy as being so much younger in mind.
"Hannah" Rina interrupted, holding onto her daughter's tiny fingers as she lay on the examination table as Chummy dressed the baby again. "If you ask any more questions, I am sure Nurse Noakes will begin to worry about you…."
"Pop really likes him" Hannah continued.
"Yes" Chummy smiled. "I remember him telling me about the burglary your Pa had. When they found the watch that was taken."
"He was so pleased when they found it and your Constable brought it back to us" Rina said, receiving a signal from Chummy that she could pick up her daughter. "It was Pop's father's watch. It's the only thing he has left of his parents and he was heartbroken that it was stolen. Such evil Nurse! The shop was in such a terrible state".
"I am just glad they were caught quickly before they could do it to someone else!" Rina finished as she and Hannah stood up, as Chummy pulled aside the curtain so they could leave. "Goodbye Nurse, see you soon!"
Dr Turner let out a short, sharp breath as Chummy passed him a very welcome cup of tea. "So how many people passed through here today Nurse?"
Chummy smiled, passing her own cup from one hand to the other. "I lost count about half past something or other!" she replied, letting out a laugh as they sat in the side room on two particularly uncomfortable wooden chairs.
The doctor breathed heavily again. "Please tell me who decided to hold two clinics on a Wednesday?"
"You did Doctor" Chummy deadpanned.
"Hmmm.." he considered. "I did didn't I? Next time I suggest such a thing Nurse take me to one side and give me a stiff talking to would you?"
Chummy smiled again, and shook her head quickly, trying to clear a second of dizziness.
"Are you alright Nurse?" Dr Turner asked. She looked a little white if he was being truthful. He felt white; she looked it.
"Oh yes", she replied, never the one to linger on her troubles, even if it was a bit of a wobble. "One has had barely time to eat today and I think the sugar in this tea is going to my head!"
"Well let me give you a lift home? I presume you are going home after this?" Dr Turner asked. She was one of their own and he intended to keep an eye on her; quietly of course and if she was feeling unwell, it was his duty to make sure she was home safe.
Chummy nodded. "Peter is on nights tonight so yes I am; to see him before he goes".
"Good" Dr Turner replied, holding his tea cup up to clink against Chummy's. "We'll finish this; I'll assist in tidying up and we can get on our way for the day. Agreed?"
"Agreed".
