Valerie spooned another heap of sugar in to her tea and absentmindedly stirred, watching as the liquid swirled around the cup, a cluster of bubbles in the middle spinning faster and faster. Finding no answer in the cup, she added another spoon full as if in spite.

"Your face has been as sour as lemon all evening, lass."

She forced a smile, "You sure know how to compliment a girl, Phyllis."

Nurse Crane huffed and started preparing her own drink, "It's not like you. You've something bothering you and I've an open ear if you've need of it."

Valerie pondered her offer while taking a sip of her tea which she promptly, but discreetly, spat back in the cup, wincing.

"Syrup masquerading as tea?"

Val nodded sheepishly, "Yeah, I think I ruined that one."

Nurse Crane set a fresh drink in front of her and Valerie gratefully cradled the warm cup and then, gathering her courage she explained, "I think I've ruined a good friendship too, only I can't figure out what I said wrong."

"You speak plainly at times, Valerie, but never hurtfully. I can't imagine you could have caused upset enough to ruin a friendship." The older nurse brought her cup to her lips, but before she drank she asked, "Not Lucille?"

"No, no." Valerie was quick to assure. "At least I hope not her too. I don't think I can trust myself now after upsetting Shelagh."

Phyllis physically recoiled. "Oh heck, how on earth have you managed that? Mrs Turner has the patience of a saint."

Valerie winced, "That's just it, I don't know what happened. We were sneaking a tea break at the maternity home and having a giggle and biscuit. Next thing I know, she has this look on her face, like she's either going to burst into tears… or… or slap me!"

Phyllis looked at her witheringly, "I think you are safe from violence, physical or otherwise where Mrs Turner is concerned. Besides she doesn't upset that easy, I've seen her go head to head with the fiercest Poplar has to offer and not flinch. I'm sure you're making a mountain out of a molehill."

Valerie wasn't reassured. "No, she was definitely upset. Besides, it cuts deeper when hurt comes from a friend, doesn't it? And I felt like we were becoming good friends."

"Think back then, lass. What were you giggling about over your cups of tea?"

Now Valerie smiled, despite herself, "Oh, Shelagh was telling me a story about Angela trying to lure a stray cat in."

Trixie joined them in the kitchen, delighting in catching a story about little Angela. "Oh, do go on, Valerie. I've just come from Mr. Weaver's house," they all shared a knowing look, "I could do with a bit of cheer and that's always bountiful when little Angela's involved."

"Oh, you're going to like this one. So, apparently Angela has become enamoured with the idea of having a pet and decided to leave a bowl of milk outside the Turner's back door. Now, Timothy has been secretly spending time with this girl."

"The dark horse!" Trixie exclaimed excitedly.

While Phyllis sighed, "He's a good lad, Timothy, but he's also a growing lad, the Turner's should be keeping a watchful eye on him."

"Evidently they are," Valerie reassured, explaining how the Turner's knew exactly where Timothy was. "Tim doesn't know that though so as he was sneaking back home, he stepped in the milk. Shelagh said he was so mad, he couldn't let on that he was coming back in, so he ended up inadvertently covering for Angela and spinning a tale about how the milk got to be outside…" She trailed off laughing, gasping for breath she added, "I said to Shelagh that he must have learnt that from them as her and Dr Turner must have done their fair share of sneaking around when they first got together…"

There was a clatter of china cup on saucer and then silence. Valerie looked to her companions in confusion.

Phyllis was the first to speak, "Oh Valerie, that's rather in poor taste. I can't imagine that Mrs Turner would be too pleased at the implication."

Valerie felt as though she was missing something, it was certainly a cheeky comment, but she'd been getting along so well with Shelagh recently, and the woman had a great sense of humour. She'd come to look forward to 'tea break chats' whenever she was at the maternity home and once or twice they had passed the time over tea and cake while Sister Julienne was doting over Angela and Teddy at Nonnatus.

Trixie was visibly riled, "As if they didn't have to deal with enough of that nonsense when they first announced their engagement. The rumours were rotten and completely unfounded. Even in jest that's not a nice thing to imply!"

Valerie's confusion was mounting, "Because of Dr Turner's first wife?" She knew that he had been widowed, maybe there had been rumours about when Shelagh and Dr Turner had become involved.

Trixie looked aghast. "Of course not, because she renounced her vows."

"Vows? To someone else?"

"To God."

"God?" Valerie queried, "Who makes a vow to God?" Suddenly, as she remembered she was indeed sitting in a convent, all the pieces fell together, "OH!"

Phyllis sighed, "You didn't know she was once a nun?"

"Well nobody told me! I don't go around assuming that people are former nuns unless they tell me otherwise!" Valerie said defensively. Then the information sank in and everything she knew of Shelagh didn't seem to fit with what her colleagues were telling her. "Really?" She asked more softly.

Trixie sat down with her drink and clasped Val's shoulder in a gesture of comfort, "I suppose when you look at her now, it seems impossible, but I knew her as Sister Bernadette for many years. She was as devoted as Sister Julienne and as hard working as Sister Winifred."

This was almost too much to take in, if they hadn't reacted as they did she would have thought that Trixie and Phyllis were pulling her leg. "So, she was a nun and then she left because she fell in love with Dr Turner?"

"That was before my time and anyway, I think that's something to ask Mrs Turner, not us," Phyllis said gently, "Maybe when you apologise?"

Valerie groaned, "I'm not sure a plant is going to cut it this time."

Phyllis and Trixie looked at each other in confusion until Valerie diverted their attention again.

"Any other tidbits of information I should know before I go around opening my big mouth?"

"Come on, lass. It's not that bad, you didn't know and once Mrs Turner realises that she'll not hold it against you."

"I suppose you're right, I'll pop into the surgery tomorrow. Hopefully I can clear the air before clinic." Valerie couldn't have felt more foolish, but she took a measure of comfort in the fact that now she knew what she had done, she could work to set it to rights.

Valerie sat on her bed and flicked through one of Trixie's magazines, before sighing and flinging it back on to the bedside table, "Utter rubbish." Why hadn't she known Shelagh was a nun? Clearly everyone else did. Even Lucille informed her that she often spoke with Mrs Turner about matters of faith. Valerie sprung from her bed and started to vigorously rearrange Trixie's array of perfumes, clattering the bottles about. She was a Poplar girl through and through, a fact she was proud of, but she could easily admit that Poplar was a hive of gossip and judgemental opinions that were always aired whether based on fact or hearsay. She could well imagine the sort of comments that Shelagh might have heard and to think that she had made light of that, however unwittingly, did not sit well with her.

Moving back to her bed, she sat and closed her eyes, taking a few deep breathes, "Come on Val, you're being silly." She needed to focus her energy on making things right and then hopefully they could put this behind them.

There was a tentative knock at the door and she sighed, uncharitably hoping that it wasn't Sister Winifred trying to lure her out with a 'fun' handicraft. "Come in."

Valerie looked up and there, framed in the doorway, was Shelagh holding a potted plant.

Her heart sank, "You didn't have to return the plant, just because I said something horrible."

Shelagh looked baffled, "Valerie, this isn't the plant you gave me." She smiled then and shut the door behind her, "It's a completely different type for a start."

"Is it?" Valerie looked closer.

Shelagh surprised her by laughing and sitting opposite her on Trixie's bed. "I brought it for you, actually. I thought it would be a fitting way to apologise."

"Apologise? To me?"

"Yes, I was abrupt with you earlier and I shouldn't-"

"I didn't know you were a nun, I swear!" She interrupted, not able to contain herself anymore, and slightly caught off guard by this turn of events.

"I realise that now. I'm sorry if I was rude, it was only when I spoke to Patrick about it that I realised that you hadn't been implying anything untoward," she smiled, "well, nothing that untoward."

Valerie felt her face colouring and she covered it with her hands to hide from the mortification, "You told Dr Turner?"

Shelagh put the plant on the bedside table. "I was upset and he's…"

"He's the first person you go to when you're upset." Valerie finished for her.

Shelagh looked embarrassed now but nodded in agreement, "I've never really had the chance to have, what you might call, proper girlfriends. I went from being a nun to the doctor's wife, and those most dear to me have always been my colleagues, and so, are his colleagues too." She sighed sadly, "It does make things a little awkward in situations like this."

"Well, that's ridiculous and not fair on you. We should be able to separate 'your husband' from the Dr Turner we work with." Valerie declared confidently but lost a little of her bravado when Shelagh started giggling. "What?"

"I'm sorry, Valerie, that's a nice idea but when you were in my kitchen a few weeks back, you were eyeing Patrick's slippers like they were an alien object!"

She cringed, "Oh you noticed?" At Shelagh's amused nod, Valerie tried to explain, "I just can't imagine Dr Tuner lounging around in slippers! He's always dashing all over the place, sleepers seem too… cosy!"

"He's always dashing because he's always late." Shelagh said affectionately, making Valerie laugh. "Don't worry, you're doing better than most. Trixie occasionally manages a jibe or two, but most keep it professional. Jenny - she's since moved on - tried once or twice at the beginning but only ended up making herself uncomfortable."

Valerie laughed, but she was a little surprised to hear Shelagh speak so candidly and suddenly realised that there was so much that Shelagh would have missed out on having spent her younger years in the religious life. Valerie was struck by inspiration, "Shelagh, are you working tonight? Where are the children?"

If Shelagh seemed confused by the sudden questions, she didn't show it, "No, not tonight, Patrick's working late at the maternity home and the little ones are with Granny Parker for the night. Tim is at home practicing bassoon."

"Excellent, we are having 'girl's night'" Valerie declared, making a mental note to come back to the bassoon comment later. "I'm not on call tonight and I have a bottle of wine and two glasses with our names on…oh!" Looking at the bottle she winced.

"What's wrong?"

Valerie held up the offending item, "It's just one my Aunt gave me to try, I didn't look at the label. I bet she did this on purpose the crafty old bat."

"Blue Nun?" Shelagh gasped and then succumbed to laughter, "Very fitting."

Valerie shook her head and laughed too. Handing a glass to Shelagh she smiled slyly. "Go on then, spill."

Shelagh looked panicked, "Spill what?"

"I've made quite the fool of myself today, so I'd rather like to hear about other people's faux pars regarding you and," she paused and with great effort managed to say, "Patrick."

Shelagh glared at the doorbell for several moments before jabbing at it roughly. It was one of them, it had to be. She just had to figure out which Turner had behaved in an ungentlemanly fashion, finding and then moving the spare key.

The front door opened slowly, and Timothy came into view with an overly bright smile on his face, "Hello, Mum! Why on earth would you ring the doorbell instead of using your key?"

"Hello, Timothy." She said evenly. "No need to fret, my house key is at Nonnatus House. I left my handbag in the sitting room. I should call them to let them know it's mine, Sister Monica Joan can get easily confused." She made to move into the house, but Timothy remained in the doorway.

"Oh dear," His tone was serious, but he was having a job keeping the corners of his mouth from turning up, "What if you'd left it on the bus? I think you would be the first to agree that it's very irresponsible to-"

"Timothy, I'd watch that cheek, unless you want to lose your allowance this week." She noticed too late that her accent had become much thicker, it did that on the rare occasion she partook in a drink or two. Unfortunately, Timothy knew that too.

"Mother, have you been drinking as well?" He made a show of leaning out of the front door to look both ways down the street, "What will the neighbours think?"

Ordinarily, she loved to see him smile, but right now it was far too self-satisfied.

Thankfully, he moved back from the door, holding it open for her, "I'm happy to sacrifice my allowance, that was worth it!"

Shelagh stepped into her home and used her son's arm to steady her as she removed her shoes. "I won't deprive you of your allowance."

"Thanks, Mum!"

"Not when you could use it to buy Caroline something nice." She said sweetly as she started to make her way upstairs, leaving him spluttering in the hall. Definitely the right time to use that particular ammunition, she thought to herself.

Entering her and Patrick's bedroom, she found him sitting against the headboard and reading the Lancet. She climbed on next to him and brushed a flop of hair from his eyes. Patrick caught the hand and kissed it.

"How did it go with Nurse Dyer?" He asked gently.

Shelagh beamed, "I had my first girl's night, Patrick."

He chuckled, "That sounds dangerous." Putting the Lancet on his bedside table, he queried, "So she accepted the apology plant?"

"Yes, though she seemed to be of the opinion that she ought to apologise to me."

"That's kind of her. I bet she was mortified when she found out."

"She was mortified that I'd spoken to you about it, too."

Patrick was confused, "I though Nurse Dyer and I got along well."

"Oh, she likes you well enough, well she likes Dr Turner." She put emphasis on the title. "I think a lot of the nurses find it hard to see the man from the doctor sometimes."

Patrick looked sceptical. "I spend time with the nurses at social events and tea at Nonnatus occasionally."

"Patrick, she couldn't even imagine you in slippers!"

"Better not tell her I have a dressing gown as well!"

Shelagh laughed and rested her head against his chest.

"What did girl's night consist of then? Am I allowed to know?" He teased.

"We had a couple of glasses of wine, it was called Blue Nun if you can believe it." She wrinkled her nose, "I don't think I'd rush out to buy a bottle for the pantry, mind."

A quiet lull took over for a few seconds before Patrick asked, "What did you girls end up talking about then?"

Shelagh chuckled, "Mostly you and I."

"I don't know if I like where this is going."

"Nothing private, dear. That stays between us," She reached up to kiss his cheek and then settled her head back on his chest. "Valerie wanted to know if anyone else had said or done anything foolish around us."

Patrick snickered, "I'm surprised you're back this early then, I've lost count of the amount of times poor Nurse Herewood has had to excuse herself."

"Oh Patrick." She laughed and snuggled closer, "Do you remember the time she overheard us talking about ordering a new bed that was bigger and sturdier? She got so flustered she walked into the doorframe trying to get away."

"Did you ever tell her that we were talking about a bed for Angela?"

"No." Shelagh laughed.

"Shelagh you are wicked."

"No, Timothy was being wicked when he let Sister Evangelina into the flat without announcing her, knowing that we were engaged in mushy stuff in the kitchen."

Patrick groaned, "We were only slow dancing to the wireless. You'd think we were half naked on the kitchen floor, the way she reacted."

"Oh Patrick, don't." She laughed. "Besides, I think it was your lips on my neck that set her off."

He chuckled, remembering it clearly. "Oh yes... And you must have told Nurse Dyer about the incident in Africa."

Now it was Shelagh's turn to groan, "Valerie was particularly delighted by that story. Especially so by the talk Nurse Crane gave me the next day about us not letting our guard down where wild animals could be prowling."

Patrick laughed heartily, "Just think about all the near misses too."

"I try not to, Patrick, for my own sanity." She retorted.

Shelagh snuggled into him further and tangled one of her legs around his. "How my life has changed." She murmured.

Patrick smiled and kissed the top of her head, "And did she want to know about Sister Bernadette?"

At his question, she stiffened and only relaxed when he started to draw soothing circles on her arm. When she started to speak, her tone was soft, as though divulging a secret. "We didn't talk about it and if I'm quite honest, I didn't really want to." She paused and tried to find the words to explain. "I would have, if she had asked. Only, with Valerie, I've enjoyed just being Shelagh. Realising that she didn't know before made me start to question whether she would act differently towards me now that she does."

"Did she act differently tonight?" Patrick asked gently.

Shelagh considered it for a moment and shook her head, "No, she didn't." And when she really thought about it, maybe nobody treated her differently now because of who she used to be.

Valerie had sat for a while admiring her plant and hoping to God that it needed no more maintenance than the occasional sprinkle of water. She had just cleared away the empty bottle and the glasses as Trixie came up to bed, wet hair wrapped up in a towel and rosy cheeked from her bath.

"I take it all is well again?" Trixie asked as she picked out a nail polish for her toes.

"Yes. Thankfully. You could have joined us, Trix."

"Thank you but after the day I've had, a hot bath was needed. I heard lots of laughter though."

"Shelagh was telling me stories about everyone else's mishaps with her and Dr Turner. You know, to make me feel better."

Trixie smiled, and screwed the lid back on to the polish, deciding her attention was better focused elsewhere. "Well, Valerie. You better get yourself comfortable for round two."

"Come again?"

"I think that it's only fair that I carry on where Shelagh left off." Her grin was mischievous. "And tell you about all the times the Turners didn't realise that they had been seen or overheard."

Valerie just fell back on to her pillows and laughed.