Taking Charge 4

She didn't know where to start.

The clinical running of Nonnatus House was being handled by Sister Evangelina, keeping the nurses to a schedule of tending to both mothers-to-be and district patients. That wasn't included in Shelagh's tasks, though a part of her wished her husband would have relented a bit.

'You're still convalescing, Shelagh. It's barely been half a year since you were released from the sanatorium...'

Hearing the tone in his voice, the way it seemed to crack when talking about her recovery, and with the disappointment over their lost chance was still so fresh, she decided it was best not to argue. In her heart, she knew he was right. But in her head, if she was able to work, she wanted to work with the community, not just behind a desk.

She sat down in Sister Julienne's chair and went over the list she had left for her.

1. New midwife. (As soon as possible)

2. Gait Assessment clinic. Community centre.

3. Tuesday clinic.

4. Mother craft on Thursday. (See Cynthia- she's organizing the class)

5. Jubilee- check in with Sr Winifred.

Well, first thing's first. Shelagh thought as she glanced at the list. A new midwife.

Glancing through the phone book on the sister's desk, she found the number for the matron at the London and picked up the phone, waiting to connect.

After nearly 2 hours of working out scheduling issues with the matron, speaking with the midwife she'd recommended and going over the details of the position, Shelagh hung up the phone. She was exhausted and craving a cup of tea. Looking at her watch, she gasped as she realized it was lunch time already. She stood from behind the desk quickly, smoothing her suit and hurrying out to the dining room. She didn't want to start off her first day on Sister Evangelina's bad side.

Everyone was already seated at the table waiting for her as she quickened her pace down the hallway.

"So. Mrs. Turner. Have you had a busy morning?"

Upon reaching the table, she took a seat across from Nurse Franklin, careful to leave Sister Julienne's chair unoccupied out of respect. Just because she was taking over her role for a fortnight didn't mean she was taking her place. As she sat down, it struck her...this used to be my seat.

"Yes I have. I've engaged a new midwife who will be joining us from the London the day after tomorrow. She'll be staying on after Nurse Lee returns."

Shelagh couldn't believe it. Sister Evangelina had actually smiled at her. Things had been tense between them since she had left the Order and married Patrick. Even the way she said 'Mrs. Turner' had a harsh tinge to it, Shelagh thought to herself. Pushing that to the back of her mind, she barely registered the beginnings of an argument that were forming between Trixie and Sister Evangelina.

"The mat in the parlor still hasn't recovered."

"Innocent."

Shelagh took her lead from Trixie, looking down at the soles of her shoes for anything amiss. She found herself praying that the culprit wasn't her, she didn't want any more of a reason for her former sister to be angry with her.

"Ugh! For two pins, I'd have every mutt in Poplar put down!" Sister Evangelina grumbled, throwing her serviette onto the table and making her way down the hallway groaning all the way. She smiled at the rest of the table as they snickered their entertainment, but it pained her to join in. She made to serve herself, but politely folded her serviette and excused herself from the table instead.

Following the sound of running water, Shelagh found her in the clinical room, scraping the shoes clean.

"Stand back! There's all kinds spraying everywhere!"

Shelagh heeded her warning, standing just off to the side of her, but still within her eyeline.

"Leave them to dry and come back and eat your lunch."

"In my stocking feet? I don't think so." Evangelina turned back to her task.

Shelagh looked down at the counter, taking a good look at the shoes for the first time.

"Is this your only pair of shoes? Dog diets the least of your worries, the uppers completely come away from the sole!"

Sister Evangelina turned then, a look on her face that Shelagh knew well, the look of disappointment and misplaced anger.

"You may recollect that some of us have taken a vow of poverty."

And there it was. The dig. Shelagh would had to have been stupid to not know it was coming. Still, the words stung her chest as she realized it would most likely be the first of many over the next few weeks, if not longer.

"I've had these ten years, get a couple more out of them. "

This was her chance, Shelagh decided. She would exercise some authority, prove to her former sister that although her habit was gone, nothing else about her had changed. She grabbed the shoes before the sister could protest and made her way out of the clinical room, barely affording the nun a glance back.

"I'm sending them to the menders. Im sure you'll find something to tide you over in the second hand clothes box."

She took them straight to Fred, still outside the convent tinkering with one of the bicycles, and sent him to the cobbler near Chrisp Street. Walking back inside, she sat down at the table, served herself a helping of lunch and ignored the pointed glances Sister Evangelina continued to throw at her from the other end of the table.