Hello.. I am so very sorry it has taken this long to update. I could give you all my excuses of exams and blah blah blah but it am sure you don't want to hear it. Anyway, this was also a particularly hard scene to write a) because there is a lot of talking that I had to cut out and b) it was so long. Now that it is done I hope you enjoy and I promise you that the next chapter update will not take as long as this did. Enjoy and feel free to review.
Sister Bernadette was woken by a gentle knock at the door.
"Sister Bernadette?" Asked a woman.
Sister Bernadette took a second to register the voice but then replied, "Yes Trixie?"
"I'm afraid you will have to get up right away. We have a man at the door saying that Mave Carter is crying out something awful. I am going to assume that the hundred year old books they have, have helped them figure out she is in labour. I have called Doctor Turner to meet us there as she is rather old for a first mother and I think it is a necessary precaution." She explained.
"Okay Trixie. I will be with you in a few minutes" Said Sister Bernadette while her heart pounded at the mention of his name.
She was up and dressed within a minute. As she returned her brush to the draw she spotted her lipstick. Nuns were not meant to wear makeup of any sort but Sister Julienne allowed it on special occasions, like weddings. She had not worn it for years so why was the temptation drawing her now. She would most likely be home and able to wash it off before any of the other Nuns saw.
She picked it up and applied it to her lips skilfully. It made her soft lips look full and defined.
"Am I just putting this on because I know Doctor Turner is going to be there?" She thought to herself.
She had done well at distracting herself this week by throwing herself into menial task. Even at Tuesday's antenatal clinic she had kept a level head but could not stop her stomach doing little flips at the sight of him. Why ruin her good run now?
Just as she went to wipe off the lipstick Trixie yelled out, "Sister, where are you?"
"Coming!" She said and dashed from the room, meeting Trixie at the front doors with her delivery pack.
"You look nice tonight Sister!" Said Trixie, winking seductively.
"Oh Trixie. I don't know why I put it on. I know full well that Nuns aren't allowed to wear makeup. I don't know what came over me…" Blurted Sister Bernadette, while they made their way to the bicycle shed.
Trixie sensed her distress and said, "It's okay Sister, your secret is safe with me. We all have to give into temptation every now and again otherwise there would be no such concept. And I don't suppose you give in very often."
"No, I wouldn't say I do. Thank You!" Said Sister Bernadette, her anguish feeling a little eased as she fixed her delivery pack onto her bicycle and climbed on. They wound their way through the dirty streets with a light fog obscuring their vision. When they arrived a very nervous looking man opened the door and pointed through the house.
"Through this door 'ere" said Mr Carter. He returned to the kitchen table and the midwives made their way through the door.
"Hello Mrs Carter" Said Trixie, and nodded towards the other sister, "Mrs Carter."
"WHAT YOU DOIN' 'ERE?" Shouted Meg.
Trixie huffed and waspishly replied, "Turning the light on for a start."
Meg began to squabble about the light and was quickly shut up by Trixie who could at times be as sharp as a knife. While this was going on Sister Bernadette found a suitable place for her instruments and suddenly caught sight of herself in the mirror. She had already forgotten she was wearing makeup and why… she could hear the arguments continuing in the background knowing Trixie could handle Meg, so Sister stayed quiet. Until she heard two words…
"Doctor Turner will be popping 'round soon and if he sees your sister in this contraption he will drag it out from under her and chop it up as fire wood!" Trixie said sternly with a glare to match.
"I'll chop 'im up!" Meg yelled. Sister Bernadette suddenly got very defensive, as had been becoming a regular occurrence over the past month or two.
"I'm sure you'll do no such thing," Sister Bernadette said, with raised eyebrows that conveyed a 'don't-mess-with-me' attitude, "You will be too busy helping us with preparations."
"Who sent for ya?" Yelled Meg.
"No one we operate purely on telepathy!" Replied Trixie sarcastically.
XXXXXXXXXXX
Meg had left the room and the labour was progressing smoothly when Doctor Turner arrived. When this happened Sister Bernadette hastily busied herself in tiding her already spotless instruments while a flush crept up her neck. She could hear Trixie filling him in on the details as she attempted to calm herself. When she felt composed enough, believing she had put up some strong mental barriers Doctor Turner greeted her with one of his big winning smiles and bright eyes.
"Evening Sister." He said casually.
"Good Evening Doctor Turner." She tried to say as formally as possible while his smile made her heart pound and those mental barriers melt as though they were ice on a hot summer's day. There was not much more time for conversation as the birth began to progress. It was going so well it was almost text-book standard.
She had been fighting the urge to turn around and look at him, knowing that her mind should be solely on the task at hand. But now as the birth neared completion she had a real reason to start a conversation. She turned around to find that his gaze was already fixed upon her. Was it possible that he was beginning to blush? Of course not it was just the heat of the room she thought to herself.
"Would you like to step forward Doctor so you can hand baby to mother when it is born?" She asked. He nodded and stepped by her, passing her so close she thought she could feel the heat radiating off his body. This was all getting too much; I thought she had decided that she didn't have feelings for this man. She kept denying herself this but then what was it. Why was the mention of his name enough to make her skin tingle and her heart pound? Even if for some absurd reason she did have feelings for a man. Why this man that she had known for years? What had changed? And if, even if they were true feelings she couldn't possibly act on them. She was a nun. That was one of the most important rules, she was married to god and this would essentially be being disloyal to him. And if her brain was telling her not to act why was her body and heart telling her otherwise. No matter how hard she tried to deny herself her body still reacted to the closeness of his.
She felt tears begin to well in her eyes but if anyone asked she would just say she was pleased about the birth. Which had just then occurred jolting her mind out of despair and into action as she wrapped the baby into a swaddle and handed it to Doctor Turner. She watched as his strong but gentle arms grasped the baby and handed it to Mave.
XXXXXX
As Doctor Turner was about to leave he was called back into the room by Trixie where he was given the announcement of twins. Sister Bernadette told him that the baby was lying side on and she was going to have to turn it.
He watched in awe as her face became fully concentrated and determined. Not only her arms worked to turn the baby but the full force of her body was behind it. As the slow struggle progressed he watched her face; the deep furrowing of her brow, the slight sweat on her forehead and the way she pushed her tongue against the skin of her lower lip. Those lips that he could not take his eyes off. She had definitely done something to them. They looked large, soft and full of a colour that was oh so inviting.
He mentally hit himself, this was Sister Bernadette he was thinking about. And she was a Nun, albeit a beautiful one. That was just one of the many reasons why he could not have her. Another important factor is that she would never feel the same way, she couldn't for obvious reasons. But lately he could feel this tension between them that had never been there before, although maybe that was just him imagining.
He recalled many weeks ago when he had been awoken by Sister Bernadette at his desk after falling asleep. The next day when he returned he noticed that the button which had been missing off his clinical coat had been sown back on. Could it have been her? Was that the sole reason for her visit to the clinic that late at night? No probably not, but still the thought lingered with him.
The birth had swiftly taken a turn for the worse and if either baby or mother was to have a chance at survival this baby would have to be delivered quickly with the use of forceps. This was quite a painful but necessary procedure. Mave began screaming at the pain rapidly mounted.
All of a sudden Meg crashed into the room ripping Doctor Turner away from Mave and across the room into a set of draws. Sister Bernadette was shocked but quickly scrabbled across the room trying to pull Meg off the Doctor. As she did Meg turned around and gave her an all mighty slap across the face knocking Sister to the ground with a loud gasp.
Seeing this filled Doctor Turner with a white hot rage. He was never one to hit a woman but oh boy did he want to. Seeing Sister so small smacked to the ground brought out a protective instinct in him.
Standing up and doing all he could to contain his rage he said "Mrs Carter! We are doing all we can for your sister and her baby. If you interfere again you will lose one or the other, I can't rule out that you might lose both."
From there on everyone's focus was on Mave. The next baby was born a girl but it did not appear to be breathing. A look of concern washed over the faces of all in the room. Sister Bernadette quickly wrapped up the small girl and walked towards her instruments.
"Mucus extractor" Requested Sister Bernadette. Quickly after this, the mother's placenta came away but with it was a large haemorrhaged. Both mother and baby were in serious states of concern. Doctor Turner had done all he could for Mave while awaiting an ambulance whereas Sister Bernadette was still struggling to awake the new born.
Doctor Turner heard Sister Bernadette's voice which sounded strong but equally as worried, that she would have to try Eve's Rocking. Which was not a method they often used but he placed his full trust in Sister Bernadette as a midwife who had had years of experience. Slowly she lowered the baby and the brought it back up, in between these movements she blew air from her lungs to try and fill the infants. Watching her even in these dire circumstances made him happy, and he felt a faint smile touch his lips. In this moment dressed in her nurses habit of full white she truly looked like an angel sent from god. He could feel the hope draining from everyone in the room but she continued to try.
After what seemed like an age she brought the baby up yet again. But this time the baby made a small grunt and then began to whimper.
In a voice no louder than a whisper he heard her say, "Praise the Lord."
This brought a smile to his face as he thought that she could not be any more perfect. Grinning she brought the small baby over to Mave, who had now also stabilised. As the two twin sister's held on to one of the twin baby daughter's each nobody could keep a smile of their faces. This was indeed a special moment for all.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Trixie left immediately as she was called to another birth which left Sister Bernadette and Doctor Turner cleaning the room together. No words were spoken in front of the two sister's but once they had left the room they began to converse.
"That was a marvellous ending to what could have been a disaster, don't you think?" Said Doctor Turner brightly.
Sister Bernadette looked up and smiled at him and replied, "Just wonderful."
Before they began to make their way down the stair's Doctor Turner stopped and turned to Sister Bernadette. He could see a slight purple swelling beginning to appear underneath her eye where Meg had struck her. And he slowly began raising his hand to her face.
Seeing this her heart began to pound. What was happening? His hand was slowly raising towards her face. Getting closer and closer.
"Doctor?" She asked confused but also rooted to the spot. She couldn't have moved if she had wanted to.
The tough, callused but smooth skin of his large hand cupped the soft skin of her cheek with ease. She could feel the warmth from his warm hand flooding into the cool of her cheek. She was looking directly at his eyes not daring to move her head but he seemed to be distracted by something. Slowly his fingers moved to gently caress her cheek bone beneath her eye. She flinched surprised by the sharp pain the followed.
"Sorry!" He said and quickly withdrew his hand, "You will need to get some ice onto that…"
"Is that Doctor's orders?" She said with a smile.
"Yes. Yes it is." He replied with his kind smile and turned to walk down the stairs.
Once they had made it to his car she waited while he put his bag away, it didn't feel right to leave just yet.
"We're like an officer and a sergeant the morning after the Somme," He said and then clarified "And that is not to say I see myself as the officer."
She smiled but remained silent, had upstairs been too much? He didn't intend it to be that way but he had felt a tension between them. But he still was unsure if he was just imagining it.
After taking a long drag on his cigarette he said jokingly "I feel as though I should offer you one."
After a moments silences she said "Just a puff."
It took him a moment to register what she had said and a look of shock crossed his face.
He smiled and said "Of this?"
"Quickly," She replied grinning "Just a wee one."
This was a revelation to him. Never in his wildest dreams had he expected this. It was just a joke but then again she really was still a mystery to him. He watched her eagerly while she took a puff not sure what her reaction would be. It was quite possible she would breakout in a coughing fit. But no, it was like she was an old professional.
She sighed as she exhale "What are these?"
"Henley's" He replied.
"Oh... Henley's," She said "I loved Henley's. They were the kind my father used to smoke. I used to sneak one out of his desk sometimes when I was about 14."
Before handing it back she took another drag and said "Thank you."
"You've earned it." He said while wondering if this woman could surprise him any more. They both smiled at each other before she looked down at her feet and walked away. For the next hour they were both still smiling from the memory of their first conversation which did not involve work.