God Gave Me You 10
Shelagh stood in the kitchen at the community center, filling the kettle before clinic began. The new doctor was due to arrive today and she thought it would be a nice gesture to offer him a fresh cup of tea before he plunged head first into the insanity that was an East End maternity clinic.
None of them had been told much about him, only that he'd recently moved back to the area from somewhere out West. It had come as a surprise to all of them when Dr. Preston had announced he would be leaving Poplar earlier that week but that his replacement would begin at Tuesday's clinic.
The hall was beginning to fill up, the chattering of expectant mothers and the bustle of screaming children permeated the air. Normally, she would be out there keeping an eye on her daughter, but Angela was out with the Noakes' today. Freddie wanted to go to the park and Peter had offered to take Angela as well. Shelagh heard the other Nonnatuns unpacking boxes and setting up the intake table, so she decided to quickly make a cup of tea for herself in preparation for what was bound to be another busy clinic.
She heard the back door open, but didn't even bother to look up, assuming it was one of her colleagues. It wasn't until they spoke that she stopped what she was doing. It was a voice she knew well, a voice she had thought of every day for the past 2 years.
"Sorry I'm late, I couldn't find the community centre. The roads have changed quite a bit since I was last in Poplar. I don't think we've met, I'm-"
Turning quickly, she saw Doctor Turner standing in the kitchen doorway, and simultaneously dropped the teacup she'd been holding. The shattering of china brought her back to her senses.
"Doctor Turner!" She froze in place, wanting nothing more than to go running into his arms, but knowing that wouldn't be appropriate.
"Yes...I'm sorry, have we met?" He stared at her for a moment, trying to place the beautiful woman in front of him. His eyes widened as realization set in. "Sister Bernadette?"
Before she could respond, Sister Winifred was making her way into the kitchen.
"Shelagh? Is everything alright in here? We heard something break." Sister Winifred made her way over to Shelagh to clean up the cup as she froze in shock at seeing Doctor Turner standing in front of her.
Sensing the tension in the room, Sister Winifred cleared the remains of the teacup into the rubbish bin and spoke softly. "I'll just...go see if Sister Julienne needs any help." She quickly made her way back into the hall, leaving the pair of them standing there staring at one another.
"I didn't recognize you, Sister. I mean- well-uh, obviously not Sister..." He opened his mouth to speak again when they heard Sister Julienne's voice carrying down the hall.
"Shelagh? Are you alright? Sister Winifred said I should come...check on you." she stopped in the doorway, staring at the shocked faces each of them had on. Sister Julienne looked at Shelagh, who gave her a pleading look that said 'I don't know what to do.' Sister Julienne immediately put on a businesslike voice. "Doctor Turner! We weren't expecting you...How wonderful to see you again! ."
Shaken by the familiar voice, Doctor Turner faced Sister Julienne, extending his hand. "Hello, Sister. Sorry I'm late, I had gone to the old parish hall, but it's not there anymore."
"Indeed. Much has changed since you left us, Doctor." Sister Julienne responded.
"I can see that..." He whispered, his eyes once again returning to Shelagh.
"Well, its wonderful to have you back with us, Doctor. Let me introduce you to the rest of the staff, we've several new faces that you'll have to meet and we have quite the booking in list today. Shelagh, perhaps you could go to the intake table? Sister Winifred could use a hand."
Doctor Turner began to follow Sister Julienne in a daze as he watched Shelagh move toward the intake table. He saw Nurse Franklin scurry over to her, whispering in her ear and then glance his way with a look of shock on her face.
After meeting a few of the newer nurses, and learning of Nurse Lee's departure from midwifery, he turned back towards the doors of the hall to watch her. Watching them open, he saw Constable Noakes arriving with two small children, a young boy and a little girl.
"Mummy!"
The little girl screamed and ran towards the intake table, right into Shelagh's outstretched arms. Shelagh picked her up and settled her on her hip as she spoke to Constable Noakes. Patrick made to move closer to the scene until he realized his patient had arrived and was looking at him expectantly. He moved into the cubicle, closing the screen behind him as he continued to watch Shelagh.
Bending down as she saw her daughter running, she swung her into her arms immediately. "Hello, my angel. Did you have fun with Uncle Peter and Freddie?" She asked her, smoothing down her dress. The little girl nodded her head, her soft dark curls bouncing with every movement.
"Thank you for taking her this morning, Peter."
"Our pleasure. Freddie loves having Angela to play with, isn't that right Freddie?" The little boy nodded, clinging to his fathers hand and rubbing his eyes in exhaustion. "I dare say it's going to be time for a nap soon, for both of them I expect."
At that moment, Sister Julienne came up behind Shelagh and spoke softly into her ear.
"Why don't you head back to Nonnatus with Angela, Shelagh? I expect there will be a visitor for you as soon as clinic is over." Sister Julienne gave her a knowing look and Shelagh responded with a nod.
"Thank you, Sister. Come on, Angel. Let's go home and take a nap, shall we?"
Angela could barely nod, as her head was already leaning on Shelagh's shoulder and her eyes half-closed in sleep.
Coming back out of the cubicle, Patrick's eyes searched the hall for a sign of Shelagh and the little girl. Seeing none, he turned to Sister Winifred and asked "Who was that little girl who just came in. She was at the intake table with Nurse-um-Shelagh?"
Sister Winifred looked at him confused, then realized. "Why, that's her daughter, of course." She smiled at him as she called out the next name on the patient list.
Her daughter.
He was too late.