Chapter 11:
As Delia lay facing the closed door that Pats had just left through, the small smile that had flickered across her features grew in to an unstoppable grin which she attempted to smother in the dusty smelling pillow. A feeling of indescribable happiness overwhelmed her. Delia was well aware that Patsy and her were far from settled though. There was no definite answer from Sister Julienne as of yet, and this thought causes a small shiver of worry to pass over her. It was short lived, however, as she remembered the winning smile of her charming redhead and the words that always fell so eloquently from her mouth. Sister Julienne would not be able to resist Patsy's reasoning; Delia was sure of it.
With one final breathy smile, Delia fell into a contented and calm sleep. The noises of Nonnatus House were unusual but did not disrupt her slumber at all. The enormous weight of the previous day's events had taken their toll and sleep was the only option for now. Patsy's face was no longer fuzzy in Delia's dream, it was well defined and as beautiful as it was in real life. In fact, the world around it became unrecognizable with Patsy being the only constant in the dream, the environment around was ever-changing but the tall figure was an anchor in the madness.
Delia awoke with a start, her breathing laboured and her mind confused. Glancing around the room, Delia relaxed as she recognised her surroundings. With a huff she lay back on the bed and tried to calm her breathing.
"It was just a dream. It was just a dream." She repeated to herself like a mantra, matching her breaths with the ends of the sentences. The speeding car had appeared out of nowhere, and the unmovable figure of Patience Mount had been flung across the street and ended up a mangled heap on the ground. The scream from Delia's dream self had been what had woken her.
Stretching warily, being careful not to twinge her already aching neck, Delia stood and tentatively made her way over to the bay window of her currently rented room. Looking out over the docks of Poplar, Delia felt she could see for miles, albeit the sight was just unusual due to the enclosed quarters of the hospital that had encompassed her for the last few days. Opening the stiff window, Delia leant her head through and took a deep breath of fresh air. From this viewpoint, all thoughts of nightmares and accidents was washed from memory as the cold air swept through her lungs, cleaning them and making her feel at peace.
During this moment of relaxation, Delia looked down into the garden at the back of Nonnatus House, small patches of vegetables sat neatly next to their flowerbed counterparts, beautiful in their own ways, the bright colours contrasting the gloomy, smoggy afternoon that London offered for the day. Movement behind the garden shed caught her attention and the flash of ginger hair she recognised instantly held that attention firmly. What was Patsy doing out there in the cold? Had she not spoken to Sister Julienne yet?
Suddenly the cool, refreshing air she had relished only a few seconds before became an icy cocoon that had her shivering and shaking. Fear flooded Delia's system. The realisation that Patsy would have come to share the news immediately had it been good. To have seen her hiding in the garden did not bode well and made Delia want to be sick. The thought of returning to Wales after being so defiant against her mother and father was too distressing.
Taking a quick step back, Delia slammed the window shut and began to pace the floor. Too many thoughts were flooding her mind, she could not control them. She could not make sense of them. Maybe Patsy was not as convincing as Delia had first believed, or had Sister Julienne been unable to help because Delia was too much of a 'charity case' requiring too much man-power and care. Faces, questions and scenarios surged through her at the speed of light, making her head feel heavy and woozy.
"ENOUGH!" Delia screamed at the empty room around her.
The voices in her head silenced and it allowed her faculties to return to her once more. Without thinking Delia stood, put on her housecoat and shoes and made her way out of the room. If Patsy was not going to come to Delia, Delia was going to go to Patsy.