Early February
7am
Sam and Tom were ready for work an hour early because the nannies were expected to arrive soon so that they could go through details of the babies habits, rules for them, diets and routines. They had hired three nannies who worked for the same agency and that knew each other so they were bound to get on and look after the babies well.
"Right, will you stop panicking because if you're nervous when we go to work, the kids are going to pick up on that too." Tom said as he took Sam's restless hands in his and held them tightly. "They're going to be just fine, and you'll be fine going back to work-" Tom said softly but he was interrupted by a knock at the door. He gently dropped her hands and then opened the door to greet three cheery women in their late fourties each with a handbag and file.
"Good morning." One of them smiled.
"Morning. Please, come in." Tom smiled in response as he opened the door wider and the three women entered the large hallway.
Sam and Tom greeted Louise, Sue and Elizabeth before they headed upstairs to the room where the seven month old octuplets were occupied by mobiles hanging over their cots. Because they had grown, they were no longer sharing three cots and they no longer slept in their parents' room because there wasn't enough room for their cots. Instead, Ellie and Bella shared one, Megan and Summer shared one, Charlie and Jonny shared a cot, and Leah and Charlie shared one too.
"Right um, they've each got a notebook and I keep a record of everything like their feeds, nappy changes and things like that in there so you can see what they're usual routine is." Sam explained as she pointed to the stack of multicoloured notebooks on top of the dresser. "And I'd like you to continue with these notes throughout the day. Um, I don't want them to be taken outside of the house, or in the garden because there isn't really a need. I've put all of their bottle of milks and feeds in the fridge downstairs. There's plenty of pots that are labelled, and they're each one serving. But don't warm the foods up because they're teething and eating it cold straight from the fridge soothes them."
After a bit more explaining about rules, routines and habits, Sam and Tom were ready to leave for work - well, they were supposed to be leaving for work, but Sam didn't feel mentally ready.
"Right, in my experience, it's best just to say good bye, and leave your children with something that smells like you such as a scarf or a muslin cloth with some breast milk on. And if they start crying, I'd recommend that you continue to leave because they'll think that if they cry, you'll come back." Louise suggested.
"Okay, I'll go and get a few bits." Sam said before she disappeared into her bedroom. She still had a few boxes filled with the babies' stuff so she took out a new pack of muslin cloths, sat on the bed and expressed a few drops of milk onto eight of them. She returned and whilst the nannies were looking through the notebook with details about each individual child in, she distributed a muslin cloth to each baby that they either clenched in their fists or put in their mouths to chew on. "Right um, I've put wristbands on them so that you don't get confused with names because even I get muddled up sometimes." Sam admitted before she glanced at all of her children.
"Right, c'mon. Shall we get going?" Tom said softly as he placed his hands on Sam's shoulders.
"Okay, bye bye." Sam forced a smile as she gave a little wave to her children.
"Don't worry, we've got your numbers if we need to contact you." Elizabeth said quietly because the babies seemed occupied by their muslin cloths.
Just as Sam and Tom reached the top of the stairs, they heard a little wail, and immediately knew it was Ellie.
"Ma... Mama." They heard the muffled sobs of the little girl and Sam froze as she wanted to go back.
"Keep going, she'll be fine." Tom said softly as he encouraged Sam down the stairs with a small push, and she reluctantly made her way to the front door.
Sam quietly opened the staffroom door where everyone was waiting.
"Welcome back!" Everyone shouted in unison and Sam had to force a smile as she had been hoping for a quiet day. But nevertheless, she was thinking about her children more than her colleagues so she just walked past them and up to her locker.
"Has someone got the baby blues?" Fletch joked quietly as he went and stood next to Sam whilst the rest of the crowd resumed getting ready for their shifts and soon began to disperse. "Nah, I'm just kidding. Where's Tom?" Fletch asked curiously.
"He's gone to his office." Sam stated as she grabbed a pair of turquoise scrubs from the rack. "Um... Could you ask the others not to make a fuss please? I just want to keep my head down for now." Sam asked as she shut her locker.
"Yeah sure. How did it go with the nannies?" He asked curiously.
"Um... Alright I suppose. Ellie was crying when we left." Sam shrugged. "I'd better get on."
"Yeah sure, see you on the ward." Fletch smiled before he left the room. And Sam followed with the pair of scrubs and her handbag in her hands.
"Noel, where's Tom's office?" Sam queried at reception.
"The one right next to Zoe's." He replied.
"Thanks." Sam smiled before she walked through to cubicles, past Zoe's office and knocked and entered Tom's dark office. "Can I get changed in here please?" Sam asked timidly as Tom looked up from his paperwork.
"Yeah sure. Just pull the blinds shut." He smiled and Sam twisted a pole that closed the blinds before she put her bag and scrubs on the sofa. She got changed into her scrubs and then pulled her trusty yellow stethoscope around her neck. "It's like you never left." Tom smirked as Sam tied her hair up in a neat bun.
"I'd forgotten how comfy these were." Sam smirked as she gestured her scrubs before Zoe knocked and entered.
"Ah there you are Sam." She began as she closed the door behind her. "I'd like you to shadow either me or Tom for today just for you to get settled back in."
"Okay." Sam nodded.
"And, I meant to ask on the phone actually, are you still breastfeeding?" Zoe asked.
"Yeah, so I'll need-"
"Frequent breaks to express, that's fine. Um, as for a private place..." Zoe trailed off as she tried to think of somewhere.
"She can express in here." Tom offered. "You've got the sofa to get comfy and there's my mini fridge you can put the bottles in."
"Yeah? If you're okay with that Sam."
"Yeah, that's fine." Sam nodded.
"Hang on, why have you got a mini fridge in your office?" Zoe demanded.
"To keep the beers cold for my lunch break." Tom joked.
"Very funny." Zoe said sarcastically. "Okay, when you're ready, you're free to start receiving patients under supervision." She smiled before she left the room.
"So, consultant Dr Kent." Sam said suggestively.
"Yes Dr Kent?" Tom smiled as he spun his chair around so that Sam could sit on his lap sideways.
"Shall we get on with the days tasks seeing as I have to shadow you all day?"
"I suppose we'd better." Tom sighed before they both stood up.
"Do you think Ellie's-"
"Don't even go there, stop thinking about the kids. If the nannies need us, they'll text or ring." Tom stated reassuringly as they entered cubicles.
Sam and Tom had been called into resus and were standing there ready to receive the case when Jeff and Dixie bursted into the room with a trolley.
"Right, this is an unknown patient involved in a side on collision with another vehicle, she fell unconscious in the ambulance, and we couldn't make much sense of what she was saying except her daughter is called Mia. We think she's about 2 or 3 years old. Iain's got her daughter who was strapped to her car seat, she was in the opposite side of the car to her mother, and is distressed but we've checked her over and she appears uninjured." Dixie explained.
"Go on Tom, I've got this case." Zoe ordered so as soon as Iain entered resus with the wailing toddler, Tom took the girl and quickly made his way over to another bed besides her mother in resus.
"Come on Mia, settle down." Tom cooed but the girl was having none of it as she began banging her head against Tom's chest. Tom placed the little girl with blonde hair in a messy ponytail and a pink dress with thick white tights on, on the bed. She was screaming and screaming and stood up to try and run away but Sam grabbed her before she fell off off the bed.
"It's okay Mia, you need to calm down for me sweetheart. I've got you, it's okay." Sam said softly as she held the girl against her chest with one arm under her bum to support her weight.
Suddenly, Sam felt her stomach become warm and wet and then she heard liquid trickling on to the floor; the girl had become so distressed she had wet herself.
"I sorry. I weally weally sorry." Mia sobbed as tears poured down her red cheeks.
"Sshh, it's okay. Don't worry Mia, shall we go and get you changed?" Sam suggested as she girl remained clinging to Sam. Sam felt uncomfortable as she felt the warm liquid drip down her trousers but she couldn't show it because the girl was clearly distressed.
"Mummy... I want mummy." Mia hiccuped.
"It's alright, mummy just needs to be looked after at the moment, so why don't we go and get you cleaned up? Hm?" Sam repeated and the girl reluctantly nodded into her chest. "Right, Tom, can you grab the mum's bag and see if there's some clothes in there?" Sam asked and Tom quickly went over to the other bed and grabbed the mothers large handbag.
"Yep, everything you need is in here." Tom replied.
"Okay, can you hold her because-"
"Noooo!" The girl whined as she clung to Sam tightly.
"Alright, alright calm down. I've still got you." Sam said softly. "Right, do you want to come and help me please." Sam ordered her husband rather than asked before she awkwardly walked from resus to the staffroom.
Tom closed the staffroom door behind them and he couldn't help but smirk as he watched Sam try to deal with the situation. "Right Mia, if I just put you on the floor next to me, can you wait there so I can get changed? And then I'll get you a change of clothes out yeah?"
"Yeah." The girl repeated so Sam gently put the girl down on her own two feet and then opened her locker. Mia watched as Tom placed her mother's bag on a table and then began taking out a change of clothes for her and before she knew it, the friendly doctor was in fresh scrubs and picked her up again and put her down on the carpet in a corner ready to change her.
Sam and Tom exited resus with Mia. She could walk well if she was holding someone's hand so she was clutching to Sam's as she toddled along into resus.
"Zoe." Sam announced her presence and glanced down at the child whilst the clinical lead doctored her unconscious mother.
"Ah right, um. Well she's comatose so we're transferring her up to ITU but we're still unsure of her identity. Fletch is just calling some of her contacts on her phone to try and get a relative here to take the child so if you wouldn't mind, it's either you look after her for a while or I call social services for an emergency social worker." Zoe explained as the girl looked up trying to interpret what the strangers were saying whilst she kept a hold of Sam's hand.
"No, I'll look after her." Sam nodded eagerly as she picked Mia up and balanced her on her hip. "Don't get social services involved."
"Wow, that was easy. I thought it'd have to bribe you." Zoe admitted. "You've gone soft you have." She smirked.
"No I haven't." Sam protested before she walked out of resus with Tom in tow.
"Mia, do you know where you live?" Tom asked curiously because if he had an address, he had a chance at finding the mother's identity. Mia looked confusedly at Sam.
"I think that's a no." Sam replied on behalf of the toddler. Unfortunately, the timing wasn't great as they met a patient being wheeled in with blood spurting from a thigh injury. Sam quickly turned Mia's head and held her against her chest.
"He's bleeding out!" Jeff announced.
"Why he got paint on him?" Mia questioned curiously.
"I reckon he was standing under a ladder, and somebody dropped a bucket of paint all over him." Tom smiled and the little girl giggled.
"Tom I need to express." Sam said quietly to her husband after glancing at the clock and she had recognised the achy, full feeling in her breasts.
"Right, um. Do you want to go to my office?" Tom suggested. "Mia, do you want to come with me and get something to eat and drink?" Tom queried but Mia became shy as she clung on to Sam and didn't make eye contact with him.
"Mia, it's okay. Tom's my husband, he'll just look after you for a little while because I need to go somewhere." Sam said softly.
"Where?" Mia asked curiously.
"To make milk for my children." Sam said simply. "So can you please go with Tom and he'll get you a snack and he'll even take you to the peace garden where there's a play house." Sam smiled at the young girl. Reluctantly, Mia twisted around and held her arms out to Tom so he took her off of his wife and lifted the girl onto his shoulders.
"Right, let's go to the cafe!" Tom smiled before he began walking away leaving Sam to go and express in private.
Sam arrived in the peace garden and as she peered over to the colourful play house, she saw Tom sitting on one of the small plastic chairs whilst he pretended to take a cup of tea from Mia who was poking her head out of the window of the play house.
"Hello Mia." Sam smiled as she came and stood with her hands on her hips. "Guess who's arrived to come and look after you?" She queried.
"Mummy?" Mia queried as she exited the play house and Tom got up from his chair.
"Not quite, your daddy is waiting for you." Sam stated and the girl's face lit up.
"Daddy!" She squealed.
"C'mon, let's go and see him." Sam said as she took the girl's hand and they began walking back to the ED.
"Bye." Sam waved as Mia and her daddy stood in the lift, going up to ITU to see her mother.
"You can't say you haven't gone soft." Tom smirked as the pair walked towards his office.
"I haven't." Sam protested weakly, because she knew she had lost her edginess in family situations. She just didn't want to admit it.
4:30pm
Sam and Tom had just finished a case as they were heading to reception to receive another, when Zoe stopped them.
"Listen, we're not too busy. So you two can go home early if you want." Zoe offered.
"Really? Thank you." Sam said quickly before she jogged towards Tom's office to collect her things.
"Well, no need to tell her twice." Tom joked halfheartedly.
"She really misses her kids." Zoe sighed. "I mean, not that you don't but-"
"It's fine, I know what you mean." Tom interrupted. "Right, I'll see you tomorrow." He smiled before he began jogging to catch up with his wife.
Sam had been quick to greeted the nannies who said they had take a while to settle, but they had been fine otherwise, and then showed them the door because she just wanted to spend some time with her children. Tom watched as Sam shut the door, before she sprinted upstairs.
"How're my little munchkins?" Tom queried as he entered the room where all children were standing in their cots leaning against the rails looking at their parents.
"Hello!" Sam beamed as she picked up Ellie and put her on her hip.
"Mama." Ellie smiled in return as she snuggled her face into her mother's chest after missing her ever since she had left that morning.
"Have you been a good girl?" Sam asked.
"Milk." Ellie demanded as she grabbed Sam's breast with both hands. "Miiiiillk." She repeated slowly.
"You want milk, of course you do." Sam concluded as she pulled her top down unclipped her bra and Ellie helped herself as she latched on and suckled away to her hearts content. "Not I've missed you mummy or I want a hug." Sam said to herself and Tom chuckled.
10:45pm
Sam collapsed into bed besides her husband after finally getting the octuplets off to sleep.
"Well that wasn't the first day back at work that I was expecting." Sam sighed as he wrapped his arms around her and rested his hands on her abdomen where his children used to lay.
"It'll be better tomorrow. You won't have to shadow me, and you won't have to spend most of the day looking after a toddler." Tom said reassuringly.
"I don't know how long I can do this." She admitted. "Getting up early, sometimes getting up in the night, I don't get to bed until late and I have to work during the day - I used to have naps when I could catch up."
"Well why don't you nap in your lunch break?" Tom suggested. "My office is always quiet. And you've got the sofa there, just bring a blanket and a pillow tomorrow and you can try and get some rest. Speaking of which, c'mon, stop talking and go to sleep." He ordered tiredly as he switched the light off and then snuggled up to his wife.
Thanks for reading please review :) Next is the octuplet's first birthday!