Chapter 49
Sister Julienne looked around the large table. Their numbers had swelled over the years and new faces added, some faces lost to them forever and others gone due to circumstances. Christmas had always been such a joyous time at Nonnatus House and while everyone around the table was doing their best to make this one happy there was an underlying sadness knowing this would be their last Christmas around this table.
Patrick had argued strongly with the Board of Health that there was still a role for the sisters in Poplar within the maternity home and as workers within the community. He argued that their presence was expected by the people of the East End and to close down Nonnatus House would be mean the East End would lose one of it's most valuable healthcare resources. Ultimately it had fallen on deaf ears. He had one last meeting scheduled with the Minister of Health himself just after New Year but none of them were holding out much hope.
Sister Julienne felt tears start to well as she looked at the end of the table and saw her beloved Shelagh once again cradling a newborn baby in her arms on Christmas day, just as she had almost a decade ago. She had now been Mrs Turner nearly as long as she had been Sister Bernadette and the older nun felt privileged to have watched the change in the young woman. From nun to inexperienced wife and mother, to a pillar in the community in her own right. It had been a long journey filled with tears and joy but Sister Julienne had no doubt it was the path God had intended for her.
Shelagh rose and left the room, whispering to Patrick that she was just going into the sitting room to feed the baby before pudding.
"Do you mind if I join you my dear?" Sister Julienne asked as Shelagh settled the baby at her breast and discreetly covered them both.
"Of course not Sister." Shelagh responded, glad to have some time alone with the older woman.
'I shall miss this. These large family gatherings at Christmas."
Shelagh looked up alarmed. "Surely you will come to us at Christmas sister. I cannot imagine not celebrating the holiest of days with you."
"Of course I will my darling girl. I meant I shall miss having everyone here at Nonnatus."
Shelagh thought about the faces currently sitting around the Christmas table. The Turners, the Bancrofts, John and Trixie and their three boys, Nurses Mount and Busby and of course Sisters Winifred and Mary Cynthia. "I suspect it will only be the venue that changes I imagine most of the faces will remain the same." Shelagh smiled and squeezed the nun's hand.
Sister Julienne laughed. "You are probably correct. Although how you are planning to fit everyone around the table next year is quite beyond me!"
Shelagh laughed. "Perhaps we will send the children next door to Matthew and Elizabeth's – it would certainly make the meal quieter."
Shelagh looked around the room and willed the tears that were welling in her eyes not to drop. "I'm finding it rather hard to imagine my life without Nonnatus House and it's occupants. I know we talked about it over summer and I have had six months to come to terms with it but I feel like I am losing a huge part of myself."
"I think I am going to miss you far more than you will miss us. Your family and work keep you so busy you will not have time to miss us. I however, will be retiring and other than my devotions and handicrafts I think it will be me who feels our separation far more keenly." Sister Julienne spoke of her greatest fear. "I confess, I am struggling with God's plan for me at the moment."
"Oh sister." Shelagh reached out and clasped the other woman's hand. She had been focussing on how much she would miss the older woman she had not thought about how much of a change Sister Julienne was about to undergo. "You know there will always be a room for you in our home. In fact Angela has been coveting Timothy's old room and it was only when I told her we would be keeping that room for when you came to visit us did she stop pestering me." Shelagh smiled but it did not quite reach her eyes.
Sister Julienne squeezed her hand. "Well if Angela is making such a sacrifice on my behalf I shall have to make sure I make use of it regularly."
….
"There are my girls!" Patrick said as he walked into his sitting room. Katherine ran up to him and launched herself into her father's arms.
"Hello dear. How was work?" Shelagh asked as she lifted a sleeping Claire onto her shoulder and rubbed soothing circles on her back.
"Very interesting actually. I had a phone call from the Minister's office this morning asking if we could move next weeks meeting to this afternoon."
"How did it go?" Shelagh asked despondently, knowing there was little hope that Nonnatus House could be saved.
"Very interesting actually. It turns out the Minister was born in Poplar." Patrick told her. "And his mother had a difficult delivery and it was a certain Sister Julienne and her skill as a midwife that saved his life."
Shelagh began to feel her hopes rise. "And he is so overcome with gratitude that he has decided to keep Nonnatus House open?" She asked hopefully.
Patrick smiled at his wife's optimism. "Not quite love, he does still have to operate within government guidelines." He watched as her face fell. "However, he does agree that the East End has particular needs separate to the rest of London. He proposes that the midwives remain working at the maternity home, he feels that what we are doing could be looked at as an example of best practice for the future of midwifery. I did explain that you are the driving force behind the maternity home and he is very impressed with what you are doing."
"Goodness. I don't know what to say."
"I do. I always told you that you were the most accomplished midwife I had ever worked with and that has not changed."
"But what of the sisters?"
"Ahhh the Sisters. Yes, he sees their value to the community. He would like three of them to remain to provide back up to the Maternity Home when nurses are seconded to the London. However, their main role will be the expansion of community nursing, he wants to see all pre and post-natal checks done through the maternity home, something I know you've wanted for some time and the Minister agrees with you."
Shelagh was silent as the thought about what the minister was proposing and she could see a lot of sense to it. "And what of Nonnatus House?" She finally asked.
"It will have to close. The sisters will have to move into a house, preferably close to the community centre." Patrick told her. "What do you think?"
"Actually I think it makes a great deal of sense. I think it is a more streamlined way of serving the community but the sisters will miss the midwifery I think."
"Yes. I thought that too. Although given that we lose at least one nurse a month to the London I have a feeling they will probably be in the Maternity home more than they expect."
Shelagh thought about how often she had to redo the rosters when the London called and agreed with him.
…..
The closure of Nonnatus House and the subsequent move into the old rectory all happened rather quickly once the Minister for Health had made his decision.
Shelagh had been the one to suggest the old rectory across from Nonnatus House. It had been sitting empty since Reverend and Barbra Hereward had been moved to a larger home closer to the church some years previously. They had since moved on to a parish in Manchester however, the new Reverend had a family of six and needed the larger home also so the rectory had been sitting idle for some time. It certainly wasn't the large home the nuns were used to but they would no longer have a cook or housekeeper so they saw the smaller size as an advantage. Sister Julienne was just pleased she was able to stay in Poplar. She had been dreading moving to Chichester and living a life of what she considered idleness. She still felt she was needed in Poplar to do God's work even if it was no longer delivering babies.
…..
Shelagh Turner had just finished feeding her three month old daughter when the phone rang. She awkwardly stood with the sleeping baby on her shoulder.
Fifteen minutes later she hung up still stunned by who she had been speaking to and what he was asking of her. A slow smile spread across her face. She looked outside and saw the sun shining and decided she would walk Claire to the Surgery before picking Angela and Katherine up from school. There was only one person she wanted to share her exciting news with and he was currently performing ultrasounds at the Maternity Home.
….
Half an hour later Shelagh walked in the Maternity Home. A sense of calm professionalism washed over her as it always did when she walked through the front door. This was her domain, this was her professional environment and she was confident and self-assured whenever she was here.
Shelagh took her place behind the desk and started sorting through the patient records while Claire slept soundly in her pram. As if sensing her presence in the building Patrick walked through the door from his office.
"I wasn't expecting to see you here today love." He said as he leaned down to kiss her. He turned to the pram and made to pick up the sleeping baby.
"Patrick Turner don't you dare wake that baby. I have work to do before picking up the girls from school and I have some rather exciting news to share with you."
Patrick looked at her expectantly and then down at her stomach. It took a moment for Shelagh's mind to process what he was thinking. "Goodness no! No dear, I think you had best enjoy the four children we have because I don't think we will be having anymore."
Patrick looked momentarily disappointed and then remembered how blessed he was. "So what is this exciting news?"
"I had a phone call from the Minister of Health." Patrick raised his eyebrows, clearly impressed and waited for his wife to continue. "He was approached by the Head of Nursing Studies at London University, Mr Allen. Apparently Mr Allen heard my talk a few months ago and wants me to lecture at the university." She told her husband excitedly.
Patrick took in her blush of excitement and tamped down the odd feeling he suddenly had in his stomach. "But what about your work here? Surely you don't want to give up midwifery to become a teacher?"
Shelagh looked at her husband, perplexed by his attitude. "That is the best part Patrick, they are prepared to work around my schedule. I explained that I wasn't prepared to give up my work here and that I had a young family and Mr Allen is prepared for me to work even one day a week if that is all I can manage." Patrick didn't seem to be warming to the idea. "Do you not want me to take the job dear? Do you think it will mean I'll be neglecting the girls….and you? I promise it really won't be that different, Trixie has been wanting to come back to work part time and I thought perhaps we could possibly share the job at the maternity home which would free up some of my time. Patrick please say something."
Patrick smiled at his excited wife. "Of course you must do it. Who better to teach new midwives than the best midwife I have ever worked with. I'm surprised it has taken them this long to offer you a job." Patrick kissed her lightly. "I have a mountain of paperwork I need to get to and you need to be on your way to pick up our little princesses." Patrick turned and headed back towards his office, leaving his wife just staring after him. Just as he reached his office door he turned. "Congratulations darling, I really am very proud of you."
As the office door closed Shelagh stood there running the conversation over in her mind. Patrick had certainly said all the right things but something seemed amiss, her wifely instinct was telling her that Patrick was not quite as happy about the offer as he was letting on. Before she could think anymore about it there was a snuffling sound from the pram and she decided that picking up Katherine and Angela would have to take precedence over talking with her husband at the moment.
Patrick shut his office door behind him and leaned against it wearily, hoping Shelagh wouldn't follow him, he knew she would know he wasn't entirely happy about the lecturing job but before he could talk to her he needed to understand exactly what he was feeling. At first he thought it might be jealousy but immediately dismissed it. He had been asked several times over the years to talk at the university and occasionally he had enjoyed it but it certainly wasn't something he wanted to do regularly.
He hadn't been lying when he said the university would be mad not to employ her. She really was an amazing midwife and what she had done with the maternity home over the last few years really was at the forefront of obstetric practice and she would be the perfect person to shape the next generation of midwives.
And there it was. The next generation.
While he was coming to the end of his career and looking towards retirement his wife's career was suddenly taking off and it just served to remind him of their significant age difference.
…
Shelalgh sat on their bed that night nursing Claire as Patrick quietly slipped into the room and put his pyjamas on. He gently sat on the bed trying not to disturb his daughter as she ate. Claire obviously felt the movement though and detached herself with a tug and turned to see her father and give him the gummiest smile she could manage.
Patrick's heart melted. It was moments like this he lived for. He leaned forward and kissed the babies neck causing her to giggle.
"Patrick. Really! I was trying to get her to sleep." Shelagh admonished without any real conviction. She knew how hard he worked and how much peace his children bought him at the end of a busy day.
"Sorry love, but I'm afraid I can't resist that smile." Patrick grinned at her without any remorse.
Claire had obviously finished eating and was ready to spend some time charming her father. Shelagh handed the baby over as she adjusted her nightdress.
"Are you ready to talk about this afternoon?" She asked.
Patrick was quiet for a short time, not insulting her by pretending he didn't know what she was talking about.
"It terrifies me how well you know me sometime love." He started. "I'm sorry if I didn't react the way you were hoping for."
"Patrick I never want you to react any way other than honestly. If you think I shouldn't take the job then I won't but I would like to discuss it before we make a decision." She told him. She had been thinking about it all afternoon. She had never considered herself a subservient wife, she had always considered their marriage to be a partnership but if Patrick really didn't think she should take the job then she would hear his reasons and discuss it with him before accepting or declining the job.
"You have to take the job if you want it." Patrick said firmly. "I cannot think of a better role model or midwife to teach new recruits."
Shelagh snuggled up to her husband and gently stroked the baby's head as she too snuggled against her father and began getting drowsy.
"This afternoon?" Shelagh asked knowing he would understand.
"This afternoon I was an idiot." Patrick smiled at her.
"Patrick." Shelagh was not letting him get away without explaining himself.
Patrick took a deep breath. "I was feeling our age difference again love. Just as I am heading towards retirement you career is taking off in new and exciting directions." Shelagh went to speak but Patrick silenced her with a gentle finger to the lips. "Once I realised why I had reacted the way I did I really did feel like an idiot and I sat down and ignored my paperwork." Patrick smiled at her. She knew it took very little to make him ignore paperwork. "You have been my partner, my rock and always supported me in my career. I still don't know what I ever did to deserve someone like you but I've realised I'm tired. I'm tired and it's time for me to start putting you first and support you the same way you have always supported me. When you start lecturing I am going to give up general practice."
"No!" Shelagh said adamantly.
"Hear me out love. I am going to give up general practice and just focus on obstetrics. Ultrasounds and pre and post-natal checks. It will allow me to set my own hours and be there for the girls. It's your time sweetheart and to be honest once I made the decision I felt lighter. I am honestly looking forward to being able to spend more time with the girls, being home for dinner each night, getting more than four consecutive hours of sleep. Shelagh I am truly looking forward to this and I am so proud of you."
Shelagh sat there not really knowing what to say. She wanted to argue with him and tell him that he didn't have to give up being a GP for her but as she looked at him she saw how relaxed he was. He reminded her of the time years ago when they had been driving home from Scotland and how much younger he looked. Perhaps this was the right decision for them. Only time would tell and if it didn't work out then he could always return to general practice.
"I will agree to this on one condition." Shelagh said as Patrick held the now sleeping baby and began nuzzling at her neck.
"And what condition is that love?" He asked as he continued his assault down her collarbone.
"If at any time you change your mind you must promise to tell me and we can find another way to make this work."
"Mmmmmm. Certainly." He said distractedly. "I have a condition of my own."
"Hmmmmm."
"My condition is you put the baby to bed and we celebrate properly."
"That is one condition I am more than happy to live with Dr Turner." Shelagh giggled.
