Just like always the alarm sounded at 6am, waiting to be slapped and shut off.
"Shee-" Patrick groaned, pulling a pillow over his head.
"It's on your side!" Shelagh whined back, giving him a kick. Grumpily he got up and shut off the buzzer. Shelagh slid out of bed, put on her dressing gown and slippers and padded her way downstairs to make breakfast. Just as she walked past Angela's cot her little fingers reached up to her.
"Oh alright, come on you." She whispered, and picked her up letting her nestle into her neck and fall asleep again. She opened the hall cupboard and pulled out her wrap, safely tucking the sleeping babe into it and get dressing gown. Shelagh would grump like it was in inconvenience, but in all truth she wouldn't have it anyother way. She stood in front of the stove and stirred the scrambled eggs in the pan, when two hands landed on her hips from behind. her knees would have gave out there if she wasn't aware of the tiny body strapped onto her chest. He moved her collar down and pressed little kisses to her neck, making her shiver at his touch.
"Pat-rick" She breathlessly moaned, leaning back to him slightly.
"I know." His voice was husky and deep this morning, oh how she loved it. Patrick stepped back and moved to fill the kettle.
"Awe!" She groaned, feeling him pull away.
"Tonight my love" He softly kissed her lips and smiled but as Timothy walked into the room.
"Tonight" She thought, that would get her through the day.
Just as she sat down to eat her breakfast the house phone rang, scarring Angela awake. She was glad at this moment to still have her in her wrap instead of in her cot in the setting room.
"Shh, wee one! It's alright. Hello?" She winced at her words, even she knew that sounded more annoyed than intended.
"Shelagh love, It's mum" Julia spoke, with the utter most love in her voice.
"I gathered that, what's up?" She said, chuckling.
"Just wanted to tell you how wonderfully excited your father and I are to see you tonight! Well that and I wanted to hear your voice." Shelagh smiled and nervously curled a piece of hair around her finger.
"I have something to tell you and daddy tonight, but until then I have to go."
"Alright lovely, I'll see you at work."
"Who was that dear?"
"Mum. Being overly excited to see us tonight."
"Ahh, well she should be." Patrick gave her a wink before digging into his meal again.
Shelagh and Patrick had got one kid off to school and the other to daycare, and together the two walked into the maternity ward of Kenilworth Hospital.
"Oh. My. God." Shelagh could feel herself turning red with fury, today was her first day back from their holiday and her prize work was near destruction.
"Shelagh. Go to my office."
"But Pat-"
"Shelagh now!" Shelagh turned tail and walked into the office behind her. Patrick walked up to the clattered and cluttered desk of people lazily talking and paying no attention whatsoever.
"NOW then." She spoke loudly, watching nearly all of them jump and widen their eyes. \
"I don't really care who is responsible for wrecking my wife and I's practice, but I want it turned round pronto! Take all this trash to the bin, someone put away the cart of linens, get all these files put away and sorted and for Christ's sake get your feet of the desk man!" Patrick angrily walked back to his office to find his wife bawling her eyes out.
"Hell's teeth!" He murmured, as he shut the door tightly behind him.
"Come now love." He scooped her up into his lap, and held her close.
"Oh, Patrick! All my work!"
"Will be sorted. I have made a few changes and The London has agreed to swap some people. as of 3 O'clock it will be Jenny, Trixie, Meredith, and William on the staff and they are taking this lot."
"Patrick, The London pays them more."
"No, not anymore. We have found that we can afford to switch then back to here and The London will pay the salary difference!"
"Oh, Patrick you mean they can stay?"
"Yes, love they can. But I have to go and tell this lot it now, want to come?"
"Yes. Please."
"Alright now that we have you all here, as of three today you will all be transferred to The London Hospital. You have nearly destroyed our life's work, the books are a mess the files are in desperate need of help, and to be honest you are the laziest bunch i have ever seen."
"You are all dismissed to collect your things and finish your files for your replacements. Would Chummy and Paul stay behind please."
"Thank you both, you do not need to gather your things as we cannot bare to part with our dear friends." Patrick smiled at the pair in front of them, and Shook Paul's hand as Shelagh Hugged Chummy. Patrick was glad there was no mothers expected on the ward today except for the normal emergency mother here and there, and the ones that came in yesterday. Shelagh started busying herself in her work, she was truly excited to see her friends again. When she married she transferred over the Kenilworth Row Maternity ward from The London, She loved Patrick and they tried to work out the payments for transfers, but it just never played in their favor. Until now.
Looking up from her files she saw the figure of the one person she wanted to see most right now, her mother. She embraced her in a long tight hug, glad to have her back on the ward and following in her footsteps. Shelagh never knew her real parents, she was six when Julie and Rick adopted her, and in her teen years helped her find her family. Shelagh remembered being told about the horrible events of her sixth birthday, that was the day she was separated from her family. Her mother and father were killed in horrible car accident and they split Shelagh. Sìneag and Finnean up, into different places. On Shelagh's 13th birthday a knocking came from the door, the person standing in front of her looked just like her. Honey hair and blue eyes, freckles covering her cheeks and nose. It was her sister. They grew up in different homes, but kept close touch, Shelagh knew nothing different than that was the only family she had, until years later when her grandparents shown up. Julie and Rick found Shelagh the day after her sixth birthday, she had managed to sneak out of the orphanage she was in and she tried to run away. Julie and Rick were unable to conceive a child of their own, many years they had waited, but the call that a child needed a home, never came for them.
"Rick! Stop the car!" He did as his wife asked and watched her get out. Where is she going? He thought.
"Shh. Hello my lovely. Are you lost?" Julie crouched down to the small blond child and reached out a hand, as she shrunk back further into the wall behind her.
"It's okay, you can trust me. I won't hurt you, promise." The liquid blue eyes looked up and made a decision, she stepped forward.
"It's okay, would you like to come with me? It's very cold, I can make you warm and safe?" She sat back on her heels and waited on the child, never dropping her outstretched arms. Shelagh took a step forward and then another, and then she ran into Julie's arms. She enveloped the small girl in her arms and promised not to let her go, after looking at the tag on her dress she saw the Orphanage tag. She took her back to the car and basted the heater, letting her fall asleep on her lap.
"Take me to the All Saints Orphanage, my love." Rick's heart was in his throat as he drive, praying that God was on their side. They pulled up to the brick building and walked inside, Shelagh still sleeping on Julie's shoulder.
"Oh! You found her! Thank you! Little hood rat she is, not much good for anything other than getting in trouble eh?" The woman who ran the orphanage was nauseating to Julie, she wanted nothing more than to slap her.
"I would like to adopt her." Julie stated, knowing the woman had received all of their information in the passing years.
"You what? Why this child, don't you want one that will bring worth to your family?"
"Yes. I do. I have found her, can we sign papers tonight?"
"Yes, I think we can." The woman had realized what she said, was possibly out of line. After the papers were signed, Shelagh woke up and blinked at Julie, wiping her little eyes Julie kissed her forehead.
"My lovely, would you like to leave this place and come home with me?" The small blue eyes looked like they were about to cry, she violently shook her head yes and wrapped her arms around Julie's neck. That night, Shelagh slept soundly in between Julie and Paul, in their bed.
