Chapter 1:
Mia Julienne was by far the youngest midwife Nonnatus had ever seen. Being only 20 she had received a few funny looks after she had joined the team at only 16.
She was one of the most skilled midwives on the team despite her age.
Mia had been left on the steps of Nonnatus when she was merely hours old. She was blue with cold, on the verge of pneumonia and severe illness.
Sister Evangelina had found her on the steps. She had heard the wailing infant soon after she had left compline. She listened for a minute but the closeness of the noise worried her. Mothers were good at soothing infants. She was rooted to the spot when she wrenched the door open to find a snuffling bundle just abandoned in a basket. She had grabbed the basket hurriedly and all but ran inside straight to the clinical room.
"SISTER JULIENNE!" Sister Evangelina had bellowed. Her fellow sister had come rushing down the hall with a worried expression on her face.
"My dear Sister, what on earth has happened?" Sister Julienne then noticed the basket containing the baby who had now begun to wail. "Who would leave such a young infant on the steps? Fetch me some warm blankets and a thermometer. I will fill the sink with warm water to bathe them. It's I girl I see."
Sister Julienne unwrapped her from the blankets to see she had nothing else underneath. In the midst of it, all snow had begun to fall blanketing the world outside in a thick layer of white. The world seemed to stop as Sister Julienne cradled the infant in her arms. She gently dabbed warm water over her to cleaner her before rubbing her carefully with a white Evangelina returned but stood in the doorway watching one of her closest friends in the religious life.
"I brought blankets and a thermometer just as you asked. I'm going to fetch some clothes from the charity box. There may even be a bassinet for her to sleep in. Doctor Turner said he will call and see her tomorrow but he said that she is in good hands. I'll take you off the roster for the rest of the week so you can focus on the little one. Mother Jesu-Emmanuel must be told!"
"Thank you, Sister Evangelina. You may retire to bed now, I think I can look after her," Sister Julienne replied swiftly turning her back from her fellow Sister. Sister Julienne couldn't bare the thought of the infant being taken from her. Sister Evangelina placed the items on the table of the clinical room and left to return to her cell.
Gentle steps awoke Sister Julienne from her trance. She turned around to find her newest Sister: Sister Bernadette standing there with a small smile on her face. Sister Bernadette was only 23. She was a gentle quiet soul. She worked hard to prove that she deserved her place at Nonnatuas house. There had been a lot of worry because of Sister Bernadette's inexperience but she had proven herself to be a brilliant midwife, nurse and religious sister.
Sister Bernadette held her arms out and gently took the crying baby from Sister Julienne. Sister Julienne went to object but when the baby stopped howling she watched in surprise. Sister Bernadette began to sing a lullaby whilst rocking the baby gently until she fell asleep.
"She seems to have warmed up considerably. I think you ought to put her to bed now and go yourself today has been a very eventful day for everyone. Tomorrow everything may look clearer!" Sister Bernadette told the older sister who listened.
The following day had been a tiring one. Calls were made to Mother Jesu-Emmanuel and to the police to report the abandonment. Sister Julienne didn't leave the baby for a second. Doctor Turner gave the little one a clean bill of health.
"She was hand delivered, you can tell by the way the chord has been cut. She must only have been a few hours only when you found her. She is incredibly small so she may be premature. I will keep a close eye on her weight gain. I will pop in the day after tomorrow to check in on her. If that is ok with you Sister?" Doctor Turner suggested. "I will see myself out."
Sister Julienne was in her office when the phone rang.
"Nonnatus House, Sister Julienne speaking?"
"Good morning Sister, I was wondering what had happened to the baby?" It was Mother Jesu-Emmanuel.
"No Mother, nothing yet. I was wondering what would happen to the child if her mother isn't found?" Sister Julienne asked hoping she would get the answer she wanted.
"If her parents are not found. She will of course travel here to Chicester to the Mother House orphanage where she will be cared for by the Sisters here," Mother Jesu-Emmanuel replied. Hearing her fellow sister sigh Mother Jesu spoke up again. "Unless you had other ideas?"
Sister Julienne proposed that the baby would stay at Nonnatus in the care of the Sisters there. She would attend the school just next door to Nonnatus. She would grow up in a stable home. Maybe not an ordinary one but the sentiment was there. This also came with the added perk of naming the child.
She was christened with the name Mia Elizabeth Julienne. She need a last name so took Sister Julienne's surname. Everything was settled. Sister Julienne was named as her mother on the birth certificate. Mother Jesu- Emmanuel had agreed to that. Sister Julienne got to be a mother and still live a religious life.
It wasn't perfect but it was what Sister Julienne thought would be best. She would stop at nothing to protect her daughter in the future.