Spoilers for Season 6 Ep 3.
Original Dialogue from the show- Belonging to Heidi Thomas
A bit of teenage romance for everyone.
It was the start of the summer holidays when a new member of the team joined.
Nurse Rene Standeven was the same age as Mia. The only thing Mia knew about the new nurse was that she came from a well-off family who weren't happy about the path Rene was heading down so sent her to be a nurse.
Rene arrived at the maternity home that day mere hours before the maternity home was due to open. Mia was busying herself on the ward with Mrs Evans and Mrs Collier. Shelagh had returned to work after the morning sickness was less severe. Fred was oiling a rusty wheel.
"Sister Mia, Nurse Turner I would like to introduce you to our newest midwife Nurse Rene Standeven. She will only be observing today so she can get familiar with the maternity home setting and our work here!" Sister Julienne pressed. Mia grimaced slightly at the nurse's creased uniform. "You have 1 hour left on your shift Sister Mia will you return to Nonnatus afterwards, I will take over after you?"
Mia nodded with a smile in her mother's direction. Mia wandered off and folded the pressed linen and placed it in the cupboard.
"Excuse me do you need help?" Nurse Standeven asked Mia who shook her head and turned back to her task. "Is there anything I can do I'm bored!"
"Nurse Standeven, you are supposed to be observing so that is what you will do. You will leave me alone now and go speak to Shelagh or Dr Turner!" Mia snapped turning around angrily. "I am busy and working!"
Mia cycled back to Nonnatus. Just as she entered the clinical room she realised that Sister Ursula was in mid-conversation with Nurse Crane, Gilbert and Sister Winifred.
"Is everything ok?" Mia asked putting her equipment into the autoclave.
"I'm putting a twenty-minute time slot on post-natal and prenatal visits!"Sister Ursula returned. Mia nodded and bit her lip and hurried off to her room.
Timothy called for her the following morning and offered to walk her to the maternity home where numerous nurses were filtering in and out. With Sister Ursula's 20-minute time limit loads of the roaster had changed. The disorganisation was annoying Mia she hurried into the surgery pushing through the rest of the disorganised nurses. She threw her coat under Shelagh's desk with some force and pulled on an apron. She hurried back onto the ward. She gave Mrs Evans some napkins. Before hurrying to answer the phone. Shelagh came to stand beside her again. Dr Turner ran in obviously late.
"Is it only you two again, you both worked all of yesterday this is ridiculous!" Patrick exclaimed letting out an exasperated sigh.
That evening Mia insisted on going to the Turner's house to help them jungle all their jobs. As soon as Timothy was in his room with some biscuits and his homework he was content. Angela was harder to convince but after reading flopsy bunny for the fourth time Angela was finally asleep. So Mia busied herself with some folding. It was only the same as she had done earlier that week but Mia would have done it a thousand times if it lessened the Turner's load.
"Hells bells!"Patrick cursed.
"I told you to leave it and I would do it!" Shelagh said.
"No your mending your dress," Patrick mocked.
"Enough both of you. Shelagh needed to adjust her uniform as for those reports give them here. I am skilled with a typewriter and I have finished the folding it just needs to go in the linen cupboard!"Mia finalised taking the typewriter and beginning her task.
Mia crept back into Nonnatus after Compline that night but the creaky door meant that she woke her mother.
"Oh, Mia I was so worried where were you? I was close to calling the police, "Sister Julienne questioned her daughter.
"I was at the Turners. But I didn't leave the maternity home with Shelagh and Patrick until nearly two hours after my shift!" Mia snapped. "And before you snap at me for not spending my time doing spiritual activities, Patrick can't use a typewriter to save his life and I was lending him a hand by writing out the reports moreover Shelagh has too many household chores to do on her own especially when her morning sickness is worse. Me and Shelagh are working the jobs of 4 people. The sooner we can get another nurse on the better!"
Mia was at the Maternity home at half past 6 the following morning. Pressed and dressed in her nun's uniform. She went in a checked on Mrs Evans and Mrs Collier before opening all the curtains. Mia gathered all her notes that she had finished at Nonnatus the night before.
As Mia made her way to the front of the surgery to get some fresh air she noticed Shelagh polishing the was obvious that Shelagh was experiencing some form of discomfort. Mia led her inside and they shared a hug before going to find Nurse Gilbert who had arrived moments prior.
"Mrs Collier has had a show so things are on the move!" Nurse Gilbert announced. Mia moved to stand at one side of the bed reading the notes of the woman in question whilst Shelagh pressed gently on her abdomen.
"Sorry I have got the most awful butterflies!" Shelagh apologises. Mia shot her a knowing look before taking over the job her colleague had been performing.
"Does it have anything to do with the fact that you are in the family way does it Mrs T?" Mrs Collier asked with a smirk.
Shelagh blushed a deep scarlet and there was a chorus of "I knew it" From a few of the other patients.
"Now ladies what have I told you all about speculating, you were doing it last week about Nurse Gilbert and Rv. Hereward!"Sister Mia reprimanded but she was still smiling.
"Well yes, I am expecting a baby and we're delighted!"
"This is Nurse Turner and Dr Turner, this is Dr Greenwood!" Mia recited.
"Welcome to our Maternity Home and Doctor Surgery," Patrick said. "Nurse Turner and Sister Mia will be accompanying us on the tour.
From there Patrick begins to explain about the rooms available whilst Shelagh gives them a bit of information on the wards. Mr Greenwood comments on the fact it is so small and a hospital would be very glad of the space. That irritates Mia but she does not show it instead she interjects doing her best to sound polite.
"Mr Greenwood, Sir, I have worked here for a while. I was brought up in Poplar by the Sisters at Nonnatus house. This surgery and maternity home are at the backbone of the community, it gives the women safety so they can deliver if there have been foreseen complications whilst being close enough that they can see their families!" Mia told the man in front of her.
"Not moving!" Mrs Chen shouts distressed as she runs through the door. Mia grabs the infant and Dr Turner runs after her.
"Come on little one," Dr Turner ushers laying a stethoscope on the baby's chest. "She's not responding to painful stimuli, babby's pulse is very fast!"
"Mrs Chen's the same and she's just been sick!" Nurse Gilbert exclaimed sitting Lucy on a chair. Mia placed a hand on Lucy's head and was startled at how hot the young woman was. "When me and Mia visited yesterday Mrs Chen was poorly and we didn't have time to check Lin because of the 20-minute time slot! She was complaining of a bad headache and slight fever I thought it was just the fire being on."
Mia turned to Doctor Turner who seemed to have realised the issue and was checking the baby's gums.
"How many gas appliances do you have Mrs Chen?" Dr Turner asked.
"Fire, Water Heater, Cooker!" Mrs Chen replied.
"We need an ambulance right away. High pulse rate, headaches irritability. I think it's carbon monoxide poisoning!"
Mia stood with Shelagh as the ambulance departed. Shelagh's hand suddenly moved to her stomach and she groaned quietly. The noise didn't go unnoticed by Mia who was accustomed to hearing the noise.
"You alright?" Mia asked looking at Shelagh with concern. Shelagh shook her head. "Go to the lav."
"No, I need to check on Barbara!" Shelagh replied briskly walking back inside.
Although Mia didn't voice her concern she was worried. Very worried.
Mia knew something was wrong as soon as she saw Shelagh run to the toilet abandoning her work. Mia walked after her and settled herself on the steps just outside. She heard Shelagh begin to cry and opened the door. She didn't think. Mia knew what was happening, the signs had all been there earlier but Mia couldn't break Shelagh's heart.
Mia took Shelagh's shaking hands in hers.
"It's gonna be fine Shelagh, let's get you cleaned, I'll get you a sanitary pad and I have some clean knickers in my bag, stay here!" Mia whispered to the older woman. She rushed to grab her bag with the sanitary pads and knickers. She popped onto the ward.
"Nurse Gilbert something has happened with Shelagh will you stay here until I can get it sorted?" Mia asked pleadingly. Nurse Gilbert noticed the urgency in Mia's voice and nodded.
Mia found Shelagh on the telephone. Mia scowled and took the phone from her.
"Hello Nurse Crane I assume she has asked you to come to take her to St Cuthbert's, I'll stay with her till then!" Mia said with authority before putting the phone down. "Come on love let's get you cleaned up!"
"Patrick we are in the middle of an inspection, one of us has to-" Shelagh was interrupted.
"Shelagh I'm taking you, I'm sure Nurse Crane will hold the fort?" Patrick suggested.
"Yes of course!" Nurse Crane replied.
"Give me your key I'll go tell Tim what's going on!" Mia said worrying how the boy would react.
Mia tried the door and it was open. Timothy was sat on the sofa watching TV.
"Oh Sister, what are you doing here, is everything alright was the meeting with Mr Greenwood alright?" Timothy asked. Mia shook her head and allowed a tear to escape her eye. "Are they being shut down? Oh, Sister what's happened? Sit down I'll make you a cup of tea."
Mia sat next to Timothy. She was sitting on the sofa with her knees tucked underneath her.
"Your dad had to take your mum to the hospital, she's had some significant bleeding. They think she might miscarry." Mia told the boy and saw his heartbreak. "Even if they keep her on bed rest she might spontaneously miscarry, there is barely anything that can be done for!"
It was then Mia began to sob. This pregnancy was a miracle and it was bringing taken away from a woman who deserved it more than anyone.
Timothy couldn't help himself he hated seeing Mia cry so he pulled her into a tight hug and let her cry. He kissed the crown of her head and gently rubbed her back. Mia didn't pull back as much as she knew she should have done. Tim made her feel safe.
"Don't say anything to Angie, she's too young to understand. Just tell her that mummy had to go somewhere to learn about the baby!" it was the most futile excuse but it was the only thing Mia could think of.
"What can I do?" Tim asked.
"Pray that's what I'll be doing tonight with the rest of the sisters. We prayed for this did me and my mum. This is your mum's reward, so pray with us. Pray at 8. At the same time as me and my sisters," Mia advised.
"What can I do for you?" Tim asked.
Mia looked at him resisting a burning urge to kiss him. It was completely forbidden. Tim noticed the look. It was a look a lot of girls had given him. But this wasn't any girl. This was his childhood best friend. The girl he had grown up with. They had grown apart due to Mia's vocation.
Tim knew it was wrong. Mia knew it was sinful. But at that moment they were both deeply upset. Later Mia would regret it and blame it on raging emotions.
But at that moment they kissed.
It was so wrong.
But nothing had ever felt so right.