A small alteration of the storyline. Apologies to Heidi. I love her writing but I will not kill Barbara.
After Barbara and Tom's return to Poplar after their short time away, things became different. Barbara was given less work which didn't go unnoticed by Mia.
There was a car accident involving an Irish man who had just migrated to Poplar with his pregnant wife and two children. The care of the Irish woman would be shared between Mia and Barbara.
Not only that but imagine trying to get Sister Monica Joan to the hospital. A very difficult task indeed left to Mia, Shelagh and Sister Julienne.
"Pearl this is fine for home delivery I'll sign that off!" Mia told the Irish woman.
"You may want to move the boxes you'll struggle to move around with them," Barbara advised.
"Their Terry's things!" Pearl whispered.
"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't think!" Barbara apologised.
"I don't know what to do with them!" Pearl confessed.
"We will help you go through them!" Mia said.
"Well, that's not part of your job!" Pearl corrected.
"I'm the wife of a curate and Sister Mia is a nun and helps with things like this!" Barbara informed her.
"This is very much part of our jobs!" Mia said. "Let us help?"
"I've just taken a call from the council!" Sister Julienne informed the 3 nurses in front of her. "There's been a complaint about the class. From a Mrs Walker, Elizabeth's mum!"
"What about, the class has never caused a problem before!" Mia asked with a pointed look.
"The allegation that shocks me the most is that Nurse Anderson asked the girls to produce drawings of an indelicate nature." Sister Julienne informed Mia who raised an eyebrow finally realising what the complaint was about.
"Mum the drawings were my idea first of all. Second of all, they were purely anatomical and for educational purposes!" Mia snapped. "If anyone is to blame it is me. Nurse Dyer and Nurse Anderson were merely carrying it out as I was unable to attend last night's class due to a house call!"
"Well until this issue is resolved the class will be suspended!" Sister Julienne told her furious daughter.
"Oh, here you all are you should be ashamed. Ashamed!" Mrs Walker shouts. Mia shakes her head and storms over.
"If you continue I will have no choice but to call the authorities!" Mia snapped sternly. Mrs Walker continues to warble angrily until Mia grabs her firmly by the elbow and steers her into the kitchen. Valerie follows behind. "Valerie, will you deal with her please?"
"Yes, Sister!" Valerie chirps.
"Nonnatus house, Sister Mia speaking?" Mia asked answering her mum's office phone. "Hi, Babs. Oh. Oh my lord. Are they all ok? Oh, poor Phyllis. Yes, I'll come and check Mrs Davidson thank you for telling me, see you in ten!"
"Pearl push, bear down for me good girl that's it!" Mia encouraged. "Rest. The contraction has passed."
"The last 2 times Terry was outside the door, driving the midwife mad with questions. I keep looking over to see if he's there, "Pearl begins to sob.
"Oh sweetheart, he is there. Watching over you. If you listen he's encouraging you, I promise, "Mia told her. Mia presses her hand to Pearl's stomach and feels it tighten. "Push for me darling, let's meet this beautiful baby!"
Pearl screams out in pain and bears down. Slowly a baby emerges. Mia grins. There is nothing like bringing a life into the world. It's magical.
"Look at all your hard work Pearl m, a beautiful baby girl!" Mia tells the woman.
After half an hour without the afterbirth and Pear still being in pain, Mia palpates her abdomen.
"Babs, have a feel," Mia instructs. Mia gently takes the baby from Pearl. "Was I right?"
Barbara placed her Pinard horn on Pearl's abdomen and nods at Mia.
"Pearl did anyone mention to you about twins?" Barbara asks just Patrick comes in.
"Hi, Dr Turner I think we might need your assistance. Unsuspected twins," Mia says smiling at Pearl reassuringly. "Keep forceps in mind but we might not necessarily need them!"
An hour later Pearl's contractions arrived again.
"Push for me, Pearl, one strong for me now. That's it and the head is born!" Mia exclaimed. "One strong slow steady push and we'll have baby number 2!"
Suddenly a slippery baby boy slid onto the bed wailing his lungs out.
A few weeks later Mrs Davidson and her children returned to their shop despite the fire damage. The poplar community pulled together for the repairs.
Mia answered the phone.
"Nonnatus house midwife speaking!" Mia exclaimed. "Hi, Tom oh has Barbara taken ill? I'll come to see her. Yeah, keep her tucked up in bed, I'll bring her something, see you in 2 seconds!"
"Hello, Mia, who's in labour?" Sister Evangelina. "Mrs Peters? Mrs Smith?"
"Nobody, Barbara is unwell I'm going to check on her. I'll be back soon!" Mia planted a kiss on her nana's cheek.
Mia opens the door to Barbara's room and smiled at the awfully pale woman in front of her. A sick bow was at Barbara's side. A quilt was pulled up to her neck.
"I'm ill!" Barbara states making Mia laugh. Mia sets her bag down on the floor and takes a thermometer and places it under Barbara's arm. The woman has a slightly high temperature but nothing serious so Mia wets a cloth and puts it on Barbara's head to cool her down.
She gives Barbara an aspirin to calm her headache. Mia gently feels Barbara's stomach and shoots her a knowing look.
"You can't hide this much longer. You are a midwife working with other midwives and a doctor!" Mia states. "I realised your predicament about two weeks ago, it won't take the others long to notice!"
"I need to speak to Sister Julienne and I will do it tomorrow since Tom has a day off!" Barbara realised.
"I'm off tomorrow so it's fine, I'll be in the office!" Mia said happily.
"It's a pleasure to see you Mr and Mrs Hereward!" Sister Julienne exclaimed sitting beside her daughter at their shared desk in the office. "You asked to see me?"
"Well you see Sister Julienne we want your blessing," Barbara told the older woman.
"What for?" Sister Julienne asked perplexed.
"We are expecting a baby Sister!" Barbara exclaimed.
"Oh, Barbara congratulations!" Sister Julienne walked around the table and hugged Barbara and kissed Tom on either cheek. "That is fantastic news, if you ever need anything please feel free to ask! Mia dear why don't you congratulate them?"
"Because I already have. I was the one that to Barbara she was pregnant!" Mia said rolling her eyes. "Congratulations!"