Summary: Nurse Training School - The London Hospital
Disclaimer: Call The Midwife belongs to the BBC and others - I am simply borrowing their wonderful characters.
Author's note 1: Thanks as always to Sittingonthis and Jlynsca for their wonderful assistance. Thank you for your continued support and wonderful feedback. This update is a little more episodic than previous ones - I hope you like it. It is also even longer than the last update - so make yourself comfy and enjoy...
"Come in," Delia called, after hearing a knock at her door. She continued staring into the mirror as she applied black eyeliner carefully with a tiny brush.
"Good evening, Miss Busby," Patsy greeted with a grin. She flicked her eyes back towards the door to make sure it was shut. "You look stunning," she complimented earnestly.
Delia grinned but continued concentrating on her make-up. "Thank you, Pats. Once I've done this eye I will inspect you, and no doubt you will take my breath away," she replied easily.
Patsy blushed, still unused to the younger woman's compliments. She sat down on Delia's bed and continued to watch the brunette get ready. "Have you decided what you're going to do when someone asks you to dance?" She asked in a light tone.
"If someone asks me, you mean," Delia corrected. "Actually, I think I will accept. I haven't had a proper dance since I was back in Pembroke." She glanced at Patsy briefly at the reflection in the mirror and smiled. "As long as you don't mind?"
Patsy shook her head. "Of course not. I will simply look on jealously."
"What about you? Will you dance?"
"Rest assured that should I be asked to dance, I will be imagining that I am holding you instead," Patsy returned with a grin.
Delia raised her eyebrows before rummaging for a lipstick. "You'll have to have a good imagination. I'm not sure any of the doctors are 5'4"."
The blonde nurse burst out laughing. "I haven't met a Welsh doctor yet either, but I know what will be going on in my head."
"Sounds interesting. I may have to ask you all the details when we get back," Delia teased.
Patsy shook her head. It was the night of the Summer Ball. The two women had discussed at length if they should attend or not and decided that it could only assist with the facades they had built up. At first, Delia wasn't sure that she wanted to dance, wanting only to share that activity with Patsy. The older nurse had pointed out that there was nothing wrong with enjoying a dance with someone else, particularly as they were unlikely ever to be able to dance together in public.
The tall blonde nurse stood up suddenly and stood behind Delia, resting a hand over Delia's, preventing her from applying the lipstick she was holding. "It might be better to wait just a moment," she suggested softly.
Delia turned round, grinning. "Oh? Why's that?"
Patsy leaned down and crushed her lips into Delia's. When they finally drew apart, they gasped for a second before Patsy smiled. "I didn't want you to have to apply your lipstick twice," she breathed. "And now you know what I'll be thinking when I see you dance with someone else." She stepped back and grabbed her bag. "Although it has resulted in me having to reapply mine."
Delia blushed. Patsy was often an enigma to her. When she acted spontaneously, in private, the passion and desire she revealed was breathtaking. It was an odd juxtaposition to Patsy's logical, highly guarded public persona, and she usually kept a tight control on it. Delia loved it when she let it show. She looked back toward the mirror and hurriedly removed the traces of Patsy's lipstick away before applying her own. Satisfied that they were presentable, the women headed to the front of the Nurses Home where a coach was waiting to take them to the Ball.
The evening had a very different feel to the Winter Ball. The student nurses no longer felt new. It amused Patsy and Delia immensely to watch their colleagues flitter around trying to attract the attention of the doctors. Both women accepted requests to dance and behaved impeccably with their dance partners, deflecting requests for anything more than a dance with a polite refusal. Interestingly, the doctors readily accepted the rebuffs, a sure sign that they too recognised the nurses' new found confidence.
Late into the evening, Patsy led Delia outside into the sunken gardens. It was good to escape the heat of the ballroom and enjoy some cooler, fresh air. "How many requests for a date have you had?" Delia asked, teasingly.
"A lady never reveals that," Patsy retorted with a grin. "How many have you had?"
Delia blinked as she comprehended the barb. "Hey!" She slapped Patsy's arm playfully as they continued through the garden. "Actually, I've had three. It's been quite flattering."
Patsy smiled, before she sighed. "I will miss you for the next two weeks."
"I'll miss you too. But it's the summer break, Patsy. I have to go back. They'll be expecting me."
Patsy shook her head. "I know that. And of course you should spend time at home with your family. You haven't seen them for weeks. I'm simply going to miss your presence here, that's all."
Delia sighed too. "It's starting to feel less and less like home to be honest. I'm beginning to feel like London is where my life is." They continued through the gardens, the breeze providing some cooling comfort on their perspiring skin.
"Will you be going home?" The Welsh woman asked tentatively.
Patsy shook her head. "My father's house isn't home for me, Deels. I can just about tolerate Christmas. I have no inclination to visit more frequently than that." She paused for a second. "I may take a trip to visit my aunt though. It's a pleasant enough journey."
It saddened Delia that Patsy had next to no family to speak of. Delia's family certainly had their quirks, and her mother did have a tendency to be overbearing, but Delia knew that intrinsically, they were her support. They gave her the foundation to have the courage to go off and explore, and follow her dreams. She knew that they would provide a safety net should she falter. How frightening it must have been for Patsy, having much of her security taken away.
Delia desperately wanted to take Patsy's hand and give her some comfort, but knew that the gesture would not be well-received in a public arena. Instead, she headed to a bench and sat down. "Take a seat for a few, Pats and rest your feet. If they're anything like mine, they'll be sore from being trodden on so many times."
Patsy nodded, shaking off her mood. "They have definitely been the subject of abuse from atrocious dance partners," she agreed. She smiled affectionately at the younger woman. "Why don't you cheer me up by telling me about your plans while you're in Wales?"
Delia frowned. "Are you sure that's going to cheer you up?"
"Hearing your voice makes me happy, so I don't see why not," Patsy replied.
"Charmer."
A few hours later and the nurses returned to their living accommodation. As usual, the night matron was present to ensure that the nurses all returned and that there were no extra visitors. As it was the Summer Ball, it was well after usual curfew and the women were encouraged to hurry to their rooms promptly.
A quick glance down the corridor gave Patsy the confidence to follow Delia into her room and she grabbed a now ruined book to jam under the door.
Delia raised an eyebrow. "I take it the night isn't quite finished yet?" She asked playfully.
Patsy closed the gap between them and looped her arms around Delia's waist. "I hope not. I'm not seeing you for two weeks. I need to make sure I have enough memories to keep me going."
Delia hung her arms around Patsy's neck and smiled softly. "Well, we'd better not waste any time then," she murmured, pulling the taller woman towards her.
They kissed languidly and deeply, pulling each other closer as they did. Almost imperceptibly, Patsy guided them to Delia's bed and they tumbled onto it, giggling quietly even as they adjusted position so that they could continue their gentle caressing and exploration. It slowly got more heated, and Patsy rolled on top of Delia, her hands roaming freely as she continued to lay kisses on Delia's lips, jawline and neck. Without thinking, the blonde nurse ran a hand over one of Delia's breasts, squeezing it as she felt her nipple harden through the younger woman's attire.
Delia groaned, revelling in the sensation and involuntarily arched into the touch, raising a thigh at the same time and wedging it into Patsy's apex.
Patsy's breath caught and her eyes fluttered shut at the stimulation. Instinctively, she pushed back against Delia's thigh, gasping as she felt her pulse pounding. She could feel Delia's hands tightly gripping her shoulders and she pushed again, before suddenly registering what they were doing.
Instantly, Patsy disengaged and rolled off Delia. "Sorry. Sorry," she gasped as she sat up.
It took Delia a moment to get her brain working again. "Patsy, what's wrong?"
"We shouldn't be doing this," Patsy continued.
Delia frowned, confused. "I really wasn't minding," she grumbled, not following.
"I was going too far," Patsy admitted, shame-faced.
Delia sat up, and leaned against the headboard. "Were we?" She asked softly.
Patsy seemed to be in a world of her own. "I shouldn't be thinking that way," she muttered, refusing now to look at Delia.
Initially, Delia thought that Patsy was simply berating herself for getting carried away, but the look on her face was not one of guilt. She was ashamed. The brunette pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "Patsy, you can't help your feelings. We've talked about this."
Patsy shook her head. "I know. And I know what you say makes sense. But I can't help how I feel." She shrugged.
"Did what we were doing feel wrong?" Delia asked softly. She made no attempt to touch the older woman; she didn't want to crowd her.
Patsy shook her head. "No," she admitted. "Not at all." She shook her head. "I don't know what to think a lot of the time. It just felt... I just felt..." Patsy tapered off, annoyed that she couldn't express herself.
Delia finally placed a hand on the older woman's shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. "You're not ready. That's fine, Pats."
Patsy winced as she looked round at Delia. "Sorry."
"Don't apologise. Neither of us should do something we're not ready for."
"We haven't really spoken about this, have we?" Patsy mused.
Delia smirked. "It's not the easiest subject to bring up."
Patsy exhaled heavily. "I really am sorry for spoiling the mood, Deels."
"Don't be daft." Delia glanced at the clock briefly. "Come on. Swing your legs back round and we can have a quick cuddle before you go to bed."
Patsy complied instantly and snuggled into Delia's embrace, taking comfort from the smaller woman's strong arms as she rested her head on her love's shoulder. They lay in comfortable silence for a few moments. "Were you ready, Deels?" Patsy asked timidly.
"I felt ready," the brunette answered honestly. "I certainly wanted to do something, and I know I love you, so I..." She stopped as Patsy looked up at her sharply. "What?"
"You love me?" Patsy whispered.
Delia nodded. "More than anything," she qualified. Her eyes widened as she realised the gravity of what she had said.
Patsy smiled, the turmoil of feelings suddenly calming when she heard the certainty in Delia's voice. "I love you, too," she confirmed, leaning up to kiss her gently.
The start of the second year of nurse training was back in the classroom but this time, the students would have thirteen weeks of lectures, practical skills training and assessment. The training would prepare them for their placements which would be on wards with more complex patients, including Cardiac Care and Accident and Emergency.
Because lectures held greater detail and were significantly more challenging, the nurses formed bigger study groups that Patsy and Delia were happy to be part of. Although an element of their shared time had now been reduced, the two women simply ensured that they made the most of the time could share together alone. As Autumn rolled into Winter, they got more creative with what daylight they had available at weekends, and enjoyed cosy evenings, wrapped in blankets and listening to the wireless.
It was 4.30pm and the lecture was just starting to finish when the doors to the hall burst open and a matron wearing her outer cape and carrying a clipboard came marching in. "I do apologise, Professor Kendall, but there has been an emergency."
Every pair of eyes was fixed intently on the Matron as she approached the lectern. She looked down at her notes before casting her gaze around the auditorium. "Listen carefully. There has been a transport incident and the hospital needs to prepare to take many casualties. Please listen for your name and instructions. Nurses Busby, Callaghan, McAllistair, and Tate. According to our records, you are all members of St John Ambulance. Please gather your outdoor coat, scarf and gloves and report to the ambulance coach that is waiting for you by the entrance to the Nurses Home. Nurses Anderson, James, Marchant, Mount, Ransome, Stapleton and Stephens. You are to report immediately to Matron Pearce at Accident and Emergency and follow her directions."
The Matron listed two further groups of nurses. One group was told that they would be covering in the Emergency department for the night shift if they were required. The final group would report there in the morning to assist with the probable backlog of work once the emergency was over. They were instructed to report to the Nurses Home kitchen first to confirm their work requirement.
"Because of this, I have taken the liberty of cancelling your classes for tomorrow. I will work with the Training team in order to reschedule them but this takes priority." The Matron paused as she took off her spectacles and looked at the young women in front of her. "I know you are students and inexperienced. Use your wits and seek guidance where you can, but we need every pair of hands. This incident is serious. Now, please make haste to your assignments."
Delia looked at Patsy nervously. "Transport incident? What do you think has happened?"
"I hope it's not another bus crash like that one on Oxford Street in June. That was horrific," Patsy replied. Impulsively, she took Delia's hand and squeezed it tightly. "Be careful, Deels."
"You too. I'll see you later," the brunette replied before hurrying outside to the coach. The others in her party gathered with her and they quickly hopped on the coach. The Matron who had interrupted their class joined them and the coach pulled away quickly. "Girls, there has been a train crash. There are many wounded and the ambulance service will be stretched to capacity. Because you all have St. John Ambulance training, I am taking you with me to assist on scene. Be warned. It is likely to be chaotic."
She looked out of the window. "As you can see, the weather is against us, too. The fog is unlikely to lift anytime soon, and the temperature is only going to drop as the evening draws on. When we do finally get to scene, I will see the officer in charge and then direct you."
Her look softened slightly as she saw four young women stare back at her determinedly. "Steel yourselves, ladies. The injuries are likely to be severe but we need to remain calm and professional at all times. People will be looking to us for comfort and treatment. Concentrate on that, rather than the overall scene."
"You sound like you're talking from experience." Nurse Tate had never been shy at making comments.
The Matron looked grim. "From the reports so far, it sounds as bad as anything I dealt with during the War. I need you to be prepared."
The nurses nodded seriously and sat in silence for the journey.
It was worse than anything they could have imagined when they got on scene. A train had ploughed into another one as it waited at points near a bridge. Both trains were packed with commuters and Christmas shoppers returning home. The carriages had crashed into the bridge supports, collapsing the bridge onto them. In the worst possible timing, another train had been on the bridge at the time and one of its carriages had crashed into the train below. Debris was scattered everywhere and patients from the carriages less affected by the crash were wandering around, dazed and cold.
When the nurses arrived, there were clear tasks for all of them. Nurse Penny McAllistair, originally one of the shyest students on the course, was assigned a triage area where she was expected to send off the patients to hospital in order of priority. Nurses Tate and Callaghan, with their no-nonsense attitudes were asked to make up ambulance crews with ambulance staff already on scene and transport the patients in an endless shuttle run.
Matron looked at Delia steadily. "Nurse Busby. The Chief Fire Officer has made a request of me that I feel you are best able to do, although I must stress that you do not have to do this."
Delia swallowed nervously. "Go on."
"There are two crushed carriages that have the tiniest of openings to get through. None of the firemen or ambulance men on scene are small enough to squeeze in and see if there is anyone alive left in there."
Delia closed her eyes for a moment before nodding. "Lead the way," she said firmly.
"Are you sure, nurse Busby?" The Matron looked genuinely concerned.
Delia nodded. "Yes. As you said, we all need to help where we can."
Matron turned on her heel and guided Delia to where the main rescue was taking place.
Patsy looked up as the doors to the department burst open again and another patient was rushed in. "Bed 9 on the right," she directed efficiently. As soon as she had arrived at Accident and Emergency, the ward sister had allocated jobs. She assigned Patsy an area to receive patients and triage them in order to make the best use of the doctors and experienced nurses. She finished off a temporary dressing for the patient she was dealing with and then crossed over to the latest casualty. Her eyebrows rose when she saw Nurse Tate. "How many more?" She asked softly after she took the details of the patient they had just delivered.
"Who knows?" Amanda sounded despondent. "It could be hundreds. We're taking some of the patients to other hospitals so that no one gets overwhelmed so it's difficult to keep track. We can't rush either because the fog is so bad."
Patsy winced. "I keep forgetting about that. How are the others?" Patsy didn't want to mention Delia specifically but she hadn't seen her or Penny with any patients yet.
"I know Rachel is on an ambulance but I don't know what Penny and Delia are up to," Nurse Tate replied. She looked over to where her ambulance man colleague was hurriedly grabbing blankets and draw sheets. "I'd better go." She shook her head. "This could go on all night."
Patsy nodded grimly. The second the patients had begun to arrive, the nurse had switched off her emotions in a way she hadn't done since she was in the internment camp. No one had batted an eye at the cold, efficient persona she took on. The staff she interacted with responded to her commands without a second thought, despite many of the nurses having greater experience.
As the casualties continued to be brought in, Patsy had no time to focus on anything other than treatment. The injuries were horrific. Many people had multiple broken bones and crush injuries. There were a multitude of head injuries and lots more with minor injuries. Initially, there had been a quick flood of casualties through the door, but they then started arriving at a slower rate. As the evening wore on, the people that came through the door showed signs of exposure alongside their original injuries.
Patsy was surprised when Nurse Stapleton tapped her on the shoulder. "Can I help you?"
"Patsy, we're being relieved." She gestured to the main doors where their fellow students had just arrived.
Patsy frowned and looked at her watch. It was almost 11pm. "I can stay on if they need," she offered automatically.
Nurse Stapleton smiled. "I had already offered. I was told quite categorically by Matron that the whole point of allocating teams earlier was so that there was an organised approach, using rested staff." She shrugged. "She also said that she had kept us on for an extra hour as it was, given that casualties were coming in thick and fast. There are less serious ones coming in now. Most of the night turn student nurses will be dealing with the minor injuries so the main team can deal with the seriously injured."
Patsy looked at the row of patients she had been dealing with and realised that Lynette was right. She hadn't received any ambulance patients for a while now. She nodded but felt guilty for leaving the Casualty department while it was still busy. "Who am I handing over to?"
Nurse Stapleton gestured to another nurse hovering by the door. Patsy smiled and called her over, giving her a run down of all the patients in her area.
Patsy, Lynette and the rest of the students trudged wearily back to the Nurses Home in silence. For the last few hours, they had been working almost without thought and at a furious pace. Now that they had stopped, their minds were beginning to comprehend what they had seen and what they had dealt with. They were met by the night matron. "Come into the kitchen, girls. There's sandwiches and Horlicks for you."
"I'm not sure I'm hungry," Millicent demurred, voicing the thoughts of everyone else.
"I'm sure you're not. But none of you have eaten since lunchtime and you've been working like Trojans. You will feel better for it." Matron was quite insistent. As the seven nurses made their way into the kitchen they were surprised to see plates of sandwiches laid out and a pan of milk keeping warm on the stove. The matron gestured to the women to sit down at the table and they crowded round it, taking steaming mugs as they were passed round.
Once they began to drink, the nurses realised that they were actually ravenous and the food was demolished in quick order.
"Rachel was manning one of the ambulances," Millicent commented blandly, wanting some conversation to happen, but not really wanting to talk about what she had experienced.
Patsy looked at her and wondered if the haunted look she saw there was also on her own face. "I spoke with Amanda briefly. She was also on an ambulance. She didn't tell me much."
"Me, neither," Lynette agreed. She took a sip of her drink before looking at the night Matron. "Do you know when they'll be back?" She asked.
Matron shook her head. "I don't. I knew about the staff changeover which was why I arranged food for you all. Even so, you were over an hour later than I expected." She looked at the young women compassionately. "You've all done well, girls. It's perfectly reasonable to be upset by what you've seen. You remained professional and efficient throughout the evening. No matter what else you think, remember that." She took the empty plates and put them in the sink so that she could wash them. "Once you've finished your drinks, you might want to go to bed. You all look exhausted."
Patsy was aghast. There was no way she was going to bed until she had seen Delia and was about to protest when Millicent, of all people, beat her to it. "Penny McAllistair is my best friend, Matron. I haven't seen her on an ambulance. I don't know where she is, but I need to know she is all right before I can go to bed." She looked at Patsy and gave a hopeful smile.
Patsy realised that she wanted someone to back her up. It was easy. "I'm not going anywhere either, Matron. I'm waiting up for Delia." She returned a small smile to Millicent.
"Sorry, Matron. I think you have our company for a while yet. None of us are going anywhere until the others return." Lynette was quite definite in her declaration.
Matron kept her back to the student nurses as she washed the plates, and smiled. She was a firm believer in loyalty among the girls, and they would all need each other's support to get through this. "Very well. There's bread and jam in the pantry. I suggest that one of you makes a tray of sandwiches for those that are still out and about, and someone else warm a fresh pan of milk. You could probably all do with another drink."
Just a short while later, voices were heard at the entrance of the Nurses Home and Matron made her way out smartly. The nurses all focused on the kitchen door and waited for the others to come in. Nurse Callaghan and Nurse Tate entered first. They looked pale and exhausted.
"Here, sit down." Patsy immediately offered her seat, along with another nurse. Food and drink was pushed immediately in front of them.
"I'm not sure I'm hungry," Amanda stated, her voice dull.
"Please try. You'll feel better for it," Millicent pleaded. They all looked up again when the kitchen door opened.
The only word to describe the look on Penny and Delia's face was haunted. Both women looked frozen. Delia was holding onto Penny's arm and she pushed her towards the table. Space was immediately made for them but Delia went to the sink and grabbed a bar of soap to wash her hands.
She was absolutely filthy. Her uniform was covered in dust, grease, dirt and blood. She stood at the sink and just stared at her shaking hands. Patsy softly approached and turned the taps on, filling a bowl with tepid water. From the mauve hue of Delia's skin, she wouldn't tolerate the water at a higher temperature. In silence, she gently took hold of Delia's hands and lowered them into the water before lathering up the soap. She took one of Delia's hands and carefully and thoroughly washed it before placing it back in the sink and doing the same with the other one.
Behind her, Millicent sat next to Penny and pushed a drink in front of her. "What happened, Pen?"
Penny took a sip before glancing up at her friend. "You know it was a rail crash?" At Millicent's nod, Penny continued. "They had to dig the patients out of the wreckage. Each one came to me and I had to decide who went to hospital first. It was horrible. They all came out broken and bleeding." She took another sip of her drink. "The local people were so kind. They came out with blankets and bandages. We put lots of the minor injuries in their homes and no one complained."
She sighed shakily. "It's probably the worst thing I've ever had to do in my entire life." The willowy nurse looked over to where Delia was still standing at the sink. "One of the firemen said it was worse than anything he dealt with during the War," she continued. "But at least I didn't have to do what poor Delia did though," she whispered.
All eyes looked up to where the small nurse was still washing her hands before they looked at each other.
Patsy delicately extricated Delia's hands and patted them dry before leading the smaller woman back over to the kitchen table and sitting her down.
"You need a drink, Delia. You're frozen." Patsy was desperately worried about Delia. Why was she so dirty? Her uniform was ruined.
"What did you have to do?" Lynette asked curiously.
Delia couldn't look at anyone so instead stared at the drink that had been placed in front of her. "There were some carriages that were completely crushed. None of the rescuers were small enough to get inside. They asked me to take a look in each of the carriages to see if there was anyone left alive. I crawled through each one." She swallowed. "It's quite difficult to search a train with just a torch. There were a lot of people in each one. I couldn't help any of them."
"A lot of people?" Amanda asked. She knew that there had been well over a hundred casualties taken to hospital but she had no idea how many people had died.
"I counted 72 where I searched," Delia replied, her voice hollow. "I think there were more."
The kitchen was deathly quiet as Delia spoke. Each nurse tried to imagine having to do the same thing. They didn't envy her at all.
The night Matron broke the silence after returning to the kitchen carrying two brand new uniform dresses. She handed one to Millicent. "For Nurse McAllistair," she advised in a soft tone. Matron turned to Patsy and handed the other uniform over, along with a paper sack. "I don't believe that uniform is salvageable. Perhaps you could put it in here and I'll make arrangements to have it disposed of." Her tone was brusque, but Patsy could see concern in the woman's eyes and she nodded as she accepted the items.
"Nurse Busby, Nurse McAllistair. I've started to draw baths for you both. You've been out in the elements all evening and you need to get clean and warm." She glanced at Millicent and Patsy briefly. "I'm sure your friends will help you to the bathroom. In the meantime, I'll ensure that some sandwiches are put in your rooms along with a fresh drink."
"I'll do that," Rachel volunteered.
Matron nodded. "Girls. Please sleep in tomorrow. You know that classes have been cancelled. You've all had very long days and need your rest. I will leave you in peace for the remainder of the night but you know where I am if you need me."
When Patsy got Delia to the bathroom, she made her wait until she retrieved her pyjamas from her room. She could hear Millicent with Penny in an adjacent bathroom, coaxing her to get into the bath and offering to wash her hair for her. It was one of the few occasions where Patsy really couldn't care about what people might say. Delia needed her.
She stepped back into the bathroom and found Delia still standing in her filthy uniform, seemingly in shock. "Come on, Deels. Let me help you," she offered. The blonde nurse waited for Delia to nod acquiescence before she knelt down and loosened Delia's shoelaces. The second she started her task, she switched to become Nurse Mount, wanting to make sure that Delia wouldn't be embarrassed by the assistance. "Goodness me. We'll have to get these replaced tomorrow, too," she commented briskly, levering off the shoes and placing them straight into the large paper bag. She didn't even want to think about what they were covered in.
Next Patsy stood up and unbuttoned Delia's uniform, concentrating wholly on the task at hand. There was absolutely nothing sexual or sensual about this. From Delia's passive stance, it was obvious that she needed the help.
Patsy removed the uniform and also placed it in the bag before standing up in front of her love. "Do you want help with everything else?" She asked softly.
Delia looked lost and broken. "Please don't go, Pats," she requested, her voice a whisper.
Patsy nodded reassuringly. "All right. I'm going to take your undergarments off now." Again, she waited for Delia to agree before stripping the younger woman and then helping her into the bath. Delia simply sat in the tub, so Patsy grabbed the shampoo and after removing any remaining grips Delia had in her hair, proceeded to wash it thoroughly. The water turned black as Patsy moved on to wash Delia's body. She would need another bath tomorrow probably. But for now, she had at least got the worst off, and managed to warm her up.
Patsy helped Delia out of the bath and wrapped a towel around her body while she did her best to get most of the water from her hair. Eventually, she led the Welsh woman back to her room, noting once again that Delia just seemed to stand in the middle of the room, looking lost.
"Do you want to get into bed?"
"I'm not sure I want to close my eyes," Delia admitted, her voice shaky.
"Delia, I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here all night for you. I promise." Patsy looked at Delia earnestly.
Delia nodded before pulling back the covers and getting into bed. Patsy looked down at her uniform. "Can you wait for 5 minutes while I go and change into my pyjamas?" She asked.
Delia again nodded mechanically and Patsy all but ran to her own room, stripping quickly and leaving her clothes where they fell. When she returned, Delia was still sat in bed, but this time Patsy was relieved to see a small smile of recognition from the brunette.
"I like those pyjamas," Delia commented somewhat randomly.
Patsy gave her a lop-sided smile. "They're my favourite. Now, come on. Budge up."
Delia shifted across the bed slightly and breathed a sigh of relief as Patsy got under the covers with her. "Aren't you worried about what people think?" She asked curiously.
"I have a feeling that all bets are off for today, Delia. And no. The only thing that matters right now is you." She looked lovingly at her. "Do you want the light on or off?" She asked quietly.
"Are you going to hold me?" Delia responded with a question of her own.
"All night," Patsy promised.
"Then the light can go off," the diminutive nurse decided. "But don't be surprised if I have nightmares."
Patsy leaned over and switched off the table lamp. "Lie down, Deels. I've got you."
To be continued...
Authors Note 2: Lewisham train crash was a real incident that happened in 1957 at St. Johns in South East London. There is a newsreel is on the BritishPathe News website if you're interested. The description in the story is pretty much what happened. There were 90 dead and over 200 injured. At the time, it was the 2nd worst rail crash in Britain. I have used a bit of artistic licence with this - nurses did attend the scene due to the horrific nature of the crash but would have been unlikely to have been dispatched from the London. At the time of the crash, the London Ambulance Service didn't exist - it was the LCC (London County Council) Ambulance Service - and used a lot of volunteers as most staff had not much more than St. John Ambulance first aid training. The London would have been unlikely to receive the patients - more likely to have gone to Lewisham, St John's Cottage Hospital, The Brook, and Guys.)