A/N Sorry for the lack of updates, very much fell out in love with writing. If you're reading and liking this story, do let me know.
Ada flung open the heavy wooden door as fast as her strength would allow her to. There in front of her on the doorstep was a woman of about her own age. Her chestnut hair was matted to her face with cold sweat, her clothing dirty and dishevelled. A boy of no more than four was standing beside her, and Ada, noticed, behind her stood an old pram containing, amongst the well-worn blankets, a pair of twins, a year old at most.
"The uvva free are at school," the woman gasped. Ada shuddered at the thought. "Arh you ah Nonnatun?" the woman continued, questioningly but not unkindly, before adding "you ain't inna wimple."
"I'm a nurse," Ada replied, "I'm…"
"Can you deliver this?" the woman interrupted, pointing at her swollen abdomen, "I reckon itsa commin soon."
"Come inside," Ada replied, trying to sound more confident than she felt, "I'll bring the pram in."
"Allrigh' luv," the woman replied, before letting out a pained whimper. This was accompanied by the splashing of her waters upon the top step of the house.
"I'm sure there's some dry drawers in the linen cupboard that we can lend you," Ada mentioned kindly, meeting the woman's eyes.
"Don't matter ta me, I wasn't wearin' any," came the reply.
For not the first time since they met, Ada shuddered, this time, desperately hoping that it had gone unnoticed. Composing herself, she placed an arm around the woman's shoulder and took the little boy's hand in her free one. Slowly and gently she led them inside.
As they shuffled along the long wooden corridor, it slowly dawned on Ada that she had no idea where she was taking this labouring woman; there was nowhere within Nonnatus House that could act as a ward, or was a sterile place for medical procedures. The only beds were high on the top floor, in the nuns' cells. That would not do at all. Attempting to maintain an air of composure and competence, Ada led the woman into the clinical room.
"Take a seat here," Ada insisted, motioning towards a slightly rickety looking chair, "I will bring the other children inside and settle them with a cup of milk and some bread and butter," she continued, remembering that the grubby hand of a small boy was still enclosed within her own, "and then we'll see how things are doing," she added with a chirp.
"A'right," the woman moaned, "argh!" she added as the pain of the next contraction began to ripple through her.
"Come on young man," Ada called to the boy beside her, "let's look after you and the twins and then I can care for your mother."
Moments later, Ada, with scant regard for Sister Ermengarde's rules, sprinted down the length of Nonnatus House, uniform a-flying. As she re-entered the clinical room, the woman was gripped by the most recent contraction.
"Under five minutes," Ada thought to herself, glancing down at her fob watch, "and if this is her seventh, at least, I haven't got long."
"What's your name?" Ada asked, taking the woman's wrist and feeling her pulse as she did so.
"Ethel," she gasped, "but Eff'll do."
"It is my best friend's name," Ada replied, "I'm Sister Russell, but Ada will do. Now, Ethel," she continued, returning to formalities, "I need to examine you to see how far along you are. Can you move on to here at all?" she added, gesticulating at a low, wooden workbench.
"Not an 'ope in hell," Eff replied, "'aint you got anything for the pain?"
Ada's mind darted to the shelves in the cupboard above them. Brandy. Ether. Opiates. She wondered if Mr Dean's favourite, Stovaine, was among them. She had no idea what to give. She felt powerless.
"We'll do it here then," Ada asserted, "if you could lift your skirts and shuffle down a little, I'm going to wash my hands and then have a feel of what's going on."
Eff moaned slightly and then complied with Ada's wishes. Ada slowly and gently inserted her hand inside her. Her hand felt what was unmistakably a baby's head.
"Ethel, your baby is almost with us, but I need you to move, you're not in the right position as you are," Ada insisted, "I'm going next door to get some more things and when I come back, I need you to lie on the floor for me, alright?"
"I can't move!" Eff complained.
Ada ignored her protestations and disappeared to the linen cupboard, grabbing her own previously discarded medical bag on the way back. Once back in the clinical room, she lay out sheets and towels on the floor, propped a pair of pillows up against the wall and guided Eff off the chair and into position on the floor. Taking pinnard from her bag, she pressed it against Eff's abdomen. The foetal heartbeat thundered in her ears. 120 beats a minute, and steady. All seemed well. Ada breathed an audible sigh of relief.
"Ethel, with your next pain, I want you to push, baby is very nearly here," Ada reassured.
I can't do this no more," Eff moaned, "I can't, I've got nothing, nothing left."
"Yes you can," Ada soothed, mopping the beads of sweat that had formed on Eff's brow with a towel, "you're nearly there. Just a few more pushes."
They did not have to wait for long. A contraction, the most powerful yet, began to course through Eff's body.
"Little pushes, little pushes, that's it, that's it, oh, well done Ethel. The head is born Ethel," Ada added as Eff's cries of pain subsided.
"I, I, can't," Eff panted.
"You're nearly there," Ada told her, stroking her hand as she did so, "you just need one more, really, really big push."
Eff screwed up her face in concentration, panting for breath summoning all her strength
"Come on, that's it, keep pushing, keep pushing," Ada encouraged as Eff's next contraction began. Eff pushed with all her might, crying out and grabbing onto Ada's hand, gripping it so tightly that Ada had to bite her lip to stop herself adding to the cacophony. Eff gave one, final push, and slumped onto her back on the floor, panting for breath.
"Oh Ethel," Ada whispered.
A deadly quiet descended the room, only the sound of ragged breathing could be heard.
"Why ent it cryin'?" Eff asked, "Sista Russell," the panic rising in her voice, "Ada!"
Ada picked up the blue-tinged little girl and wrapped her in a towel. Panic set in. She had not had a baby who did not immediately cry. A wave of maternal instinct took over, and Ada began to rub her back.
"Come on little one," she urged, "please, come on."
"Sista'," Eff pleaded.
"You've got a little girl," Ada replied, "I'm trying to help her breathe."
"What's wrong with her?"
"She just needs some help," Ada continued, trying to remain calm, but could feel the panic rising inside her, "come on," she pleaded, rocking the baby gently.
Tears began to stream down Eff's face as she watched her Ada and her daughter, her whole body began to tremble. After what seemed an eternity, the towel wrapped bundle gave a spluttered cough and began to whimper. Large sighs of relief were breathed.
"She's alrigh', my baby's alrigh'?" Eff asked.
"She's fine," Ada replied, handing the now lustily crying baby to her mother, "congratulations," she added.
"Fank you," Eff replied, before turning her attention to her new daughter.
"My pleasure," Ada replied, slumping against the nearest cupboard. After allowing herself a moment to watch Eff and her new daughter, she added "once the afterbirth has come away, we get you cleaned up and the other children can meet their new sister. Do you have somewhere safe to stay tonight?" she added, gently.
"I'm in Lisbon Buildin's" Eff replied, "safe as houzes, that place, could survive anythin'. And me mam'll be back from work tonigh', she'll be rownd by and by."
Ada had been to Lisbon Buildings before. In better condition than made of the slums, but a slum nonetheless. Hardly the place for a newborn. Hardly the place for any of seven children.
"I'm pleased to hear it," Ada replied, sincerely.
An hour later, Eff and her children, despite Ada's insistence, stood by the front door to Nonnatus House, ready to leave.
"Are you sure you won't stay and rest?" Ada pleaded once more.
"Nah Sista'" Eff replied, "I wanna be in me own home, in me own bed, where I wudda been if I'd not been caught ouwt today. Fanks for everythin'."
"What are you going to call her?" Ada asked as Eff made her way out the door.
"Lucy, she looks lika Lucy."
"Good luck Lucy, good luck Eff!" Ada called as the family disappeared out into the street.
As they turned away from the house, Sister Ermengarde and Sister Catherine rounded the corner. Seeing Ada, the unfamiliar woman, and the newborn baby, the insightful nuns immediately joined the dots and made a beeline for the door. Ada felt her stomach fall several stories as Sister Ermengarde stood before her on the top step.
"I think this requires an explanation, Nursing Sister Russell."