Prompt 10: "How can you still look so attractive while crying?"
Summary: Timeline alteration where the introduction of the pill takes place under Sister Ursula's regime and Shelagh doesn't yet know she's pregnant.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Any recognized lines are not mine and are property of Heidi Thomas and Neal Street Productions.
Shelagh was in her element. The trip to South Africa had thoroughly reinvigorated her and Patrick's drive and determination and now they were on their way to Nonnatus to do a presentation on the contraceptive pill. She knew Sister Julienne was hesitant to accept this particular medical progression, but they'd talked while on their missionary trip and the older nun was slowly becoming more accepting, much to Shelagh and Patrick's delight. Sister Ursula would be an entirely different matter, but armed with her materials and presentation board, Shelagh felt she was ready to take on the challenge.
They'd only briefly interacted with Sister Ursula at the clinic earlier that week, but the short encounter was enough to put both Turners on guard around the new Superior. Still, they'd been planning this presentation since before they left for South Africa and they were eager to get the rest of the Nonnatuns on board for the sake of their ever-growing patient list.
Their knock on the door was answered by an oddly enthusiastic Nurse Crane.
"Ah, Dr. and Mrs. Turner, come in, come in."
She ushered them inside and helped them swiftly to the sitting room.
"You're in a good mood today, Nurse Crane." Shelagh observed.
"I'm thrilled we're finally addressing the contraception issue." she explained. "I also cannot deny that I'm eager for any activity not ordained by our new dictator."
"That bad?" asked Patrick worriedly.
"She has Sister Julienne on rounds, she confiscated the television, and she essentially told Nurse Mount to ignore her patients outside of mandatory visits."
"What?" Shelagh gasped. "That goes against everything Nonnatus stands for, Sister Julienne can't possibly be alright with this."
"I don't think she has much of a choice from what it sounds like." Nurse Crane sighed.
"I take it she's less-than-thrilled with the prospect of this presentation, then?" Patrick hinted sarcastically.
"Honestly, she hasn't mentioned it, but I would keep my wits about me if I were you." Nurse crane warned.
"Hello Dr. Tuner, Mrs. Turner." Delia happily welcomed as she walked into the room with Patsy.
"Nurse Mount, Nurse Busby, it's lovely to see you." said Shelagh affectionately. "How are things?"
"Let's just say we're happy to have you lot back." Patsy remarked as she cast her eyes towards the hall.
Shelagh and Patrick glanced at each other and sighed. It was not only going to be a long night, it was going to be a long year. The couple watched the rest of the group file in over the next few minutes with similar looks on their faces: genuinely happy to see the Turners and interested in the presentation, but frustrated beyond belief at their circumstances. They also couldn't help but notice that all conversation ceased the moment Sister Ursula entered the room with a curt nod to Shelagh and Patrick.
"Right then, best get started." Shelagh began optimistically. "Doctor?" She gestured to Patrick to begin the presentation.
"Right, thank you all for taking the time. As you know, we're here to talk about the new contraceptive pill. In the United States, the pill was initially only approved as a treatment for menstrual disorders. But hundreds of thousands of American women are now taking it as a contraceptive and it has been declared to be 100% effective in preventing pregnancy." Patrick instructed.
"One of the best things about this method of contraception is that it's completely within the control of the woman." Shelagh continued.
"Some men won't like that." Patsy joked in some seriousness.
"They might like it more than the sheaths they refuse to use." Nurse Crane countered. "Are there any health risks so far?"
"There has been some correlation with blood clots, but the numbers aren't consistent yet." Patrick answered. "Overall, it's appeared extremely safe as long as the woman takes it daily."
"Daily?" Delia asked.
"Yes," Shelagh replied, "the pill has to be taken once a day, religiously."
"That's an odd choice of word, Mrs. Turner." Sister Ursula cut in. Every head turned towards her, expectantly.
"I beg your pardon, Sister?" Shelagh asked, confused.
"Your use of the word 'religiously'." she clarified. "As far as I can see, there isn't anything religious about this abomination."
The air tensed and it seemed everyone was glancing back and forth between the Turners and Sister Ursula to see who would strike next. Patrick was the first to break the silence.
"With all due respect, Sister, the majority in Poplar see this pill as a miracle, not an abomination."
"This pill encourages relations without the intent of procreation, does it not?" she countered.
"The pill itself doesn't encourage anything." Shelagh responded calmly. "And even if it did, where the law stands now in England, it's only available as a prescription to married women, so extramarital relations wouldn't be affected either way."
"I didn't say extramarital relations, Mrs. Turner." Sister Ursula corrected haughtily. "I said relations without the intent of procreation. That includes within a marriage. In the event a couple does not wish for children, we should be encouraging abstinence, not sheaths and pills."
"Sister Ursula," Nurse Crane spoke slowly so as to not lose her temper, "as we mentioned before, the men of Poplar already complain when their wives ask them to use sheaths. The idea that they would give up relations entirely is, well, ludicrous."
"People should take responsibility for their actions. The sacred bond of marriage is not an excuse for recreational activities, it merely gives them a purpose." Sister Ursula insisted. "It is our role to forgive sin and hope that the practitioners repent, not to give such urges free reign."
"It is our role to provide the best care we can for our patients." Patrick argued. He could see how the discussion was affecting Shelagh and he desperately wanted to get it back on track. "The families in Poplar have more mouths than they can feed and, frankly, that leads to far more pressing problems than whether or not married couples are having sexual relations. The pill won't change any of that, it will simply make life easier on families who cannot afford more children."
"Here, here!" Pasty and Nurse Crane cheered.
"Furthermore," Patrick continued, "I find it hard to believe that you could be so cold as to call any relations within a marriage 'sinful'. Couples where the woman has passed menopause certainly don't cease sexual relations simply because they can no longer conceive."
"Patrick…" Shelagh tried to warn, but it was too late.
"And perhaps your judgement is clouded by the circumstances of your own marriage, Dr. Turner." Sister Ursula said venomously.
Collective gasps rang throughout the room and Shelagh fought to shove the impending tears back down.
"How dare you?" Sister Julienne jumped to Shelagh's defense. "The Turners have been nothing but blessings to this community for over a decade."
"They have also been married for years and born no children." Sister Ursula pressed on, oblivious to the tears that were now making their way down a shaking Shelagh's face. "What other conclusion am I to draw?"
"It's no concern of yours." Patrick spat. "You have no right-"
Shelagh could hear no more. She bolted from the room and barely heard the concerned shouts at her retreat or the footsteps chasing after her. She didn't want to. She just wanted to run as far away from thoughts that hadn't plagued her in years.
They'd dealt with these fears the first time around. It took her weeks to be intimate again with Patrick after her surgery because of these very worries. Now, all of that was flooding back and she couldn't handle it, especially not in front of every single one of her colleagues.
Without realizing it, she ran straight into the chapel and fell to her knees as she sobbed. Sister Julienne followed quickly behind her.
"Oh, my dear girl." Sister Julienne knelt beside her and pulled her into her arms. "I'm so sorry, I should've stopped her sooner."
"How can you look at me?" Shelagh cried. "After what she said, how can you not judge me?"
"I don't judge you or your marriage, Shelagh." Sister Julienne promised. "No more than I ever judged you for leaving your vows."
"But-"
"No." Sister Julienne insisted. "I may never understand the love between a husband and wife, but I've watched you and Patrick for some time now and I can say without a doubt that your marriage is truly sacred."
"We've sinned." Shelagh whimpered.
"I don't believe you have, my dear. Some laws are written, and some, I believe, are in the eye of the beholder."
"Shelagh!" Patrick called out as he rounded the corner to the chapel.
"She's in here." Sister Julienne called back.
Patrick ran to the two of them and Sister Julienne gently passed Shelagh from her own arms to Patrick's.
"It's no comfort right now, I know," said Sister Julienne, "but I shall be ringing the mother house in the morning."
"Thank you, Sister. It means more than you think." Patrick assured.
Sister Julienne left the couple in the chapel with a small prayer for their happiness.
"Shelagh, I'm so sorry, I don't know what to say." Patrick tried to comfort her. "I could never have imagined-"
"It's not your fault, Patrick." Shelagh sniffled. "You aren't the infertile one."
"Hey, stop that." he turned her face to look at him. "You don't deserve that, Shelagh, and you know it. Sister Ursula is the only one to blame right now."
"I'm sorry I ran." She apologized.
"You don't have to apologize, love. If I wasn't so furious, I would've done the same." He gently stroked her hair as her breathing slowed and marveled at how quickly she was able to process and put herself together.
"How can you still look so attractive while crying?" He joked. Her smile was worth it.
"I look a mess, dear." she insisted.
"Not even close," he promised, "you're always gorgeous, even when you're covered in blood and amniotic fluid."
"Such a romantic." Shelagh giggled softly.
They sat entwined on the chapel floor a while longer, simply breathing in the other's company until Shelagh fell asleep in his lap.
That was how Sister Julienne found them later on her way to compline and against Sister Ursula's preferences, she helped Patrick move Shelagh to a spare room and let the emotionally exhausted couple stay the night under the roof she was determined would always accept them.
10 down, 40 to go! I'm on a roll. :D