Welcome to chapter 25! Wey-hey!
I actually loved writing this chapter – very dialogue heavy, because I just wanted to show how excited everyone was and in my friends and family, excitement means loud lengthy conversations!
I really hope you enjoy this chapter – thanks to all of you who have reviewed, you're all fabulous human beings – and please do continue!
This chapter's song is:
Posh Girls – Scouting for girls
Enjoy x
Posh girls have good manners but they go like the clappers 'cause they never got to hang around with boys at school. Posh girls have good manners but they go like the clappers 'cause they never got to hang around with boys at school. She seems pristine, but don't be deceived because she's not that naïve, and it looks like butter wouldn't melt.
Patrick took his key out of the ignition and took a moment to check around the car, there were hints that Shelagh occasionally drove it, the fact the seat was every now and then pulled forward, the faint trace of her shampoo that lingered in the air, the pair of sunglasses tucked under the windscreen and the fact that every once in a while he switched on the engine and jazz would pour out of the stereo as one of her CD's came into life.
Picking his bag up from the passenger footwell he gave the gear stick a final wiggle and got out of the car, there was a reassuring cool dampness in the air that said that summer was on it's way out and autumn on the return. He contemplated taking his coat out of the boot, but decided against it, chancing it in only his suit. Locking the door he started towards the hospital's staff entrance, a small selection of staff were stood outside, shielded from the public and the wind to smoke their cigarettes, make phone calls and mentally plan who was going to get the kids to school this week. Checking his watch, Patrick pulled his packet of B&H from his pocket and lit up, he exhaled a plume of smoke and re-pocketed his lighter and cigarettes.
"Ahh – good morning Doctor."
"Fred. Lurking about are you, how are things?"
"Can't complain Doc, can't complain. You just back?"
"Yup, I'll miss the lie-ins and the sea-views but it's nice to be back!"
"Sea-views? Wouldn't have thought you'd have seen much of the sights what with it being your honeymoon and all, eh doc?!"
"Mmm …"
"… Right well I'll be off then doc – you have a good day now!"
"Mmm, you too now Fred, bye."
"Patrick! How was the honeymoon?"
"Fine thanks Julie, in fact – wonderful, brilliant … it was just really lovely!"
"Oh that's such good news, I'm so glad for you both, it was a lovely wedding."
"Well we should sit down and have a proper de-brief at some point – although I'm sure that Shelagh'll give you the full story when she gets in later."
"Yes, I'm sure she will, you know she really is very happy."
"Good, so am I … really so … so happy. Happier than I've been in a long time!"
"Well I'm glad, you deserve it. By the way – you have a new F1 in today, didn't catch her name I'm afraid."
"Oh right well that should be nice, always happy to impart my years of accrued wisdom unto others, you know me Julie."
"Mmm – I do. Right well I'd best be off, meeting's coming out of my ears I tell you! Oh and if you see Shealgh before I do tell her to come and visit me, I have a proposition for her."
"Ooh – sounds interesting."
"It may well be, see you later Patrick."
"See you." Collecting his post out of his pigeon hole, he noticed that someone had stuck a sticky label over the typed 'McDonald' of Shelagh's label, and replaced it with a biro written 'Turner'. Smiling to himself he flicked through the post, a copy of the BMJ that had arrived in his absence, an invitation to a very dull sounding dinner held by a pharmaceutical company, and a smattering of other odds and ends that were always circulating the hospital. Walking backwards into his office, with his bag handle slipping from his grasp, a mug of tea in one hand, while the other tried to stop his post from slipping away. He didn't spot the woman sat in his office, in her early 20's with her shoulder length dark hair expertly blown dry, while all around her the scent of expensive make-up filtered. "Jesus! Sorry … you are?"
"Lila, Dr Lila Morgan … your new F1 … I did email but it said you were on holiday."
"Yes … yes I was. Sorry, how did you get in here?"
"I asked one of the porters to open it for me, I hope you don't mind?"
"Right … well, I would generally rather it if you didn't go into my locked office, uninvited, before we've been introduced. But who knows, maybe I'm just old fashioned! Dr Patrick Turner."
"I know. I read about you, my father worked with you at Guys I believe."
"Really? I can't say that I …"
"Sir Alistair Morgan-Howard?"
"Ahh, Sir Morgan-Howard of course, yes I wouldn't quite say we worked together. I treated one of his patients in Gyne about 15 years ago after some of his … what was it now … designer vaginal surgery went wrong."
"Well Daddy always was a pioneer."
"Is that what they call it these days? I think I chose some quite different words at the time."
"Ha, well Daddy remembers you very fondly."
"I'm sure he does, I didn't sue him for malpractice."
"So!?"
"So what?"
"So! What was it like? Was it romantic and beautiful!?"
"It was lovely, best honeymoon I've ever had!"
"Urgh – Shelagh, you're rubbish, I want gossip, I want details!"
"Well you're not going to get any, we had a lovely time … and barely left the hotel. And that is all you are getting Nurse Lee! But come on, any gossip from the home front?"
"Yes! You're doctor friend … the one you used to work in A&E with, the Polish one?"
"Miroslav? He's Serbian … what about him?"
"Well, put it this way … he didn't leave alone that night … he left with, drumroll please -"
"Get on with it – I've got a stretch and sweep waiting in room 4!"
"Cynthia!"
"NO!"
"Yup – Cynthia spent almost the whole night with him at the reception, then they left together. She's been seeing him a lot!"
"My God … Cynthia?"
"Yeah – I know, Cynthia! It's like finding out that the Virgin Mary was working as a Las Vegas showgirl on the side."
"Oh be nice … but I'm happy for her, Miroslav's a lovely man – and an excellent doctor. And if memory serves he's really good at dancing … so she's a lucky girl."
"Ooh, don't talk like that or people'll think you want to trade our Dr Turner in for a younger model!"
"Ach – haud yer wheesht. Right, well I'll go and poke my cervix in 4, see if I can't get things going. I'll do a run to the shop after I've done that – you want anything Jenny?"
"Ooh – can you get me a KitKat, I've got a craving."
"Aye aye – you haven't got yourself into trouble have you? Craving KitKats …"
"No I bloody have not! Haven't you got a cervix to sweep?"
"I'm going I'm going!" Replied Shelagh with a smile, her hand already on the door handle of room 4. The trace of a laugh was still on her lips as she stepped into the room, sitting furiously on the bed was a young girl. Her notes said that she was 16 although through a thick layer of makeup mixed with her lank greasy hair her age was much harder to tell. She was skinny, around 7 stone wet through Shelagh guessed, giving the girl a quick appraisal, her shoulders were sharp and her elbows pointed ferociously outwards as she wrapped her arms around the incongruous bump. "Hi there, it's Jade isn't it?"
"Yeah."
"Hi, I'm Shelagh, your midwife."
"Right – so can I go out for a fag now or what? 'Cos that old bitch out there said I can't."
"We don't really want you to leave the unit Jade. It's important the we can moniter your baby's heart, and make sure that your healthy."
"That's shit, when my Uncle Kev was in they let him go out all the time yeah."
"Was your Uncle Kev having a baby?"
"What? No – you thick or summin'? You sayin' my Uncle's gay?!"
"No. I'm saying that unless he was in labour then it really doesn't matter if he was allowed out to smoke or not. You're not – end of."
"Whatever yeah."
"Jade, I'm not here to fight you. I'm here to give you and your baby the best care, and get the baby born safely – OK?"
"Yeah … whatever."
"Have you got anyone here to help you with the labour?"
"Nah."
"Not your Mum, or boyfriend?"
"Nah – I'm well shot of him, Mum don't wanna know …"
"Or a friend?"
"Look – I aint got no-one right. So … let's just do this yeah."
"Right … OK. That's fine. Now you know why your in-today."
"That sweep thing yeah."
"Yeah – so I'm going to try and induce the baby, using my finger to try and separate the bag that your baby's living in from your cervix … do you understand?"
"Yeah."
"When Julie examined you earlier she said you … umm, your body was already getting set for labour so hopefully this should bring on the labour sooner rather than later. OK?"
"Yeah … do we have to?"
"Do the sweep?"
"Yeah … seems like the baby don't wanna be born. I think about the baby … all safe and warm … why would it want to be born – worlds full of shit."
"… Jade … I know that this is probably not ideal for you … but what your baby needs is a Mum, who loves them and … I think you can do that. I know your scared -"
"You don't know fuck all! Shit your talkin' you don't know fuck all! You married are you? With your kids and your nice car and shit? So you don't know shit about me, and my life and how I feel yeah!"
"I am married yes … and that was hard, harder than you'd think … I've got no kids … but I've got a 13 year old stepson – and how ever scared you are right now about having a baby … I was that scared of getting someone else's son … scared he wouldn't like me, scared he'd hate me … scared I'd lose my husband if I didn't get on with his son … life is terrifying Jade, being alive is the scariest thing you'll ever do … but if you take the risks … and take a chance … then the prizes are the greatest."
"Right … I've got ham salad, cheese and pickle … umm … coronation chicken and an egg mayo – who wants what?"
"Ham salad please! You're a star."
"Ham salad for Julie – Jenny?"
"Uh – oh god I'm rubbish at decisions! Well what do you and Patrick want?"
"I've got my eye on the coronation chicken; Patrick'll eat anything to be honest."
"I'll have egg mayo then please – thanks Shelagh."
"Ooh – Shelagh, did you get my message, I need a chat with you about something at some point today if you don't mind?" Said Julie, tearing at the plastic packet of the sandwich with her teeth,
"Uh, sorry didn't get any message, are you free now?"
"Yeah – no probs."
"Right … two secs I'll just drop this off with Patrick- back now." jumping up from her staff room chair, Shelagh slipped down the corridor that led to the offices, the door was half ajar with the old peeling:
Dr P. Turner (MMed, DGO)
Obstetrics & Neonatal
Registrar
sat wonkily on the name plate. He had once told her that it was a temporary measure put in when he took over from his predecessor that no-one had ever thought to replace. Pushing the door slightly she found Patrick sat at his desk staring at his computer, while sat on the arm of his desk chair was a tall slim woman, her left arm lay across the back of the chair and she was leant over Patrick staring at his screen. With a small cough Shelagh leant against the door frame watching the couple,
"Shelagh!"
"Hi -"
"Excuse me – this is actually a private meeting so, if you don't mind." cut in the slim brunette with a cocked eyebrow.
"You must be our new F1."
"I am, and you're a midwife … so as I said, if you don't mind."
"Actually -" Began Patrick in a vague attempt at chivalry, and a deep rooted feeling that his new doctor had no idea what it was she was doing,
"I don't think we've been introduced, Dr …?"
"Dr Lila Morgan." she replied, after a moment of staring at Shelagh's outstretched hand she finally deigned to shake it, standing up from the arm of the chair with a sigh.
"Lovely to meet you Dr Morgan, Shelagh Turner. How do you do?" There was a moment as her fingers left Shelagh's palm when her face flickered for a moment, a slight frown and her tongue rested against the bottom of her teeth.
"I'm sorry? Shealgh …?"
"Turner, Shelagh Turner. Sorry to disturb your meeting, I was just going to give you your lunch … darling."
"Umm – right … thank you … darling."
"Oh you're more than welcome … darling." Turning on the spot, Shelagh threw a cursory glance across Dr Morgan and smiled at the young woman before leaving the office, trying desperately to look confident and aloof. Inside the office, Lila spun around to face Patrick. She licked her lips and started as if she was going to say something but then thought better of it and walked back towards the desk, inhaling again she ploughed forth.
"I … I thought you were widowed … Daddy said that you were widowed."
"I was widowed yes, but I recently re-married. Married Shelagh."
"I see … you married a midwife? Could you not find someone a little more …?"
"A little more what? Dr Morgan, why are you here? Can I take a wild stab in the dark as to your plan? You do badly in your exams, but Sir Alistair Morgan-Howard's daughter isn't going to fail medical school … So a few strings are pulled, the necessary rotations are organised – you're given to consultants and registrars that your father knows. You bat your eyelids, smooth a few egos, perhaps even a bit of who knows what at the Christmas party. Then you qualify – and get yourself a nice quiet country practice somewhere where you can treat bunions and asthma for heaps of cash and do very little harm. Is that about right?"
"Pretty much … look I'm sorry. I am – but you don't understand what it's like to be the daughter of someone like Daddy, the expectations are massive … will you report me?"
"What for? You've not really done anything wrong you know. I mean I've seen your work all morning, you're not terrible, I mean you're no super-star either – you miss stuff and you make errors but I think that … with a bit of help, you could be a decent doctor. Your diagnosis skills are alright, your meds management is OK … I think that if you work at it we could make a passable, non-deadly doctor out of you. So no – I wont report you … but, if you're ever rude to or about my wife like that again, I'll fail you, report you and get you struck off. Clear?"
"As crystal."
"Hello?!"
"Hi love, living room."
"Evening all, oh, where's Tim?"
"Went to bed, he said his requisite five syllables when I got home and then went to his room."
"Oh good – mmm, what are you eating?"
"Christ knows, it was in the freezer in tupperwear, I think it's chicken … maybe. There's some on the stove if you want it, how was your run?"
"Oh fine, only managed 3k before the rain sent me home, I need to dig out my trousers, these shorts aren't going to be enough in a few weeks time."
"Mm – oh yes, can't have you getting cold knees now can we!?"
"Don't laugh!"
"I'm not, I'm not! By the way … that Dr Morgan, Lila -"
"Oh yeah, I meant to say about that – if you're going to cheat on me, you could at least make it subtle, she was all over you like a bloody rash!"
"I am categorically not having an affair, for one I have you, and for two – I can barely keep up with one woman in her 20's, let alone two at the same time! Jesus I'd be knackered!"
"You would! So Lila Morgan is gone?"
"Nope, she's … I didn't have the heart to get rid of her, it'd be the end of her medical career straight away and … she's not that bad …"
"Hmm."
"Jesus – does someone take you aside on your wedding day and show women how to do that face and noise?! Every single married woman I know can do it."
"I'm just not convinced … but hey ho – we'll see."
"Yeah – well let's not hold our breaths. Mm – I meant to ask love, how was your meeting with Julie – what was she after?"
"Oh my God, I can't believe I forgot to tell you! Right so you know the Royston centre, down by the docks?"
"That addiction centre place?"
"Yeah, so, due to cutbacks it's being closed down and split up, the addiction maternity clinic is being moved to the hospital, open two days a week and they're opening it up so that it's also teenage pregnancies and prison pregnancies and all that kind of stuff."
"One massive cutback and re-jig then?"
"Basically. And … and Julie has been asked to provide a midwife, they're keeping in all the nurses and social workers and stuff. But they want a 'senior midwife' to help run it – just two days a week – and Julie thought of me."
"You? I mean your brilliant and I love you, but why you?"
"Thanks! No, well she thinks that I'm probably the only senior midwife that's a, young enough to take on the job, b, would want to do it and c, is in all likely hood going to be staying for the foreseeable future … what do you think? I mean it's a brilliant opportunity …"
"I think you want to do it, I think that you'd be brilliant at it, and I think that is really all that matters."
"That means that you don't want me to do it, doesn't it?"
"You're asking me if I want to spend less time with my gorgeous sexy wife, so that she can go and examine the uteruses of angry drug addicts? No, I wouldn't want you to do it … but that's entirely different from me thinking that you should do it because you'd be good at it, and you'd enjoy it … so."
"So that's brilliantly ambiguous!"
"Oh I do my best – I like to think of myself as man of mystery!"
"Hmm – yeah, keep trying love!"