Thankfully, the villa has wifi - albeit very slow wifi - but hopefully, I should be able to update every day this week :)

Sunday 10th January 2016

Shadow had been wearing a 'stupid black nappy thing' as Tom put it, for two weeks because she was on heat and they didn't want her getting blood everywhere. However, the increase in hormones had caused Shadow to become very protective of her three puppies who were almost four months old and once Sam had tried to give the bitch a bath to clean her blood stained white fur, she had leapt out of the bath and ran into the living room before she proceeded to herd and surround her puppies into the corner where their whelping box used to be.

"Why don't you try giving a bath to all of them?" Tom suggested as he chuckled on the sofa whilst he sat with Daniel bouncing on his lap. The 18 week old infant pushed down on his dad's lap when Tom held him upright and so he was building up the muscles that he would soon need to walk.

"Four border collies in one bath? I don't think so." Sam retorted as she rolled her sleeves up. "Shadow, is going for a bath once and for all. And she's gonna behave." Sam stated as she grabbed Shadow by the collar and dragged her to the bathroom. Sam managed to pull the semi-wet dog into the bath and she got the detachable shower head running once more. "Right. I know it's horrible being on your period, trust me I've had a hell of a lot more of them than you. So I know how you feel- well actually I don't because I haven't had one in over a year but-"

"Have you still not started?" Tom asked and Sam turned around whilst she remained holding Shadow in the bath tub to see that her husband was standing there balancing their son on his hip. "Sorry, I wasn't eavesdropping. I came to see if you wanted a hand but I overheard." Tom admitted.

"Well I've been breastfeeding full time so it's not unusual that I haven't started yet. It's only been less than four months." Sam said defensively.

"No, of course not. I was just curious." Tom replied. "Y'know, he's in the early stages of teething?" He began.

"Yeah." Sam nodded as she continued to wash down Shadow.

"And you know he likes it when you or I rub our finger on his gum to apply pressure?"

"Yep."

"Do you think it's alright to let him bite a little bit on my finger?" Tom asked. "Because he clenches his gums together on my finger and it seems to relive some of the pain. Plus I know he's not biting as hard as he can so I don't think he's being aggressive."

"Well, as long as he knows when to stop and he's not hurting you, I don't see why not. But you'll have to stop him as soon as he nips you." Sam warned.

"Alright, you'd never hurt daddy would you?" Tom cooed as he tickled his son under the chin. "How is Shadow now?"

"She is hormonal." Sam retorted as she wiped the splash of water from her face with her arm before she continued to wash her hormonal dog.

Monday 11th January 2016

"Just stay in here, and I'll come and check on you when I can. If you need me, just give me a call okay? I'll keep my phone on me- sorry I didn't know you was in here." Fletch apologised as he walked his eleven year old daughter, Evie, into the staffroom where he found Sam breastfeeding on the sofa, but she was just pulling up her base layer and then she pulled her scrub shirt up.

"It's alright, I'm finished." Sam announced as she stood up and balanced Daniel on her hip. "How's Max getting on?" Sam asked as she tried to make conversation with her best friend's daughter.

"Fine." Evie mumbled.

"She's not feeling very well and her mum's out on a spa day with her friends so unfortunately, I've had to bring her to work rather than tuck her up in bed at home." Fletch explained as he sat his daughter down on the sofa.

"What is it? A cold?" Sam questioned sympathetically whilst she kept her distance because she definitely didn't want her son to get ill too.

"No, I think it might be an upset stomach. She hasn't had any symptoms yet except a stomach ache so we'll just have to see how it goes. There's already three nurses off at the moment so I can't take the day off." Fletch explained quietly. "Right, I'll see you in a bit alright?" He said to Evie who nodded before she took a book out of her rucksack. Fletch walked out with Sam out of the staffroom whilst she continued to gently bounce her son on her hip to keep him entertained whilst he played with the end of Sam's ponytail.

"How long has she had the stomach ache for?" Sam asked curiously once the door was shut.

"Er, she woke up in the night with it and it hasn't gone since." Fletch replied.

"Has she started her periods?"

"No."

"Do you not think maybe this is her first one?"

"No, she would've told me." Fletch protested.

"Yeah but maybe she doesn't know. Maybe she's just had the stomach ache but she hadn't started bleeding yet, in which case she wouldn't know what's happening."

"She's too young, she's only eleven."

"So? I started mine when I was nine!" Sam protested.

"Yeah I really wanted to know that." Fletch said sarcastically.

"Well, I'd better take this little man back to the crèche but make sure you listen to her if she has anything to say." Sam warned before she disappeared behind the double doors as she carried her son back to his day care.

Sam had just used the bathroom and she came out of her cubicle to wash her hands when she noticed that the cubicle besides her had been locked since she entered and was still locked when she had come out. She silently crouched down and saw the pink and white trainers that he knew belonged to Fletch's daughter so she knocked on the door.

"Evie? It's Sam. Are you alright in there? Do you want me to get your dad?"

"No, please I don't want Dad to know I just want Mum."

"You don't want your Dad to know what?" Sam queried. "Evie, have you started your period?" Sam asked softly and quietly; thankfully they were the only two females in the toilets.

"Mmhmm." Was mumbled.

"Have you got pads to use?" Sam asked.

"No... Please help me." Sam heard Evie plead in a nervous voice. She didn't know what to do because Sam had nothing in her locker, let alone anything in her pockets but suddenly Sam noticed the dispenser on the wall and thankfully, she had enough change in her pocket from the cafe to get a single sanitary pad. She then slipped it underneath the door but heard silence and she knew the girl wasn't going to do anything whilst Sam was just outside the cubicle door.

"Just open it, peel it off of the wrapper, stick it to your underwear and then stick the wings underneath to keep it in place. I'll wait outside for you, okay?" Sam said, though she expected no response so she just quietly made her way outside of the toilets and stood by the door where Fletch ran up to her.

"Is Evie in there?" Fletch demanded. "She's not in the staff room."

"Yeah."

"Is she ill?" He asked without giving Sam time to explain and she had to step in front of the worried dad to stop him from running into the toilets.

"Fletch, she really doesn't want you to know... But she has started her period."

"Wh- you sure?"

"Well I haven't seen any proof but I've just had to give her a pad. When is Natalie gonna be back?"

"About 2pm."

"Well get her to come straight here when she's finished. It's not that Evie doesn't trust you but she just really needs her mum right now."

"Well she obviously trusts you with this at the moment so, I know it's a big ask but can you look after her until Nat gets here? Because I don't have a clue how to deal with this." Fletch asked hesitantly as he knew that Sam wasn't the girly girl sort but he knew that having Daniel had softened her a bit.

"Yeah sure. Just go quick, before she comes out." Sam ordered.

"Right, if you stay in here then you won't have people coming in and out like the staffroom, and you can have a lie down until you feel better." Sam said as she showed Evie the oncall room and pulled back the duvet. "I'll go and get you some painkillers and a hot water bottle. Is there anything else you want?" Sam asked kindly.

"What about when I need to change it?" Evie asked timidly.

"Oh right yeah. Don't worry about that, I'll get you some more pads too. I'll be back in a couple of minutes." Sam smiled before she left the room and closed the door behind her. She soon returned with a bottle of water, her own hot water bottle from her locker, a box of ibuprofen and Evie's rucksack. "Right, I've put a brand new pack of pads in your bag and you can use the ensuite whenever you want to change. I find that holding a hot water bottle on my tummy helps with period pains sometimes, and as well as that. You can take one of these tablets if you want to. Now I did have to ask your dad if it's okay for you to take this just in case you were allergic, but I said you had a headache okay?" Sam lied.

"Thank you Sam." Evie said gratefully as Sam opened the bottle of water and then popped one of the white tablets into the girl's palm.

"You're welcome. Do you want my to break it in half so it's not so big?" Sam suggested and Evie nodded so Sam did so and made sure that Evie swallowed the tablet okay, before she got up. "Right, I've got to get on with my work but if you want me, I'll either be in the staffroom feeding Daniel or around cubicles. If not, just ask your dad and he can give me a ring. I'll let you get some rest."

"Where have you been all day then? I've hardly seen you." Tom asked as he met up with Sam in the peace garden of the hospital whilst she pushed Daniel's pushchair around so that he could get some fresh air during his parent's lunch break.

"Fletch's daughter wasn't very well. I just helped him to look after her a bit." Sam replied briefly.

"And how has my son been?"

"Lucy, one of the girls in the crèche, said that he's been a bit fussy so they gave him his teething ring that has been in the fridge and he settled down pretty quickly. He's still got it now." Sam explained as they both sat down on a bench, and they faced the pushchair towards them. Daniel had his concentration face on as he gummed away at the cool plastic ring which amused his parents. He was yet to show any baby teeth but when they applied pressure on his gums to relieve some of his pain, they could feel that his teeth were very near to the surface.

"Can we go out tonight?" Sam requested.

"Depends on what you mean by out." Tom replied.

"Well I was thinking that maybe we could go to the new Toby Carvery that's just opened near the roundabout by the dual carriage way. I'm sure Daniel will be welcome there and we haven't had a proper roast dinner for a long time."

"Yeah, sure. That sounds nice." Tom agreed as he put one arm around Sam's shoulders. She was wearing her blue NHS hoodie over her scrubs to keep her warm, as was Tom. But they were still chilly in the winter winds.

"Do you think he's warm enough?" Sam asked concernedly as she tucked Daniel's blanket in tighter under his arms so that he could still use his hands to hold his teething ring.

"Yeah, he's got a nappy, a vest, a romper suit and plenty of blankets. I'm sure he's fine." Tom said reassuringly.

"You can have a couple of beers with your meal if you want; I'll drive home." Sam offered.

"Well that is an offer I can't refuse." Tom smirked before he kissed Sam on the cheek.

"Evie... Evie..." Sam whispered to wake the young girl up. She had fallen asleep in the oncall room bed because, as Fletch had said, she had woken up in the early hours of the morning with a stomach ache and she had been unable to sleep until the painkillers that Sam had given her, had kicked in. "Your mum is on the way here." Sam stated as she opened her eyes. "It's up to you, so do you want me to explain to your mum what has happened? Or do you want to tell her yourself?" Sam asked quietly as she squatted besides the bed.

"Can you tell her please?" Evie asked timidly.

"Yeah, of course I can. I'll tell her as soon as she gets here, and then I'll bring her to come and get you." Sam smiled.

"Natalie, I just need to have a quick word before I take you to get Evie." Sam stated as she stopped the woman by the hospital entrance.

"What is it? Adrian said she wasn't ill so I'm a bit confused as to why she wasn't taken to school today." Natalie admitted.

"Evie, started her period. She had cramps but obviously she didn't know what was happening and she told Fletch that she thought she had an upset stomach. Now, I've given her some ibuprofen and I got her some pads from the store room here but she's going to need some more soon. Plus she asked me not to tell Fletch, so she doesn't think that he knows, but I had to tell him so just don't tell Evie that I told him please." Sam explained to the shocked mother.

"Is she alright?"

"Yeah, the painkillers seem to have done the trick and she had a bit of a nap in the oncall room to catch up on sleep." Sam stated as she lead the woman through the building and to the room where her daughter was standing with her rucksack on her back.

"Hey, you're really growing up aren't you sweetheart?" Natalie said softly as she pulled Evie into a tight hug and then kissed the top of her head. After a couple of moments, they pulled apart and Evie turned to Sam.

"Thanks for everything." Evie smiled awkwardly before she hugged Sam who warmly accepted the grateful hug and patted her on the back.

"You're more than welcome. Just remember me and your mum have been there before, and it's nothing to be embarrassed about okay?"

"Okay." She nodded. "Can we go home now mum?"

"Yeah, of course we can. We can stop at tescos on the way home to get you some more supplies yeah? You can have a look at all the different types and see which ones you prefer." Natalie said as they headed for the door. "Thank you." She mouthed to Sam before she left the room.

Luckily, the restaurant wasn't too busy so Sam and Tom had acquired a booth that seated four. Sam sat on one side with Daniel in his carrier besides her, and Tom sat opposite her. The restaurant was similar to a pub, except there wasn't the idiotic drunks stumbling about - the atmosphere was very friendly, and so Sam and Tom felt comfortable eating their with Daniel, rather than feeling pressured to keep their infant quiet like they would in a posher restaurant. They took turns in going up to the Carvery bar, and each then had a plate filled with roasted pork with scratching, roast potatoes, a massive Yorkshire pudding and lots of vegetables, covered in gravy. Tom had a pint of beer, whilst Sam had a glass of coke to keep her refreshed.

"We've definitely got to come here again." Tom stated as he dug into his piping hot meal.

"Mm, the food's great." Sam stated. "And it's not too loud that he can't sleep, but not too noisy that everyone notices if he makes noises." Sam added.

"Oopsy daisy. Someone's dribbling again." Tom smiled as he reached over the small table and wiped the dribble off of his son's chin with a napkin.

"He's certainly taking teething pretty well isn't he?" Sam said proudly.

"Well he must have his mother's high pain threshold."

"We're moving in less than two months." Sam stated.

"You excited?"

"Kind of. I just think that we're going to be so much more relaxed with more room rather than being in our one bedroom apartment at the moment. Plus we won't have to worry about the stupid landlord anymore, and we'll have a much bigger garden to play games with our son when he grows up." Sam replied. "And we're getting a much bigger bed with a memory foam matress, and I really love our ensuite bathroom because both the shower and the bath is massive so there's enough room for me and you to share one. We're gonna have a bigger kitchen with more room in the fridge and freezer, so we can go shopping like once a week or once a fortnight because at the moment, you can't fit a weeks worth of food in our cupboards."

"And of course, Daniel gets his own room."

"Maybe. I still haven't decided whether he's going to sleep in his cot in our room yet." Sam admitted sheepishly.

"I don't know if I can eat an entire pudding." Sam admitted.

"Why don't we share one?" Tom suggested.

"Um... Yeah okay. Which one were you thinking of?"

"Well I already know which one you want." Tom stated.

"How?" Sam demanded.

"Because I know you love brownies so you'll be wanting the chocolate brownie ice cream sensation." Tom stated. "Which I am happy to share with you... As long as we can have it with marshmallows." Tom stated childishly.

"Fine with me." Sam nodded.

"Please can he have a marshmallow? They're only little." Tom pleaded as he balanced one on his long sundae spoon.

"Tom, he's 18 weeks old. He could choke and he shouldn't be having any solids until he's 6 months old." Sam stared sternly. "Besides, that marshmallow is mine." Sam quipped as she leant forward and nicked the sweet off of Tom's spoon.

"Oi!" Tom laughed.

"Here you go." Sam offered as she got a bit of ice cream on her spoon for him. Tom opened his mouths but Sam suddenly wiped the back of her spoon on the tip of his nose and coated it in white ice cream.

"Do you really want to start a food fight with me in public?" Tom questioned as Sam giggled whilst he wiped it off of his nose with a napkin.

"Pft, no. How immature do you think I am?" Sam asked innocently. Soon, after finishing their dessert, Sam and Tom too their son home and had an early night to get some well earned rest.

Coming up: Sam is faced with an unfortunate event at work and she has to rely on Tom's help.

Thanks for reading, please review :)