CHAPTER 4

Three days went by without any change in Aislinn's condition. Shelagh refused to leave her sister's side for a long period of time and had become her personal nurse. She would change bandages, applied creme to cuts and bruises and washed her as best as possible. In between she took care of her daughter, who was brought to her by Patrick before he'd dropped Timothy off to school and would go to work himself.

At the end of the day, the Turner family met at Nonnatus again. The Sisters allowed them to eat dinner with them and the nurses. After dinner Patrick would bring their children home for sleep, while Shelagh went back upstairs to take care of her sister.

Patrick missed his wife being home, but he understood her need to be near her sister. He did hope, however, that her sister would wake up soon. Hopefully, if that happened, it would mean that Shelagh would be returning home then.

It was on the fourth day -half way through the afternoon, Shelagh had just put Angela down for her nap and was now reading a book- that the woman on the bed stirred. Shelagh looked up at her sister, thinking she had imagined the movement of her sister's hand. But no, there her hand moved again and Shelagh quickly put her book down and grabbed her sister's hand. "Aislinn?"

Aislinn carefully opened her eyes, which hurt immensely as her right eye was still quite bruised. She could make out the silhouette of a woman next to her bed. She felt a warm hand holding her cold one and a soft, tentative voice once again calling her name. Her foggy mind put the three together as it being Shelagh, her sister.

Quickly she retracted her hand and turned her back towards her sister as best as she could. Her body felt as if a truck had run over it. Shelagh stared with wide eyes at her sister. She tentatively put her hand on Aislinn's shoulder, whispering her name.

"Go!"

Shelagh shivered at the decisiveness Aislinn's tone hold. "Aislinn, please."

"I said go! I want you to go and leave me alone!"

"If that is what you want…" Shelagh's voice broke.

"It is!"

"Then I shall leave." Shelagh walked to the door, then turned around one last time before she left the room and closed the door. Once the door was closed she sank down to the ground, no longer able to contain her tears.

It was Sister Julienne who found Shelagh still sitting on the ground, against the door ten minutes later. It was quite noticeable she had been crying. Sister Julienne offered her hand to help her up, which Shelagh thankfully took. Once standing on her feet again, she looked at Sister Julienne and shook her head. She didn't want to talk about what had happened. "But I can inform you she is awake."

"Doctor is here already, you go and get him" Sister Julienne said. Shelagh nodded and took the stairs down. Sister Julienne wistfully watched her go.

The moment the door had closed, Aislinn couldn't contain her sobs. Partly the tears came because she was tremendously in pain. But mostly they came of a chance lost. Here she lay -not knowing how long she had been here-, her sister at her bedside comforting her. After all those years she had found her sister and she reacted the way she had. The pain of Shelagh's broken promise had reared its ugly head once again. She had thought the need to find her sister and be a family again would be stronger than a promise broken. Apparently it still lingered around. "I want to forgive and forget," she muttered. "I want my sister back. Please make me forgive and forget."

Sister Julienne, who had stayed upstairs after Shelagh went down, knocked on the door of Aislinn's room. When no response came, she entered the room. The only thing she saw was a figure curled up under the blankets, who's shoulders were shaking. She also heard a desperate sobbing. Sister Julienne hurried over to the bed and gathered Aislinn in her arms. " Oh, my dear, sweet child," she motherly said, "let it all out."

After her sister had told her harshly to leave her alone, Shelagh slowly walked downstairs. Patrick had heard his wife's footsteps and he stood up, walking towards her. While Shelagh was walking towards the kitchen, she kept her head down, therefor she didn't notice her husband coming her way until she bumped into his solid form. "Patrick, I'm so sorry."

Patrick brought his hand to her cheek. "It's all right. Any change?"

That question brought a waterfall of tears. Bewildered Patrick pulled his wife against him and simply let her cry first.

The sound of Shelagh's sobbing drew the attention of the other people in the kitchen. The nurses and Sisters looked at Patrick questionably, and after a shrug of his shoulders they went their way. Timothy, however, wasn't as easily brushed of as the nurses and Sisters. He walked over to his parents and asked his mother if she was all right. That resulted in even more sobbing. The teenager looked aghast at his father, who tried to reassure him as best he could while holding Shelagh in his arms. "I'd appreciate it very much if you could keep an eye on Angela for the moment, son." He whispered. Timothy nodded and started to leave the hallway. He turned around and gave his stepmother a hug as best as was possible, softly telling her that whatever was wrong, it would always get right again and that he loved her. Then he left to keep his little sister occupied until it was time for dinner.

Patrick was astounded by Shelagh's behavior. In all the years he had known her, he had never seen her so completely broken, not even when he had to tell her she had tuberculosis. He tried to take a look at her face, and that meant he had to push her away a little in order to do so. But Shelagh only clung to him more, not wanting to let him go. "Shelagh, darling. We can't stay here in the hallway, I'm sure we can use Sister Julienne's office, but that means we have to move. And in order for us to move, you have to loosen your grip on me, otherwise we will certainly fall."

"Oh Patrick, I just want to go home."

Patrick noticed that the immense sobbing had turned into the occasional whimper. It tore at his heart to hear his lovely wife speaking in such a small voice. "All right, we are going. Come along then."

Patrick helped Shelagh in her coat and sat her down on the bench that stood beside the wall. Then he kneeled in front of her, taking hold of her hands. "I'll be right back. Timothy is looking after Angela, with help of the nurses and Sisters I'm sure. I'll go and get them and tell the Sisters we will be going. It won't take long, I will be right back."

Patrick didn't know what he was expecting, but Shelagh's silence wasn't it. He stood up and made his way over to the kitchen. He saw Sister Evangelina gently holding Angela on her lap, while Timothy was playing a game of cards with Trixie. "Tim, grab your coat and Angela's as well, please." It was one of the few times Timothy did exactly as he was told.

"How is she?" Sister Evangelina asked.

"I've never seen her like this, Sister." Patrick's voice sounded crushed. "It is as if she has simply given up."

Sister Evangelina stood up and handed Angela to Patrick. "Have faith, my boy. She's a strong woman. She will be all right."

"I hope so, Sister. I really hope so. I can't loose her."

"And you won't. Now, go and bring her and your children home. Simply being there for her often does wonders. I will tell Sister Julienne where you guys have disappeared to."

The small joke brought a slight smile to Patrick's face. "Thank you, Sister." And he turned towards his son who had brought Angela's coat back with him.

"I will take Angela, dad. That way you can take care of mum."

Patrick brought Timothy in a hug and whispered a thank you.

Sister Julienne was still caressing Aislinn's hair in a soothing matter. She noticed the sobs had turned into whimpers and the whimpers had turned to sniffles. She reached towards the night stand to get the box of aspirin and the glass of water Shelagh had left there. "My dear, I know your body must feel like a truck must have run over you. You need to take these aspirins." And she handed Aislinn the glass of water and two aspirins.

The young woman took them without complaint, hoping it would not only dull her physical pain, but also the pain she was feeling of rejecting her sister in the way she had. She saw Sister Julienne looking at her. Her eyes gave her a feeling of trust and safety. "Thank you, Sister…"

"I'm Sister Julienne. I'm glad and happy to see you awake, but I'm sure you will have a long recovery ahead. Doctor can tell more about that. Too be honest, I expected him to come. I'll see what is taking him so long. I'll be right back." Sister Julienne knew exactly why it took the doctor so long. She hurried downstairs and was just in time as the Turner family was about to leave. "Doctor, a moment, please."

Patrick Turner turned around to see the determined look of Sister Julienne. He sighed inwardly and then turned around to give Timothy the key of the car. "Here, you guys go ahead, I won't be long." Then he asked Sister Julienne what was the matter.

"Please follow me." Sister Julienne had noticed the subdued nature Shelagh was showing at the moment. While they were walking up the stairs she asked Patrick how her beloved ex-Sister was holding up.

"She has completely shut down, Sister. I don't know what to do or what caused this."

"Just be there for her Patrick, just be there. As for what caused this, I might have an inkling, but it's not our job to interfere between two sisters."

"What is there to interfere if her sister has not woken yet." Patrick replied.

"I guess she couldn't tell you yet her sister has woken. I found her outside the room and sent her to get you to examine her."

"Has she spoken to you about what happened?"

"No, she didn't want to talk about it. Not yet anyway. When she feels ready, I'm confident she will tell us."

They had arrived and Sister Julienne knocked on the door, then opened it after a small voice called 'Enter'.

Both entered, and while Sister Julienne made her way over to Aislinn, Patrick stood rooted to the spot. While unconscious he had noticed the uncanny similarity between Shelagh and Aislinn, but now that she was awake, the similarity was even more evident. Looking back at him were the same striking blue eyes his wife had. While his wife's eyes were looking very somber at the moment, he noticed Aislinn's eyes where filled with fear. He slowly came closer. "Hello, Aislinn. I'm doctor Turner. I came when the Sisters took you in. Is it all right if I see how much you've healed? Sister Julienne will be right here as well."

Aislinn nodded her consent and Patrick came standing next to Sister Julienne. "How are you feeling?"

"Not so good." Aislinn replied. "Everything hurts. I can't open my eye, I can't move without being in pain and…"

"And?" Patrick gently prodded.

"Nothing," Aislinn looked down at her hands.

"I gave her two aspirins for the pain, doctor." Sister Julienne changed the subject quickly.

"Good, I advise you to try and sleep some more. I will try to come by again tomorrow."

Aislinn nodded and tried to lay down. With the help of Sister Julienne she managed it as painless as possible.

Sister Julienne walked Patrick towards the door. "I'm sorry Sister, but I've got to go now. Shelagh…"

Sister Julienne nodded. "I understand, Patrick. Take care of her."