Summary: Patsy and Delia's relationship is tested.
Disclaimer: Call The Midwife belongs to the BBC and others - I am simply borrowing their beautiful characters.
Author's note: Thank you all for your lovely feedback as always. Sorry to do this to you but I am off on hols in a few days so there will be no more updates for about 3 weeks. I have got it all blocked out - it just needs fleshing out. Enjoy...
Patsy bristled as she and Delia walked into the dining room; Doctor Parker had sat down in Delia's usual place. She opened her mouth to ask her to move but a soft touch on her arm stopped her from speaking. The red-head looked inquiringly at Delia who simply shook her head slightly and then gestured for Patsy to sit down as usual. Instead, Delia walked round the table and sat next to nurse Crane, greeting everyone at the table cordially.
"You look surprisingly chipper, nurse Busby," nurse Crane commented. "I'm not sure I'd look so bright after a late night and such an early start this morning."
Delia smiled back. "I have to confess that I had a little nap when I got in. I can assure you I did not look like this on the ward this morning. I think I even managed to frighten Matron, and that's no small feat, I can tell you."
The table's occupants laughed. "It was good of you to make sure Patsy was alright last night," commended sister Mary Cynthia, recalling the earlier conversation she had had with the red-haired midwife.
Delia shrugged. "We all look out for each other here. I know she'd do the same for me."
"Patsy looked after me on my first night here," Barbara interjected before hurriedly continuing; "I'd eaten something that made me ill." Phyllis provided a doubtful look even as both Trixie and Patsy bit down on guilty laughs.
The general banter that accompanied meal times began in earnest, with talk of patients and developments in the community buzzing around the table.
Patsy took a moment to look at Delia, engaging both sister Mary Cynthia and nurse Crane with an amusing anecdote and keeping them both absolutely enthralled. She smirked to herself, realising that because Delia was seated opposite her, she could look at her freely and without suspicion. While it was more comforting to have Delia by her side so that they could talk quietly to each other, the current arrangement was not without merit.
The only potential fly in the ointment was Dr Parker. Now that Patsy had admitted that it might be possible that the brunette physician could be interested in her, she was paranoid that any interaction she had could be misconstrued. She was going to have to think very carefully when she spoke from now on.
As if on cue, Dr Parker inclined her head and leaned in to ask conspiratorially; "How's your head?"
Patsy swallowed, and her eyes widened slightly as the only indicator of a rising panic she was feeling. "It was gone by mid-morning. Must be the wonderfully clean air of Poplar blowing out the cobwebs," she replied sardonically, managing to keep her voice surprisingly even.
"Lucky you," Joanna whispered back, before leaning in slightly more closely. "I can tell you that the clinic was quite excruciating today. It took until we finished for me to shift my headache."
Patsy managed to get a grip on her emotions and smiled blandly. "I rather think you have yourself to blame, Dr Parker. I distinctly remember stating that I wanted an early night."
"Well, I would never have drunk so much had it not been for such good company," Joanna responded, matching Patsy's smile with one of her own.
Delia stiffened slightly even as she rolled her eyes at the flirtatious comment. She knew instinctively that Patsy would be able to handle herself but she couldn't help the almost territorial feelings she had regarding the situation. She desperately wanted to step in and tell Dr Parker exactly what she thought.
"Are you the one responsible for nurse Mount's situation last night?" Nurse Crane asked enquiringly.
Dr Parker sat back and looked across the table. "Nurse Mount is a grown woman, nurse Crane. I rather think she is capable of managing her own situations."
"I concur doctor. I just hope the two of you didn't provide a show for the residents and potential patients of Poplar. There are standards to uphold." Nurse Crane's opinion of such behaviour was plain to see.
"We were the souls of discretion," the physician responded confidently, flicking an almost arrogant look at Delia as she did, knowing that Patsy wouldn't be able to see it. "We went into town where there was little danger of being spotted."
Delia could see that Patsy was looking distinctly uncomfortable with the scrutiny from the other occupants of the table but she was not sure how she could divert the attention away.
Nurse Crane seemed to be well and truly on the case. "That decision seems to be well considered," she lauded. "Drinking enough to leave you quite fragile this morning doesn't seem to be have been quite so well thought through however." Her tone became much more disapproving. She had caught the look Dr Parker had given Delia and was now certain that the woman had a rather disagreeable agenda.
"A simple matter of losing track of the time," Dr Parker was dismissive. "And it's not as if I kept Patsy out to all hours. It was only just after midnight when I dropped her off."
"You drove back?" Sister Mary Cynthia joined in the conversation, her voice coloured with surprise.
"Yes, why wouldn't I?" Dr Parker was perplexed.
"It just seems an unwise decision to be in charge of a vehicle you might not actually be in control of." The diminutive nun pointed out objectively and reasonably.
Dr Parker shook her head. "Nonsense. We only had a couple. I most certainly was not incapable of driving."
Delia couldn't mask her incredulity. "I can't tell you how many times I've heard that on the ward."
"Well I'm not on the ward, am I nurse Busby?" Joanna's tone was coldly challenging and the atmosphere at the table thickened.
"No," the Welsh nurse agreed, without a hint of concession in her voice.
Dr Parker glanced round the table and realised that everyone was listening attentively. Whatever else she might be, she was not a fool and knew when to back down. "Given that there is such a strong feeling about this, I will refrain from driving if I've had a drink. Does that satisfy you all?" She asked.
"I think that's an appropriate position to take regarding the matter," nurse Crane agreed, nodding her approval at the offer, even as the other occupants of the table nodded their assent.
Dr Parker looked at Patsy to provide a bit of support. The red-haired nurse cocked her head slightly. "I must be honest, on reflection, I was quite horrified that we chose to come back by car last night." She was too honourable to let the doctor take all the blame; she should have spoken up at the time and objected. "So I shall be making more considered choices in future." Patsy chose to be suitably cryptic, but knew that Delia absolutely understood her meaning. From the look on Dr Parker's face, she understood too.
The brunette doctor shot an appraising look at Delia. "Well, you certainly have made your feelings known about it," she commented drily.
"I rather think I'm the biggest influence about drink driving," nurse Crane interjected, sensing that tensions were rising again between the two women. "As a motor car user myself, I have maintained the importance of keeping a clear head if one is to drive." She said the statement with an air of finality, trying to put an end to the issue.
Phyllis's influence seemed to dissipate the tension and the conversation moved onto other less contentious topics. Dr Parker was careful to only superficially engage with Patsy now as she could see Delia watching her closely but she also ensured that she spoke with other people too, so as not to appear withdrawn or bothered by the conversation regarding driving after having a drink. Mentally, she was testing out various scenarios that might have happened since she wished Patsy goodnight yesterday. The woman had relaxed considerably after a few whiskeys and they had thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Joanna had been beginning to think she was making real progress with the midwife as they exchanged tales regarding their experiences through training, and also shared horror stories of boarding school. Patsy had opened up considerably, and had been effusive in her thanks as she got out of the car.
Joanna had been so tempted to telegraph further intentions but some sixth sense had told her not to rush. Now she was regretting that hesitation. Clearly, Patsy had immediately sought out Delia on her return to the convent. Joanna would have put money on the Welsh woman at least giving Patsy a piece of her mind, if not losing her temper altogether, but whatever had transpired, the two women seemed completely comfortable with each other.
The doctor just couldn't understand it. Where were their common interests? Patsy obviously came from money, and had an air of cultured sophistication surrounding her. What could she possibly see in the small brunette nurse, other than a comely attractiveness?
She was pulled from her musings as she heard chairs scrape, a clear indication that dinner had finished.
"I'll clean up," Delia offered, knowing that nurse Crane was on call, Barbara was anxious to meet up with Tom, and both Trixie and Patsy were exhausted.
"I'll help," Joanna stated, seeing an opportunity to get the young nurse alone for a few moments.
Nurse Crane opened her mouth to also offer her assistance when the phone rang. She would be needed earlier than usual tonight. She hesitated for a fraction, sensing that a situation was brewing but the insistent ringing of the phone could not be ignored and she reluctantly left.
Patsy didn't even bother to declare that she would help, letting her actions show her intentions instead and the table was cleared and cleaned as everyone else withdrew to their evening activities.
It quickly became apparent that only two people were needed to wash up, with Delia in front of the sink and Joanna grabbing a tea towel to dry, however Patsy had absolutely no desire to leave the two women alone together so she hovered at the kitchen table.
Trixie's disembodied voice floated through from the living room. "Patsy, the television is on the blink again. Come and help me fix it before sister Monica Joan has a fit." Patsy glanced in alarm between the two women cleaning up and the door.
The decision was made for her when Delia turned round from the sink. "Go on, Pats. Juke Box Jury is on tonight and I wanted to watch that," she urged.
Patsy shot the younger woman a look but was buoyed by the cheeky grin Delia returned. She looked comfortable and confident rather than tense and annoyed, so the midwife nodded and left, hurrying as she heard some rather ominous thumping coming from the living room.
The second Patsy was out of earshot, Dr Parker spoke up. "Everyone here seems very relaxed about your relationship with Patsy."
Delia shrugged as she scrubbed a plate. "We're best friends. I got to know everyone here through Patsy. Of course they're all fine with it." Internally, her heart was pounding but Delia was determined not to give anything away to this woman.
"I was just surprised that a nun made reference to you looking after Patsy last night. I rather expected religious types to take a much more disapproving view."
Delia stopped what she was doing and turned to face the doctor. "What do you mean by that?" She asked firmly.
"You know exactly what I mean by that," Joanna riposted.
"If I knew what you meant, I wouldn't have asked," Delia replied pointedly.
Dr Parker stepped slightly closer, into Delia's personal space and dropped the volume in her voice. "That you and Patsy are more than just best friends. That you take far more interest in each other than you do in men."
"Considering that you've only been here for a couple of weeks and during that time you've barely seen me at all, I'd say that all you're doing is making some very large assumptions." The shorter woman looked steadily at Dr Parker.
"So Patsy didn't fill you in on our conversation last night?" Dr Parker was bluffing but she wondered if she could rattle Delia just a bit.
"I'm fully aware of what happened last night doctor," the Welsh nurse retorted. She knew how reticent Patsy was to talk about her secrets. There was no way she would have done that in a pub, no matter how much whiskey she had. Parker was simply trying to needle her.
Joanna was beginning to see what Patsy saw in Delia now. She was infuriatingly steadfast. The trouble was, now Joanna felt like it was a competition, with Patsy as the prize. One thing she would always admit about herself was she hated to lose. "Well, it would be terrible if other people began to make the same assumptions," she commented, the implied threat obvious.
Delia wasn't cowed for a second. "Be careful, Dr Parker. The spreading of unsubstantiated rumours won't be tolerated around here."
"If I asked you outright would you deny it?"
"Would you?" That retort caught Parker out. She hadn't actually expected Patsy to share that.
The two women stared at each other for long moments, both waiting for the next move. Once again, it was Dr Parker who spoke first, internally furious as she saw the look of victory on Delia's face. "I need to make a move home. Be careful not to take what you have for granted, nurse Busby," she warned as she put the tea towel down and headed for the door, "Patsy is a most attractive woman."
To be continued...