After a long day including a delivery and my rounds, the thing I wanted to do most was collapse in bed rather than face dinner. I met Delia in our room where I collapsed into a ball on my bed, she noticed something was wrong as I folded into a ball with my arms squeezing my abdomen. Although she may have wanted to show some sort of romance, I was not desiring it as I knew that due to these cramps my period would be gracing me either during the mother craft clinic tonight or overnight. I just double-checked whether I had pads or not because it'd be a major inconvenience to start and be left in the lurch with nothing, as I suspected I had nothing whatsoever. This meant I needed to factor in a trip to the chemist before dinner in 20 minutes, or ask Delia to get some whilst I was leading the mother craft classes. She noticed how stressed I looked whilst I was triple checking I had no pads since I really didn't have an opportunity to grab any, "Pats, what's wrong?" after a quick glance at the calendar to see if an anniversary was today or something "I am in pain, but it is minor for now, I also can't face dinner today" not eating was probably the worst thing I could do but facing the kindness of everyone else was not an activity I wished to partake in. Informing Delia of this would have been a good move, but my foggy brain didn't clear enough for me to say this "Pats, should I bring some food up, although the others may question your inability to appear. I can tell them you have a headache and want to conserve your strength for the classes tonight?" I nodded, knowing she'd understand. Furthermore, I stood up to double-check my uniform in case mother nature had already decided to kick in but began to feel lightheaded. So I sat back down, sleep was calling me, but so was the bathroom after not having an opportunity all day to even think about spending a penny. Sister Winifred crossed the landing and got in there just before me, it was clear she'd also been rushed off her feet that day and had no chance to relieve herself, she definitely saw me but called out anyway "is anyone there, sorry to disturb you?" I obviously replied, "Yes, it's patsy what's wrong" after a couple of moments of silence where I could faintly hear rummaging through the bathroom cupboard "I've just come on, could you bring me my belt and a pad please." It seemed to me as if I were synced with her, I knew that this did happen but had never experienced it first hand. "Here you go sisters, please try to be quick, although I don't mean to hurry you, but I've had no chance to relieve myself today and matters are time-sensitive now" after an agonizing minute or so she came out looking better but worse for the debacle. I finally got in their moments from disaster to come to the conclusion that I was safe for now, but when I got out of there, sister Julienne was waiting outside for me looking concerned. "Nurse Busby said you were feeling unwell, would you like an aspirin or need me to call Dr. Turner? Will you be ok to take Mother craft tonight, or should I get another midwife to take over, sister Winifred has volunteered" I debated whether I could face the classes but definitely warranted an aspirin to alleviate my cramps? "An aspirin would be great if sister Winifred is happy to cover it would be much appreciated but if her covering me warrants concern for Dr. Turner then no" I really didn't want anyone to be concerned about me as this was normal for me "Unless you want me to contact doctor turner, I will not against your wishes and I will send sister Winifred up to consult you on the Mother craft class now rest please" with those orders I got back into bed and resumed my position in a ball clutching my abdomen. After roughly 10 minutes, a knock came on the door followed by Sister Winifred's voice "Nurse Mount, I come bearing aspirin, tea and a small amount of dinner." she entered to see me clutching my abdomen trying to alleviate the pain. "I understand that tonight we are going over the different options for birth and pain relief, sister Julienne gave me a basic run through of it, and it seems simple enough, you look like you are in a lot of pain here is some aspirin and tea". I took the aspirin quickly to be able to respond to her, "I'm not in that much pain, but it's significant enough to take pain relief". She gave me a look which translated to I know that you are lying to me, "Is it also that time of the month? I think a few of us have synced up living in such proximity ". My fellow midwife was most definitely on to me, but it would have been rude not to reply to her "Not yet, but I may start overnight" Maybe I should have asked her to grab some pads for me whilst she was out, but being unsure on whether she was allowed meant I shouldn't trouble her with it, she began to leave when I interjected "I am so sorry to ask this but if I give you some money can you grab me some pads on the way to Mother craft, don't worry if not because of religious rules? It's just that I am completely out of them" she nodded, and I placed the money in her hand, which meant I could relax for the rest of the evening with only the worry of starting. Tucking into the food she brought with her slowly seemed to help the pain a little bit, but still wasn't making too much of an effect. I decided it was best to make a hot water bottle up and try to engage in conversation downstairs to take my mind off it. From the bathroom, sister Julienne emerged and followed me down the stairs into the kitchen whilst I had my hot water bottle in hand, she seemed as if she was shadowing me going the exact way I did to the Kitchen. I boiled the kettle and filled my hot water bottle with her standing nearby, "Nurse Mount, you may want to see to your clothes". This then proved that I had started and leaked through, although there was not much I could do about it until sister Winifred got back, which was not for another hour, I went through to the sitting room where everyone was engaged in some sort of activity except Delia who when spotting me came up to me "I guess you are feeling better than" I nodded but was unsure whether to ask whether she had a pad or not "Deels, you don't happen to have a pad?" She took a while to formulate a response "No, I think I am out, but that reminds me I must get more". Now, I was stuck unless I asked one of the others. Hopefully, Trixie or Barbara had one, I approached them and asked, but neither had one due to the former being out and the latter needing them currently. My last resort was Phyllis, who was unlikely to have one due to her stage of life. "Phyllis do you happen to have a pad, I know it may be unlikely" but to my surprise she confirmed "Yes lass, I always make sure I have some for anyone else who may need them. Do you need more than one to tide you over into tomorrow?" I shook my head "Sister Winifred is kindly grabbing me some on her way home and I thought I'd be ok, but mother nature said otherwise" I followed Phyllis up to grab one from her and sort myself out. Once I was sorted, I went down to converse with the others with the hot water bottle on my abdomen and my jumper round my waist,even though everyone knew what was going on due to how obvious it was, no one said anything. Once, sister Winifred came in to us without thinking she said to everyone she just placed them down on my lap and asked "I guess mother nature had its own plan" referring to the jumper around my waist. I loved that everyone was so concerned about me because it made me feel like I was part of a community, although I was glad to get out of my stained uniform and into my pajamas, laying a dark towel down in bed just in case. Delia and I sat up for a while talking before exchanging a hug and a kiss (or 3) and going to our separate beds.