[ORIGINAL CHAPTER]

The next morning I awoke from my sleep once more and got ready for work as I arrived downstairs I was met by Jenny who had just arrived back from a birth "morning Jenny up all night again?" I asked as I looked at her tired face before Cynthia arrived behind us holding several boxes in her hands "got your hands full there haven't you?" I said which made us all chuckle "Mrs B has saved you a kipper" Cynthia said before she turned around to look at Fred "I'd be quick if I was you or Fred will have it" Cynthia said as Fred walked into the room twirling around something between his fingers.

"I heard that and I hate kippers tried something them once it's a mush game" Fred said before leaving "flat tire, 3 advanced delivery packs, one booking in and 2 final home visits" Cynthia said as she began to get through the door. "Breakfast?" I said as I looked at her before we both smiled however as we were about to head to the kitchen we were stopped by Sister Julienne "Nurse Lee how's Mrs Mason" Sister Julienne asked "little girl sister no complications" Jenny said looking happy even after a long nights work. "Good you'll have to see to Sister burnadettes list later but Nurse Jones can help you" Sister Julienne said as she looked at me as a huge grin appeared on my face.

"Really sister" I asked sounding incredibly happy "as long as your leg is doing well" Sister Julienne asked "of course sister where is Sister Burnadette?" I asked "she's been seconded to the hospital today" Sister Julienne said before I followed Jenny meeting Trixie on the staircase as the phone began to ring "go on" Jenny said as she looked at me then the phone so I ran over "nonatus house midwife speaking" I said trying to hold in my joy as Sister Evangelina walked past me before I passed the phone to Trixie "Dorine Riley the twins case in cubeck street" Trixie said before running off.

So I followed Jenny however we stopped at a doorway awarkwardly as Jenny was shouted by sister Evangelina "take Nurse Brown upstairs and find her a uniform" sister Evangelina with her usually rather angrily tone "yes sister" I said as me and Jenny looked at each other before running off and finding the airing cupboard as we began to look through the uniforms "do you think I'd make a good midwife Jenny" I asked which made her stop what she was doing and look up at me "why would you ask that?" Jenny asked. "I just feel as if I've been stuck doing the grunt work rather than being out doing my job" I asked feeling downhearted

"You just need to understand the ropes I felt the exact same when I first joined but I'm beginning to find my place here and you will too I promise" Jenny said as she leant forward and placed her hand on my arm and smiled for a moment "right we better get these to the new midwife but sister Evangelina finds us in here" Jenny said which made us both chuckle as we headed upstairs we knocked on the door before opening it "Hello it's so nice to meet you I'm Lily" I said with a smile as I looked at her before walking over and hugging her "chummy" Chummy said which confused me "it's just a nickname it's easier to explain than my full name" Chummy said which made sense.

"Uniforms standard pale blue 2, found some in the airing cupboard" Jenny said as she placed the uniforms down on her bed "all girls together" Chummy said as she began to get undressed infront of us "that's what we used to say at school I can never bear all that fussing and flouting undressing capes" Chummy said which made Jenny chuckled as she turned away as did I. "I've always been a long shanks even as a child in India i was always taller than my brothers, poor old mater she used to be in tears but my eye just about flonces at the end of my frocks it would look a bit run around the hem of a nurses outfit" Chummy said as she struggled to get on the uniform "oh I can't move my arms" Chummy said as she looked at her arms.

"Those are the biggest size" Jenny said in shock "oh well, I've always been good at sewing pass me those and let's see what I can do" I said with a smile to try and make Chummy not feel embarrassed. I was the last to arrive in the kitchen to find Trixie singing into a wooden spoon as if it was a microphone "Hello" I said as I walked in before sitting down and watching Chummy cut out patterns from the news paper infront of her "I wish I could make my own patterns I'd save a bomb on clothes" Cynthia said as we all watched Chummy. "Oh yes I've loved clothes ever since the new look" Jenny said she smiled at Cynthia. "New look is old hap darling aren't you bored of ironing all those layers" Trixie said as she held a cigarette in her hand.

"I forgot to ask would you like one?" Trixie said as she opened the cigarette case "Thankyou" I said taking one and placing it inbetween my lips, "it feels like forever since I smoked a cigarette my old boyfriend hated the smell of them" I said realising I had slipped up "boyfriend?" Trixie asked sounding intrigued "it was a long time ago" I said trying to change the subject "let's hear all about him" Trixie said leaning forward.

"We met when we were children however he passed a few years ago so I don't like to talk about it" i said which made the room go quite "I'm so sorry I didn't realise" Trixie said feeling bad for bringing it up "it's alright" I said taking a drag from the cigarette to hide my emotions "I'm wearing 4 tomorrow night no room for 6 in a royal festival hall" Jenny said changing the subject back which gave me relief "another concert" Trixie said "on your own" Trixie said with a slight feeling on judgement "yes break maninoff" Jenny said as we heard a noise come from Chummy "what happened" I asked "I've chopped Princess Margaret's head off" Chummy said which made me chuckle.

"I was cutting out the sleeves she will be giving me one of her hard cold stares" Chummy said which confused us all causing us to look at each other "I'm sure she will forgive you" Cynthia said "I always think she looks like fun" Cynthia said a so looked down at the news paper imaging what it must be like to be part of the royal family wearing elegant clothes, meeting celebrities and travelling the world how exciting. "Oh she's frightfully vivacious after she's had a gin" Chummy said "how do you know princess Margret" I asked "oh not that I know her well, no I haven't really seen her since pa's investigator" Chummy said "investigator?" Trixie asked "Yes he was just he was knighted for services to the vice Roy" Chummy said.

"How exciting" i said in an exciting tone "I'd keep that from sister Evangelina" Trixie said which confused Chummy "why?" Chummy asked confused "oh well by all counts she grew up drinking out of jam jars" Trixie said which caused Cynthia to but in "it has made her a bit of an inverted snob" Cynthia said before the door to the kitchen opened. "Afternoon Fred" I said with a smile "good afternoon nurse jones" Fred said as he looked at Chummy. "I've got a bike with a light weight frame or rover imperial which I recon had come off the ark the choice is yours" Fred asked Chummy "oh I don't need a Bicycle that's awfully shanks pony will suffice for me" Chummy said which made Trixie chuckle.

"Darling you won't last 5 minutes on shanks pony we cover 8 square miles" Trixie said "you can ride a bike can't you Chummy" I asked which made her look at me "I can ride a horse that can't be so very different surely." Chummy said so later on Trixie and Cynthia took Chummy outside to try and teach her how to ride a bike. While I went on my rounds taking delivery packs, doing home visits and trying to take some of the load off Jenny. However as I arrived back I saw Jenny and Sister Julienne in the living room with a young girl who looked about 14 and if she was here it only meant one thing that she was pregnant.

So I left them because I knew that I couldn't do anything to help right now. So I headed up to bed because I was at the clinic again tomorrow afternoon but before I had a few rounds myself to complete.
End Of Chapter 3