Call the Midwife (2012–…): Season 5, Episode 4 - Episode #5.4 - full transcript

'The world was shifting
on its axis in 1961.

'Strides were being made,

'decisions taken, questions asked.

'It was as true at Nonnatus
House as it was anywhere.'

'The world was turning
faster, burning brighter.

'It was all we could do
to keep pace, keep time,

'keep abreast of so much change.'

Sister!

- Whatever are you doing?
- I'm cleaning the portrait

of Sister Hildegard with some bread.

Her anniversary's coming up,
and I once read in a magazine



that this is the best way to
freshen up an oil painting.

She was the first of our
Sisters to come to Poplar.

It's so important that we remember her.

I missed her commemoration
service last year,

so this is the first I've been
to since I joined the Order.

It feels very special.

Bless you, Sister.

- Nurse! Nurse!
- Good morning, Linda!

- You haven't been to Sadie's
yet, have you, Nurse? - No.

- She's next on my list.
- Would you take her these?

It's just a few cough candy twists.

- I was going to drop 'em in, but
I'm running late! - Of course.

Oh, and tell her I'll
pop in after my shift!

Your lips are moving. They're
always moving, on the quiet.



Poetry, this time, or one of your plays?

"O! for a Muse of fire,

"that would ascend the
brightest heaven of invention!"

It's from Henry V.

That the one with Sir Laurence Olivier?

It's the one by William Shakespeare, Mum.

I've fixed it, now don't keep taking
it down to look at it all the time.

Postman'll be here soon.

He might walk past again, like he
did yesterday and the day before.

Nurse calling!

Come through, angel.

Angel? I could get used to that.

- Hello, Nurse.
- Hello!

Still, I suppose there is
something rather celestial

about a person who comes
bearing burns dressings

- and a quarter of medicinal
confectionery. - From Linda?

Yes. You picked a lovely girl there, Ian.

He never picked her, he
hasn't got the common sense!

They picked each other, first
day down the Mixed Infants.

Didn't you, son?

That's right.

I really don't like the sound
of that cough, Mrs Bulmer.

You've had it for three weeks now.

It's just dust off my Royal Collection.

I see he's fixed that picture of yours.

I should hope so, too. Her Majesty and me.

Her Majesty and a bit
of your head, you mean!

She's a lovely lady.
Her hat was exquisite.

Petal-covered cloche in navy silk organza.

It's a shame she wasn't standing
by you when the hexane caught.

Then I'd be dressing royal
burns, and not just yours.

Picture's my souvenir.

27 years I've done at Hayward's so far.

My husband did 30.

He got his long-service
watch before he died.

Ian wears it now.

I got in, Mum! I got a place at Durham!

- At the University, to do English!
- Oh, Ian, congratulations!

First in the street. Well done, son.

It's all right if I bring the boys in?

Of course. As long as they steer
clear of Wendy House Corner.

We don't want another
incident with the mangle.

Right, go on. You heard.

Take a seat, Mrs Cottingham.

We're just talking through

the differences between
home and hospital delivery.

We try to give you as
much information as we can.

I'm stopping at home.

Turn my back on my lot for ten days,
I'll have no house to come back to.

My old man will have
lost it in a card game,

or the kids'll have burnt it down!

Isn't there any visiting
in the afternoons?

My Kevin's on permanent nights.

Rules are quite strict on maternity wards.

It helps get babies into a routine.

Many new mothers find this quite helpful,

though Baby would see rather
more of his or her father

if you gave birth at home.

I want the gas, though.
Proper gas, off a machine.

Someone told me if you have it at home,

they give you gas through the cooker,

and I think that's dangerous.

That would be very dangerous indeed!

Gas and air is completely different,

and the midwives bring the
apparatus to your home.

What if something goes
wrong? With the delivery?

- Is it your first, love?
- Yeah.

You'll be all right with
the Nonnatans. Won't she?

Dr Turner is never far
away, and in an emergency,

you can get to the hospital very quickly.

Terrence!

You leave that little girl alone!

I do not want any more fingers in mangles!

Should've had them at the
hospital and left 'em there!

Mr Hereward! Mr Hereward!
I got into Durham!

- Yes! - Just like you --
only English Lit, not Theology.

- Which college?
- Castle. - I know it well.

Take a vest and a hot water bottle.

Oi, young man!

No leading my daughter astray now.

It's all right, Maurice.

I'll have her back in time
to get you your dinner.

Thanks, Mr Hereward.

For the books, and for the
train fare for the interview.

For everything, really.

Linda! Linda, guess what? I got in!

Good.

Baby's head-down,

so nicely poised to settle into
your pelvis ready for delivery.

You really are a model
patient, Mrs Cottingham.

Well, here's hoping I have a model baby.

And preferably one I can dress in pink

and don't have to yell at till I'm hoarse.

- Would you like a little
girl this time? - Yeah.

I know I'm meant to say "I don't
mind as long as it's healthy",

and I do love my boys.

But lads, Sister --
they egg each other on.

Have you considered a hospital delivery,

so that you could have some rest?

Nah, I like my own bed and my own toilet.

Anthony! Put that iron down.

It's for using on clothes,
not other children!

Help me down, Sister. Duty calls.

I wish I knew where you buy lassos.

Could keep one in me handbag.

Wait till you see the
library I'll be studying in.

The cathedral, the river!

I like THIS river.

What was that poem you used to say to me?

The one about the lady and the mirror?

Willows whiten, aspens shiver

The sunbeam showers break and quiver

In the stream that runneth ever

By the island in the river

Flowing down to Camelot.

That was my favourite.

It isn't about the Thames, Linda.

My life isn't going to be about
clocking in at the paintworks

day in, day out, like my mum and dad's.

I'm going to get us
both right out of here.

When I get my degree,
we can go where we like.

I don't know...

Well, if you don't know, Lin, I do.

"I do."

That's funny.

Why?

You said it accidentally.

And quite soon, I think you're
going to be saying it for real.

This morning, I went to the doctors.

I'm in the family way.

Ian! Ian!

Look, you can run all you
like, but it won't go away!

We love each other, don't we?

You said you loved me, when we did it.

And I meant it. I really did.

No calls this afternoon, Sister. I
could've come to clinic after all.

I don't like to leave
the telephone unmanned.

This is usually such a busy time of year.

Nonnatus House, midwife speaking.

Yes, of course. She's here now.

Sister, it's the Matron
of St Cuthbert's Hospital.

She asked to speak to you.

I'm entirely happy to deputise with
regard to administration, Sister.

But, er, hospital routines
are rather gruelling.

Are you sure you don't want
to send one of the youngsters?

It's only for a week.

But I'm sure St Cuthbert's
will provide a bath chair,

if I can't take the pace.

I'll thank you for the
beetroot, Sister Winifred.

Sister Julienne, I
really don't mind going.

I've never been seconded to St Cuthbert's,

and they've won prizes for their hygiene.

I volunteered my services
for several reasons.

First, their need is great.

Second, my load here is lightest
in terms of clinical work.

And third, I haven't worked in a
hospital for almost ten years.

More and more women are
choosing hospital deliveries.

I'm keen to see why.

I think you'll find that
whatever the fol-de-rols,

babies come out in much the same way,

and they have done since Adam and
Eve were in their birthday suits.

Sister Mary Cynthia,
whilst I'm in the hospital,

would you be kind enough to draw up a plan

for Sister Hildegard's service?

It would be an honour, Sister.

But the child barely
knows the woman's name.

Let alone recount her
virtues, or recall her toil.

I thought this would be a
chance for her to learn.

It will. If Sister
Monica Joan will help me.

We shall toil together

like Ruth and Naomi after
the death of Elimelech.

That'll be lovely.

I can't believe La Dolce
Vita's finally here.

I've been reading about it in
magazines for the past 12 months.

And I've been promising to
sit through it with you.

You want to see Anita Ekberg in
that fountain just as much as I do.

I'm not on duty a week next Friday.

And -- as far as I can ascertain
-- you're not on call.

Have you been looking
at the advance roster?

- Guilty as charged. But is it a date?
- What are you two up to?

Trying to get our legs brown.

I'm not doing too badly,
but poor Patsy's struggling,

what with being a redhead and everything.

I had shins like milk bottles
even when I was a blonde.

Oh, just look at Anita Ekberg's
bust in that black dress!

She must be wearing the
most stupendous brassiere,

or how on earth could she
manage to go strapless?

Well, if you come to the flicks with
us next Friday, you might find out.

Oh, how perfectly marvellous.

Shall we treat ourselves
to the two and nines?

I've just tried rubbing my legs
with Trex to speed things up.

There's a great big block
of it in the fridge,

because Nurse Crane won't eat
anything fried in dripping.

Do you fancy coming to the
pictures next week, Barbara?

We're going up West to see La Dolce Vita.

If enough people join in,
we could book a charabanc.

- What day next week?
- Friday.

I'd love to. If I'm not busy.

Why would you be busy, Barbara?

You normally have Friday evenings off.

A relative from my mother's
side is going to be in London

and I promised her I'd
show her the sights.

How terribly public-spirited of you.

No, not really. I'm just
very fond of Cousin Mabel.

Course you are.

Trixie...?

You'll have to excuse me,

I'm going to make myself a
face mask out of salad cream.

I believe one can find

the most amazing aids to
beauty in the kitchen cupboards.

Sister Knowles?

I'm Sister Julienne.

Ah, Sister. Glad to have you.

The wards are chock-a-block.

Handing over to another midwife now, dear.

Notes are on the trolley.

Why go? Why go?

It's time for my break, Mrs Shahjee.

I'll be able to look after you
much better if I look after myself.

Unless the head is crowning or beyond,

we find it best to stick
to our breaks as scheduled.

This mother is only eight months,

but Baby appears to be
a satisfactory size.

Mrs Shahjee...

Jamila?

Jamila.

I don't know how you could be so stupid!

You went to grammar school.

Your mother would turn in her grave.

Do you think I haven't thought that?

Do you think that wasn't the first
thing that came into my head?

And the first thing that came into
mine was, "When's the wedding?"

- The tissue granulation's
coming along wonderfully! - Well?

I'm supposed to be going to university!

Men work, and they provide,
and they stand by girls

when they get them into trouble.

Don't they, Nurse?

In the absence of my tin helmet
-- which does rather interfere

with my coiffure -- I've
been trying not to comment.

But if there's one thing I've
been taught over the years,

it's that at first, feelings run very high

in this sort of a situation.

And sooner or later,
everything calms down,

and the way ahead becomes much clearer.

The way ahead seems
perfectly obvious to me.

Tea?

This is a labour room,
not a teddy bears' picnic!

It's well sugared. A long
labour like this needs fuel.

And Mother needs to be on the
bed. Come on, dear, up we get.

I don't see this lady
delivering without forceps.

And the trouble with these Indians

is they panic when a male comes near them.

Sylheti ladies are very modest.

On the district, it took a while

even for the midwives to gain their trust.

Hello, Ian.

Can I ask a favour, Mr Hereward?

Of course. Is it about your grant forms?

No.

- JAMILA KEENS
- Jamila, good.

You're doing very well indeed.

Baby's almost here.

One last push...

Boy?

Yes.

Do you want to hold him?

Just for a moment, please.

Let's pop Baby on the scales,
see what we're up against.

4lbs 7oz.

We've had smaller, and they've
done very well, in the main.

Of course. The care here
is known to be exemplary.

The baby is well, Jamila.

Soon you can have your cup of tea.

Hey! Evening, treacle!

Thought I'd wait and walk back with you.

Shall we take the detour?
Come on, I'll buy you a 99.

I don't want a 99.

And I don't want you to go mad.

But you will.

You will do the right
thing by my daughter!

- Do you hear me? - Dad! Stop
it! - That's enough, Mr Lanyard!

We've enough on our plates without
having to send for an ambulance.

Thank you.

Ian, come and sit down too.

We can discuss the subject
of marriage -- together.

We won't be doing anything together
if he goes off to university.

If I get a degree, I can be a teacher.

Or write for the papers.
I could work for the BBC,

making programmes about poetry.

I could put better food on the table
than you've ever seen in your life.

I could be proud of how I put it there.

But it's going to take three years.

You haven't got three years,
Ian. You've got seven months.

Delia?

There's no-one here.

There's nobody watching.

Nobody but us.

- You waited up?
- Yes.

It's what we dreamed of, wasn't it?

When we were planning the flat,
before our future got interrupted.

Do you know, Deels, in my whole life,

I never once had anyone wait up for me.

I bet you've never had anyone
make you a cup of Bournvita

with a tot of Johnny Walker in it, either.

While you were out, I was thinking,
"I'm going to unpin her hair,

"let it fall down to her shoulders
and run my hands through it."

But you've gone so mad with the lacquer,

I could pull out every kirby grip
and the beehive wouldn't budge.

Trixie knows about us, Tom.

Has she said so?

She doesn't have to.

She's my friend. I eat my meals with her.

We share a bathroom.

I can tell when she's unhappy.

Maybe she's unhappy about something else.

Well, that would be
convenient, wouldn't it?

That's not what I meant.

Tom, it's been a year since you
broke off your engagement, and...

I agree. We should've both got over it.

And that wasn't what I meant.

I meant that I can see that
she's still struggling,

but I didn't think that you'd say
that you were struggling too.

Neither did I.

I see.

- I'm sorry.
- No...

No, Tom, I'm sorry that I
made you tell the truth.

Because telling the truth is
sometimes harder than telling lies.

Which is something I've had to
do rather more than I would like.

And I would've had to do far more
in the future, if we'd carried on.

Who's to say we're not going to carry on?

Barbara, I love and I
value every single minute,

every hour I spend with you.

Afternoon, Tom. Afternoon, Barbara!

That's not enough, Tom.

Not when we're causing
pain to someone else.

And certainly not when
it's causing pain to us.

You really are the sweetest,
loveliest girl I ever met.

I'm not.

I'm 23! I'm a nurse.

And what nurses do when they
see pain is try to stop it.

Sorry to interrupt ministerial
business, Mr Hereward.

Nurse Gilbert, Ruby
Cottingham's in labour.

It sounds as though
things are moving rapidly.

Will there be time for lunch?

I strongly suspect not.

I've packed us a hardboiled egg
apiece and some coconut tart.

Hay fever?

Come on. Get in the car.

I think we need to refer you
to the hospital for tests.

I've been coughing on and off for years.

Everybody does, round here.

They said we'd all be cured,
after the Clean Air Act.

The Clean Air act won't have had
much of an impact on conditions

inside Hayward's, Mrs Bulmer.

We need to rule out emphysema.

It was emphysema what did for my husband.

I'm a widow. I need to work.

You have a strapping
grown-up son, Mrs Bulmer.

He could take care of you now.

I wish I had your confidence.

Good lass, good lass...

That's another one you can put behind you.

What do you reckon my chances
of a girl are this time round?

I would say... 50%. What
do you think, Nurse Crane?

Mathematical probability
was never my strong suit.

I think you'll find it isn't
Mother Nature's, either.

I thought I'd be done by now.

These pains started 12 hours ago!

I wasn't even like this
when I had my first.

If you'd let me examine you internally,

we can try to see what's going on.

Yeah, all right. I've had enough.

Come on. You take my hand,
give it a good squeeze

if things aren't too comfortable.

- Brow presentation.
- I'll telephone Doctor.

He'll be on his house calls.

It's like being crushed by an elephant.

- I bet you've heard that one before.
- Elephants. Rhinos. Hippopotami.

And to extend the comparison,
this baby's being a monkey.

Not quite tucking its chin
down as it should, I suspect.

You might both do better if
we send you off to hospital.

Hospital?

Nurse Gilbert, can you nip down
the street to the telephone?

Flying squad or ordinary
ambulance, whichever's quicker.

Ruby's already had a very long day.

She has. I'll be back in two ticks.

There's no need for you to worry.

Many, many congratulations,
Ian. And Linda.

And now... I suppose I ought
to ask to see the ring.

It's lovely.

He sold his dad's long-service
watch to pay for it.

Didn't you, Ian?

Nurse Franklin!

Nurse!

Look! We're engaged!

How perfectly lovely! Let's see!

You're a lucky girl, Linda.

This is more than just
a piece of jewellery.

It's proof that you've found a man
that will put you first, always.

And that really is a very
rare and precious thing.

What happens now? What
are you going to do?

Doctor's going to help
your baby to be born, dear.

Sister Julienne!

- Mrs Cottingham!
- It's all gone wrong, Sister!

Cervix not fully dilated.

I can't get my fingers between
the cervix and the head.

It's so swollen.

It's all right, Ruby...

I'd be screaming my head
off if you weren't here.

No, you wouldn't. You've been a warrior.

It's your own courage
that's got you this far.

Definitely a brow presentation.

Check foetal heart rate, please, Sister.

I need more gas.

80.

I can't keep on any more...

70...

- 60... - Right. Emergency
Caesarean section.

Anaesthetist and paediatrician, please.

- As quickly as we can, please.
- Look after her.

Who?

My little girl.

I'll be asleep when she's
born. You look after her.

I will. I promise you.

Thanks very much.

- Evening, Reverend.
- Mr Lanyard.

I thought I'd offer the happy
couple my congratulations.

Grab yourself a paper
plate and something to eat.

Two types of pork pie, and a
trifle as big as your head. Oh!

And have an orange juice, seeing
as you're a man of the cloth.

Joycey!

♪ There was I waitin' at the church

♪ Waitin' at the church
Waitin' at the church... ♪

Hello, Trixie.

Hello, Tom.

Linda's father saw me passing
and hauled me in off the street.

I didn't like to refuse.

And they poured me a glass of Babycham,

even though I'm in my uniform.

Well, that's... easily dealt with.

Cheers!

Cheers.

♪ .. my wife won't let me! ♪

Blood pressure 80 over 40.

Low. I'm not wasting any time.

Uterus exposed. Suction
and oxygen all ready?

In the anteroom, Sir.
Paediatrician's on his way.

Hmmm.

Proceeding.

Oh, God.

Another one. It's alive.

Somebody take it!

Can we all turn our attention
back to the mother, please?

All right, all right, quiet down,
folks, I've got a few words to say!

I ain't one of the world's talkers...

.. so I'll keep me words to a minimum.

That was for my son-in-law
to be. He likes long words.

But let's just say the happy
news has meant a change of plan.

And as most of us are proper
Hayward's Paints families,

I've managed to pull a few strings.

Open it, son.

Welcome to the factory! You
start work tomorrow, eight sharp.

♪ There was I Waitin' at the church

♪ Waitin' at the church
Waitin' at the church

♪ When I'd found you'd
left me in the lurch

♪ Lord, how it did upset me! ♪

I've come to enquire
about Baby Cottingham.

Baby Cottingham?

The very... poorly baby
that was born this evening.

We've had two admissions
today, but none since noon.

Thank you.

No, no, no, no...

Can you hear me, little one?

And the Lord who created you

said "Don't be afraid,
for I have redeemed you.

"I have called you by
your name. You are mine."

"When you pass through the
waters, I will be with you."

"When you pass through the
flames, you will not burn."

"You are precious in my eyes".

This baby is still breathing!

We couldn't have saved it.

But to leave it alone?

Cold, and trembling, and possibly in pain?

The anaesthetic from the mother
should still be in its system.

It shouldn't suffer.

And it cannot live.

But it's living now.

And it has been for an hour or more.

Sister, this was the kinder way.

We couldn't even tell whether
it was male or female.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

May he make his face shine upon
you, and be gracious unto you,

and grant you peace.

I think it's gone.

It hasn't been baptised.

I should've baptised it myself.

You don't have to be a priest to
christen a baby, did you know that?

No. I didn't.

The burial will be a decent
one, we can arrange for that.

But there will have to be a postmortem.

It's the third baby we've delivered

with these sorts of malformations
in the last 12 months.

May I tell Mrs Cottingham, when
she wakes from her operation?

The rules state that we don't
go into the postnatal ward.

Yes.

And sometimes rules are best broken.

But leave it till tomorrow.

I'm not drunk, Mr Hereward.

Giving up something you really
want is hard. I know that.

You do?

I once had a job in a record
shop that I really, really loved.

And I had to pack it in
to do my national service.

I spent two years in Kinloss with
a Dansette with a broken needle

and a pile of jazz LPs I couldn't play.

And then God came calling,

and he was a bit of a taskmaster.

And don't get me started on girls.

Nor me.

Ian, do you love Linda?

I don't love her more than anything
else in the world, Mr Hereward.

You love her enough to do what's right.

And sometimes... enough love IS enough.

It has to be.

We sang Psalm 40 at Compline tonight,

which brought to mind

our forthcoming homage
to Sister Hildegard.

I am attempting to give
advice to Sister Mary Cynthia.

And it's very useful advice.

But I did tell Sister Monica Joan

we could talk about it in the morning,

after the Great Silence...

Our Sister greatly seeks
replenishment in prayer.

There's supper for you in the kitchen.

I'll warm it up. But first things first...

I saw a baby lost today.

It was brutal.

And unbearable.

I'm not sure if I did enough.

Sister Monica Joan,

do you suppose that it's ever
acceptable to tell a lie?

I think the question is

not if it's acceptable,

but if it is kind.

I don't know.

But I do know that telling
the truth would be cruel.

So cruel.

Then there can be no virtue in it.

No.

Corned beef, and a bit of Pan Yan pickle.

Linda'll have more modern ideas.

You'll be getting miniature
sausage rolls off her,

like you see in the magazines.

Thanks.

You look just like your dad.

I've delivered babies
with pathologies before.

But this...

It was completely limbless.

Like little Susan Mullucks?

Without even an indication of gender.

What did Mr Kenley say?

He said, "Oh, God. Another one."

"Another one"? He's had
nothing to do with Susan.

She was born here, in the maternity home.

That's why I thought I
ought to come to you.

Did it live?

Mrs Cottingham doesn't know yet.

I undertook to tell her.

What became of the other
children? Did they die too?

I'm not sure.

Sister Knowles said that one
of them has been transferred

to, um... a residential hospital.

There's been no clear directive,

no official notification
of any sort of cluster.

Timothy! You're going
to be late for school.

Mrs Gillespie asked me to climb on
her toilet roof to get her cat down.

When you have a paper
round, helping old ladies

becomes an occupational hazard.

Go home and comb your hair.

Your tie and biscuit money
are on the sideboard.

I brought Dad's Lancet.

Unless you're too busy to read it today --

I could take it and read it on the bus.

No, leave it here.

I shall expect a tip at Christmas!

There's nothing in the list of contents.

Well, why would there be?

Until somebody, somewhere,
tells us otherwise,

we have to look at this
as a local phenomenon.

A local problem.

Which means it's our problem.

Quite.

There's no need to keep hiding your hand.

You got a ring on your finger.

- It's not a wedding
ring, though. - Yet.

I'm actually rubbing my back.

I'm all achy at the bottom of it.

They won't want to see you for a
month once you're all booked in.

You'll have your band of gold by then.

It only takes three
weeks to call the banns.

I know. Mr Hereward said.

Linda Lanyard?

May I take this one, Nurse Gilbert?

Of course.

I haven't boiled any urine today,

it will be quite nice
to get a change of pace.

Hello, Linda, how are you?

On the bed, heels to bottom
and knees nice and wide apart.

Sadie warned me about this.

You'll get used to it.

Some of the old hands come with
their knickers in their pockets,

and don't put them on
until we've finished!

Linda, have you been having any spotting?

What's spotting?

Losing little amounts of blood,

as you would at the
beginning of a monthly?

Only early on.

I kept thinking that I was
about to start, but I didn't.

Linda.

I'm afraid you're bleeding now

and it looks like a
little more than spotting.

Try to stay still.

When can I see my baby?

Ruby...

.. I'm so very, very sorry.

But your poor little baby was
born... so desperately unwell.

And it wasn't possible for us to save it.

Did it die?

Yes, Ruby. In my arms.

Sister.

Was it a girl?

Yes.

I knew.

Always knew.

Yes. Yes, you did.

Did she cry?

A little.

But when she took her last breath,

she was warm and safe...

.. and I believe she
was aware she was loved.

I wished so hard for her.

Maybe I shouldn't have.

Maybe I'm being punished.

- But God knows I love my boys...
- He does.

You did nothing wrong.

Then why?

I wish I could answer that.

And I wish... I could
bring your baby back.

But I can't.

Listen to us, eh?

Wishing this and wishing that.

We haven't got a fairy
godmother between us.

Linda...

Linda, I know this is a
perfectly ghastly business.

But you're not alone.

There's more blood!

Don't cry. It's a natural process.

It will be over soon.

Something's come away, Nurse!

It's all right, Linda. It's all right.

When you're ready, open the door.

But I don't want you to flush, all right?

Afternoon, Mr Lanyard.

How's the young bridegroom shaping up?

Don't ask me. Little toerag
never even clocked on.

Spontaneous miscarriage.

Foetus looked to be about eight weeks.

Oh, no. Poor wee girl.

We'll take her back to Sadie's
and get her tucked up in bed.

Call Doctor, if you've any concerns.

What the poor pet really needs is
a good cry, a couple of aspirin,

and a hug, in no particular order,

but the hug is of prime importance.

Ian?

Ian!

What the hell are you doing?

Ian's in the house and the gas is on.

Stay outside!

He's still breathing!

Ian. Ian.

Take deep breaths. Try
to take deep breaths.

I'm sorry.

It's all right. You've done nothing wrong.

He even missed my shoes.

He got mine, though.

Head up, sweetie. We'll
get you through this.

There's no obvious similarity

between Rhoda Mullucks
and Ruby Cottingham,

other than them both
being multiparous mothers

and on the older side.

Don't think they'd thank
you for that, Patrick.

They're both younger than me.

Meanwhile, Keith Cottingham
is in the navy. Mmm.

It says here that he had
his appendix out, on land,

in New Zealand in 1957.

So he could've been
involved in the H Bomb tests.

We'd have to check.

The H Bomb?

Hello!

Hello, dear.

Deformed babies have been
born in the South Seas.

There's one school of thought
that blames nuclear testing.

It happened after
Hiroshima and Nagasaki too.

We did it in History.

So World War II is history now, is it?

We do exams in it and everything.

Can I wash some equipment?

- How much are you charging?
- The usual.

- Bike fund?
- Yes.

Go through to the sluice.
I'll catch you up.

But going back to the mothers,

neither Rhoda nor Ruby

has anything out of the
ordinary on their records.

Only the usual juvenile illnesses,

plus occasional antibiotics

and other routine drugs in adulthood.

Oh, come here. There we go.

I'm sorry. We'll be taking
work home with us tonight.

No university place, now no baby,
and engaged for no good reason.

If he tries to walk away, he could
be sued for breach of promise.

A broken engagement is a serious thing.

Isn't it?

Trixie, that is not what I meant.

How long since we ended everything?

A year.

To be more precise, a year and ten days.

Once upon a time, one of us

would have leaned forward to
kiss the other one just then.

I know.

But neither of us did.

No.

When you look at Barbara,

do you want to lean forward and kiss her?

Sometimes.

I have done, once or twice.

- Oh. - But don't worry.
It won't happen again.

If we were ever going out
at all, Barbara ended it.

Because of you.

Or more precisely, because of you and me.

Do you think it's time to
let each other go, Trixie?

I thought we did that last year.

Because hanging on,

not letting each other grow...

.. is a recipe for misery.

Yes.

And vomit on one's shoes,

as we found out earlier this evening.

So if you'll excuse me,
I'll go and get changed.

I don't feel at all comfortable.

This seems to be our only
clue that these anomalies

are part of something more widespread --

this residential hospital

that specialises in children
with malformed limbs.

It's not a new hospital. But
it is a new specialisation.

It may mean nothing at all.

Patrick, we have to go to bed.

We have patients to
care for in the morning

and they don't need us crawling in
half-dead through lack of sleep.

I never know when I love you the most,

but I sometimes think that these
are the times that I love you best.

When the whole world's sleeping,

and you're sitting up with
dark rings beneath your eyes,

just trying to make it better.

Oh, Shelagh.

We had a wonderful old professor
when I was at medical school.

Macketon Phipps.

He was a real physician, cared
about patients inside and out.

And he used to say,

"Never be afraid to say when
you don't know the answer."

But these babies...

Shelagh, I don't know.

And... I don't know if
there's anything TO know.

And I'm scared.

She had a reasonable night. I
tucked her up in bed next to me.

You're as good as a mum to
Linda, Sadie. I know that.

Which is just what most girls need,
after an experience like yours.

Will you look in on Ian,
Nurse, before you go? Only...

Only we heard him crying in the night.

There's no harm in me popping
my head round the door, but...

There's no need, Nurse. I'm all right.

And I'm going to work.

No, son. No, you're not.

Here.

I rather think I ought to take my leave...

No, Nurse. This isn't some big drama.

I'm just doing the right thing.

Like you did the right thing.

I didn't say I wanted to marry you

because it was the right thing, Linda.

It was because I loved you.

And I love you now.

Take it. Sell it.

Spend it on the books
you'll read at university.

I'm not standing in your way,

and there's no baby going to now either.

I've still got
responsibilities. I've got Mum.

Don't you worry about me, son.

You can come home and listen
to me coughing in the holidays,

but you don't have to
do it all year round.

Take the ring, Ian.

Right.

There. There it is and there it's staying.

Till you've got letters after your name,

and more ahead of you than
me and your dad ever had.

Best not argue with your mum, Ian.

You won't win.

And we can wait.

You can't stand in the way of
what life wants, can you, Nurse?

Or what love wants.

One way or another, things
end up how they should.

You need to have the big light on

if you're going to do
handicrafts at this hour.

It's all right. It's only a few figures

for the Bible Study Fuzzy
Felt at Sunday School.

Judas and Simon Peter have gone missing,

and Mary Magdalene's got no head.

I hope Mr Hereward
appreciates your dedication.

I don't care if he doesn't.

Enter.

Barbara, may I speak to you for a moment?

I expect it's time I did my vanishing act.

Or as we say in Spanish class,

"Le dejo a usted conversar, senoritas."

I think we need to "conversar"
about Cousin Mabel.

There's no such person, Trixie.

I made her up so that I didn't
have to tell you the truth.

But there's really no truth to tell now,

so it doesn't matter.

Yes, it does.

I'm so sorry, Trixie.

I knew you knew,

and I knew you were unhappy.

And I should have ended it sooner,
but I didn't have the courage,

and I had... too much hope.

Probably.

Tom's special, isn't he?

Yes.

But not so special that it's worth
all three of us being miserable.

And now, if you don't mind,

I really need to get on with
these Fuzzy Felt apostles.

Oh, Barbara.

Only a girl as nice as you
would say a thing like that.

What if I'm not nice, Trixie?

What if I'm thinking all sorts of
mean and terrible thoughts inside?

I wouldn't blame you.

And I'm not going to stand
in your way, or Tom's.

People want what they want.

And one way or another -- at
least, if love comes into it --

things will end up as they should.

♪ As it was in the beginning

♪ Is now, and ever shall be

♪ World without end, Amen. ♪

It was Sister Hildegard who
began our work here in Poplar.

And I and my Sisters carry
on that work as best we can,

day by day, night by night,

woman by woman, child by child.

Her faith was never shaken,

and faith remains the
foundation of our life.

But there are times
when we are challenged --

not in the vowed life, but
as midwives and nurses.

There are babies born broken.

There are lives we cannot heal.

And it is then that we
should turn to the woman

that so inspired our Sister
that she took her name --

Saint Hildegard of Bingen.

For Saint Hildegard once said,

God hugs you.

God hugs you.

You are encircled by the
arms of the mystery of God.

You shine so finely, it
surpasses understanding.

'We knew so little then.

'In a world that seemed so full of
opening doors and bright horizons,

'we thought only of
what was new, and better.

'Because it WAS new and better,

'and it would take us to places
we had never been before.'

♪ .. I'm so, I'm so afraid

♪ You might not care

♪ Every time you pass me by

♪ Oh, you don't know

♪ You don't know what I go through

♪ Seeing someone else with you

♪ Oh, I wish the one with you

♪ Were me... ♪

'We couldn't see what was coming,

'or understand yet what
had already come to pass.

'We had so much still to learn.'

♪ .. but until then

♪ I'll never give this away... ♪

Who else would tell me stories?

Tell me where frankincense came from?

We have an emergency.

I shall go at once.

That's it, ladies.

If we want to reduce, we must keep moving.

Tar and tumours,

from those bloody cigarettes.

She used to call me her movie star.

I can feel the pounds falling off!

Hello? Anyone at home?

♪ .. I would tell you

♪ If I believed that
you might care some day

♪ But until then

♪ I'll never give this away

♪ When you don't know

♪ Oh, yeah

♪ Whoa-oh-oh... ♪