THIRTEEN
The introduction of the contraceptive pill was something that Cora, unlike some members of Nonnatus house, rejoiced in.
The ability for a woman to control their own reproductive health was a monumental achievement for women in Britain.
She waltzed in greeting her wife, checking their surroundings before kissing her sweetly, "I'll see you later my love, are you sure you don't want a lift?"
Trixie nodded fixing Cora's tie with a smile, "I'll be fine on the bus darling now you go and enjoy the talk."
Cora scoffed, "Unlikely, will I see you at home tonight?"
Trixie nodded and with that she was out the door and Cora was climbing the stairs with a small grimace.
She didn't know what was about to happen, but she could guarantee that there would be more than one opinion.
And when the bible was brought into it, she stood with a small grunt pouring herself a glass of water, "Doctor King, what say you on the matter?"
Cora turned around to face the crowd now all staring at her, she looked to Evelyn who nodded, "I have a niece with a father who is in prison for trying to murder her mother, two granddaughters of whom were the product of a rape, and a scar across my abdomen from a hysterectomy that happened after I got back from the army due to a ectopic pregnancy that was the product of my own rape. Had any of us had access to contraception I doubt any of that would have happened, but it's not just about that it's about a woman's right to her own body, if men can chose when they want to wear a condom, of pull out then women should have a choice to take one pill a day, to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. This isn't just about that either it's about how we can prevent back alley abortions that are killing women, one pill can change life as we know it. And I understand your moral obligations Sister, but we cannot ignore the fact that the world is changing, and for better or worse that means that we also have to evolve, because providing care for women of the district means improving and modernising our medicine and the care that we can provide. As a doctor I made an oath to do no harm, and I have seen the harm that unwanted pregnancies can cause. The grief, the shame, the pain, all of it."
And with that she walked away. She couldn't bear it any more she thought she could, that she was past that part of her life, evidently not.
Patsy followed and Phylis grasped Evelyn's hand in comfort.
"Cora! Cora!" She didn't stop and when Patsy did manage to find her, she was drowning her sorrows in the Black Sail, putting back pints in a way that would assure everyone that she was in fact British in any case.
"Come on Cora let's get you home shall we." Cora remained highly intoxicated as Patsy managed to wrestle her onto the sofa.
"I've never said it out loud before, y'know, that I was raped." Patsy gazed at her sympathetically, but Cora shook her head,
"No don't look at me like that, I don't want sympathy, Trixie knows, I never told her but she knows. I wonder sometimes what it would have been and then I remember that I don't care and I think that's worse." Patsy shook her head, draping a blanket over the Doctor.
"I'll be back later, do try to get some rest Cora." She passed out not long after hearing the door close, and she woke up the next morning to a packet of pills and a glass of water on the coffee table.
We'll talk later, I love you
- Trixie
They didn't get the chance to talk that night, and the storm brought a new set of problems entirely. Phone lines were down and Cora's car had been taken out by a particularly vengeful branch, meaning that Cora was braving the storm head first.
She was commandeered by several husbands on the way, and reached a record breaking 6 births before making it to the maternity home.
She collapsed upon her arrival and Trixie caught her wife concerned at her disheveled appearance but Cora simply chuckled, "What's the standing record of babies delivered in one night?"
Trixie shrugged, "By one midwife 3 I think."
Cora smirked, "Try 6 just on my way here."
"Cora, why are we going to Gateways with Patsy and Delia tonight?" Cora shrugged,
"Because we need to show Patsy the joys of being surrounded by people like us, and I'm getting tired of the sympathetic looks that everyone keeps giving me."
Upon entry the bar cheered at the sight of their favourite doctor, and for that entire night Cora abstained from alcohol, she simply danced with her wife, enjoying their night spent in the company of her best friends, simply as two couples not two shared secrets.
"Cora we need to talk." Cora nodded,
"We do, but first things first, I'm giving up alcohol, permanently, the amount of pints and whiskey and bourbon I drank the other night could have caused serious problems and I can't do that to you or anyone else again." Trixie nodded with a small smile,
"Well I am glad to hear that but you know that's not what I mean." Cora let out a long sigh,
"My last 8 months in the army were spent in a Prisoners of War camp, you know that," Trixie nodded, of course she knew she'd received the telegraph about her being MIA and assumed dead, "In the camp we were tortured for information and some of their ways were more... more violent than others."
There was a beat of silence, "The pregnancy was ectopic, not viable and I had to have a hysterectomy, it's why I didn't come home until 2 months after my discharge. I didn't talk about it because you were already dealing with my PTSD and I couldn't burden you like this Trixie, I didn't want to be a burden." Trixie walked over to her wife grasping either side of her face.
"You are not a burden, do you understand me, Cora MacKenzie Carmichael King, you are not a burden and I love you, in sickness and in health do you understand?!"