FOURTEEN
Sister Evangelina returning to Nonnatus put the house on a good note, and she rejoiced at the sight of the two other King siblings.
Two babies, no adults, that she also delivered, everything was going well. Too well, apparently.
It was early when the phone rang, and Cora was about to leave for work, "Hello King Residence Doctor King, speaking."
It was Evelyn, "Kingy, it's Sister Evangelina, she's died."
She doesn't even recall the drive over to Nonnatus House. Nor the feeling of Evelyn and Trixie catching her as the Doctor crossed the threshold, verging on collapse.
Cora held Trixie and Evelyn and Patsy, she was their pillar as her own tears ran silently down her cheeks.
The grief was overwhelming, as was the grief that came when Patrick called her to the surgery.
Thalidomide, that is what was causing deformities of the foetuses. She didn't know how to cope, pills that she prescribed were causing deformities to babies in her district.
"Has anyone checked in on Doctor King?" Sheila shook her head and so Patsy fled to the Doctor's office, she struggled to pry the door open.
"Cora?" The office was trashed and Cora was nowhere in sight, but there when she did appear she came with a bag full of distaval tablets.
Patsy rightfully thumped her on the back of the head, "Where the hell have you been?"
Cora poured the contents of her bag onto the desk, handing Sheila a clipboard of names.
"Getting a head start."
Ironing her funeral suit that evening was something that led to trembling hands, which led to her burning her hand with a yell.
Evelyn rushed into the living room, pulling her sister into her arms, "It's alright Cora, I've got you Kingy I've got you."
Cora shook her head, the tears falling with fury, "She delivered us Ev, she was there at the beginning of my life, there's not been a time where I haven't known her, and now, now I have to live in a world without her."
Evelyn nodded, "I know Kingy, I know."
Being called to a birth at a wedding where the bride is giving birth was not something that Cora could say that she expected, but the Doctor wanted to give the Sisters time to mourn, which meant she was with Trixie.
Her suit was iron and starched, Trixie having to tie her tie on account of her hands not being able to stop shaking.
Trixie hooked her arm with Cora's as they walked in the procession, Evelyn walked with Barbra and Hayley rode a police horse ahead to clear the path of the woman who nursed her into the world.
The King family all attended, children and grandchildren alike, all to pay tribute to the woman of whom helped them into the world, and helped them become the people the family that they are.
Christmas that year was spent either working or at Nonnatus house, Hayley, Evelyn, Daisy Alex and the twins all enjoying a meal at the convent while Trixie, Patsy and Cora all worked diligently.
"Right so Hayley and Ev you're staying here to look after Alex and the twins while Trixie and I go to South Africa?" The group all nodded to the King-Franklin-Mount-Busby household all gathered in the living room with expectant expressions.
Cora had at first opted out of the mission, taking over Patrick's patients; however everyone saw the effect Thalidomide had had on the Doctor, as well as Sister Evangelina's death.
That and having been in the army herself they all felt that she would come in great use.
Not to mention it would be hers and Trixie's first trip away together, as wife and wife, "...Fine, I'll go. But we are flying. I won't step foot on a ship again."
Trixie squealed, nodding as she and Cora shared a short kiss.
Arriving they were of course stopped by the army but Cora handed over their passports and visa with no words shared.
The soldier nodded, waving them through, and both Trixie and Cora collapsed into their shared accommodation, but not before pushing their beds together.
"I hope you're okay with sharing your accommodations, Doctor King?" Cora nodded,
"Of course, it's no problem at all, reminds me of back home, it's difficult to exist these days without someone there causing a racket and I can assure you Nurse Franklin does exactly that."
Their first day at the clinic was an education, and she was thankfully excused from the meeting that evening, having been exposed to the elements all of the day, and doing a delivery with Sister Winifred left her exhausted.
"What's her story Doctor King, she seems to know more about how things function like this than anyone else?" Sister Julienne nodded,
"She was in the Army herself and worked in a clinic similar to this. That's why we asked her to come."
Cora meandered over to Trixie and the other midwives with a warm smile, "Cora, cigarette."
The doctor nodded, taking a seat next to Trixie as the Midwife lit a cigarette handing it to her. The conversation flowed and when the soldiers approached Cora was the first to stand, shielding the group of women behind her.
"Can we help you Sargent?" The man nodded although it wasn't Cora he spoke to,
"...their white you don't mix." Cora glared at the man,
"They are also my Patients and if I say an evening spent together so that the expectant mothers might get some air to help their babies under the watchful eyes of a group of midwives then that is my medical professional opinion and it suspends the colour laws." The man took a step forward,
"I don't expect you to understand, Doctor." Cora clenched her jaw... and fists,
"1951 South Africa, the Clinic of St Mary Magdalene, Captain King of the British Army, don't talk to me about understanding Sargent I understand perfectly well." Trixie grasped her forearm before she could draw any closer and have herself thrown into a cell.
"I want the truck moved."