By Order Of The Peaky Blinders

Chapter Five

Viola woke quite early the next day, a blissful smile on her face as Tommy immediately came to mind and stayed there as she got ready for the day, belatedly remembering to grab the letter she had written the night before, dropping it off at the post office and making it to the Doctor's with plenty of time to spare.

She walked into the clinic, nervously checking the time to see that it was 8 am on the dot and she breathed a little breath of relief before heading for the receptionist, who gave her a bland smile.

"Hello, Miss do you have an appointment or do you wish to make one?"

"No, actually my name is Viola Crawley, I'm to be the assistant nurse here, for the foreseeable future." Viola smiled at her.

"I'm very excited to be working here" Viola replied

"Good" a thick Scottish accent had her jumping as a tall man with a shock of white hair and a neatly kept beard piped into the conversation.

"You're Viola are ya lass?" He asked peeking over his half-moon spectacles at her, he had a voice that reverberated around the room but it was warm and full of cheer.

"Yes sir" Viola relaxed her grip on her purse, finding the man to be warm and inviting.

He grinned at her rather slyly "I've heard all about you, got Small Heath in quite the tizzy you have, Flo isn't here right now, attending to some pregnant ladies. I'm afraid bursts of excitement are rather rare around here but when it strikes, it's like the clappers. I'm getting on in years as is Flo, we've got the experience but not the vigour of youth"

"You don't look a day over twenty-one" Viola complimented him slightly cheekily and he roared in laughter slapping his knee

"Oh, aye, I know I don't, now lass let me show you around" he gestured grandly with a rather alarming large hand but the man had been nothing but gentle and courteous so she allowed herself to be swept away, Maria sending her an absent-minded wave as she had turned back to her papers.

There was the waiting room/reception where Viola had walked in, three Doctor's offices, two nurses' offices and an archive room with an attached kitchenette/lunch room, two storage rooms and a cupboard of cleaning supplies.

The practice was small and Dr Stoyle- or Winifred if she preferred- explained that they only really saw to the Small Heath area and they were rather understaffed with just him and Florence being in attendance, Maria was a wonderful help with the management of the place but unable to help on the healthcare side of things and rarely did they get someone working at the clinic. Just as they were finished with the minitour, the door opened and a woman came in, walking over to the coat rack.

"And there's my lovely partner in crime, Flo, the yung'uns here!" Dr Stoyle called for her as she took off her coat and scarf.

"Oh, Winnie behave or you'll drive the poor duck off" Florence scolded him before turning to Viola "Hello, duck, I'm Florence but you go ahead and call me Flo, everyone does" Flo was a very small woman, with warm blue eyes, ruddy cheeks and blond hair kept in a strict bun, accentuating her laughter lines.

"Hello Flo, I'm Viola" Viola introduced herself, quickly warming to these people who were just so welcoming.

"And aren't you lovely, I see why he's so eager to claim ya" Flo said with a grin that had Viola blinking in confusion, before she could open her mouth and ask Flo had changed the subject "Now, Duck I need to show you how we take stock and I'm sure there's some bandages needing rolling and then we need to prep for the day! Come on, chop, chop!"