Extended Family

Chapter 146: A Day in St Mungo's

Takes place after chapter 10

The incessant sound of the alarm clock woke her up.  She blinked slowly, mind sluggish and body even more so.  She finally woke up enough to recognize why she woke up, the cursed alarm clock, and she groaned.  The clock finally stopped when she touched it, reluctant to move but forcing herself to.  Getting out of bed was even more difficult due to the fact that someone was trying to keep her in it by lying on her legs.

“Bailey, come on baby,” Samantha sighed when Bailey complained with doggy huffs.  “I gotta get up.  Get daddy, go on.”

Thomas grunted when Bailey flopped over him and he blinked slowly as he woke too.  “Thanks for that,” he said, voice muffled by Bailey’s head and fur.

“You’re welcome,” Samantha smiled, yawning slightly as she got out of bed.  “You did it to me yesterday.”

“It was pretty funny,” he agreed, petting Bailey as she wriggled on him. 

Eventually they managed to get out of bed and do their morning routines.  The usual ablutions and morning care, changing clothes, getting things ready, feeding Bailey and themselves.  It was definitely a quieter household without Katie and Lyla there and even though they had moved out for years now, it still felt like it was only yesterday that the morning routine involved the sisters yelling and making noise.

“How does your day look?” Samantha asked as she finished packing her medical bag.

“Lots of meetings,” Thomas sighed, filling his and her thermoses with tea.  “I have a sneaking suspicion the client is going to want to change something, again.”

“Ugh,” she groaned in sympathy.  “Good thing he’s paying by the hour.”

“I’m going to enjoy giving him the bill,” Thomas chuckled.  “How about you?  Lots of patients today?”

“So so, but who knows.”  She kissed him goodbye and did the same for Bailey before leaving via Floo.  The swirl of magic dragged her through the network and she came out neatly on the other side, landing on her feet.  St. Mungo’s, the biggest magical hospital in the United Kingdom, was never completely quiet and the sounds of the place hit her in full force as it always did.  Only now, she was more used to it.  A wave of the wand removed the ash and the soot as she stomped her feet on the grate and walked off with some amount of energy.

She arrived at her shared office and she put her bag down and changed into her medi-magical robes, tying her long hair up.  The communication stone the hospital used for the staff was slipped into a pocket and she patted the others to make sure her other usual equipment was ready.  After a fortifying gulp of tea, she walked to the main desk in the Pediatrics Department.  “Morning Trudy.”

“Morning Healer Bell,” Trudy said, smiling up at her.  “How are you?”

“I’m well thank you.  How are you feeling?”

Trudy patted her abdomen.  “Pretty well too, thank you.  The little stranger is finally letting me sleep without using my bladder as a kick bag.” 

Samantha laughed.  “I don’t miss that.”

“Lie to me and tell me it gets better,” Trudy said with a tone that was half-mocking and half-pleading.

“It does and it doesn’t, and that’s not a lie.”

“Thanks,” Trudy said flatly and she and Samantha laughed.  “Here’s the first patient.  It’s one of your favorites.”