midwife » michael gray. [completed]

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN.

     → CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN; CHRISTMAS PREP. 

No amount of negative words could ever stop Hannah from loving Michael with every beat of her heart. It would take something completely and utterly cruel, the worst crime in the world, to make her hate him. She almost thought that it was out of the question. If Michael had ever done anything wrong, big or small, all he would have to do was smile in Hannah's direction and she would immediately forgive him for his crime. It was scary but it was also reality. Hannah had allowed herself to fall this far for Michael so she could only blame herself. The opportunity to leave him had arisen many times at the start of their relationship but she knew what she wanted and she didn't give a single fuck about the consequences. Michael was the love of Hannah's life and that was a fact.

It was a week before Christmas, the panic season as Betty liked to call it. Alexandra had spent every moment of her free time down at the shopping centre in an attempt to find some perfect gifts for friends and family and the bedroom was currently in a state with Hannah walking around the small room collecting bits of wrapping paper and other decorations that Alexandra had left scattered everywhere. It wasn't just wrapping paper and ribbons though, there was tinsels and baubles from the mini Christmas tree that Alexandra had popped up in the corner of the room. It was lopsided and most of the fake pine had fallen off but Alexandra claimed that it was a bargain and with a bit of a makeover, it would be a perfect feature to the bedroom. Hannah just agreed and allowed Alexandra to carry on.

"I don't think you need to go so overboard with Christmas present's, you know," Hannah said as she picked up some wrapping paper off the floor and placed it into the bin. "Maybe just a small gift each would have been enough. I mean, what is Sister Maria going to do with a paint kit, she doesn't even paint."

Alexandra sighed as she failed to tie the ribbon on a present for the third time in a row before looking up at Hannah with exhausted eyes. "I just like giving out presents, it's fun and Sister Maria can take up a new hobby, can't she? Enough about me and my spending habits though, what are you getting Michael?"

"We said that we weren't going to get each other presents. I mean, I've hardly got any money because all I'm doing is voluntary work and him being home is the best present, I could have asked for. Do you think I should make him something homemade?"

"Like what?"

Hannah shrugged, she wasn't creative at all. "That's a good question. Maybe we will just go out for a nice dinner or something, we don't need to have expensive gifts."

Alexandra accepted the answer as she reached over to grab Betty's present. "Are you working all of Christmas Day?"

Hannah shook her head. "I'm working eight until one, and then I'm going to come back here and hopefully get some food before going around to Michael's. We will probably be at The Garrison if you lot fancy coming around for a quick drink."

Alexandra didn't like the idea of that. Her alcoholic tolerance was extremely low and it would only take a few drinks for her to be a complete mess and end up saying something that would insult one of the blinders or make an insensitive joke. "I think I'll stick with my cup of tea and some biscuits, I'll only end up making a fool of myself like I always do when I've got a couple of drinks in my system."

Hannah wasn't going to take no for an answer. Christmas Day was the one day that the nurses could take some time for themselves - that's if no one decided to go into labour. It was also an opportunity for all of the nurses to get to know Michael and the Shelby's better, without any judgment, just with fun times. Last Christmas at The Garrison had been lovely, all of the family, including Hannah, spending some quality time together that was filled with laughter, drinks and jokes. It was funny how so much could change within the space of a year.