midwife » michael gray. [completed]

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE.

    → CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE; CONFESSIONS.

It was a few hours later when Hannah returned back to the hospital, fully washed and out of her hospital uniform. She had taken the letter from Luca back to the convent and had hidden it away so none of the nurses could find it and question what it was about, it would only cause hassle that Hannah couldn't be bothered to deal with. Even though there was a war on the horizon between the Italians and The Peaky Blinders, Hannah's only concern was Michael and finding out when his disgusting drug habit had come about and why he hadn't told her about it.

"How is he?" Hannah asked the matron who was filling in some paperwork at the desk in reception, most likely Michael and John's. It was going to take a lot of writing down with endless notes and inquiries into what had happened. No-one outside of the family would ever find out the actual truth, it was private business that didn't need to be made to the world just yet.

The matron looked up from the desk and took off her glasses, smiling at Hannah softly. "He's awake and doing well, a bit confused and constantly asking for you. His mother popped by earlier but I think she's gone to the other ward to see John Shelby. Tommy is due to come by at some point today as well."

Hannah nodded, she felt sorry for Tommy in a way. Hannah would be surprised if Polly didn't try and kill him if she ever saw him. Polly had only just truly started her relationship with Michael and too potentially lose him would kill her off but not before killing Tommy herself.

"Is he still on the same ward?" Hannah asked as she picked up one of the forms that the matron was filling in, it was for Michael. Just by looking at his medical notes, Hannah knew that Sister Maria was completely right with what she had said. Michael was extremely lucky to be alive, along with John. It was just going to be a long road to recovery, especially with his leg being messed up due to where a few of the bullets landed.

The matron nodded before reminding Hannah on the ward number. "He isn't due any medication for another hour so I will make sure that the nurses leave you both alone to have a good chat. How are you holding up? I know this must be rough for you considering everything that has happened over the last eight months."

Hannah nodded, she had no choice but to be okay. "I will be fine, thank you for asking." Hannah turned around and started to walk away from the desk before spinning back around quickly to ask the matron one last question. "Am I alright to have a few days off to stay with Michael? If you do need me then I don't mind doing the odd shift and every now and again but I want to be with him whenever I can and I know that I can't work on his ward."

"I was going to give you a few weeks off, at least from the hospital. I don't think I should be telling you this but Sister Maria did mention that herself and Sister Margaret were going to be having a chat with you within the next week about going back to midwifery. They were meant to tell you yesterday but we all know what happened there," the matron joked as she lifted up a couple of sheets of paperwork.

"Well, if that is the case then I just want to say thank you for having me."

"It's been an absolute pleasure, you are a fantastic nurse and don't let anyone tell you any differently. If you do ever want to come back to the hospital, then there will be a job here for you but I know that your heart is with midwifery and that's fine."

Hannah smiled and mumbled a thank you before finally walking away. Was she a good nurse? She hadn't even noticed that her partner was high on cocaine most of the time they were together, or that Polly was slowly having a breakdown and was withering away in front of her. Hannah had been too focused on everything else and was missing the most important signals that could have stopped Michael from falling deeper into his drug addiction and she could have got Polly the help that she needed and deserved before she had turned to prison-tablets.