Delivery Notes

CHAPTER 1 - "BUILD IT BETTER"

"Get up you old cow!!" Sally bellowed as she slammed through my bedroom door.

Whatever peaceful sleep I was enjoying was abruptly ended. My poor sleeping cat Dobby, woke with a fright and darted out of the bedroom.

I reluctantly opened my eyes and squinted up at her. I couldn't help but laugh. She had a party hat on top of her bright purple curls, wearing a "Birthday Girl" sash holding a small homemade cake. One large "30" shaped candle was sticking out the top.

"You both are a demon and an angel Sally!" I yawned as I sat up rubbing my tired eyes.

"I don't have to sing do I?!" She exclaimed with mock horror in her eyes.

"Ha! I wouldn't do that to you." I sat up smiling, getting ready to blow my birthday candle out.

"Make a wish!!" She pleaded with a grin. I closed my eyes and blew.

I wish to get through this day.

Opened my eyes and looked up to her satisfied face. "Will you help me eat this cake? I can't eat all that by myself?" I begged.

"Well it's made with sweetener, oat bran and protein powder so it's diet-friendly." She said wrinkling her nose in disgust. "It's all yours." She laughed with a wink.

I looked at my clock, it was 10:00. "Did you make this after your night shift?" I said surprised.

"Yeah I did, I made it especially for you. If it's awful though, you don't have to eat it."

She smiled sincerely, but she couldnt hide the concern in her eyes. She inhaled deeply, preparing to share something more serious.

"I wanted you to wake up to something nice, I know you're probably gonna give yourself a hard time today, so I wanted special-diet-cake on standby."

"You are the best Sally. Thank you for this." I said side stepping her light criticism. "You're back in work tonight right?"

Sally and I are both midwives who work in the same hospital, but we work on different wards. I worked on Labour Ward whereas she worked on the Postnatal Ward.

Although we lived together and worked together, we could sometimes go days without seeing each other. Our shifts were always at odds with each other. She was on a run of nights and I'd just finished my run of days. Thankfully we both had this coming weekend off together.

"Yeah, I'm off to bed in a min." she said as she took off her sash and hat, putting them on me. "We're still on for birthday celebrations on Saturday though right? We don't have to mention the birthday again though, just drinks, a little dancing and maybe some live music. Anything to get you out of your pjs and outside, it will do you good."

"Urgh! Outside!" I grimaced jokingly as she rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay! I'm in. But let's not go mad." I said with worry in my voice.

I've not exactly been very social over the last year. It had been the hardest few years of my life and being out around loads of people just has been the last thing I could deal with.

"Nothing too heavy, I know Tillie." She reassured me. "Anyway birthday girl, I'm off to bed. I'll see you later."

She hesitated at the door, she turned back and looked at me with worry in her eyes.

"Don't be hard on yourself today please." She pleaded.

"I'll try, I promise I'll try." I sighed looking down at my happy birthday sash. She wasn't particularly convinced by my promise but left to go get some sleep.

***

Sally and I had been roommates for the last 3 months but have been friends for about 8 years. We both started working at the hospital around the same time. I was a fresh faced 22-year-old then and despite our 12 year age difference, we bonded immediately and have been best friends ever since.