Earlier that day
Emma felt like she’d won that battle. Not the war yet, but she’d made her stand and released her battle cry, blue paint across her face, and armed with common sense in one hand, and self defence lessons in the other. On her list of things she needed to do in this twilight zone of a town, standing her ground to her mum and Ben was at the top of the list. She would not be hoodwinked by whatever this place was, no matter how rose tinted the view was from the loved-up nitwits she had for parents.
Parent and boyfriend, she self-corrected.
Emma didn’t have her car with her in Glen Valley, but she had a card with the clinic’s address on and the foresight to look up the route to it on foot before her jog this morning. She knew the way and also knew that the famous Deloris Marsh would be working at Hatherway clinic today. She would get a feel for this woman, finally, to see if she was both qualified and fit to be taking Emma on as her apprentice.
Just in case she was, Emma made sure to calm herself and go in with a cool head. Once stood outside the clinic she used her reflection in the glass door to check herself over. Her favourite jeans gave her confidence, her white jumper with thin black stripes flattered her figure and the purple fashion scarf made her look less intense. More cool and laid back…she hoped. She fussed with her ginger hair, making sure the hair tie was secure and her ponytail was neat. With tugged at it with two hands to make sure and knew she’d need to be mentally prepared for anything when she went inside. One midwife for a whole town. Nearly everyone stays local for home births, and so many births from the looks of each soccer team of kids each parent seems to walk to school each morning. Emma pushed her reservations to one side and did a quite prayer that Deloris was legit. It would be the only silver lining to this nightmare if she was.
Unable to stall anymore, Emma pushed the doors open and walked through another set of double doors before she was inside the clinic. It was quite substantial in size, really. Very white and sterile, from the laminated floors, white wash walls and plastic furniture. To the left was a soft area with an array of sofas, comfy chairs, plump cushions and a cabinet of baby toys in plastic boxes. To the right was a reception area, so Emma walked over to the desk with a single computer and ‘wait here to be seen’ sign. Her hazel eyes took in he rest of the clinic and saw four white doors, all shut facing her. They helpfully had signs on them.
Family planning.
Antenatal screening.
Examination room.
Birthing suite.
Seriously? Emma’s eyes were wide with shock. One woman can’t do all these jobs. Pre, ante and postnatal care?! For a whole town?!? She returned her gaze to the soft area, and had to conclude from the bay toys and soft rug area that baby classes took place there too. Not only is this way too much for one person of any age to be responsible for, but it’s surely it’s just impossible to provide all these services to a whole town?! She wouldn’t have enough hours in the day!
“Good morning.” Emma turned her head with a swivel to see a silver haired woman walk over and take her seat before her at the desk in front of the computer”. She had steel grey eyes, blue scrubs over a white long sleeved shirt, and her silver hair was peppered with white and swept back into a butterfly grip at the back. She looked fit and agile despite her age, and smirked up at Emma with confidence. “Ah, you must be Emma.” She declared and returned to her feet. “About damn time.” She chuckled deeply and smacked the table with both hands triumphantly. “I’m Deloris. This way.”
“I-wait.” Emma hurried after the woman she was pretty confident would be rather formidable from that interaction alone. “Yes I’m Emma Carter. I was wondering-”
“Got your own scrubs?” She waved a wrinkled but strong arm up and down her body. “Or were they property of the university you studied at?”
“Yeah, the latter.” Emma blinked and openly looked confused. Why is she asking me if I have scrubs? “I’m so glad I got to meet you. I’d like to discuss-”
“I’m sure you would, but talk doesn’t impress me buttercup.” Deloris left Emma flabbergasted as she walked into the family planning room, which looked like a regular doctor’s office, and pulled a key on an extender fob from her belt. She unlocked the back room and thrust a set of pink scrubs at her. “Put them on and don’t be long. Put your belongings in the cupboard and shut it. It auto locks.” She pushed them into Emma’s hands and chest as she stalked past her. “Meet me in the examination room in about fifteen minutes and we’ll see what’cha got kid.”
Deloris left her gawking and clutching the pink scrubs in the family planning office. For a moment Emma heard nothing but white noise between her ears. Did…that just happen? Am I going to meet a patient already?!
Eager to not disappoint this battle axe mentor on what had turned into day one of her apprenticeship, Emma hopped around like a mad rabbit out of her clothes. She kept the white jumper on and pulled her pink scrubs on. She stepped back into her trainers and folded her jeans and scarf. She put them and her handbag into the back room, shutting it with a clink. Emma felt her heart racing with both excitement and apprehension. She honestly thought she’d be able to ask Deloris to have a chat with her about starting the apprenticeship in the fall. Possibly not even today, depending on her schedule. I barely put two words together, and I have to show Deloris what I’ve got? Emma closed her hazel eyes, exhaled her nerves out, and opened her eyes with determination.
Well I better do just that. Emma marched with purpose out of the family planning office, then knocked on the one that said examination room. “Come on in kid.” Deloris was sat on a chair facing the examination table, astride it so she could rest the length of her left forearm on the back. With the right she held up a manilla patient file and looked totally engrossed. “I don’t have time to be holding your hand buttercup. I run a tight and very busy ship. Benny boy has been yipping at my damn heels for the best part of a year to get me to take on another student, and I must have agreed in a moment of weakness. I don’t like students.” Deloris drifted her steely eyes over to Emma, who still stood shocked in the doorway. “I don’t have time, nor the predisposition to coddle you kid. I don’t do workshops in a classroom, as I don’t have time. You want to be my apprentice? You are on the job. Five days a week, and boy will those days be long.” She closed the folder and thrust it towards her. “You will have homework in your own time, as you need to know the theory to put into practise. You will shadow me on my schedule. I work 7 days a week, so I won’t have time to do any theory teaching, you hear? Study in your own time, and I’ll teach you in the field as we go along. I’ll set your exams up with Portland U, and you can sit in on every appointment I have Monday to Friday.” Emma gulped. “You will not have an easy ride as my apprentice, but you’ll hit the birth quota of year 1 within a few months. Trust me.”
“Oh I believe you.” Emma chuckled in her chest as she recalled the swarms of kids being walked to school. “I take it birth control is popular in this town?”
Deloris narrowed her eyes and Emma panicked. Memo to
self. Don’t joke about birth control with her. Don’t joke period.
“Do you have a problem with the right of parents to have as many children as
they want and can financially support?” Her tongue was as razor sharp as her
gaze, and Emma shuddered.
“No mam.”
“Do you think I don’t provide any and all birth control options for my patient’s to choose from?”
“No mam.” Holy crap she’s terrifying!? Emma shook her head vigorously.
“No shit.” Deloris sniggered and rolled her wrist. “You going to take the damn file or leave me hanging? I’m not getting any younger.”
“No mam.” Emma answered and took the file. Deloris raised a brow, and Emma paled in horror. “No mam, I won’t leave you hanging.” She clarified and opened the file.
“No shit.” Deloris smirked and waved her hand over to the spare chair by the medicine draw. “You will not talk until I say you can. If I ask you a question, you will answer it, then become seen and not heard again. You will leave me your email today so I can send over your reading list and I expect you to memories the lot before the fall. You will sit an exam in September. Fail it, and I’m dropping you got it?” Emma gulped and nodded as she shuffled over to take the chair. Conscious of those piercing steel eyes Emma dropped her own to scan the patient notes. “I will send you questions at the end of the week based on our appointments. Not on our actual patients, but hypothetical versions of the kinds of cases you’ve seen. I suggest in future you bring something to make notes on. Again, no names. Patient information is protected at all times.”
“Yes mam.” Emma nodded, still reading the file.
“You do well in the weekly tests I give you, and I’ll start letting you contribute more. Be more hands on. You won’t touch a patient until I decree it, got it kid?”
“Yes mam.”
“As long as you are my apprentice, in and out of this clinic, you will obey my word as if it’s law. Got it?”
“Yes mam!” Emma was grinning, reading like every word was a hidden gem.
“…” Emma was half way down the first page when she realised the harpy had stopped squawking at her. She lifted her hazel eyes up curiously and saw Deloris smirking at her. “I’m just described a very unpleasant internship under me, and you look thrilled?” She crossed her arms and looked at the redhead like she’d grown a second head. “You prefer hands on learning I take it?”
“I do.” Emma nodded and let her ambition and passion burn in her hazel eyes.
“So you’re a glutton for punishment?”
“I am when it fulfils my goals.” Emma gestured with her right hand, the left holding the manilla file, as she showed Deloris her cards. “I’m used to studying around the clock, so that is nothing new to me. I’ve always excelled at practical learning and I was never happier than when I was on a placement. I’m happy to get started right away, as soon as I have confirmation on your credentials of course.” She shrugged. “Rest assured? Upon that confirmation I’ll be a dedicated and hardworking student. So yes. I prefer hands on learning very much. Especially if I qualify as quickly as you say I will.”
Deloris cackled, actually cackled, and slapped her thigh.
“Oh sweet lord! Confirmation of my credentials huh? You think I’m a crock? Priceless. No crockpot would be able to keep up with Glen-baby factory-Valley and keep her marbles.” She was still teetering as she pushed herself up from the chair and walked over to the door. “I’ll get you my credentials buttercup, and you can remember that promise about being dedicated and hard working when you’re so tired you can’t function without caffeine. Oh Lord, if you work out, I might get my first day off in 30 years!”
On that note she walked out of the office and left Emma process that bombshell. She’s worked every single day for 30 years?! Holy crap!
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