the marriage (john shelby.)

Two.

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"I'm not doing it. Not in a million years." Amelia stood with her arms folded in front of her parents.

"You bloody well are. You need to learn discipline." Her mother buttered some bread.

"No. No I don't." She snapped.

"Girls. Stop." Jack chipped in from behind his paper.

"Thank you dad. As authoritive as always." Dan added.

"You need to be quiet young man. You're lucky you're not getting your punishment." Darcy pointed her finger at her son.

"You really want to send him back there don't you?" Amelia taunted.

"I'm not going back. I can't, I-" Dan started to panic.

"Don't worry son, I won't allow it." Jack placed a hand on his son's shoulders.

"But you're allowing this? Fuck that, I'm going to work." Amelia left her house in a rush, grabbing her bag and a bread crust.

Immediately she was on the street, kids running past her and around her legs, their mother's chasing after them rapidly. One man was stood out in his doorway watching a bunch of children play fight. He had his cap on wonky and a toothpick in the corner of his mouth. She never quite caught what his name was, but she knew he was bad, worse than her. There was an illegal den inside their house, a stark contrast to the innocent, albeit slightly grubby looking children he was watching over. He noticed her staring and retreated into his house, ushering the kids inside.

"Oi, slow down." Her father grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back from walking.

"What? Got a wedding dress for me?" She smiled, the sarcasm shining through.

"No. I'm sorry darling. It's your mother, not me." He defended himself.

"You're your own person dad. Please, tell her where to stick it." Amelia sighed.

"You coming dad?" Dan came out and placed his hat on his head.

"Yeah. I'll see you later love. It'll work out, I promise." Jack straightened up her hair before dashing off with his son to the factory.

"What a load of shit."

♚

"Hello Mrs Barton." Amelia beamed as the new mother held her baby in her arms. "How old is she now?"

"Four days nurse. She's beautiful." The woman cooed over her daughter.

"What's her name?" Amelia carefully picked up the newborn that she recently helped deliver.

"Jane. Jane Barton." The woman announced bursting with pride.

"She's got my middle name! She looks lovely and healthy, I can't see any problems." Amelia handed the baby back to her mother.

"Thank you nurse. You've got a lovely name." The mother cooed over her daughter.

Amelia loved working on the maternity ward. It was just filled with happiness Occasionally there was a teenage mother crying her eyes out in fear of what her family would say, but Amelia would swoop in and comfort the girl. Nursing was what she set her heart on, but after caring for shell shocked man after shell shocked man, she moved into midwifery.

"Still engaged?" Sarah smirked as she approached her best friend.

Sarah and Amelia became joined at the him, inseparable best friends. If they weren't caring for babies together, they were getting drunk down by the cut.

"Shut up. I don't even know his name." Amelia whacked her head on the desk and groaned.

"Well, that's not what counts. If you marry him and he turns out to be shit in bed-" Sarah sniggered as she signed off some paperwork.

"Oh my god shut up!" Amelia's head shot up.

"Just saying. Anyway, you've got an appointment to go to. Ada Shelby, she's almost due." Sarah read off the patient's file before handing it to Amelia.

"Okay. I'll see you later. Oh, and Mrs Buxton's boy needs changing." Amelia laughed as Sarah sighed, making her way over to the screaming baby boy.

The examination room was a grubby little shithole located at the end of the maternity ward. It filled many patients with dread, leaving it up to the nurses to make it a positive experience. Ada Shelby was sat with her aunt, her hand placed protectively on her bump.

"Hello!" Amelia burst through the door, a huge smile slapped on her face. "I'm Nurse Clarkson, but please call me Amelia, I'm not good with formality. You must be Miss Shelby?"

"Thorne. Mrs Thorne." Ada defiantly stated.

"I'm so sorry! Ada Thorne. Got it. These files haven't been updated yet." Amelia smiled sheepishly. Ada's defensive stance wore off slightly and she relaxed in her seat.

"Then make it your first priority." Ada's aunt leant forward with a hint of aggression. Ada whispered 'Pol' under her breath and pushed her back slightly, a little embarrassed.

"I will. Right now. Where are we?" Amelia scanned the paper and found Ada's name. She quickly crossed out her surname and replaced it with her husband's. "There we are, you're now officially Ada Thorne."

"Thanks." Ada grinned. "Is it normal to be scared?"

"About having a baby? God, every woman in here was scared, just ask them. But they all say that it was worth it when they get to hold the baby. Don't worry, we'll all be ready to help you." Amelia held Ada's hand gently.

"Is there patient confidentiality? Here it is." Polly slipped over a note.

"No need. I won't tell a soul. And I don't judge." Amelia awkwardly handed the note back.

"Good. Or else." Polly sternly added.

Polly knew something that Amelia and Ada didn't. Tommy had heard about his brother John's wife trouble, she died not long ago after a battle with consumption. John was desperate for someone to help him out with the kids who were driving him round the bend. John was also a close friend of Daniel Clarkson, after befriending him in the trenches in France. He knew of Amelia, but only of her name. Tommy however, had schemed an elaborate plan with the aid of Polly herself. This meant one thing.

Amelia was sat in the room with her future in-laws.

♚
a/n: i made the cover at midnight (very stressed may i add) so please don't slate it x