Call the Midwife – Season 9, Episode 8

By: Ellie Dolan-Yates

Kevin (Lee Armstrong) is offering to make Valerie (Jennifer Kirby) and Trixie (Helen George) a cup of tea, but they both decline as they have buses to catch. Valerie is off to visit her grandma and asks Kevin if he can put some cakes in a tin for her. Kevin wonders if Valerie has far to go to see her grandma, but Trixie deflects and asks Kevin what his plans are for the afternoon. He says he’s on call, so hopefully he gets to watch some sports with Phyllis (Linda Bassett). He wonders if the wrestling is on. Trixie and Valerie tell him to be quiet as no one is supposed to know that Phyllis likes wrestling!

Violet (Annabelle Apsion) is helping a soon to be bride, Petra (Kitty Archer), choose her wedding veil. However, her mother Ada (Sue Elliott-Nichols) has her heart set on something different. It turns out that this wedding needs to happen pretty quickly as the bride to be is pregnant. She pops out to see her fiance, Eddie (Thomas Howes), and have a quick drag of his cigarette.

Valerie visits her grandma, Elsie (Ann Mitchell), who is in the hospital wing of the prison. Valerie is worried about how much weight Elsie is losing. Elsie blames the prison food, but says she’ll share her fairy cakes with her mate Sandra. Valerie speaks with the prison matron (Kate Cook) who explains to Valerie that Elsie was admitted with heartburn and “general malaise,” but she’s eating well. The prison matron says Elsie will be returning to her cell on Monday which leaves Valerie fuming.

At Nonnatus the wrestling is on and Phyllis is watching avidly, but also pretending not to whilst measuring Kevin for a jumper she’s knitting him. Meanwhile, Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) is visiting Dr Knightly-Grimes (Paul Cawley).  He has cut the Nonnatus House budget by fifty percent and not only that, but the rent for Nonnatus House will be going up!

Lucille (Leonie Elliott) asks Petra if she is sure of the date of her last period. Lucille says she seems to be four months along, not three. Better get that wedding dress sorted ASAP! Another expectant mother named Bonnie (Ruby Thomas) is examined by Phyllis. Bonnie has acquired an LP of a woman giving birth, so she knows what to expect. We later see Bonnie lying in bed talking to someone about the woman on the LP she is listening to. It turns out that someone is Eddie! What?!

Meanwhile, Trixie rushes to tell Valerie that she’s just come from St Cuthbert’s where she sees Elsie being taken in on a stretcher.  Valerie visits Elsie in hospital. Elsie is trying to downplay her illness, but Valerie knows better. She checks her notes and finds that Elsie has cancer of the esophagus. Sister Hilda (Fanella Woolgar) is teaching Kevin how to dance following her and Phyllis’ discussion that Kevin should go to the Disco to find a girlfriend. However, their dancing is cut short when Lucille arrives to tell Kevin that he is needed to certify a death. As he visits the body, Kevin is clearly unnerved and upset. When he returns to Nonnatus House, he injects himself with Pethidine.

Bonnie visits the surgery and asks Shelagh (Laura Main) if she can see Phyllis. Shelagh takes her through. When talking to Phyllis, Bonnie says she won’t be having gas and air and wants the baby at home so that Eddie can be there. Bonnie explains that Eddie never had any family and he doesn’t let people in, but if he’s at the birth he’ll have to let the baby in. Phyllis recommends Eddie visit Sister Hilda’s relaxation classes.

Dr Turner (Stephen McGann) tells Valerie that Elsie is being let out of prison. He says it’s a better option for the prison than assigning someone to sit with her at St Cuthbert’s for several weeks. Valerie asks if that’s how long Elsie has and Dr Turner says he will need to see her when she comes home. Valerie argues that Elsie can’t come home as her flat will be too dirty. Sister Julienne says that they will help clean it and they will help care for Elsie.

Fred (Cliff Parisi) lets Petra and Ada into the shop so that Petra can see her wedding dress fabric. Petra is upset to find that it’s pink and Ada storms down the street to have it out with Violet. Sister Hilda goes through her relaxation techniques with her class. Bonnie and Eddie present. In the office Sister Julienne and Phyllis meet with Violet to discuss the council’s budget cut. Hold on…Violet is where Eddie is and Ada and Petra are on their way! I have a feeling the expectant parents aren’t going to be so relaxed in a moment. My suspicions are confirmed when Ada starts whacking Eddie over the head with her handbag! Eddie does the gentlemanly thing and runs off into the night. Whilst Ada breathes into a paper bag, Violet apologizes to Petra about the wedding dress which sets her off crying again.

Violet tells everyone at Nonnatus House that the Board of Health have agreed to give them five minutes for one speaker to plead their case. Sister Hilda says that they could get a petition running. Violet notes they have three days. Sister Hilda later sets everyone on a mission to get a signature on their petition from everyone they visit. When the clipboards are returned at the end of the day, they have gathered over six hundred signatures!

At the surgery Miss Higgins (Georgie Glen) is telling Kevin that they will now be scrutinizing the use of the drug cupboard when Bonnie rushes in with the worst headache she’s ever had. At the same time Lucille admits Petra to the maternity home as she has been bleeding. Oh boy! Obviously, Petra and Bonnie are the only two in the ward. As the women argue, Phyllis says they need to put their differences to one side. Right on cue the common factor between them walks in with flowers for Bonnie. He gains more flowers when Petra throws a vase of them towards his head!

Eddie is in the waiting room and Phyllis tells him he’s improving, seeing as he’s not run off.  He explains things got ahead of themselves and he doesn’t know what to do. Phyllis says that Bonnie and Petra will have their own opinions, but it’s probably best not to ask them what they want now. She takes Eddie’s flowers to put them in a vase…or two.

Kevin visits Elsie with Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt) in tow. Sister Monica Joan insists to Valerie that she is just there to hold Elsie’s hand. Kevin says he can give Elsie some Pethidine for her pain, but Valerie tells him to put it away as Elsie won’t want it in the flat. Later, Valerie pleads with Elsie to take the medicine she’s been prescribed for her pain. Elsie says that she doesn’t want to as the women she treated never got any pain relief from her or anyone. When they hear the ice cream van approaching, Elsie asks Valerie to get them both a 99. Valerie says it’s November and Elsie laughs.

Bonnie is giving birth and starts to reconsider using gas and air. Eddie arrives to support her and Petra tearfully and unsteadily makes her way towards the room as she can hear everything that’s happening. Shelagh tells Petra that a bed has come free at St Cuthbert’s, but Petra doesn’t want to go just yet. As Bonnie’s baby is born, Petra begins to bleed again.

It’s agreed that Trixie should speak in front of the Board of Health because she’ll tell them what’s what! Later, Sister Monica Joan finds a box of letters from all of the mothers that Nonnatus House has helped. Downstairs the Sisters and Nurses get to work sorting through the letters whilst Trixie types her speech on the typewriter.

Elsie agrees to have some pain relief as long as it’s injected, not swallowed. She says she only wants two things; a minister of religion and to see Valerie in her uniform. She explains she’s never been more proud of anything than seeing Valerie in her uniform. Lucille fetches Cyril (Zephryn Taitte) to come and help Elsie on her “last journey.”

At the surgery Miss Higgins tells Kevin she’s perplexed as he’s been prescribing Pethidine for Elsie, but Lucille has told her Elsie isn’t taking it. However, Miss Higgins is about to get an answer as Kevin collapses. She frantically shouts for Dr Turner. Dr Turner and Shelagh get Kevin to a bed and as Shelagh goes to check his blood pressure. They notice the needle marks on his arm.

The residents of Nonnatus House are ready to head to the board meeting. They are greeted outside by a mob of supporters chanting “mitts off our midwives” – placards and all. At the meeting Trixie gives an inspiring speech on how the board publish quantitative data in their 80+ page health report. However, there are no names attached to any of the data. Yet, Nonnatus know their patients! Trixie reels off names of mothers they’ve helped since the end of the first World War and how many have had that name. She goes on to say that every name in their ledgers represents a life. There are bus drivers, teachers and warehousemen at work in the East End today because they were delivered by the order of Nonnatus House. Phyllis hands the board some of the letters from the mothers. After some deliberation, the board agree to restore Nonnatus House’s budget, but only for twelve months.

Elsie tells Valerie that she’s cold, despite the gas being on full. Valerie takes off her cardigan and places it over Elsie. Elsie says she’s honored. The ice cream van jingle plays and Elsie tells Valerie to get herself a 99. Valerie doesn’t want to go, but she does so knowing it’s what Elsie wants. As Valerie waits impatiently in the queue, Elsie slips away with Lucille and Cyril singing “Amazing Grace.” Valerie returns with her ice cream a minute too late.

At the Turner’s house Patrick explains to Kevin that everyone at Nonnatus House is concerned for him. Kevin is worried he will get struck off, but Shelagh says a decision won’t be made until he’s spent some time in a clinic. Kevin explains that he’s struggled to cope with some of the things he’s seen. He asks Dr Turner if he’s ever been broken. Dr Turner says he has and it made him a better doctor.

Trixie has made a guy for the bonfire which “coincidentally” bears a resemblance to the Board of Health members. Lucille sums up toffee apples perfectly to Cyril saying, “Them set hard like concrete and the kitchen looks like there’s been a murder.” Lucille thanks Cyril for being with her at Elsie’s bedside and Cyril thanks her for letting him see all she is. He tells her he loves her and kisses her cheek as Sister Julienne and Monica Joan watch on with hearts in their eyes. On a sadder note, Petra returns the wedding dress fabric to Violet. She lost the baby and isn’t getting married.

The town of Poplar gather around the massive bonfire and watch on in amazement as the fireworks fill the sky. Sister Julienne and Sister Monica Joan are loving it! We are left with the words “the darkness is beautiful, for how else can we shine?”