Title: More Than Just A Number
Fandom: Call the Midwife
Rating: PG
Length: 1,000
Summary: The population of Poplar goes up and down, and the Midwives and Sisters from Nonnatus House are busy with both increase and decrease
Warning: Child death (non-graphic)
My thanks to scfrankles for the beta and pushing this in the right direction.

Addition

The telephone rang first thing at Nonnatus House and it was Sister Evangelina who answered it.  As soon as she had hung up she called out, “Nurse Lee, that was Mr Bates.  His wife’s gone into labour.  You’d better go at once; it’s her fourth child, the last one came quickly, and he said he’d sorted breakfast for the others before he went to phone.”

Jenny Lee laughed as she picked up her bag.  “I’m on my way, Sister.”

She cycled through the crowded Poplar streets until she came to the tenement building where the Bates lived.  She had already done a home visit, so knew where she was going, which helped.  There were times when she still struggled to find her way amongst the maze of small streets.

Having locked her bicycle up she entered the building, where she was greeted by a pregnant woman, surrounded by a gaggle of small children.  “Hello, Nurse.  Beryl’s upstairs.  Alf had to go to work – didn’t want to miss out on a day’s wages if he didn’t have to – and I’ve got the rest of the kids.  I’ve been popping up and down to keep an eye on her.”

“Thank you, Dorothy,” Jenny said.  “I’ll go on up.”

Sister Evangelina was right.  It wasn’t long before Beryl Bates had her baby and when her husband nipped home at lunch time he was greeted with the news that he had a daughter.  He muttered that his plans for his own football team had been put temporarily on hold, but Jenny could see he was delighted with the news.


Subtraction

A few days later, Jenny had returned to the Bates’ flat for the daily check on mother and baby.

When she had finished, Beryl said, “Would you mind having a quick look at our Mikey, nurse?  He’s been very quiet since Lesley was born, but we thought he was just a bit put out at having another baby in the house, only he doesn’t seem at all right now.”

“What are his symptoms?”

“He’s hot, and he’s got the runs, and he ain’t breathing right.”

Jenny went to examine the little boy who was lying in his bed.  “Oh,” she said.  “I need to call an ambulance.”

“Why?  What’s the matter with him?”

“I’m not entirely sure, but I do know he needs to go to hospital.”

Jenny ran down the stairs and then to the phone box at the end of the road.  On the way back she saw Dorothy, and asked her if she could care for the other Bates children for a while.

“Of course, nurse.  And I’ll send our Don down the warehouse to tell Alf what’s happened.”

***

Once the ambulance had left, Jenny cycled back to Nonnatus House.

As she walked inside she was greeted by Cynthia.  “What’s happened?” she asked.

“Little Mikey Bates – I think he’s got polio.  The ambulance took him to hospital, but it doesn’t look good.”

Cynthia put her arm round her friend and led her into the kitchen.  “Come on, I’ll make you a cup of tea.”


Multiplication

The midwives were preparing to open the afternoon clinic.  The polio vaccines had been delivered that morning and for the previous few days everyone had been busy putting up notices and encouraging everyone they met to bring their children for vaccination.

However, when Trixie returned from placing one final notice outside the hall door, she looked disappointed.

“I know it’s not quite time, but there’s no-one waiting outside.  We’ve put so much effort into promoting the vaccination.  I was really hoping for a good turnout.”

“It was the little Bates boy’s funeral today,” Sister Julienne said.  “I imagine a good number would have gone.  I’m sure people will come later.”

There was still no-one when the outer doors were opened, but a few minutes after that the midwives heard the sound of voices.  The inner door opened and a couple dressed in black entered, the man holding a small child in each hand, whilst the mother carried a baby.

Sister Julienne stood up and made to say something, but Beryl Bates said, “I’ve brought my children for their injections.  I’m not losing another one to polio.  And I told everyone at the funeral they should do the same.”

It seemed to the surprised midwives that not only had all the mourners done as Beryl had instructed, they’d gone home and collected their neighbours as well.  What had five minutes earlier been an empty hall now seemed packed with mothers and children milling around, waiting to be seen.


Division

“What are we going to do?” Trixie said.  “We’ll never get them into any order.”

Sister Monica Joan looked at her.  “Divide and rule.  That’s what one should do in this sort of situation: divide and rule.”

Sister Evangelina pulled a face.  “I hardly think that’s helpful.”

“Oh, but it is,” Sister Julienne said.  “We can split our index cards into four and Nurse Lee, Nurse Franklin, Nurse Miller and either you or I can take a quarter each.”

“Then we can go into the four corners of the room,” Jenny added, “so that we’ll divide everyone up.”

“Good idea,” Sister Evangelina replied.  “Right, who’s first?”  She stood on the stage at one end of the hall and said loudly, “Everyone with a surname beginning with A to E, follow Nurse Franklin to the far corner.”

***

Later, as they sat round the tea table, Trixie said, “That was satisfying, if rather exhausting.”

“I can’t believe we used all the vaccine in one afternoon,” Cynthia said.

“I’ve told Dr Turner,” Sister Julienne said.  “He says he’ll get another batch for next Tuesday.  I doubt we will have such a crowd next time, but there are still many more children who need the vaccination.”

They were interrupted by the sound of the telephone.

“I’ll go,” Jenny said.  “It’s probably someone to tell us the next addition to the population of Poplar is on his or her way.”