In Poplar, school is officially out for the summer, but our pals are still hard at work. Reggie (who’s visiting for a few weeks) has been tasked with feeding Cyril’s cat Nigel. Sister Veronica, who was originally only supposed to chat to a couple — the Baldwins — about their kiddos missing a bunch of school, arrives to find mom Eva Baldwin heavily pregnant (and not on the Nonnatus books). Mr. Baldwin says they don’t need help because they’re planning to move for a job opportunity in the next couple of days, but I gotta say reader: I think there’s something funky going on here, and so does Sister Veronica. And last but not least, Shelagh stops in for a home visit to a gentleman who’s in an iron lung due to polio.
I wasn’t kidding when I said Sister Veronica was worried about Eva Baldwin: as soon as she gets back to Nonnatus, she fills in the rest of the team, which results in Sister Julienne stopping by for a visit the very next day. Eva insists that she doesn’t want to be seen by a midwife, but it’s her husband Vincent who’s the most insistent that Sister Julienne should leave. She’s about to, but then she notices a pretty nasty bruise around Eva’s wrist. Eva tries to cover it, and says she tripped: basically your classic hallmarks of domestic violence. This is a delicate situation, so Sister Julienne does what she can, leaving Eva with some pamphlets and a reminder that team Nonnatus always answers the phone.
Meanwhile, across town, Shelagh’s working on treating some minor bed sores on her patient Owen. His wife Betty has been doing her best to keep him from getting the bed sores, but between her size, her husband’s size, and the challenge of maneuvering inside the iron lung, it’s not easy. The thing is, Betty is crushing it: for most people, it was rare to use an iron lung for longer than a few months, but Owen has been relying on the machine to breathe for decades. Given that, the fact that he only has a few small pressure sores is fairly impressive. Unfortunately, when Betty catches the light, Shelagh notices something amiss: Betty appears to have jaundice. Shelagh wants Betty to talk to Dr. Turner, but Betty can’t leave Owen alone, so they plan an appointment for the one day per week that a neighbor comes to visit so Betty can do errands.
Later, outside Nonnatus, the nurses spot neighborhood kids working on their track and field skills, full of excitement for the Commonwealth Games, which are fast approaching (and coming back to the UK for the first time since 1958). Inside, Sister Julienne low key ignores Sister Monica Joan, probably because she’s still upset about what happened at the Baldwin’s place earlier. Thankfully, Sister Monica Joan is persistent, and so the next morning she hunts down her friend to try and find out what’s up.
Sister Monica Joan: Look, you skipped breakfast today, and for a while you’ve been avoiding us all. Missing prayers, and recreation? You seem down. What’s going on?
Sister Julienne: You’re right: I’m pretty upset. That recent government report pushing for hospital births instead of home births really bothered me; it’s like they’re trying to get rid of community midwives.
Sister Monica Joan: Nice try, but we’ve handled worse things than that. Spill.
And she’s about to! But then Sister Catherine arrives for her study session.
At the surgery, Betty arrives for her appointment, and it turns out that she’s been dealing with abdominal and back pain for a while now. She’s chalked it up to ergonomic issues (she’s a typist), but I have a bad feeling there’s something else at play. My suspicions deepen when Dr. Turner asks Betty if her neighbor could maybe stay with Owen a little longer: he wants her to go to St. Cuthberts for blood tests and an Xray.
Later that day, when she returns home, Betty looks pretty unhappy, which makes sense after so many tests. She finds her neighbor playing chess with Owen, who’s started to get worried about his wife’s prolonged absence. She brushes it off, even when their neighbor offers to hang out a little longer so she can have a nap.
Meanwhile, Vi lets herself into Cyril’s flat to feed Nigel only to find a surprise: Cyril’s back!
Vi: You scared me! What happened? We expected you back much sooner.
Cyril: I’m sorry, I should have let you know I got back — I had to extend my stay because Lucille’s mom passed away.
Vi: Oh no, I’m so sorry! Lucille must have been so glad you were there.
Cyril: I guess.
Reader, Cyril is putting on a brave face, but he looks pretty sad. I don’t like it one bit. Across town, Reggie’s brought an injured kiddo to Nonnatus to get patched up, and run into Sister Catherine, who he hasn’t actually met yet. She ushers them inside, where she and Phyllis take a look at the kiddo’s cut. Phyllis’ recommendation: stop throwing plates around, even if they do have a remarkable similarity to the discus. Reggie and Sister Catherine walk their wee patient home, and on the way back, Reggie asks why Sister Catherine has a different outfit than the other nuns.
Sister Catherine: I’m a postulate. That just means I’m still qualifying to be a nun.
Reggie: Did you always want to be a nun?
Sister Catherine: Nope. I originally just wanted to be a nurse. But then during my training I found God. My family were… not happy. We barely see each other now; nuns aren’t allowed to live with their families.
Reggie: Do you miss them?
Sister Catherine: Of course!
Reggie: You must really love God then!
Back at Betty and Owen’s place, after dinner, Betty gathers up the courage to tell her husband some not great news: the testing revealed a mass. It’s not clear if it’s benign, so she’ll need to go back for more tests. Later, when Shelagh comes to check in, Betty actually voices all her fears out of her husband’s earshot: she’s worried she’s got cancer, and she can’t get sick, not while she’s the primary caretaker for Owen!
Shelagh: Take this one step at a time, ok? When do you get your results?
Betty: They said they’d send a letter and then have another appointment, but that won’t work! I can’t go for more tests, I can’t take Owen with me!
Shelagh: Take a deep breath and then go sit with Owen for a bit. I’ll make some calls.
The next day, Vi tracks down Cyril to talk about the Commonwealth Games. It seems that everyone in town has become obsessed with the upcoming event, as evidenced by all the various shenanigans the children of Poplar have been undertaking. Vi’s proposal: what if they held their own official council event so the kids would be supervised whilst hurling various objects (including their bodies) around? Cyril’s office could organize it! He, of course, agrees, even though he clearly has a lot on his plate already.
Meanwhile, Sister Julienne makes another attempt to check in on Eva. Unfortunately, Eva again says that she doesn’t want any medical care from our friends. But Sister Julienne persists, probably partly because Vincent isn’t there.
Sister Julienne: So. Last time you mentioned some… clumsiness.
Eva: The baby’s fine though. I can feel them kicking. I’m fine. I know you’re trying to help, but I’ve been through worse than some bruises: I was imprisoned.
Sister Julienne: Ah.
Eva: That experience has made me very resistant to people telling me what to do.
Sister Julienne: Ok. I get it. Look, we have a clinic every week, and we give out food tokens for the kids. If you have ANY worries, find me there.
Will Eva come to clinic? We’ll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, we go back to Betty and Owen, who are visited by Dr. Turner. He’s been given special permission to share Betty’s results in person, so she doesn’t have to go back to St. Cuthberts. The news is not good: the mass the doctors found is in Betty’s pancreas, and it’s spread to her liver. It’s cancer. Betty and Owen are devastated, partly because they’ve already had more than their fair share of health challenges. There isn’t really anything Betty can do for treatment, so while at least she won’t have bad side effects, her condition will be fatal. Betty’s one request: that our friends help her stay at home instead of going into the hospital, so that she doesn’t have to leave Owen.
In other bad news, across town, Vincent returns home from the pub and attacks Eva, despite her begging him not to hurt her in front of their daughters. Later, as she cleans the blood off her face, the kids help by bringing over a clean towel. They definitely saw everything, but Eva still pretends that she’s walked into something, and reminds the girls to be careful.
And at Nonnatus, after Sister Julienne once again skips out on evening prayers, Sister Veronica takes her turn checking in on her colleague.
Sister Julienne: Yeah, you got me: I’m having a hard time right now. What difference do we really make?
Sister Veronica: Ah, you’re talking about Eva. Someone who needs everything we could offer her but won’t let us help.
Sister Julienne: I’ve known and helped SO many Evas over the years, and they keep coming. I’m just tired. It’s hard.
Perhaps a small sliver of good news would be helpful at this juncture: at the next clinic, Eva does arrive with both of her girls in tow. Miss Higgins helps her check in, and Sister Julienne practically runs across the room to talk to her patient, sending Sister Catherine to look after Eva’s kids. In the exam area, Eva explains that she’s bleeding a bit, which didn’t happen with her previous pregnancies.
Sister Julienne: Look, I can tell someone hurt you.
Eva: I can handle a lot, but the baby can’t.
Sister Julienne: Everything looks ok, but you’re in labor. I want to take you to the maternity home.
Eva: Oh, I can’t have the baby there. I have to go home; Vincent doesn’t know I’m here and he’ll kill me.
I worry that she’s not exaggerating, but since Eva is now taking her family out into the pouring rain to return to the abandoned warehouse they’re living in, Sister Julienne keeps trying to convince her to go to the maternity home instead. Eva refuses, so Sister Julienne ends up just walking her home, and then lying to Vincent.
Sister Julienne: Look, I bumped into your wife and she’s in labor. I need newspaper, clean towels, and hot water.
Vincent: What did she tell you? She’s my wife, and I will decide what happens here!
Sister Julienne: Guess again, pal: she’s my patient. I’m in charge.
Vincent: I bet you think it’d be best if I left.
Sister Julienne: Let’s be real: yes, it’d be better if you weren’t here.
Vincent: Fine. I’m going to the pub.
With Vincent gone, Eva’s labor progresses fairly smoothly, and pretty soon she has another daughter, who Sister Julienne wraps in her uniform cardigan. Unfortunately, Eva’s placenta is less quick to make an appearance, which is concerning. But it turns out to be staying put for good reason: Eva was carrying twins, and there’s one more to go. This is NOT super welcome news to Eva, and Sister Julienne is worried too: the second twin is in a sideways position, and seems to be intent on making their appearance that way. This is far from ideal, so Sister Julienne sends Eva’s kids out into the night with a note asking the first adult they find to call an ambulance.
Once they’re gone, Sister Julienne tries to rotate the baby again externally, which doesn’t work. There’s nothing for it: she’ll have to try and move the baby from the inside. If that doesn’t work, the consequences will be very bad. Eva is remarkably brave about the whole thing, and handles what seems like an incredibly painful intervention super well. Thankfully, it works, and baby comes out feet first. It takes a while for the second twin (also a girl) to start crying, but both babies are healthy, if tiny. Once the placenta is delivered, Sister Julienne runs out to the road and finds a taxi — as luck would have it, the driver found Eva’s older girls, called the ambulance, and has brought the kiddos back.
At Betty and Owen’s place, Dr. Turner and the crew stop by to take some blood samples, give Betty pain meds, and get Owen on board with his new role: reporting to Joyce if Betty doesn’t rest properly. Despite the dire situation, the pair are determined to take good care of each other. The next day, Dr. Turner talks to Miss Higgins’ grandson Harry about some new technology they might be able to use with Owen. It’s essentially a smaller iron lung, which would enable him to sit by Betty’s bedside and hold her hand. The good news: there’s a device available nearby, and the doctor who can set it up will arrive the next day.
Across town, Cyril and Rosalind bump into each other, and reader, it’s a little awkward. Cyril explains that he’s been super busy since he got back, and has been meaning to find Rosalind, but it feels a bit like an excuse to me. She’s her normal cheery self, but is obviously kind of hurt at the sudden loss of this friendship/workplace crush/whatever is happening here.
Meanwhile, at the maternity home, Eva and Twin 1 are looking a LOT better, and both older girls have also been tucked into bed. Twin 2 is stable, but at St. Cuthberts for now. This might actually be one of the more miraculous deliveries we’ve had on the show, which is amazing, but I’m still worried about what happens next for this family. But I don’t need to be: when Vincent finally makes an appearance, and tries to check his wife and kids out of the hospital early so he can “work,” Eva fights back.
Eva: You just want us to leave here so you can drink. And I can see you’re mad, but what are you gonna do, hit me? Look, I nearly died. You need to take care of your kids, and if you can’t do that, leave. We don’t need you, and we don’t want you.
Vincent: If I leave, I won’t come back.
Eva: Good.
After he leaves, Eva tells her daughters that they’ve got something special she never had growing up: sisters to look out for them. Sister Catherine, who overhears the conversation, decides to try and give her own siblings a call. But unfortunately, her dad hangs up on her. No wonder she’s been missing her sister and feeling conflicted about her calling!
At Betty and Owen’s place, the specialist doctor has arrived with the new breathing machine. The machine is a bit alarming looking, but Owen is practically gleeful to be able to move around the room, and to sit next to his wife. Newly mobile, he’s able to spot things in the house he hasn’t seen in years, or noticed at all. He’s feeling bad about that, but then Joyce reminds him that he knows Betty better than anyone, and has already helped them take care of her better. Owen sits by his wife’s bedside, talking to her, and then reading to her, until eventually, she dies.
Meanwhile, at the church, Mrs. Wallace finds Cyril sitting by himself long after everyone else has gone.
Mrs. Wallace: Look, I’m glad to see you, but it’s pretty late.
Cyril: I haven’t finished tomorrow’s sermon.
Mrs. Wallace: Mhm. You’ve been troubled since you got back. Tell me what’s wrong.
Cyril: I don’t know if I can keep being the pastor here.
Mrs. Wallace: Why?
Cyril: When I was in Jamaica, Lucille asked me for a divorce. She doesn’t want to come back here, and I don’t want to go there.
Mrs. Wallace: A lot of couples have to deal with that these days — is there some middle ground?
Cyril: No, unfortunately. How will our congregation see me when this happens?
Mrs. Wallace: Uh, just like always? Don’t worry about what other people say: do what YOU know is right.
Preach, Mrs. Wallace! Later, we check in with everyone. Harry tells his grandmother that he’s decided he wants to switch from dentistry to family medicine (obviously, we all love this). Sister Julienne helps Eva get started on rebuilding her life without her husband. The Turners help Owen prepare to move to a new home, complete with a framed sonnet that Owen and Betty read to each other, which Shelagh typed on Betty’s typewriter. And Sister Catherine asks Sister Julienne if it’s ok that she’s sad about some of the things she’s giving up. The postulate explains that she tried to call home even though she knows it’s not allowed, and that she’s upset that her father can’t forgive her for becoming a nun. How could God be ok with causing her family so much pain? Sister Julienne tells her that everything will work out; she doesn’t always feel sure, but she has her work and her faith to lean on, and that’s enough.
And finally, the whole crew gathers to set up for Poplar’s Commonwealth Games. As ever, Rosalind is big on the handicrafts AND super excited to be part of a group activity. Also as ever, Joyce is pretty perceptive, and appears to be the first person in the show who’s noticing the thing that’s happening between Rosalind and Cyril. Later on, in the midst of the games, Joyce pulls her friend aside to ask what’s up.
Joyce: Look, I noticed that you guys are… pretty close. You were SO sad when he was away, and now you’re all distracted. Is something going on with you and Cyril?
Rosalind: What? No! Why do you think that?
Joyce: We’re best friends and we share a room. I know you pretty well.
Rosalind: Nothing’s happening. He’s married. And a pastor.
Joyce: So… if he wasn’t married? Or a pastor?
Rosalind: But he is though! I hoped that if we weren’t together as much I’d get over it. But it’s gotten worse.
Joyce: Aw, I’m sorry man, that’s hard.
It sure is! And it’s only gonna get worse when the news about Cyril’s divorce comes out, I fear. But there’s only one way to find out: catching next week’s episode!
