Hello and welcome back to this week’s episode of “will we or will we not cry?” It’s a new day in Poplar and it’s already been a hectic start to spring for the midwives since Season 11 first opened. During last week’s somber episode, the team worked to uncover the story behind two babies that had been abandoned at a demolition site several years prior. Now we’re back for Episode 2, and we wish we could promise you that you’re in for a far less traumatizing and heartbreaking ride this go-around but that would be a lie. Sorry in advance, but we’re here for emotional support. 

An Outbreak in Poplar

This week, when we return to the Iris Knight Institute, the women introduce their patients to cervical screening at the clinic. Amala Mohammed is the first to be tested, but following her procedure something concerning draws Trixie’s attention. Noticing a peculiar rash on Amala’s arms, she calls in Dr. Turner for additional examination. Though it’s not the worst news he’s ever given to a patient (really, we can think of a million other things), it’s also not the news anyone wants to hear to start their morning.

He confirms that Amala and her children have scabies. She’s alarmed, as one would be by the idea of mites burrowing under your skin (#nope), but the doctor reassures her that it can easily be treated at their cleansing station with a hot bath. Knowing how contagious scabies can be however, he alerts the rest of the midwives to be on the lookout for other cases. Unfortunately, much like with the chickenpox that spread during Episode 1, the Mohammeds’ case isn’t an isolated incident and has already begun to make its way across town. Cue The Shangri-Las’ lyrics “Oh no, oh no, oh no no no no no” lyrics replaying in our heads.

Independent Woman

As fears of a widespread scabies outbreak mount, Lucille meets with Vivien Thomson, who’s nearly ready for the birth of her fourth. With Mr. Thomson noticeably absent, Lucille offers additional assistance and supplies to help Vivien prepare, but the experienced mother says she has all she needs. It isn’t until Lucille’s second visit for a follow up on Vivien’s blood pressure that she quickly learns not everything is as solid at the Thomson household as Vivien has led her to believe.

A police officer arrives at the flat with her son Antony in tow and informs the women that he was caught shoplifting diapers and baby clothes. Lucille offers her support, observing that his actions were merely those of a concerned child for his family, but even so, the officer still refers Antony’s case to the Juvenile Liaison Department.

Following this incident, Lucille learns that this isn’t the first time a Thomson child has had a run-in with the police. Vivien confesses that her oldest child, Colin, is already being held at a youth detention center and expresses her concerns about how those on the outside will perceive her family. She opens up about her struggles with alcoholism when she first had Antony and previous run-ins with Social Services regarding the wellbeing of her children. Seeing how much Vivien needs help Lucille offers the midwives’ services for family assistance again, but Vivien remains adamant about taking care of her children on her own.

Where Is Miss Higgins?

Meanwhile, as the midwives make preparations to stop the scabies spread, Shelagh and Dr. Turner arrive at the maternity home to an unattended office phone and their assistant Miss Higgins nowhere in sight. Always prompt, her absence is highly unusual, and it’s evident how much they need her now more than ever as they balance pregnancies, work at the cleansing stations and other medical emergencies.

As the busy day ensues and calls to her house go unanswered, Dr. Turner decides to check on Miss Higgins during his rounds, but before he can make it out the door, she finally arrives. Flustered as soon as she walks in, it’s obvious to both Dr. Turner and Sister Frances that something is amiss. Without being prompted, Miss Higgins explains that she was the victim of a burglary the night before and spent the majority of the day with the police. Though her colleagues urge her to take time off to rest, she refuses, uncomfortable returning to her home. 

New Living Arrangements

Naturally, it doesn’t take sirens or a signal in the sky for the midwives to come running to her side. The women swoop in to take Miss Higgins into their care when they learn of her misfortunes and make space for her as a temporary resident at Nonnatus House. Yet as their new guest settles in, it’s not long before they realize just how many adjustments they’ll have to make to make her feel at home and the novelty of a new roommate quickly gets old. (We’ve all been there, right?)

Miss Higgins thrives off order and it becomes quite clear that her day-to-day routine clashes with her peers’. She enjoys quiet mornings with a book (and dreads Phyllis’ daily exercise), Thursday baths (which throws off the showering schedule), and isn’t ashamed to put in lunchtime orders exactly to her liking (evenly sliced cheese and tomatoes on wholemeal bread, please). Sometimes friends don’t make good roommates, but even so, all of the women grin and bear it, knowing how hard it’s been for Miss Higgins to be displaced from her home.

A Routine Checkup

While the women try to make Miss Higgins comfortable in their home, over at the clinic we meet Poplar local Janis Cowper. There for a cervical screening with Sister Frances, the only thing on her mind is her one-year wedding anniversary with her husband Philip and the date they have planned up West. She tells Sister Frances about their anniversary plans and even alludes to a potential baby in the near future. Sister Frances is thrilled for her patient, but the appointment takes a turn when she notices slight bleeding from Janis’ test. A second examination from Dr. Turner shows that Janis’ cervix is inflamed and he sends her to St. Cuthbert’s.

Delivering Bad News

Following further testing at the hospital, the midwives learn that Janis is a no-show at her followup appointment to receive her results. With other patients to see that day, Dr. Turner isn’t available to deliver them but instead entrusts Sister Frances to do the job. Though she’s hesitant about being the one to give her the news, the doctor has full faith in her abilities to break down her report (as do we because she is an actual saint).

Later that afternoon, when Sister Francis arrives at the Cowper home, Janis doesn’t seem all that surprised to see her. Janis attempts to reassure her that she hasn’t had any symptoms following her screening, but Sister Frances sits her down and delivers the bad news: Janis has cervical cancer. Though her chances of having a full recovery are high, the final blow comes when Sister Frances tells Janis that she needs a radical hysterectomy. After an already truly terrible diagnosis, learning that she can’t have children is absolutely devastating.

To make matters worse, Janis still has to tell Philip who has been in the dark about her initial testing the entire time. When an opportunity arises over breakfast, things go awry when he makes an assumption that her recent mood swings and changes in appetite mean she’s pregnant. (Ugh, Philip.) Before Janis can tell him the truth, fearful of his reaction, he excitedly heads out to work eager to tell all his friends.

A New Life and New Adventures

When Philip returns later that day with flowers in hand to celebrate, Janis finally tells him about her cancer diagnosis. She lets him know the procedure won’t be reversible and will disrupt the plans they had for a family, but Philip urges her to get the cancer treatment as soon as possible. When she later refuses to meet with her surgeon, he turns to Dr. Turner and Sister Frances for their help.

While he’s meeting with them, Janis goes missing, sending both Philip and Sister Frances into a frenzy as they search all over Poplar for her where they eventually find her alone in a restaurant. She confesses she’s scared of her life following surgery and worries about what Philip will think of her when she can no longer have children. He assures her that it won’t change how much he loves her and that while things might be different than they expected, they can still plan for new adventures together. In the end, we stan Philip.

Breaking a Patient’s Trust

With Sister Frances’ job done, across town, Lucille’s work with Vivien continues. When she returns from her shift, social worker Ruth Palmer is waiting to meet with her at Nonnatus House. Though she believes Ruth is there to check in on Antony following the shoplifting incident, Ruth surprises her with a major request. Referring to Vivien and her children as a “problem family” Ruth wants to refer Vivien to a Family Contraceptive Clinic to encourage her to take contraceptive advice. Recalling that Vivien hasn’t taken so well to social workers intervening in the past (no surprise there), she asks Lucille to be the messenger. To that we say how dare she throw Lucille under the bus!

Initially reluctant to do this, but feeling the pressure from Social Services, she brings up the possibility of contraception to Vivien during their next visit. The expecting mother is appalled and as the conversation escalates, Lucille immediately realizes she was in the wrong. Before she can backtrack, the relationship between them sours.

Not long after their rift however, Vivien goes into labor. Inconvenient. Feeling betrayed, she refuses to call Lucille, and it isn’t until Antony phones Nonnatus House that the midwife arrives on the scene. In hopes that she can earn back Vivien’s trust, Lucille admits that she was insensitive during her last visit and apologizes for making assumptions about her needs for herself and her family. With Lucille’s help and Antony’s emotional support the whole way, Vivien is able to push through the pain to deliver a baby girl, Constance.

Defending the Thomson Family

The women make amends following Vivien’s delivery, but when Lucille returns to the Thomson home for her postpartum checkup she’s mortified to find Ruth at the flat in an attempt to push contraception on her again. After recently cementing her allegiance to her patient, Lucille stands up for her and asks Ruth to leave. Disturbed by Ruth’s visit and how the events unfolded, Lucille and Cyril meet with Violet to discuss the Family Contraceptive Clinic. They express their concerns over forcing women to limit their family size, and note that while contraception can be helpful to many women, it should be their choice to take it. In the end, their meeting with the councilwoman is successful and Vivien is removed from Ruth’s referral list. Boom.

So Long, Scabies

To keep the good news going, the midwives’ hard work to eradicate the scabies cases in Poplar pays off. Though the mites had spread far and wide - even our poor Matthew got them - with persistent communication to all their patients, as well as their work at the cleansing stations, they’re able to bring down the cases. Scabies no more!

Difficult Roommate Conversations

Another successful delivery in the books and scabies banished from the neighborhood, we return to the house where the women face a different challenge: how to politely ask their friend to perhaps move out. As Miss Higgins’ time with the midwives extends to week two, her unusual living habits begin to take a toll on the group. So it’s even more shocking when their guest reveals that she’s given her notice to her landlord with no hint at plans to find a new home. To say that Sister Monica Joan is less than thrilled is an understatement.

Upon this news, Sister Hilda, Sister Monica Joan and Nancy urge Phyllis to help Miss Higgins look for a new residence. Phyllis worries her new roommate will take offense but Nancy on the other hand thinks that moving out will be the push she needs to start over. At the others’ request, Sister Julienne speaks with the parish Rector who offers Nonnatus House’s neighboring cottage to Miss Higgins. The same home that Tom and Barbara once occupied, it’s an emotional moment for Phyllis but also feels right as she passes the cottage from one former roommate and friend on to another.

Initially worried that Miss Higgins would feel ostracized by the group, Phyllis is surprised to see that her friend is totally overcome with emotion - and relief - when she learns she can move out of the house and has the womens’ blessing. She confesses that while she was grateful for their generosity, she couldn’t possibly put up with the other women’s quirks any longer (e.g. Phyllis talking in her sleep and Trixie’s headache-inducing perfume amongst other things) and is ecstatic to finally be on her own again. Order is restored!

Forgot how we got here? Catch up on “Call the Midwife” with the Season 11, Episode 1 GIF Recap.