Five women all squashed into one room across two beds gave Delia a good excuse to sit as close as humanly possible to Patsy without any eyebrows being raised. Patsy was rested against the headboard of Trixie's bed whom was currently out with Christopher, with Delia sat beside her, legs bent so her feet rested just against Patsy's calf. Val was sat cross legged on her own bed as Barbara and Phyllis perched on the end. All five were giggling when Trixie entered, a Smarties Easter Egg tucked under her arm.
"Evening ladies." She beamed, walking in and setting the Egg down on the dresser before removing her scarf and coat.
"An Easter Egg!" Barbara exclaimed with a grin, "Tom's bought me an Easter Egg, I told him I was much too old but he insisted seen as we bonded over lollies."
"You're never too old for an Easter Egg." Valerie smirked reaching under her bed and withdrawing a Creme Egg one, "My Mum still sends me one every year."
"When I was a kid it was all about egg-rolling." Phyllis smiled, her heart warmed at seeing the young women so enthused by the simple joys of Easter.
"Oh yes!" Delia exclaimed, suddenly coming to life, "My Mam had to go to the chicken hut herself every year and try to pick out eggs that were all roughly the same size. Otherwise my brothers and I would argue over who got the biggest one."
"Egg rolling?" Val asked, "I don't think I ever did that."
"What?" Trixie, Barbara and Delia all exclaimed at once.
"But you must have done!" Trixie shrilled, "It was tradition everywhere! You boiled an egg, painted it then you ran to the top of the hill and let them race down to the bottom to crack them, then you had a picnic and ate it!"
"Now you mention it I think we did it the year we went to Wales for Easter, but we never did it in London."
As the ladies continued to enthuse about Easter, Delia noticed that Patsy had been very quiet. She turned to her girlfriend, raising her eyebrows in question as to whether she was alright but Patsy simply smiled with a very slight nod. Delia smiled back, her hand briefly touching Patsy's before turning back to the conversation about which Easter Egg was the best.
"Patsy! You've not contributed at all - what do you think?" Trixie asked.
Suddenly all eyes were on Patsy who swallowed. She felt colour rising on her cheeks and Delia's worried frown did nothing to help.
"I… erm… I don't know."
"Oh come on! It's two-two as Barbara is refusing to vote. Smarties or that ghastly creme egg thing?"
"I honestly have no idea." Patsy shrugged, "I've never had an Easter Egg."
There was a collective (and slightly over-dramatic) gasp from both Val and Trixie. Barbara looked like she was trying to fathom a world with chocolate or sweets and Phyllis simply had a sad look upon her face. Patsy didn't even want to look at Delia. She knew that Delia's face would be one of sadness and sympathy and if she looked into her face Patsy was almost certain her walls would crumble.
"It's not a big deal." Patsy smiled tightly, "It just wasn't a done thing in Singapore and it wasn't done at the convent I went to either."
"You lived in Singapore?" Val asked, suddenly interested. Everyone knew Val loved hearing about foreign lands. It's actually how she'd managed to get to know Patsy in the first few days - she'd asked her about Hong Kong and what it was like. She was the first person to ask Patsy about the place without expecting any sort of emotional outpouring about her Father and the red-head had appreciated that.
"Until I was nine. I don't really remember much about it." Patsy lied, she felt Delia's foot rub along her calf. A comforting gesture.
"But really, Patsy, I can't believe it." Trixie was quick to cut in and move the conversation away from Patsy's childhood knowing how hard it would be to talk to an unsuspecting Valerie. "What did you do at Easter?"
"Pray. Fish on Good Friday. Pray a bit more." Patsy chuckled. "Catholics." She smiled at Valerie who looked confused - she was sure Patsy had said she wasn't religious.
The conversation moved away from Easter but Delia's mind was whirring. How, in six years of loving Patsy and almost seven years of knowing her, had this not come up? How had she not known that Patsy had never enjoyed the traditions that she had. Delia felt an ache in her heart as she glanced at the red-head who was currently laughing at something in one of Trixie's magazines - Patsy had never so much as gotten an Easter Egg - and she'd never thought to buy her one.
Three hours later as they lay together in bed with Delia tracing a pattern on Pasty's chest, the Welshwoman finally spoke up, "Have you really never received an Easter Egg?"
"No." Patsy murmured back, she paused before sighing, "Everyone used to get one from their parents. The Nuns would distribute them on Easter Sunday and everyone who had one would be allowed to eat it after they'd had some form of breakfast food - usually a slice of toast - anyone who didn't have one was given a more hearty breakfast and a sad smile."
"Oh Pats."
"When I was younger I used to wait, hoping I'd get one, but as I got older I no longer cared. It's only chocolate."
Delia was silent, instead opting to press a kiss to Patsy's neck.
"Come on, we should get some sleep." Patsy murmured, "It's our day off tomorrow."
But instead of sleeping, Delia hatched a plan.
—
She was up early, so early that she caught Barbara, Trixie and Valerie who were off out on their rounds. All three motioned her over.
"We've decided we're all going to buy Patsy an Easter Egg." Trixie beamed, "Will you get her one too? Phyllis is in."
"That's why I'm up so early." Delia admitted, "I was just heading out to get one."
"Well I'm getting her a Smarties one, Val is getting her that new creme egg one and Babs is getting her one with Sherbet lollies in it that she's seen. Phyllis mentioned Caramac so it's up to you but we thought it might be nice to get a variety."
"We're then going to leave them in your room on her bed. We're going after our rounds on our lunches. Will you be able to keep her out of the room until this evening when we get back? We want to see her face." Barbara asked.
"Of course. We'd planned to go out anyway." Delia smiled. She felt a warmth fill her as she watched the three ladies nod and leave. Patsy truly did have the most amazing friends. She kept going on about having no family other than Delia, but she was wrong, Delia thought, Patsy had the best found family in the entire world, a whole collection of people who loved her enough to give up their lunches and their hard-earned cash to buy her an Easter Egg.
Delia stopped her thinking and quickly began setting up for her plan. She set two eggs on to boil before dashing out to the local shop. She scanned the aisles quickly finding everything she needed including a huge Galaxy Easter Egg which she quickly deposited on her way back to her room with everything packed and ready. She grinned as she entered. Patsy had her back to her buttoning up a checked shirt. At her entrance, the red-head turned smiling widely.
"Where did you go off to so early?" Patsy pouted, her arms wrapping around the smaller woman's waist, "I was most disappointed to wake up alone."
"I had things to do." Delia responded, "We can't all just enjoy a day off, some of us have final exams coming up."
"Oh Deels, if you'd rather stay in and study I can help you do that? Honestly, I don't mind. We don't have to go out it's just-"
"No." Delia cut her off. "I want to go out with you. I do enough studying, besides, I have plans for you Miss Patience Mount."
"Do you now?" Patsy murmured, her tone full of suggestion. She pulled a face as Delia lightly smacked her arm. "What?"
"Mind out the gutter!"
"Well I'm deprived."
"How can you possibly be deprived?" Delia asked incredulous, "After last night?"
"Because I didn't get my morning kiss." Patsy whined, her fingers pressing into Delia's lower back, "And we all know that I can't possibly function without my Delia fix for the day."
"I think it's meant to be caffeine fix." Delia chuckled, "But seen as you're in such dire need."
She leaned up kissing the taller woman firmly on the lips, her twisting a lock of red hair around her finger. As they pulled away Patsy pressed a gentle kiss to Delia's forehead before taking her hand.
"See much better. Now where are we going?"
"You'll see."
—
They ended up in a park, sat under a tree at the bottom of a large hill. The park was fairly empty but for a few dog-walkers and a couple of children who were chasing their family pet around. Delia had set up a small picnic for them that had been made after some sweet-talking on Delia's part by Mrs B. It was then that Delia withdrew the two boiled eggs, setting one down in front of Patsy who picked it up and was about to smash the shell when Delia placed a hand on hers.
"No." Delia grinned pulling out a palette of paints, "We're going to paint them and then we're gonna roll them down the hill."
"Delia-"
"Pats, don't say I didn't have to or you really didn't mind, I know I don't and I know you don't but I want to. I want you to experience an Easter tradition. You've missed out on so many of the things I had when I was a child and I want to be the one to make that up to you."
"Its not your fault." Patsy replied, eyes shining with unshed tears at the depth of Delia's love for her. She couldn't begin to fathom how she'd been so lucky as to fall in love and be loved by such a kind, caring and compassionate woman.
"No, it's not but I want you to be able to sit in a room and not feel awkward or uncomfortable. I want you to have traditions. I want you to experience all the simple, little things that make Easter special."
"Have I ever told you how perfect you are?" Patsy hoarsely whispered, one single tear rolling down her cheek. Delia simply smiled and wiped the tear away. "I love you." Patsy added as a whisper, her eyes not leaving Delia's.
"I love you too." Delia murmured back, "Now come on, paint that egg."
—
Twenty minutes later the pair were stood at the top of the hill looking down on their little hamper. Patsy had decided to decorate her egg as Delia and so Delia had decorated hers as Patsy. Both had laughed at their namesakes. Delia had drawn Patsy in her Nurses Uniform, a mop carefully drawn on as though in one hand. Patsy, having a much darker sense of humour, had drawn Delia in nothing but her underwear. Both had giggled for a good five minutes as they clambered up the hill.
"Now what?" Patsy asked.
"We let them go and race to the bottom. Right. One. Two. Three."
As the eggs careered down the hill, Delia grabbed Patsy's hand for balance as the pair ran down the hill squealing and giggling like school girls as they raced to their now cracked eggs. Both laughed as they settled down, removing the remaining shell from the eggs in order to eat them.
"This isn't hygienic you know." The taller midwife joked,
"Patsy-"
"Thank you Delia." She smiled as she bit into the egg, "This day has truly been amazing."
"It's not over yet." Delia replied with a knowing smirk.
—
It was late before the pair returned. Delia had kept Patsy at the park for hours after their picnic had been devoured talking about everything from her childhood Easters right through to what they thought of the latest Dessert Island Discs. Delia wondered if everyone was back off their rounds and if they were already waiting in their room - something told her Patsy wanted to change - judging by her mumbles about grass stains and dirt on the walk home.
"I need to change."
Delia struggled not to chuckle as Patsy vocalised her thoughts, and instead nodded at the older woman to lead the way. They continued to make small talk right up until Patsy opened the door where she stopped dead. Delia walked up close behind her, peering over Patsy's shoulder and a smile spread across her face.
There on the bed were five Easter Eggs. Patsy walked into the room and over to them before turning to face Delia, a huge grin plastered across her face, a tear once again escaping.
"Did you-?"
"The Galaxy one is from me but the others are from Trix, Babs, Val and Phyllis." Delia replied softly walking up and placing her hands on Patsy's back as the red-head simply stared at them.
"Now you can tell us which is best." Barbara grinned appearing from seemingly nowhere along with the three other culprits.
"I don't know what to say. Really, you shouldn't have!" Patsy whispered, her voice choked.
"Nonsense!" Trixie exclaimed, "We couldn't possibly have you live your life without ever having received an Easter Egg."
"And judging by the hands, Delia took you egg rolling?" Phyllis asked with a grin, smirking as Patsy nodded quickly.
"Thank you. All of you."
"You're welcome. Now come on! We need a score settled which is best."
They all piled onto the beds, watching as Patsy took a bit of each one. Valerie insisted on her trying the creme egg which Patsy said was simply 'alright'. After having a bit of the last one, four faces eyes her expectantly.
"The Galaxy one." Patsy said. "That's my favourite."
"Top choice Deels." Barbara praised, "Although I do feel you maybe had an advantage?"
"Why?"
"Because you've known Patsy for years - you're bound to know what her favourite chocolate bar is. In fact, Trixie-"
"I thought it was Toffee Crisp." Trixie shrugged, "Besides I wanted her to say Smarties are better than Creme Eggs."
"They are." Patsy said, shooting Val an apologetic smile, "And it is… alongside Galaxy."
As the girls all continued to chat and discuss the merits of chocolate, Patsy reached a hand behind her and squeezed Delia's hand. They shared a longing look before turning back to the conversation. Patsy had had the best Easter ever, and she had Delia to thank for that.
A/N - Finding information of Easter Eggs in the 1960s was harder than you'd think! But Creme Eggs came out in 1963 so I'm guessing they had them?
Either way, hope you enjoyed, and hope you all have a fab Easter :)
