A look at how Tom and Barbara adjusted to being married…
For the newlyweds, the time after the wedding was a time of adjustments, gifts, goodbyes and hellos. With the flurry of activity preparing for the wedding, the slowness that soon arrived after was a welcome change. It didn't last long though- Barbara was needed and Christmas would soon arrive. It never seemed to be hard- just give and take from each one.
For Barbara, she had planned ahead of time. She knew that she wanted all of her things- or the majority- already in the rectory by the time they returned from seeing her father off on his mission trip. One gift that she hadn't planned on was the last gift from her roommate and bridesmaid, Phyllis. The night before the wedding when Barbara had finished seeing her father off, she retired to her room for the final time. On her bed was a package. With a questioning look, she opened it. In it was a gift of new undergarments. Blushing as she carefully repacked the box, she noticed the letter with it. In Phyllis signature scrawl, Barbara read how she had noticed the state of her undergarments especially after going wedding dress shopping. It wasn't right for a new bride to wear such darned things, so Phyllis had gotten them as a goodbye gift to her roommate. Barbara could barely believe that the older lady who had seemed so strict and tough when she had first arrived, had become a second mother and a true best friend to her. It had been an answer to prayer- even if Phyllis didn't believe as she did.
Tom, on the other hand, had procrastinated on getting the rectory ready for his bride. His mate, Jim, from back in the days before he became a curate, had seen the state of it and had given it a thorough cleaning while Tom got ready for the wedding. After Fred had given him back his winnings, he found the way to get the carousel there and ready for after the wedding. The main trick was making sure Barbara didn't see it on her way to the church. A phone call to Nonnatus and Valerie organized the troops to make sure timing was kept. Once the newlyweds finally arrived home, it was a blissful first night as husband and wife.
The next days were spent saying goodbye to Arthur Gilbert and Margaret and enjoying being a married couple in London. It was only after they arrived back at the rectory that they realized how much things had changed. Instead of Barbara leaving after a date, she now stayed there. Her uniform was now hung near his clothes. They no longer slept apart- and it took a few nights for them to figure out who needed which side of the bed. It was soon decided that Tom needed the dresser side- more convenient for his collar and bible. Barbara had the closet door side- easy to grab her uniform at a moment's notice if she was on call.
And, Barbara realized, she would now have to cook again- which was a problem since she hadn't in quite awhile. How could she relearn how to cook and do it quickly? The answer finally hit her when she saw Fred Buckle tending the fire at Nonnatus House- his wife was an excellent cook. Soon Barbara arranged lessons with Violet about cooking and grocery shopping for her and Tom. Violet proved to be a valuable resource when she had questions about dishes or the best place to get meat on a certain day of a week.
Meanwhile, Tom noticed his wife taking on the responsibility of their food. He had done enough cooking to survive, but it wasn't really his forte. He wanted to do something in trade to help his wife, and finally he knew what it was. Ironing…. something simple but effective. Barbara started noticing that her uniforms were getting pressed and ready to go- many times after she returned from a call. She finally realized it was Tom when she returned home to find him ironing her uniforms for her.
Things at Nonnatus House were changing. At first, Sister Julienne thought Barbara could have the week after the wedding completely off to adjust to married life. On the night they arrived back in Poplar, Sister Julienne told her it could not be. Patsy had returned only to reveal that she was moving to Paris. On her trip back from Hong Kong, she had secured a job at one of the local hospitals there. Delia, it was revealed later, had finished her coursework and would follow her best friend there. With Patsy out, Barbara was back at work sooner than she expected. Instead of a "Welcome Home Herewards" dinner, it turned into a goodbye dinner for Patsy and Delia. Barbara later admitted to Tom she preferred it that way- it kept things simple.
With time came adjustments to schedules. Barbara knew from her upbringing that Tom's schedule was more fluid than hers. She did make it a point to keep a notepad on his desk with her schedule for that week. Most nights they were able to eat dinner together or breakfast the next morning. Instead of relaxing at Nonnatus House when she was off work, Barbara found herself busier than ever taking care of the rectory. She still found ways to bring a smile to her husband's face- gold decorations up for Christmas in the kitchen and around the dresser mirror. And it would never fail, somewhere something sweet would turn up. For Tom, he never knew where it would be. It could be a sherbet lolly on the table or a penguin biscuit under a pillow.
The two found the time to coordinate community events and things happening at the church. Most Sunday mornings, Barbara was able to attend services with him. If she was able, they would more than likely be invited to a parishioners home for dinner. It was different as Mrs. Hereward, but it was still welcomed and enjoyed. Being married to each other was an adjustment, but it was one that they made willingly. Often, Barbara would have to cover her husband with grace when he forgot to hang up his towel, but a soft kiss or sweet embrace would help ease wounded souls