Sister Bernadette and Doctor Turner, now Shelagh and Patrick.

Tea with Granny Parker. A glimpse at life beyond Nonnatus House.

Shelagh balanced the delicate cup of tea on her knee, trying not to betray her nervousness. Timothy's grandmother had welcomed her very kindly into her pretty home. She had not known what to expect, but for just a fleeting moment she was reminded of the Mother Superior. She looked across the drawing room at Patrick. He smiled reassuringly, giving her a ghost of a wink, before he downed his tiny of cup of tea and leaned across to help Timothy avoid disaster with his cream cake. Her eyes gleamed back in reply. Shelagh's world was still so wonderfully new. She could really look at him now. No need to force her eyes away, or to store the memory up for later. No need to ask for forgiveness for looking and looking at him.

"Are you sure you won't have some cake dear?" asked Granny Parker.

She had not expected to like the girl on sight. Whatever she had been expecting after Patrick's hasty phone call and ensuing visit, it had certainly not been this girl. Where had he found her? Such a delicate, serious creature with an almost unearthly quality. Those eyes! She had certainly lived, she could see that. She had suffered too if she wasn't mistaken. The old lady was unaccustomed to being disarmed; she had wanted to dislike Patrick's fiancée, and had intended being coldly distant towards her. But that was clearly impossible now.

It had been a shock too, to realise that Patrick was in love again. One only needed to see the way he looked at Shelagh, to know that his heart was utterly hers. She had always known that he would need to re-marry, eventually. There was a practical need, for Timmy's sake, particularly with a doctor's work-load. But never in all her planning and worrying about the two of them, could she have imagined a love match. Mind you, it did her heart good to see Timothy laughing again. There – he was doing it again – he seemed to know his future step-mother well, almost as if he had chosen her himself. It was all very unsettling, and she couldn't help feeling a pang of ...jealousy? Loneliness and sadness swept over her.

At that moment, Shelagh saw the pain etched on Mrs Parker's face. She knew then, how difficult this was for Timothy's grandmother. Not long ago Mrs Parker's own daughter had sat in the very same armchair, drinking tea with her family. How dare she presume to take that place? Trembling and needing to cover it up, she stood and went over to the window,

"Your garden looks so beautiful Mrs Parker. I see your delphiniums are doing well." Unconsciously she had said exactly the right thing. The garden was the old lady's pride and joy.

Soon the three of them were ushered into the enormous garden, while Mrs Parker put away the tea things. She waved at Timothy from inside, as he scampered off to explore a wooded area that he loved best. Shelagh and Patrick followed him at a distance.

He took her hand.

"I still can't believe I'm allowed to touch you," he said,

"I know."

"Happy?"

Her eyes told him the answer.

He loved that about her. Her stillness. The intense depth of her eyes spoke eloquently. Every moment they had shared was written there for him to read.

"All I am is yours, and yours alone," they said. No more was needed.

Of course, he loved talking to her. He had once asked her to take tea with him at Nonnatus House, but she had more or less told him it wasn't allowed. How wonderful at last to be able to have her to himself at the end of each day. She shared his passion for the people of Poplar, she had served them as faithfully as he had, and loved to listen to him talk about his work. Not for the first time, he felt as if he was the luckiest man alive!

"Will you find it hard to share me with my patients?" he had teased her, just the night before. They had been sitting in his car, Timmy asleep in the back.

"Of course!" she had replied, thinking back to Christmas Day, when they had met at an emergency delivery.

This evening, as they walked in the garden, a world away from Poplar, the sun was starting to set. A golden light suffused the landscape. Patrick and Shelagh heard Timothy in the distance calling out,

"I've found a dead moth!"

"Come back now son!" his father called back,

"In a minute Dad!"

Shelagh was admiring the sunset. She breathed in deeply and shivered slightly. He came closer and wrapped his jacket around her. It was a familiar gesture. But on this occasion it seemed entirely natural for her to fling her arms about his neck and softly kiss his mouth.

He hadn't been expecting it! She gasped, surprised at her own boldness. What had she done?

But he wouldn't let her go and his arms firmly encircled her waist. He had waited so patiently for this moment. He had wanted her to be ready, had not wanted to rush her into intimacy. He gently brought his mouth down to meet hers. Passion ignited.

After a minute or two, the sound of scampering feet running towards them, made them quickly step apart...

"Look what I've found!" called Timothy, his hands cupping a beautiful moth.

I'm so glad they are happy now. I can't help feeling that it will take a while to dispel all those old painful memories. I think there will be challenges ahead too!

Some of you will find this too fluffy. But this is my style, and I can't be anything but myself!