Hush
Patsy moved to sit more comfortably on the bicycle seat and pushed the pedals into action.
As she headed out beneath the bridge, she passed a vaguely familiar young man, who seemed to be watching her with an appreciative smirk from behind his cigarette, he dipped his head in her direction and just as she passed he winked at her.
Patsy felt a heat creep into her cheeks and shook her head at herself, it wasn't like her to be so easily flustered by such attention but there was something about the eyes, the look this man had given her, it had been so knowing, so didn't hurt that he was also very young and objectivley quite attractive. He put her in mind of James Dean in Rebel Without A Cause and although Natalie Wood was much more her cup of tea, she could appreciate a handsome face.
Patsy recalled now where she had seen him before, he wasn't a local. She had been in Poplar now for long enough to see some of the children make that difficult transition from child to teen to young adult, seemingly overnight, however this boy wasn't one of them. Patsy had noted his appearance in the area when she had seen him with a young lady on his arm, she and Delia had been picking up some bits for supper on the market and they had come face to face with the couple.
Patsy had noticed them fondly yet not without a little envy, as they clung together in the crowd, on that occasion the young man had seemed only to have eyes for the girl on his arm as she laughed into his chest, her hands gripping tightly to his leather jacket.
Patsy realised she had been cycling along the old familiar route quite in a daydream and had almost taken a wrong turn, she resolved to get her head back into her work before she arrived at the scene of what promised to be quite a straightforward delivery, a mother of four who could in all likelihood manage alone if necessary.
Xxx
Patsy let herself into the upstairs flat they called home, the scent from the kitchen carrying her the last few steps of the way up the staircase after a long shift.
"Mmmm, that smells divine!" Patsy called as she entered the room, kicking off her shoes before stooping to quickly position them neatly in the cupboard.
Delia appeared from the kitchen area holding a wooden spoon carefully aloft and bringing it for Patsy to sample the offering, before replacing the spoon with her lips in a true welcome home.
"Mmm, it tastes even better, I'm famished!" Patsy informed as her hands found their way to Delia's waist.
"Work alright?" Delia checked.
Patsy nodded and placed her lips once more to Delia's. "Just long." She added.
Delia pushed Patsy slightly back towards the sofa until Patsy let herself sink into the seat heavily.
"Sit." Delia ordered. "Supper won't be long."
"You're quite the perfect little housewife sometimes Deels." Patsy teased as she watched her girlfriend return to the kitchen.
Delia's eyes darkened as she threw Patsy a warning look over her shoulder."Better not get used to it sweetheart, I'm on nights for the rest of the week and you're going to have to fend for yourself." She called playfully.
Patsy's face fell, though not at the prospect of cobbling together her own meals, more at the ache she felt, knowing she would see little of Delia for the next four nights. Getting into a cold bed by herself was always the worst of it, then struggling to find sleep until she felt her love's cooler body slip beneath the blankets and wrap around her, desperate to share in her warmth. It was startling just how quickly one got used to having someone beside you through the night, even after years of sleeping alone. Patsy knew it was the same for Delia and that on the occasions she was called from her bed by a work related emergency, even if she was as quiet and careful not to disturb Delia as she could be, the nurse would wake, instinctively feeling that Patsy was no longer there.
"Pats?!" Delia called as she stood by their small dining table, having set down two plates of steaming food. Delia smiled questioningly, her hands on her hips. "Are you joining me Cariad?"
Patsy jumped from her train of thought and made her way to join Delia. "Sorry Deels." She offered as she took out a chair and they sat together. "This looks lovely."
As they sat and ate Patsy wondered at how much she enjoyed the most mundane of daily activities infinitely more with Delia by her side. Just the chance to sit and look adoringly at her over some stew and dumplings, in their own flat, without having to check herself, was as much like heaven as she could imagine.
Patsy covered Delia's free hand with her own on the table. "I love this." She admitted.
"You haven't eaten any of it yet!" Delia replied in amusement.
"You know what I mean Deels." Patsy pouted as she took up her fork and filled it with food.
"I know what you mean." Delia agreed moving her thumb lightly over Patsy's before tucking into her own meal.
Xxx
The record player played the dying notes to the last song on the album and Delia had just beaten Patsy in another game of Gin Rummy. Patsy suspected that Delia may have slightly adjusted the rules of the game, although Delia insisted that Patsy had just forgotten the way the game was played. When the girls at Nonnatus had dabbled in the odd spot of cards Patsy had revealed her tendency to be somewhat competitive. However tonight she was happy just to play the game, at least for now.
Delia shuffled the cards, attempting to hide a smug smile and glanced up at Patsy.
"You're sure you don't mind that we stayed in tonight?" Patsy checked again.
"Of course not." Delia informed as she dealt them each the required number of cards.
"I do like to have you to myself for the evening before you begin the night shifts." Patsy explained.
"I know." Delia nodded. "Me too. Where was it Trixie wanted us to go anyway?"
"She delivered the baby of a chinese woman the other evening who invited her to come back for a meal in the family restaurant and bring her friends. Barbara and Nurse Crane are happy to go along, I'm sure they'll have a lovely time." Patsy went on.
"What did you tell her? "Sorry Trixie, Delia and I can't come for a free meal, we simply must stay at home gazing lovingly into one another's eyes whilst Delia absolutely trounces me at cards." Delia was trying out her posh English accent, an impersonation of Patsy that she was developing and smiling devilishly as she topped up her drink before getting up to change the record.
"I just said that we'd invited over an old friend from the nurses home." Patsy shrugged a little sheepishly.
Delia frowned. "That was fast thinking Pats, or have you been keeping that one on standby for a while?"
Patsy heard the slight change in tone and knew Delia had shifted from teasing to actual annoyance. Delia had turned her back on Patsy as she took care of the music.
Patsy rose and came to stand behind her, placing her hands on each of Delia's upper arms, only an inch between her front and Delia's back.
"Delia, Darling don't be cross with me, not tonight." Patsy's voice rumbled low, beside Delia's ear.
Delia sighed as she allowed herself to lean back into Patsy's body. "You know what I think." Delia reminded, not quite ready to drop the subject despite Patsy's nearness. "You should be honest with her, she's your friend, our friend and she has trusted us with her own secret. She was confident we wouldn't think any less of her."
It was Patsy who sighed now and stepped away from the old argument. "I know you're right." Patsy conceded. "I am going to tell her, eventually."
Their last real argument had happened when they had bumped into Trixie on their way home from the Gateway one night. They had been only a handful of times over the months and though Delia always enjoyed it, the outings were still something that filled Patsy with trepidation. Would someone see them going in or coming out? So on being discovered coming home from that direction, she had panicked.
Trixie had seemed upset that she had stumbled across them, linked arms, giggling conspiratorially and obviously having had more than a couple of drinks.
"Just because I'm not drinking does not mean I don't know how to have fun anymore ladies!" Trixie had informed them, failing to come off as anything but hurt.
Patsy had as usual reeled of some empty sounding excuse and protest in one and Delia had been furious.
"You let her think that! Rather than have to tell her the truth!" She had blasted Patsy with, the moment they had reached the flat.
In Patsy's own defence, the lie did have an element of truth to it, every good lie does. It was a little inappropriate to invite Trixie out if they were going to be drinking, the cinema was one thing but if Patsy was expected to dance she had to have a drink or two inside her.
Now Delia turned back to face Patsy and took hold of one hand before she could move completely away. "You have to stop putting it off, you're worried that she'll feel deceived, but the longer you leave it the worse that gets."
"It isn't just that."Patsy admitted glumly, almost sulking..
Delia pulled her love in closer and wrapped an arm around her waist.
"What is it then?" She asked patiently.
"It's just… I don't expect her to react badly exactly, to want nothing to do with us or anything. I just hate to think that she'll see me differently, that she might question things…" Patsy trailed off.
Delia looked deeply confused. "Like what?" She asked blankly.
"We shared a room, we strutted around in our scanties. What if she feels…awkward." Patsy half shrugged.
"Is this your way of telling me you used to sneak a peek on the long lonely winter nights?" Delia stifled a giggle as the shade of red upon Patsy's cheeks deepened a shade or three.
"Deels!" Patsy groaned. "I wouldn't, besides, I was already smitten with you by the time I met Trixie."
"True." Delia allowed with a dazzling smile. "But she is very glamorous, no one could really blame you…" Delia smirked, raising a brow in a challenge which was met by Patsy taking a firmer hold on her lover's waist, pulling her even closer and moving fingers to tickle the spot just below Delia's ribs that Patsy knew would make her double over in laughter.
"Pats!" Delia squealed. "Alright, alright, I'm sorry for teasing." Delia put up hands in surrender which ended up on Patsy's shoulders as they leant into the truce of a kiss.
The next song on the record began to play and Patsy began to sway them both as she held Delia close.
Xxx
A/N- Thanks for reading folks. This is going to be a longer slower fic. Reviews appreciated.