This is my response to the A Picture is Worth 1000 Words Challenge #8: The Picnic on Tumblr. In my mind, this serves as a prequel to Firelight, another quick story of mine. However, it stands alone as well. :) Please let me know what you think, reviews are much appreciated. I hope you enjoy :D
Thanks for the eyes, mr-and-mrs-bates
John Bates cast a despondent look out the window of His Lordship's dressing room with a sigh. Half days being few and far-between, he and Anna had been looking forward to this for at least a week.
"Why don't we take Jack and have ourselves an outing," she said to him brightly a week prior. "We could take the whole afternoon just the three of us and go into town, pack a lunch…" She was getting so excited, "Oh! We haven't been photographed in ages and he's growing so fast…and he'll just LOVE the bus, oh that would be so wonderful!"
John couldn't help but get caught up in her enthusiasm at the time, but looking out onto the grounds of Downton Abbey, he saw the darkening skies and could discern a slight rumbling in the distance. "Well, there goes all our plans. Poor Anna, she'll be so disappointed," he sulked to himself, "though, she more than likely already knows."
She was likely bustling around their small cottage preparing for the day and looking after Jack. Perhaps she was trying to wrestle the small boy into submission. Breakfast was always a challenge. Their son would much rather explore his surroundings first thing in the morning, eating being secondary to everything else.
Anna had lasted almost a year with Lady Mary's arrangement of bringing Jack to stay in the family nursery while she worked. Walking past the door one afternoon, she peeked her head in to see her baby boy reaching for the edge of a crib to pull himself to standing. Proud of himself, he turned to the nanny grinning all the while. Letting go of the rail, he clapped his hands in excitement and fell hard on his bottom giggling in delight. Anna's mind was set. She cried to John that night,
"What else am I to miss? He'll be walking soon and I won't be there to see those steps, I won't be there to hold his hand! He was so excited, and he looked to a nanny…a nanny, John, not his mummy…because I haven't been there." Wiping her angry tears, she continued, "John, he's our only child, and he'll most likely be our only child. I need to cherish the time I have with him…I refuse to miss any more moments with him like this."
He couldn't refuse her request to raise their son, not that it even needed to be asked. John was surprised she had even desired to continue working originally, but he could never argue with her or begrudge her anything.
In truth, he wasn't sure if it was really him that was more disappointed with the turn of the day's events or if he was just upset for her sake. In his mind she deserved to have all of her wishes fulfilled, no matter how small, so when small hiccups arose, he always felt it keenly for her—like he was failing her in some way. Then again, he knew what kind of reaction he'd garner if she knew that was where his thoughts tended, so he kept them under his hat more often than not.
Taking his leave of Mr. Carson, Mr. Bates pulled on his overcoat at the servant's entrance. He stood in the doorway to the courtyard silently cursing himself for leaving his umbrella in the cottage that morning. Why would he have thought to bring such a thing when the weather had seemed so promising? The only thing it promised now was wet socks and a treacherous pathway.
Slogging slowly through the mud, torrents of rain pelted the side of his face and body. Wind whipped past him and threatened to tear the hat from his head. His knee would be demanding attention later on. Slipping and jutting out, he struggled to find purchase with both his feet and his cane in the sopping earth. He was a wet, bedraggled mess reaching the door to their cottage. Tipping his head down as he reached for the door handle, water poured from the brim of his hat to splatter on the mat below, and, rolling his eyes with a huff, he entered the sanctuary of home. It had been a wonder and a mercy that he hadn't twisted or broken an ankle out there. He'd forever wonder why Anna would want a lame horse like him. If he had been an actual horse, he would have been shot long ago.
After hanging his hat and coat on the rack, he took a step forward to hear a loud squish. Water seeped from every potential point of weakness in his shoes causing a small puddle to form where he stood. He sighed once more before sitting in the simple chair occupying the entryway. As he bent to unlace his shoes, he heard his wife counting aloud from the kitchen. He smiled quietly to himself assuming there must be a game of Hide and Seek afoot.
Barefoot, he padded toward the sitting room. His little boy stood stone still in the center of the room sporting the widest, toothiest grin, practically convulsing with excitement as his chubby hands covered his eyes. John chuckled to himself and leaned over whispering,
"What are you doing there, son?"
"Shh, daddy, I'm hiding," Jack answered quickly without removing his hands.
"Alright, alright, I won't disturb you," John laughingly said. He ruffled his hand through his boy's sandy hair and walked through to the kitchen just in time to hear a boisterous, "Ready or not, here I come!"
"Oh, hello, you!" she greeted him with a kiss as he rounded the doorway, "My goodness you're soaked through, John!" She made a sound of disapproval as she took in his bare feet. He shrugged.
"You're lucky your husband's made it home alive, my darling, that weather could've buried me!" He joked.
"Oh, stop that." She shoved his shoulder playfully and he reached for her hand in response.
"I'm sorry about today, my love. I know you were really looking forward to it and now it's ruined…"
"Never you mind that. I'm just happy you're home with us and we have the rest of the day safe and sound. Now, you go on upstairs and get cleaned up. Go find your slippers…put on your pajamas for all I care."
He laughed and murmured, "Won't I be a sight…or a fright, rather…"
"And who are you impressing? The King of England?" she teased, "Go. Off with you. I have a little man to find."
"Oh, speaking of that certain little man…I don't think he quite has the concept of hiding just yet," he motioned for her to look around the corner into the sitting room.
She clasped her hands together gleefully taking in the image of Jack bouncing on his heels blind to everything around him.
"Oh, bless him," she breathed, "I tried, John, perhaps he's too young for it, but it's just so precious. He thinks that if he can't see me, I can't see him." They smiled at each other for a moment before John leant down to press a kiss to her cheek.
"Best not keep him waiting," he whispered huskily as she blushed and winked at him.
"Silly beggar."
From his perch on the stairs, he could see his son being swept up into his wife's arms shrieking with laughter as she peppered him with kisses everywhere she could reach. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined having the life that they shared now. It amazed and humbled him every day.
"John Bates, you're a lucky bastard," he thought to himself for nearly the millionth time since his arrival at Downton.
Maybe his wife was joking about him wearing his pajamas, or maybe she was daring him to try such a thing. Either way, he accepted her dare. A quick rinse from the washbasin and a comb through his hair made all the difference. Donning his slippers and blue striped pajamas, he tied on his dressing gown and headed to the stairs.
"How long was I upstairs?" he said to himself as he entered the sitting room.
The settee and end tables had been pushed aside to create more space in the middle of the floor, and a blanket had been laid out with an array of sandwiches, sliced vegetables, breads and cheeses amongst others.
"Oh, you're back," Anna said as she waltzed in with Jack bounding behind her. She giggled lightly as she took in his wardrobe, placing a tray of lemonade and glasses down on the blanket.
He held his arms out and turned so she could see him from all sides, "As requested, Mrs. Bates. I hope I don't disappoint."
She wrapped her arms around his middle, "You never could."
"My darling, what's going on here, I thought for sure that…"
"It's called 'making the best of things,' Mr. Bates," she interrupted. "The storm may have changed our plans, but it doesn't have to change all of them."
"Picnic, daddy!" Jack, not wanting to be left out, wrapped his small arms around his father's leg.
As the storm raged outside, the Bates family found their sanctuary between the walls of their own cottage. Jack was excited to spend the day with his father. Their meals together were less common than John would prefer. They would take their breakfast together before he would leave for the Abbey, and there were times when he would have enough time afforded him midday to amble home to join them for luncheon, and, on the days His Lordship retired early enough, Jack might be awake when he returned home at night. Most often, their boy had already been put to bed long before he reached their door. It saddened him that the most contact he could have with his precious son most days was a kiss to his forehead while he lay in his crib.
Seeing him so bright and animated brought a pang to his heart. The three of them reclined together on the blanket with a half-eaten spread before them. Having taken a break from reading aloud, Anna prompted Jack to tell his father of his adventures in the garden the day prior.
"You were so impatient, Jack, do you remember?" The little boy nodded vigorously. "And you ran outside before mummy could even put your shoes on, you naughty boy." He giggled at that as John smiled over him. "What will everyone say?" she put on her serious tone, "There goes little John Bates, Jr., a ragamuffin child!"
John picked up his son and held him off the floor, shaking him gently, "No shoes! That dirty child can't be MINE!" he chided teasingly as Jack laughed and twisted until John pulled him close to his chest.
"So, what did young John Bates, Jr. find outside that he was SO impatient to see?" he asked.
Anna smiled and prodded her boy, "Well, young man, what did you see in the garden?"
"Daisies!" Jack shouted, turned in his father's arms so hazel eyes could meet their mirror image.
"He's been running out there every day waiting for the daisies we planted to finally bloom," Anna enlightened him.
"Oh, I see, and were they blooming?" he looked to Jack.
"So big, daddy," he answered with a gleaming smile.
"That's brilliant, son! What are you going to do with them?"
"Bouquet for mummy…." Jack rolled his eyes and gestured with his hands as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.
"Oh, I beg your pardon, daddy should have known better," he chuckled as he looked to Anna.
Anna prepared tea as she listened to her husband read to their son. Moments like this were scarce. Looking on from the doorway, she could see her boy cradled in his father's arms, head resting on his broad chest. A book was perched in John's left hand as his right drew gentle patterns on his son's back. Smiling to herself, she could see the slight twitch in Jack's hand that only happened when he was dreaming. Silently, she shook her head. She knew what it was like to have John's rumbling voice soothe her to sleep, and she couldn't blame her son for falling victim the same way.
Softly making her way over to her boys, she bent to kiss her husband's cheek.
"Whatever was that for?"
"For being you, my love."
His smile wrinkled his face in a way that made her heart flutter as he looked up at her. Taking his knee into consideration, "I'll take him to bed, John. Would you mind the tea?"
Leaning up against the edge of the settee, they sipped their tea. Anna had long ago nudged herself up under his arm to cuddle closer. The soft crackle of the fire and the slow patter of the rain outside became their music for the night. Having not spoken for many minutes, she was startled when she heard his voice.
"It's time."
"Hmm? Time for what?"
"It's time to leave. Time to go into business for ourselves. Time to take hold of what's out there."
Pulling back to look him in the eye, she asked, "John, what's brought this on?"
"Everything…nothing…" he shook his head, "remember when you decided to leave service? You just refused to miss out on Jack growing up?"
She nodded as he continued, "Well, it's like that. Being here, being with you, the both of you has got me thinking…"
"Just today?"
"Cheeky. No, not just today," he poked her ribs causing a burst of laughter.
"Anna, my heart is breaking," he looked at her with tears welling in his eyes. "I never see my family. My boy is growing so fast. You almost missed him standing for the first time….well, I missed his first steps, I missed his first words…I don't want to miss bringing him to school, teaching him to read, being there for him. I want to know him. I want him to know me. I'm done with only seeing him while he's asleep, he'll never know his da that way."
"Oh, John," she whispered reaching up to hold his cheek. "Remember that offer from the hotel in Bridlington? The one on the shore?"
He nodded.
"Let's contact them. It's ours for the taking, John."
"…You're sure about this, My Darling?"
"As sure as I know the sun rises in the east."
He chuckled and pulled her in for a lingering kiss.
"I love you, Mrs. Bates," he murmured against her lips. She smiled and drew him for a second, deeper kiss. Her fingers teased the hair peeking from the open collar of his striped top. A soft growl was the response.
They leaned back and basked in the feel of one another while the promise of their future coming to life danced in their hearts.