Timothy could honestly say he never thought he'd be a brother. His parents had been busy enough with him and their busy lives without a sibling. Then Mummy died and the unlikely became the impossible. It was just Dad and Tim against the world. And then it wasn't.
Shelagh was a surprise addition to the faltering family unit the turners had patched together after their heart was ripped from them by a singular swing of a blade in the wrong place at the wrong time. Suddenly the future seemed brighter, each day the heaviness that had blighted Tim and his father was lifted a little more until all three of them were buzzing with excitement at the upcoming wedding.
It hadn't occurred to him at first the full ramifications of his new step mother to be. One night out of nowhere it had hit him. He could have a sibling soon.
At first he couldn't decide how he felt about such a proposition. It'd only been him and Dad for so long. He was only just getting a mother again. Was it selfish for him to want to enjoy being a unit of three, if only for a little while. It would be at least 9 months before he would have to share his parents. Maybe he should just make the most of that time.
He hadn't even realised he'd begun to watch siblings play until Shelagh questioned him, somewhat delicately as he could tell she still wasn't sure of her place and rights therein as a soon to be mother, about his sudden fascination. Perhaps it was a way to try rectify her thoughts, or because despite all that happened and changed she was still the Sister Bernadette who had often been there for him, but he barely resisted before admitting his concerns.
Her response was unexpected. He knew she was fond of him, perhaps even loved her, but he didn't realise quite how much she did. No matter how many children his father and she may or may not have he would always be her oldest child, her firstborn even it were not to her that he was borne.
That had settled it. He decided he would quite like to have a little brother or sister like, even if they would be a lot younger than him.
But to get a sibling his parents needed to get married so he focused all his efforts on making the day go as smoothly as possible. Even if that meant covering up his increasing unwell feeling.