Sister Julienne smiled, standing in the street beside Chummy's front door as Sister Monica Joan hurried inside, in great haste and excitement, to give Shelagh the blooming bundle of hyacinths she had been holding as if they had been a cask of gold all the way there. The sun was out, clear and bright, and over the last few weeks it had been getting steadily warmer.
"That's the fastest I've seen her go without there being a cake concerned," Sister Evangelina remarked wryly from beside her.
"Sisters," Chummy told them, watching Sister Monica Joan make her way swiftly down the hall, "You're very welcome to come in if you like. We're all busy getting ourselves dressed up to the nines."
Sister Evangelina gave something like a poorly repressed shudder; her face gave the impression that she could think of nothing less to her taste.
"I don't think that sounds like my cup of tea," she had the good grace to phrase it gently, "I'll just wait for Titania in there to stop throwing flowers at everyone and walk down to the church and get us a good seat."
"Sister Julienne?" Chummy asked.
Julienne exchanged a quick glance with Sister Evangelina, receiving a look of understanding in return.
"I will come in too, if I may," she replied, "Though I'm not sure what help I can be. I'm afraid I'm rather out of practice with a hair curler."
"Never fear," Chummy told her cheerfully, stepping aside and allowing her to cross the threshold, "I'm sure we can find you some task that you can perform splendidly, Sister. The kitchen's rather a squeeze at the moment but do have a seat in the front room for the moment. You must excuse me; I need to see how my menfolk are getting along with sprucing themselves up."
Sister Julienne took a seat on the sitting room settee as Chummy bustled happily on up the stairs and Sister Evangelina ushered Sister Monica Joan back out into the street. The front door shut quietly but firmly. The house seemed alive with activity; the sound of a busy laughter came from what sounded like a kitchen and footsteps walked back and forth upstairs. It was strange for Julienne to be resting in the midst of such preparation. But she had been to sit here and she did not want to get in the way where she was in a poor position to offer any help, particularly with such a short time to go. She let out a quiet sigh, leaning back a little in the chair.
She was tremendously happy that this day had arrived. Not that she had ever doubted that it would; but it was wonderful to experience the reality of it all the same. She could only imagine how Shelagh must be feeling at the moment; how great her joy must be by comparison. Thinking of that awful night at Christmas when Timothy Turner had been taken ill, she offered up a prayer of thanks that things, as much as they could reasonably have done, had righted themselves, and been actively righted by very brave people.
She remembered with a vividness the bittersweet sadness of kneeling beside Shelagh's makeshift bed, holding on to her hands, trembling slightly. Sad, because Shelagh's pain, in any form, both before but most particularly since she had been diagnosed with tuberculosis and Julienne realised she could not live without this girl, had been her pain too; but oh the unstoppably placating happiness that rose within her, that Shelagh had come to her, after the uncertainty of her distance in the last few weeks, that Shelagh was letting her comfort her. Julienne had missed her more than she could find the words to say, even to herself. She remembered, quite plainly, promising to take care of everything- the vicar, the flowers- because it helped her as much as it helped Shelagh. Yes, my dear, darling girl, let me, let me do it all. Give me your care because it is mine as well. Take my strength, I don't want it. Then share thy pain, allow that sad relief; ah, more than share it give me all thy grief! I love you, let me. She remembered a lump forming in her throat, pressed against Shelagh's shoulder as Shelagh held on to her, as her hands tugged a little at her veil; the way her breath had almost stopped when Shelagh told her that she had meant to walk away. Julienne could not hear it. She could not listen. Could not abide the thought of Shelagh leaving her, not so totally. Moving on, not leaving. Going to love and not turning away from it. In that moment, Julienne was just as she had been in her office, in the old Nonnatus House, watching Shelagh's retreating figure as she made her way out through the chapel; still able to feel the way she had instinctively embraced her, the tears welling in her eyes.
She turned quickly at the slight sound from the door. She wiped her eyes hurriedly, standing up at the sight of Shelagh's face peering round the door.
"Are you alright, Sister?" she asked, frowning.
"Yes, of course I am," Julienne assured her, smiling broadly, "I'm sitting here thinking what a joyful day this is."
"May I come in?" Shelagh asked, still a little cautious.
"Of course you may," she replied, "Oh, Shelagh-..." she murmured as Shelagh stepped a little timidly into the room and she saw the full splendour of her wedding dress, "You really do look wonderful."
"It isn't knee length," Shelagh remarked quietly, "I changed my mind."
"And you look very well for it," Julienne assured her, beaming, "You really are the most beautiful bride I have ever seen."
Shelagh blushed modestly.
"Sister," she said quietly, reaching out for her hand. Julienne offered it without hesitation, "I want you to know that Patrick and I are very grateful for all you did for us, when we had to cancel our first wedding. And I'm very grateful for all you did for me, in all of the dark days."
Julienne smiled, squeezing Shelagh's hand gently.
"Your days ahead of you will be filled with joy," she told her quietly, "The Lord has ordained it. But if there is darkness, of any sort, however great or small, I will be here. I will always be here. I want you to know that. It would break my heart if I thought you did not."
She met Shelagh's eyes and Shelagh nodded, firmly. She seemed to swallow hard for a moment, unable to say anything for a moment.
"I wish you all the happiness in the world, my dear dear friend," Julienne told her softly, "No one could be more deserving of it."
She thought for a moment that Shelagh was about to say something, but then she did not, only nodded slightly.
Julienne smiled.
"Come along, my dear," she told her gently, "I suppose there is a veil to be put on?"
End.
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