I have no idea where this came from in my head. For the friends who don't disown me for this.

'Patrick?' She craned her neck to look up at him frowning. They'd had a long few days at work and so had retired to bed early, content to just lie in each others arms.

'Yes love?' He smiled down at her, his fingers running through the blanket of hair that was currently occupying his torso.

'Do you mind that my breasts are small?' She asked looking him straight in the eye. He gaped at her for a moment.

'…. I'm sorry I think I must have misheard you sweetheart?'

'My breasts. They are quite small aren't they? Do you mind?' The worry lines he loved so much appeared between her eyes as she repeated herself nervously.

'Darling what on earth are you talking about? Why would I mind?' He asked frowning at her confused. She sighed and shifted so she could see him easier.

'I overheard some of the men down by the dock talking earlier. They said that larger breasts are far more desirable and that any man who claims he thinks otherwise is lying. I know that Marie was…well endowed on that front.' She explained awkwardly. There were some things one did not wish to discuss in bed with their husband and his late wife's breasts were one of them. But it was necessary.

'Oh Shelagh.' He chuckled at the absurdity of her words.

'Stop laughing I'm serious!' She frowned shifting away from him and sitting upright. He sobered and rose to crouch beside her side of the bed. He cupped her face in his hands.

'Darling I love every single inch of you exactly as you are. I wouldn't exchange a single thing. You're completely perfect. I still can't believe that someone as stunning as you decided to be with me.'

'But Marie-'

'Had terrible back pain because of the weight of her breasts. She hated them and truth be told there was far too much of them to be dealing with. It was a logistical nightmare. He revealed, relieved to see a slight smile cross her face briefly.

'Oh.

'But these.' He smiled undoing her nightie and pulling it gently down to pool around her waist. 'These are perfect. Just big enough to be handfuls without spilling over. See?'

'I do indeed see… and in fact feel.' He smiled as he leant in to kiss the upper edges of each breast in turn.

'Darling you've never worried about such things before. Why now?' He enquired gently.

'I told you. I overhead some men-'

'No it's more than that isn't it. I can read you like a book my dear.' She sighed heavily.

'I heard some of the mothers at the clinic talking about me after I'd heard those men. I'd popped out for a cigarette and I don't think they saw me there.'

'What did they say?'

'That I was plain. That I was boring and even though my clothing was better than it was just after we married it was still boring. That I was nowhere near pretty enough for you to have risked your reputation for. That I should have stayed a nun because then at least I was covered up and they didn't have to look at me. That the reason we adopted was because I wasn't attractive enough to get you 'excited' even though most men could get turned on by a pretty dog. I'm not a vain woman you know that, but it hurt.'

'That is the biggest load of rubbish I've heard in my life. You are so beautiful Shelagh. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, including Marie but don't tell her sister I said that. You're not at all boring looking. But you were beautiful even when you covered up. Sister Bernadette was beautiful-both your inside and out.'

'Patrick please never utter that name whist you're fondling me again.' She giggled at the absurdity of it all.

'Sorry.'

'I didn't say to stop fondling me!'

'Righto.' He laughed returning to his previous actions. 'Sweetheart you are everything I want, everything I need and I think you are beautiful. You're perfect just the way you are. I don't care what the blind women at the clinic say, I don't care what the men at the docks say. I only care what you and I think. You're the least vain woman I've ever met so it's really just down to me. And I say you're marvellous.'

'Well I can't argue with such logic.' She beamed taking his hands in hers and kissing them in turn before leaning down and kissing him deeply.

'You accept it? You believe that you're outstandingly beautiful and your breasts and perfect?'

'Yes, I do. Thank you. The ladies at the clinic were spectacularly wrong about one thing in particular?'

'Which is?' He cocked an eyebrow inquiringly.

'Well unless my eyes are deceiving me I definitely get you excited.'

'You know…I always find hands on research helps support such claims.' He grinned at her.

'Oh do you now?'

Some considerable time later they lay sated back in each others arms.

'I'm so proud of you Shelagh.'

'Proud? I know I good but I'm not sure I'm pride worthingly good.' She giggled into his shoulder.

'Well on that front too but I meant the fact that less than a year ago you never would have even thought of talking to me about this, let alone so openly. And you certainly wouldn't have told me off for stopping fondling you. And that certainly wouldn't have happened.'

'No, you're right I wouldn't. But I'm so glad I did.' She grinned up at him before kissing him again.

'So am I my beautiful, perfectly breasted wife. So am I.'

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