Slowly, the sun was going down and the chaos of the day's events began to simmer. The lamplights would soon be lit, meaning Aunt Jane would have to make her way through the dark streets of London to her little flat until tomorrow.
On any usual evening at no. 17, she would be leading the games with her niece and nephews, giggling more than the three of them put together or snuggling up to them in the parlour telling them stories about Mary Poppins, their grandparents and other things that she and Michael used to get up to when they were younger. Tonight was no exception. Although, it was a little later than usual and the lamplights still hadn't been lit. She didn't realise how often she found herself looking out a window every time she walked past one, that is until a voice behind her startled her.
"Ah, Jane. 'ave you plans to see that 'andsome lamplighter again?"
Jane froze. It appeared she had been caught out, peering through the curtain by the front door. "Whatever are you talking about, Ellen?" She giggled nervously, in a failed attempt to not appear flustered. "I told you all the other day, we're just friends, honest."
"You don't fool me. You're waitin' for 'im, aren't you?" Ellen gave her a knowing - almost teasing - look, causing Jane to blush profusely. "I've seen the way you light up whenever he talks to you. I also saw you 'olding 'ands the other day."
Jane couldn't help but sigh. Yes. She was waiting for him, but she wouldn't openly admit that to anyone. Not yet at least. She wanted to talk to him again, to see that lovely smile of his again. She hadn't seen him for at least a week now and she found herself missing his presence immensely.
Ellen walked closer to Jane's position at the window. "It won't be much longer until he comes by for those lights, y'know." She said, nodding in the direction of the man in question, riding through Cherry Tree Lane. A smile quickly formed across the blonde's lips and she ran to quickly make her way to the stairs to the nursery balcony without a second thought, knocking into Ellen as she tripped up the stairs in the process.
"Ayy, watch where your going Miss Banks." Ellen scolded, with a slight smile on her face.
Jane stopped. "Of course. I'm sorry, Ellen." She replied rather embarrassed at her own eagerness, and proceeded to give her a hug
"Well, go on then!"
Jane suddenly felt incredibly nervous. Butterflies no longer fluttered in her stomach when she thought of a certain lamplighter, rather colliding with force the more she stood there. "Right. Yes. Of course. And Ellen? Thank you." After another quick hug, Jane flew up the stairs at great speed.
By the time she had reached the slight balcony, Jack could be seen dismounting his bicycle and beginning to climb his ladder. After lighting the light outside of no. 17, he looked up and smiled.
"Hello there, Jack." Jane couldn't help her sweet grin as she waved over to him.
"'ello, Miss Jane." He replied, as he re-positioned his ladder to reach her on the balcony. "What keeps you 'ere this late?"
"I came to dinner. I've been so busy with the preparation for the next rally and work that I haven't seen Michael and the children in a little while." She paused for a second. "And I was also hoping to bump into you."
She was painfully aware of how close his hands were to hers and very much wanted to have him hold hers again. "I had the most wonderful time with you the other day, at the spring fair in the park." She said as she blushed.
Jane Banks wasn't considered a shy woman, especially not around men, yet here she was blushing like a teenager, unable to look the lovely lamplighter in the eye after her sweet admission.
"Pleasure is mine, Miss Jane." He replied, doing a mock bow, wobbling as he forgot he was perched on the edge of the balcony. Jane couldn't stop herself from giggling again. The laugh of Jane Banks was possibly the most mellifluous sound he had ever heard.
"May I say, you're lookin' beau'iful under the moonlight." He cocked his head slightly and moved closer to brush a stray curl behind her ear. "Your eyes are sparklin'."
"Do you really think so?" Her face crinkled softly as she smiled, Jack struggled to think of anything lovelier.
Since their accidental collision, a few feet below from where they were currently stood, a few weeks prior, Jane had become incredibly conscious of the rosy tinge of her cheeks every time he said something nice to her; she wasn't used to it at all. It had been a long time since she last received attention from a man, and even then they weren't as respectful or as lovely as Jack was towards her. Jane wasn't a romantic, or at least she didn't think she was. Yet she'd been reacquainted with this man for a few weeks now and she refused to imagine her life without him. Jack was the most caring, understanding and supportive person she'd ever met - and he had a smile that made her swoon.
"Say, I can walk you back to your flat if you'd like? I 'ave one more street left, if you don't mind the scenic route."
"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to get in the way."
"Not a problem. Anythink for you, Jane." Jane smiled; she loved the way he says her name and the shy look he gives her every time he says it.
"I would like that very much. Thank you."
For a moment, they stood in comfortable silence smiling sweetly at one another. Faces somehow closer by the second; an unspoken invitation as noses almost touch. A few stolen moments in each other's company until, out of nowhere, loud footsteps could be heard along with laughter as the door to the nursery opened. Almost.
"Aunt Jane?" Called a slightly confused Georgie, before he ran straight into her.
Jane's hazel eyes grew wide. "Georgie, my darling." Jane replied, bending down slightly, wrapping her arms round her nephew for a hug.
"I came upstairs for Gilly. What are you doing up here?" He asked, looking up at her; oblivious to Jack's presence on the balcony. "And why are your cheeks pink?"
"I was just...um... saying hello to Jack." Jack stifled a laugh, finding Jane's sudden inability to find the words to answer her small nephew rather endearing.
The slight sound caused Georgie to turn his head slightly, where it was cradled against his aunt's collarbone, to see Jack, Mary Poppins' lamplighter friend, holding on to the railings. He curled his fingers into a wave as he turned his head back into his aunt's neck for a deeper cuddle. As he did this, Jane kissed the crown of his head and tightened her arms around him
"I'll see you in a minute." He said, as she looked back up at him. And with that he began to make his way back down the balcony, to pack up his ladder and lighting stick.
It wasn't long until the front door of no.17 Cherry Tree Lane flew open again, with Jane saying her goodbyes to Michael, Ellen and the children with quick kisses and hugs.
"Goodbye, Aunt Jane!"
"I'll see you all very soon. Goodbye."
In her efforts to reach Jack as quickly as possible, who was waiting with his bike at the end of the gate for her, she missed the little exchange of looks between Michael and Ellen.
"Hi." Jane smiled at him as she positioned herself on the front of the bike. Jack couldn't help but notice the sparkle in her eyes when she smiled.
"'ello again. Are you ready?"
Jack only looked back briefly, catching a warm, yet protective, look from Michael.
When Jack said he would take her the scenic route home, he wasn't kidding. In the soft glow of the lamplights, London was breathtaking. Though, when she expressed this out loud, he couldn't help but think that she was even more so; puddles from the rain in the afternoon, the sound of the wind blowing gently through the trees, stars twinkling isn't the sky. There really was nothing quite like it.
It was Jane who brushed her hand against Jack's first, where she initially started to gently stroke his pinky finger with hers. But it was Jack who slowly moved his hand so his fingers could intertwine with hers, turning to look at her at just the right time to catch her smile sweetly as she stared at her feet.
Not long after, they'd stopped outside a slight high rise building surrounded by a black metal gate. The short gravel path to the entrance of the flats was surrounded with little daisies and every storey was adorned with a small iron fenced balcony, with a hanging basket. And there was a lone lamplight outside of the gate. It wasn't anything fancy, nothing like the house she grew up in down Cherry Tree Lane, but it was pretty and it was hers.
Still holding his hand, Jane turned so she was now facing him. "Thank you for walking me home. I forget how beautiful London can be, especially in the dark. All the lights, the water under the twinkling stars. Beautiful."
"As I said, anythink for you, Jane. I s'pose you just have know the best places to look." Came the slightly cheeky reply from Jack, as he flashed that gentle, gorgeous smile that she adored so much. "I should get going. When can I see you again?"
Jane beamed. "How does tomorrow evening sound?" She shocked herself with her quick response. "If you come here, I will cook us dinner."
"Sounds perfect."
Of course, she didn't quite catch what he had said; their faces edging closer by the second, his hands now resting on her waist. A quick hitch of breath as he closed the space between them and caught her lips with his. His lips were slightly rough, she reasoned it was probably because he spends most of his time outside in the cold, but the kiss was soft and gentle in contrast. Jane felt herself quickly melting into him as her hands travelled slowly from his arms to his chest, but he gently pulled away sooner than she would have liked.
As she slowly opened her eyes again, Jack was looking at her in a way that made her swoon. "I've wanted to do that since the spring fair." as he reached for her hands again and laughed, "I'm so in love with you." Jane's heart skip another beat. His accidental admission made him stiffen, because he didn't realise he had said it out loud - worried it was too early to admit just how much he adored her. "S'pose I should get going. G'night, lovely Jane."
Jane hadn't moved, overwhelmed with adoration for this lovely man before her. "Good night, Jack." She replied, still in a slight daze. Jack gave Jane a quick kiss on the cheek then made his way back to his bike that propped up under the lamppost.
"Wait!" It came from nowhere; she hadn't even intended to say anything, at least not out loud, she had nothing to follow through. She'd only just processed what he had just said to her. He stared at her slightly confused. That was until Jane ran up to him again, wrapped her arms around his neck, tilted her head slightly and kissed him again. Like their last kiss, Jane gently caught his bottom lip between hers, sighing softly against his mouth. Only this time she deepened it by gently pushing her tongue to meet his. Tangled tongues and feather-light touches; it wasn't a desperate kiss, but the sensation made her shiver and instinctively try and pull him closer. Bliss.
When breathing was of the essence, Jane reluctantly let go with a soft whimper. Noses still touching, laboured breathing almost synchronised, arms still holding the other as close as possible. "I've wanted to do that since the spring fair." She breathed, as she gazed up at him. "And Jack. I love you too."