AUTHOR'S NOTES: Phew! Okay, I think there's quite a lot packed into his chapter, but I don't think it's too overwhelming...hopefully I'm right? Anyway, I hope you enjoy!
Please leave a review so I know if you liked it or not! :)
Come What May - Chapter 3
As Mary stepped out onto the street she sighed and a strong sense of relief washed over her like a soothing wave. She felt as if a weight had dropped from her shoulders and she felt fully relaxed for the first time since the news of her pregnancy. She began to walk towards park, knowing full well that Bert would still be there, she felt a slight surge of excitement move through her, like a child with butterfly sensations. She knew he'd be happy for her, not just because it would reduce the possibility of them facing any sort of financial strain; but she knew that he would gift her a smile that would sparkle in the sunlight, a smile that would tell her how proud he was, how happy he was. He would give her a smile that would silently speak a thousand words.
As she neared the park she saw him kneeling on the ground, his gentle eyes fixated on his creations; his artistic hands brushed lightly with the chalk and given enough time, he could transform the rough ground of London into something beautiful. He could make it into something you could lose yourself in, a colourful meadow or a glittering circus…he could make you forget all of your troubles. To Mary, that was truly magical. Her heart warmed at the sight of him, the man that was like no other she knew, the man she adored. She stood behind him, merely a few feet away and simply marvelled at his craft. She had always told him that she could watch him for hours and become amazed as he transformed something rugged into something artistically stunning.
Mary felt her lips pull into a smile, the kind of smile that is uncontrollable; even if she didn't want it there she knew it would stay. He had that miraculous effect on her, this unknown ability to make everything bad melt away when he so much as looked at her, to cause a blush to rise to her cheeks; she wished that she could bottle this feeling, and bottle the way he always looked at her in return. These moments that made her unconditionally happy. Mary took a few steps forward and allowed her shadow to cast over his work. Bert stopped drawing immediately and felt a smile sweep across his face, the same kind of smile that Mary wore. He stood up and looked at her adoringly.
"Back so soon, Mary?"
"It would appear so" She said, almost shyly.
"Well don't leave me 'anging in suspense, what did the Banks say?" His every word was accompanied with a confident smile, as if he knew that Mary was brining good news. Mary kept smiling back.
"Well, you seem to have a pretty good idea already -" she teased, "—but to cut a terribly long story short the Banks family kindly offered me some part time employment!" She announced proudly.
Bert strode towards her and wrapped his arms around her tightly. Mary winced again, her nausea still manifesting within her, but the security of Bert's embrace was too dream-like to ask him to stop.
"I'm so proud of you!" He beamed as he pulled away. Mary blushed slightly.
"I really didn't do anything; it's the Banks family we have to thank"
"'ow did Mr Banks handle everythin'? I know he's different since last time, but I know 'e wasn't the most understandin' fella…" Bert said tentatively.
"It's safe to say that he was rather fractious about it at first, I was quite sure that he'd send me away, but after a bit of a one sided discussion on my part, he seemed to come around to the idea…" She smirked. Bert moved his hands to rest lightly on her shoulders.
"I'm glad to 'ear it…did either of 'em ask anythin' about…well…us?"
Us.
"Naturally Mrs Banks inquired and I kept true to our story and said that we were in fact married…she fondly reminisced about when you flooded their house with chimney sweeps!"
Bert smiled with childlike embarrassment and rubbed the back of his head.
"As for Mr Banks, well, he didn't get much of a chance to speak, but I'm sure he will be told soon enough"
"Are you okay with all of this, Mary?"
"What do you mean?"
"Living this lie…we don't 'ave to, you know?"
It sounded like an accidental proposal.
"Bert, after all that's happened over the past two days, a small lie about the nature of our relationship is the least of my worries" She gave him a half smile.
'What exactly is our relationship?' was what he wanted to ask her so desperately.
Instead he just smiled and said,
"You're right…so 'ow long are you gonna be workin' for them?"
"Well, we didn't specify a longitudinal period, but I'll be with the Banks family in the mornings and evening every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and then full days on Saturday. I start tomorrow."
"Is that gonna be alright for you, you know, later on?"
Mary blushed as his concern for her.
"Mrs Banks assured me that my duties can be rearranged to something less strenuous if needed" her breathing was deep as she spoke from the dull twisting in her stomach.
"Good, I don't want you collapsing on me" He laughed slightly. Mary let herself chuckle too.
"Well, I'll try my best to stay upright"
"Oh, do Jane and Michael know about you?"
"They weren't there when I arrived; they're at school most of the time now"
"What about you bein' pregnant? Is Mrs Banks gonna tell 'em?"
"I would assume so, they're old enough to understand…if she doesn't I suppose I'll have to tell them, it would be most inappropriate not to"
"And they'd find out sooner or later"
"Exactly"
Mary suspected that out of everyone she had told telling Jane and Michael would the most challenging…after Bert, of course. She didn't know why, perhaps it was because they were young, or perhaps it was because for the longest time she had loved them like her own children…and now she was on the way to really having her own child. She felt goose bumps travel up her arms, but Bert gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze.
"You're nervous, aren't you?"
"I wouldn't normally admit it, but yes, I am"
"It'll be okay, you know?"
Mary looked up into his eyes and instantly knew that he was right. And she knew that even if everything did collapse they would be there to carry each other through it.
"Perhaps a nice stroll through a chalk drawing will make you feel better?" He suggested with a raised eyebrow.
My smiled and shook her head lightly, she was always amazed at his positive attitude towards everything; of course, he knew the appropriate times to act as such, but sometimes his cheery way of thinking came as a pleasant surprise.
"Are you sure that's the best idea, Bert? It's nearly midday and you said yourself that it was the best time to be working in the park…"
"Mary, I'm perfectly happy with being a few tuppence poorer if it means you're happy"
Again Mary began to ask herself the question that she never seemed to have an answer for…what on earth did she do to deserve Bert? She took his hand with a euphoric smile and headed towards his drawings.
0ooooooooooo0
George Banks knew that he was expected to return to the bank, but instead he found himself stood against the fireplace replaying his exchange with Mary Poppins over and over in his head. He found himself faced with so many questions and his understanding of this woman was decaying more and more as the minutes passed.
He still felt hurt over the upset that she had caused his two children – regardless of whether or not it was intentional - and still held the strong opinion that her decision to leave was unprofessional and unjustified, he thought it was preposterous that she thought she had the right to bend the rules of her own employment without any kind of negotiation; after all, he was a man and the head of the household. But he felt something change after she had spoken to him, like he had gained a whole new kind of respect for her. Of course, he didn't disrespect women, and he certainly did not disrespect Mary Poppins; but she had spoken with such passion, he had never really seen that in her before, she always presented herself as being so calm and collected. He admired her fearless attitude, that desire to fight for what she wanted; it was that very same attitude that made him adore his wife.
But he had this twisting sense of confusion every time he thought about her coming back to work for them, he had to admit that he didn't know her all that well, but he had never expected her to get pregnant; obviously it was a normal developmental step that practically every woman went through, but to George, she seemed so dedicated to her work, he was sure that she wouldn't give it up to have children…at least not for a while longer. And then his next question hit him suddenly, was the woman married?! He had never heard her mention any husband and he would've made sure to enquire about his nanny's personal life, after all, he didn't want a married nanny that would be too distracted by her husband. Of course, now he'd manage to hire a pregnant and part time nanny. He shook his head lightly, if his children hadn't of been so fond of her he would've sent her away without a second thought. Some would call him cold hearted, but he saw it as being rational.
"Winifred" he called. She was by his side almost instantly; her mood had heightened almost annoyingly since Mary had returned.
"I forgot to ask whilst she was still here, but…Mary Poppins is married, isn't she?" He asked almost nervously.
"Why of course she is, George, she's married to Bert"
"Who on earth is Bert?"
"You know, that nice chimney sweep that looked after Jane and Michael once"
"What? You mean that childish buffoon that let also those chimney sweeps dance around the house?"
"Yes, that one" Winifred said with an innocent smile.
"Hmmm, I might have guessed, they're just as ridiculous as each other" He scoffed.
"Now, George, that's a bit harsh don't you think?"
"Perhaps so…-" he reflected, "—still, it's nice to know that Mary Poppins is in fact married" he stated.
"Come now, George, would it really matter if she wasn't married?"
"Of course it would, you have to be a frightfully immoral person to go around having those kinds of…relations outside of a marriage bed. Just think, if a person can happily sleep with a man out of wedlock, well, then she'd happily do that with the rest of London!" He barked.
"Oh, don't exaggerate!"
"Off to those insane asylums, that's where people like that belong!"
"Now, George! How could you be so insensitive?!"
"I hardly think I'm -"
"—you know, George, sometimes women don't always have a choice in these matters, sometimes they are met with tragedy and no one to will help them…" Winifred trailed off as she saw the expression on her husband's face drop.
"You're quite right…I apologise…" He said quietly. She flashed him a quick smile.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, Mrs Pankhurst and her daughter are holding a rally and it would be quite rude of me to be late!" She began to practically march towards the door and whistled a familiar tune.
"Oh for goodness sake, what kind of militant escapades are you up to now?" He called behind her.
"Nothing too serious, dear" were her final words before the door closed behind her. George sighed and almost smiled, there was that fire that he respected.
"Ellen -" he called, "—I'm heading back to work now so don't for get to bring the children home from school"
"Yes, Mr Banks" She replied in a dry tone.
He almost smiled at her sarcasm too. Perhaps it was some mystical power that Mary Poppins possessed, but he could feel that happiness rise both within and around him. He walked out onto the street and found that the air had grown warmer, something almost magical was in the air, but he really couldn't figure out why he had started to feel so good. London was beginning to grown busier with the afternoon crowds and horses trotted proudly along the roads with admirable guests in tow. A slight breeze picked up as he round towards the park and golden leaves spiralled around him like a gentle tornado. Children younger than his own ran with carefree excitement around the park or let their kites soar in the autumnal breeze; at this point in time, he would've believed that the entire world felt happy.
He saw families on afternoon strolls and his mind drifted past Mary Poppins, he thought that even if her current situation made for almost pointless employment he was glad that she was coming back as he was grateful for all that she did for his family. Not only had she made his children so happy, but she had opened his eyes to the loving family he was lucky enough to have. His wife whom he loved and his two beautiful children that simply wanted to be loved…He now knew why he felt so happy; it was because the woman that had changed his life for the better was now returning. As he walked past the park George noticed two or three dainty chalk drawings displayed on the pavement, he took the time to look at them when he noticed something scrawled next to them in white letters.
'All donations are greatly appreciated!
~ Bert!'
George began to wonder if this explained all of the nonsense stories Jane and Michael told him about them jumping into chalk drawings and participating in horse races and fox hunts.
'Seems like this husband of Mary Poppins' is quite a jack-of-all-trades, a chimney sweep and a screever!" he thought to himself humorously.
He looked around for the man in question with the hope of leaving a donation, but was puzzled when he found the area absent with no sign of Bert. He frowned before carrying on with his journey.
'Perhaps another time?"
0oooooooooooo0
Mary and Bert sat at the top of a hill that overlook endless fields filled with the most luscious green grass, a gentle breeze carried bird song through the air and whipped around their bodies and awoke them to the nature stimulated their senses. Trees danced in that self same breeze, creating a smooth visual illusion that would calm even the most tense of people. The horizon appeared to go on forever, as if it really were just field after field, with each one holding something new to discover. By looking hard enough Mary could just catch a glimpse of chimney smoke from picturesque cottages spiralling into the sky – like a flock of birds creating art. The sky was an abundance of the most calming blue tones with families of clichéd fluffy clouds as company. Mary let her hands rest on the grass beneath her; it was soft to the touch, like nature's very own cushion. Bert looked over at Mary, her profile was framed beautifully by the sunlight as she gazed out over the fields, and the wind caused her hair to flutter gently within its rigid bun. She wore a lacy lilac dress that he'd drawn especially for her, it framed her figure generously and he was quite sure that he'd never seen anything so stunning. He felt himself smile, wishing that he could capture this moment forever.
"Mary Poppins, you look absolutely beautiful!" He said with a shy smile. Mary blushed fiercely and turned to look at him.
"Honestly?" She asked him quietly.
"Would I ever lie to you, Mary?" He commented softly and she gave him an adoring smile. "Talk to me, Mary" He said.
"About what?"
"Tell me why you're feelin' nervous about Jane and Michael"
Mary was defensively silent for a moment and her gaze moved to the ground, but she knew what Bert was trying to do; he'd convinced her to jump into the drawing so that they could be alone, thus making her feel safe and relaxed, so that when she spoke about her problems they seemed less real. She was mildly embarrassed about how she felt, but she knew that talking about it would help her.
"I think it's rather difficult to explain…it think it's because I'm going back to them, Mrs Banks has assured me numerous times that they're not upset with me, but sometimes I can picture them giving me this look that shows the hurt and distrust in their eyes…leaving a family has always been hard, but leaving Jane and Michael was definitely the hardest…those two were special to me, more special than any other child had been…and I know they're going to ask me why I left, and I'm going to have to look at them and give them an answer that doesn't make sense, even if it's the truth. But the one thing that truly scares me, is the possibility of them resenting me; if I go there and they say they don't want me around because I hurt them…-" Mary's voice was starting to crack, "—I don't think I could bear it…"
Mary started to cry. Bert couldn't bear to see her like this, it made his heart ache. Bert snaked his arms around her and pulled her body into his, he held her there securely and let her cry into his jacket. Her smoothed one of his hands up and down her back and tried his best to comfort her.
"I'm sorry, Bert -" she whimpered, "—this is so unlike me…"
"Hey, shhhh, it's okay, it's okay" he soothed.
"I think this pregnancy is messing with my emotions" Mary continued to cry into him and she could feel his words hot against the side of her head.
"I can't imagine 'ow difficult this must be for you…"
"I'll be fine…I'm just not feeling my usual self at the moment" she tried to excuse through her tears.
"Mary, I 'ave always admired your strength and perseverance, but this is new for us both and it's going to take its toll on you more than me…and that really make me upset…maybe you should take it easy for a few days?"
Mary's tears began to slow, but she kept her face pressed against Bert's chest and he held onto her protectively.
"I'll be fine Bert, I'm just being stupidly emotional…it'll pass just as soon as it came"
"It's not stupid, Mary, you can't control any of this, so promise me that if you feel like it's getting too much for you, then you'll take a step back…true strength is knowing when you need to ask for help" She had finally managed to stop her tears and she moved her head so that she could look up at him, "Promise me?" He repeated.
"I promise" she squeaked. He leaned in to her and feathered a kiss on her cheek and he let his lips linger there.
Mary's eyes snapped shut and the feeling of his lips against her skin and she found herself scandalously imagining his lips moving across to her own. But a kiss on the cheek was all he gave her. Bert had thought about being bold enough to kiss her properly, to kiss her in the way that he wanted to, but to take advantage of her in such an emotional state would be the last thing he would ever do to her; and even if the circumstance had been different he was still laced with fear. Every time they were close to each other in this way they could feel some unspoken force pulling them together and their minds begin daring them to take things that one step further.
When Bert's lips rested on Mary's cheek his mind began to ask him what could happen if his kisses got closer and closer to her lips, asking him if she would do it or if he would have to. His mind almost worked against the voice of reason, like a Freudian disaster. He felt like his mind was telling him to move things forward at a pace that would almost be invisible, just to see if she would return his gestures and feelings. But he dared himself not to listen to his mind's wants.
Sure he had kissed her on the night she came back to London, but they were both in emotional states with the new and terrifying news of her pregnancy; they both felt more level headed about everything now and more driven by reason. Yet they were still so confused about each other, it almost seemed ridiculous that two people could make love to each other and practically decide that they want this kind of relationship and then let that agreement fall into the shadows, after all, their feelings hadn't changed. But the prospect of a baby added so many twists into the mix, a new dynamic between them. They had already forced each other into a pregnancy and parental commitment; they didn't want to complicate the matter further by forcing the other into a relationship that they might not want.
"Sometimes I still feel scared about all of this" Mary admitted quietly. Bert left the tip of his nose resting against Mary's cheek.
"I do too, Mary…do you think it'll pass with time? Do you think it'll get easier?"
"I think we'll learn to adjust with each new step"
"I think it's normal to be scared" He whispered.
"So do I"
Bert swallowed hard and finally pulled his face away from hers, but he kept her held tightly in his arms. They spent a long amount of time simply admiring the view in front of them – which allowed them to both compose themselves and let their heightened emotions fall. It was a long time before one of them spoke again.
"I'll be drawing in the park for the rest of the week, so you can bring Jane an' Michael down at some point if you like…it'd be nice to see 'em again"
"I might just do they, I'm sure they'd love to see you too"
"I'll make sure to draw up some somethin' extra exciting for 'em" he said with a smile.
"You're an absolute star, Bert!"
"I try my best!" He joked.
He loved this, when they could just sit, talk and laugh with each other, with no worries about anything or anyone else. When they could just be themselves.
"It's beautiful here" Mary commented – finding it impossible to draw her eyes away from the stunning scenery that Bert had drawn for them. It was then that Bert stood up, gazed down at Mary and offered her his hand.
"What on earth are you doing, Bert?" Mary asked with a slight laugh.
"Dance with me, Mary" He requested softly.
"You can't be serious?" She questioned with a slight laugh.
But Bert just kept giving her his token smile, that smile that made her heart light. After only a few seconds she gave in and took his hand graciously. He pulled her up to him gently and he took one hand into hers and let his other slid to her waist. They began to gently move around the hill – their bodies staying close. They swayed to the light force of the wind and kept their eyes locked. Dancing was something that certainly wasn't new to them, almost every time they met they found themselves waltzing through one of Bert's drawings; it was a comfortable closeness that they both enjoyed – another one of those moments that made the rest of the world go silent. Mary loved the way they moved perfectly in time, it was almost otherworldly. But Mary began to feel her stomach knot and twist once again and her head felt light. Bert could see the colour dropping from her face.
"Mary, are you okay?"
She stumbled forward slightly and landed into his arms, she gripped onto his shoulders for support and Bert let her lean on him completely until she could steady herself.
"Mary, what's wrong?"
Mary blinked several times and ran a hand across her forehead.
"I've been feeling quite nauseated all day, I guess it just caught up with me quite suddenly" She said, almost trying to brush it off.
"You should've said somethin'"
"It really hasn't been as bad as it might sound…-" she reasoned, "—it's only now that it's starting to affect me more severely"
"I'm taking you back 'ome" He told her.
Normally Mary would have protested and ensured him that she was fine, but the sickness she was feeling seemed to grow worse.
"I think that might be best" she said weakly.
Before they knew it they back on the streets of London with that same gentle breeze caressing their bodies – their normal clothes now returned to them. Bert wrapped his arm supportively around her shoulder and led her back towards his flat as quick as they both could go; Mary managed to walk upright for the journey, but felt almost as if she could collapse. She hated this feeling of instability, this helplessness that she was eliciting.
"Are you okay?" He whispered to her at several intervals.
"I'm okay" She would breathe back. She had to admit that Bert may have been overreacting, but the compassion he showed for her almost made her weep.
It wasn't long until they found themselves entering Bert's flat and Mary instantly sat on the bed, her head still feeling light – like a painful icy sensation across her forehead that forced her eyes shut, and her stomach was still cramping. Bert sat next to her and put his arm around her shoulder.
"I want you to stay 'ere and get some rest…" he said softly, "…I think this 'as taken its toll on you a bit…now I'm gonna be at the park for a few more hours an' then I've gotta go with the sweeps, I was meant to stay with 'em until nightfall but I'm gonna come back early to make sure you're okay…"
"You don't have to do that, Bert…" Mary reasoned in a frail voice.
"I know I don't 'ave to, but I want to"
God he made her feel like no other person on earth, he treated her like she was his oxygen and the way he looked at her made her feel something that transcended all other emotions. It made her chest flutter in a way that was – in its simplest form – magical.
"I'll come and see you before I go with the sweeps"
"Thank you" were the only words she could muster.
"Mary, you really don't need to thank me…"
"No, I do…you just care so much…"
"Of course I do" he replied simply, not really knowing what else to say.
He kept his arm around her for a few moments, giving her a moment to relax and she didn't want him to let her go; she just wanted to be held in his arms for as long as she could. She felt that force between them again, like a magnet and she could feel it creeping up her spine. She could feel Bert's eyes burning into her which made her body feel numb. She wished she could be braver…or at least, she wished that things could be different between them. But eventually Bert's arm was no longer holding her and he moved towards the door.
"Get some rest, Mary" She told her softly. Mary nodded simply and watched Bert leave through the door.
She stayed sat there for a moment, her stomach still twisting painfully, the spinning sensation she felt had lessened and so she got up from the bed and took her carpet bag into the bathroom. Once there she stripped herself of her clothes and looked upon her naked body in the full length mirror. As she looked herself up and down she saw something that made her inhale sharply: she could see that her stomach was now producing the tiniest curve; no one could've seen it if they weren't looking for it, but Mary could definitely see it. Of course, at only two months pregnant it was hardly noticeable, but it had a profound effect on her.
Seeing the minute curve dropped heavy realisation onto her shoulders and it was at this point in time that she began to realise what she was about to face; it was at this point that everything felt so real. She took a breath and tried to work out how she felt, naturally the fear she had felt since the beginning was still present, but she also felt emptiness…like something wasn't complete…She smoothed her hand over it lightly before pulling a cream coloured nightgown out of her carpet bag; she slipped it over her figure and steadily made her way back to the bed as her nausea had not softened. She slid underneath the soft blankets and let the gentle pull of sleep take her away.
0ooooooooooo0
When Winifred strode proudly through the door of her home she was greeted by an excitable embrace from her two equally excitable children; she laughed lightly and wrapped her arms around them both.
"Hello, you two, did you both have a good day at school?"
"It was wonderful!" said Jane gleefully.
"Well, I think I know something that's going to make you feel even better!" Winifred teased.
"What is it?" Michael asked curiously.
"Someone very special came to visit me today…"
"It wasn't another one of father's friends from the bank, was it?" Jane questioned.
"No it wasn't…" Winifred paused for a moment as she tried to prepare herself for the potential reaction of her children. She beamed brightly before saying, "…the person who visited me today was Mary Poppins!" Jane and Michael's mouths both dropped and they remained in a stunned silence. "Well, aren't you going to say anything?"
"Did you really see Mary Poppins, mother?"
"Of course I did, Jane!"
"Is she with another family?" Jane asked fearfully.
"No she isn't, and so I asked her if she wanted to come back and work for us again, and do you know what she said?"
Jane and Michael looked up at her with nervous anticipation.
"She said yes!" Winifred announced excitably.
Jane and Michael bounced around with glee and practically cheered.
"That's amazing!" exclaimed Michael.
"But, there is something important I need to tell you about Mary Poppins" Winifred said seriously; at that moment Jane and Michael's celebrations seemed to stop instantly, but their young minds struggled to fathom what their mother might have to tell them so they simply stayed silent and waited.
"You see…-" Winifred began, not really knowing how to properly articulate the situation to them, "…Mary Poppins is only going to be working for us a little bit because…well, because she's having a baby" Winifred smiled at them as they processed this.
She knew that it would be difficult for them to fully understand this, but they were intelligent children and she knew that they would at least be able to understand that this would bring about a change in the nanny.
"Do you mean it, mother?"
"I do, Mary Poppins is going to have a baby which means that she might get tired easily and she will eventually have to stop working"
Their faces dropped again.
"But don't worry, she is going to be with us for quite a long time before she has to leave again and you'll be able to have fun with her like you did before!" Winifred reassured them.
"What happens when someone is having a baby?" Michael asked his mother.
"Well, at first she'll start getting tired easily and she might feel a bit unwell, but you'll notice that Mary's tummy will get bigger because there's a baby in there"
"But if she's tired, doesn't that mean that we won't be able to have as much fun?" was Michael's next question.
"I don't think so, Michael, I think Mary Poppins is very special and she will definitely find a way to make sure that you all have fun together" Said Winifred with a smile, "Anyway, it's very exciting when a woman is having a baby, are you excited for her?" she prompted.
"I am!" Jane said with a beaming smile, "I think it's wonderful that Mary Poppins is going to be a mother just like you!"
"Well, I think it's going to be boring…" Michael mumbled.
"Now, Michael, you should be excited for Mary Poppins, think of how happy she'll be when she can have a child of her own to love with her husband"
"Mary Poppins has a husband?" they seemed to ask in unison.
"Oh, so she didn't tell you either? Well, she's married to that lovely man Bert!"
"Bert? She's married to Bert?!" Jane gasped.
"That's what she told me"
"Oh, that's so lovely!" was her daughter's reply "Does that mean that Bert is the baby's father?"
Winifred laughed with a slight blush.
"Yes it does" Winifred turned her attention back to Michael.
"Cheer up, Michael, you're very lucky that Mary Poppins wanted to come back, most women wouldn't dare work whilst having a baby…if they had the choice"
"I guess so" he replied with a slightly happier tone.
"Good, you should be happy for her!"
"Okay, mother" he said to her with a small smile tugging at his lips.
"Good boy, now, she's going to start work tomorrow, she'll be here in the mornings and evenings three days a week and you'll have every Saturday with her, so I'm sure she'll find something fun for you both to do"
"Does father know that Mary Poppins is coming back?" inquired Jane.
"He does."
"Is he angry with her? He seemed very annoyed with her after she left" Michael commented.
"Your father was a bit angry at first, but he had a good talk with Mary Poppins and so he's not angry with her anymore…now, why don't you two go up to your room?"
The two children ran up the stairs excitedly and were thrilled by the prospect of Mary Poppins' return.
"Oh, I just can't believe that Mary Poppins is coming back!" Jane cheered, "Do you think it'll be just like the last time?"
"It'll probably be different…" groaned Michael, "I don't know how…but I just know it will be…mother wouldn't have spoken to us so seriously if it would all be the same"
"But we'll still get to have adventures, Michael! And like mother said, you should be happy that Mary Poppins is going to have a child of her own!"
"Why should I be?"
"Because if you're not, it's rude!" Jane announced. Michael folded his arms.
"Mary Poppins will be the most loving mother that ever lived!" said Jane in a daydream like state.
"She should be treating us like that instead…like she did last time"
"You're so mean, Michael! -" then she stopped, "—are you jealous, Michael?"
"No" he huffed.
"It's not nice to be jealous, Michael…Mary Poppins will still have fun with us, I'm sure she wouldn't have come back just to be strict and boring…she's not like that" Jane reassured him, or at least tried to.
"Why do you think she left us, Jane?"
"Bert said it was because someone else needed her"
"But we never wanted her to leave!"
"I know…but I believe what Bert told us" Jane sighed.
"Do you think she really did love us?" that was a question they had asked themselves for many months.
"Bert said she did…" reasoned Jane. "…and I believe him"
0ooooooooooo0
Bert opened the door tentatively and entered his flat with soft footsteps; he dropped his bag of chalk into the spare room and eventually found Mary sound asleep in his bed. He smiled at the sight of her and felt a soothing sensation move through his chest. He made his way over to the bed and knelt in front of the woman that he cared so much for. She slept softly with a face that showed her at her most innocent; her features were tender and she was pure - like a delicate rose or freshly fallen snow. She was beautiful like this, with her face free of tension; her sleep giving her nothing but tranquillity. Even the clouds would seem rough in comparison. Her body moved gently to the temperate tempo of her breathing. There was something truly magical about her in this moment, the way her face was so delicate, it made something soothing radiate from her. Bert lips stretched into a benevolent smile and his gazed rested on her face – his eyes calm. He felt captured by her beauty and grace, as she was now, and always was, the very embodiment of it.
He ran the back of his hand down her cheek gently so that he would not wake her, but enough to feel her soft skin against his; he would never be able to fathom words that could appropriately convey his feelings for her, but every time he laid eyes on her he felt some strong emotion flow through his body in a wave. It was something that made his heart tremble. He promised himself that he would tell her how he felt one day – hopefully sooner rather than later. He took his promise further by assuring himself that he would never put any pressure on Mary to pursue a relationship with him, if she wanted to remain friends throughout all of this, then friends they would be. After all, his feelings for her seemed to transcended all know definitions, he would not chase after her heart if he knew it would hurt her; his happiness grew from hers so he swore that he would live by Mary's future wishes – knowing full well that if Mary wore a smile on her face, then he would wear one too.
Bert slowly began to lean forward, and when he was close enough he let his lips brush over Mary's forehead – the kiss was shy but held a thousand loving words behind it. Words that he did not know how to say, and even if he did, would probably never have to courage to say. He finally moved away from her to retrieve his soot covered chimney brushes from the spare room – the spare room that always seemed to make his imagination dance with possibility. He always preferred actions over words. He took a moment to gaze over Mary's resting figure once more.
"See you soon, Mary" were his final – practically silent words, before he left the flat.
0ooooooooo0
The warm dusk that had painted the skies over London began to roll away to allow the presence of nightfall. Stars eventually began to glitter above the towering buildings and reminded the sweeps of how lucky they were. They gathered on an empty rooftop and spent their remaining hours together dancing, singing or admiring the astral artwork above them. The gentle flow of smoke from several chimneys swept gentle above them – causing serenity. The view of the city allowed relaxation to wash over them, as if they were suspended in time – a time where they could do nothing but enjoy the view they were blessed with. At this moment, they didn't have to worry about how much their next job would pay them or what tomorrow would bring, at this moment they could let all their troubles evaporate. But there was one man who seemed to be withdrawn. Bert had been his usual cheery self throughout the day, but when the time came to finally celebrate the completion of their work, the other sweeps observed the way he leaned against a crumbling chimney and stared at the stars vacantly.
"Oi, Bert! -" a young sweep by the name of Tommy shouted, "—what's on yer mind?"
Bert's head shook slightly as he was brought back to reality; he smiled slightly at his fellow sweep.
"Ah, nothin'…just been a bit preoccupied lately…" he excused flippantly, but Tommy knew him better than that.
"Bert, I've known you for too long to believe that" he laughed.
Bert sighed. He had fought with himself about whether or not he should tell the other sweeps, after all, they all knew Mary Poppins and enjoyed her company…for reasons that often extended past her fun loving nature…but he asked himself why should he tell them? He and Mary had things as organised as they could possibly be and there was nothing they could really do to help either of them. Emotional support, maybe? It was a convoluted and personal matter that didn't really involve any of the sweeps, if they weren't told they would probably just ask why she didn't come up and visit them at the end of the day like she used to.
But Bert eventually decided that all of the sweeps were some of his closest friends, they all managed to put smiles on each other's faces and Bert was grateful for that, but he didn't want to go and announce it like it was some huge romantic development in his life with Mary. He pondered with the idea of just telling Tommy, but would that really solve anything? It would either spread gossip or would put him right back in the same questioning position that he started in. How would he even go about telling them? He couldn't just say that he'd accidentally gotten her pregnant and that was the life they were now living…that would be far too awkward. Two more sweeps joined them.
"Cheer up, Bert, it's not the end of the world, ya know?" laughed the older sweep.
"Very funny, Felix" Bert replied shyly.
"I'd give it up if I were you -" laughed the youngest sweep – Oliver, "I tried askin' about 'is troubles earlier and 'e wouldn't say a word"
"There's really nothin' to talk about" Bert didn't want them to worry about him.
"Well, if it's not that important, then there's no 'arm in tellin' us, is there?" Felix remarked.
"It's not that…there is somethin' on my mind, and it is important, but…and I don't mean for this to be offensive…but I don't think that tellin' anyone is gonna 'elp" Bert explained.
"Bert, just talk to us, it'll cause no 'arm" Tommy added.
"Fine" Bert gave in, "Well, it's about Mary Poppins…" the three sweeps all began to smile at the mention of her name, "You see…about a month ago, she and I, well…we spent the night together -" his voice was quiet on those words.
The sweeps seemed impressed with his story, but the look on Bert's face told them that there was more to come – so they stayed quiet.
"I didn't see her for a month after that because she 'ad to work over in Bristol, but she came back to London not too long ago and, well…she told me that she's pregnant…with my child"
My child. Those words seemed to catch in his throat as he realised it fully.
That kept the sweeps quiet, that kept all of them quiet, it was something that Bert still hadn't fully comprehended; he was growing more and more accustomed to the situation, but with Mary's recent sickness the guilt had started to creep back up his spine.
"We've got most things sorted out; we're stickin' together through it…but she's been real sick lately because of it an' I just feel guilty"
There was another moment of heavy silence as each sweep took their time in formulating there response. But Felix was the first to speak…
"I'm sure Mary 'as already told you this, Bert, but it ain't your fault, and it ain't Mary's either, the important thing is that you stay together through this…when Maria was pregnant with our first child…well, it wasn't easy, but it would've been much 'arder if we hadn't stuck together…an' don't worry about any sickness, it'll pass with time, just make sure you're there for her when she needs you"
"Are you an' Mary, like, together…?" asked Oliver cautiously.
Bert was never one to open up about his relationship with Mary, even when they were just friends, he prided himself on his gentlemanly nature, but he supposed this conversation made it a relevant topic.
"I really don't know…" he muttered.
"'ow can you not know?" questioned Oliver.
"When it was a month ago it all seemed like it would work out that way, we'd never said anythin' to each other but it just felt like that's 'ow it would all work out, but since she came back, an' since she told me about her…situation…things 'ave been a bit different, it kinda feels we're on the edge of somethin'…we keep 'aving these moments…but as of right now…well, there's nothin' really to say"
"Bert, I know there may be more important matters at hand…" Felix began, "…but let me give you this piece of advice man-to-man. There are few times in this world where we get to be truly 'appy and I've seen the way to you look at Mary, the way yer face lights up when someone mentions her name…it's the way I look at Maria, so if you really do feel somethin' special for her, you should tell her, otherwise you'll regret it"
"I just don't wanna put any pressure on her…"
"Well, tell her that too, but, Bert, telling her how you feel isn't the same as getting' down on one knee an' offerin' her a ring…you're just telling her the truth that she deserves to 'ear"
"Maybe you're right" Bert said with the tiniest of smiles pulling at the corner of his mouth.
"Of course I'm right…" laughed Felix jokingly, "…now come on, we're not 'aving you over 'ere all night lookin' miserable!"
The three sweeps moved away from the chimney and were about to join the others when Bert saw something at the other side of the roof that made his eyes sparkle.
"Mary…" he breathed.
She was making her way across the roof and was heading straight towards him; her figure was hugged by the red jacket and skirt that the sweeps spoke so highly of, but her head was naked of her trademark hat. The other sweeps watched her with anticipation and hoping that she would join in their celebrations; Mary always brought magic to their gatherings, both in a literal and metaphorical way. When she was around, anything seemed possible; it was like she released something into the air with her mere presence. Like a drug. She wore a bashful smile, knowing the excitement she was causing for the other sweeps, knowing that they were watching her intently. When she finally found herself in front of Bert they simply gazed at each other.
"Mary, what are you doin' 'ere? Are you feelin' alright?" Mary smiled at him and let out a slight laugh.
"I'm feeling perfectly fine now, Bert"
"Are you sure?" he asked worriedly.
"I am" she assured him.
"Well, what are you doin' up 'ere?" he repeated.
"It's quite impertinent to ask a lady so many questions" she joked, "I knew that you'd all be up on the rooftops tonight, and I realised that we never finished our dance" she told him with a blush.
He blushed too, especially when the sweeps began to cheer and whistle. Mary rolled her eyes at them, but shot them a carefree smile.
"What do you think?" She asked quietly.
"I think that I would be honoured to accept your offer, Miss Poppins" He replied with a cheeky smile.
"What do you think, boys?" Mary called cheerfully to the sweeps.
They cheered again before breaking out into an upbeat song and danced to their own rules. The bold vocals of the sweeps filled the air with bliss and carefree magic that shot through the bodies of everyone on the roof like and electric current. With the sweeps preoccupied by their own dance Bert placed one arm around her waist and took her hand gently. Mary slid her hand up to his shoulder and drank in his gaze of admiration before they finally began to move smoothly around the rooftop. Once again it seemed as if time had stopped for them, they were no longer overlooking London or surrounded by gleeful sweeps, there was no time, no wind or nightfall; they were only two people in each other's arms. Everything else washed away, like the entire planet had faded from existence so that they could live out this moment of bliss.
Mary spun in his arms and her skirt spiralled around her like a flame; Bert couldn't tear his eyes away – even if his life depended on it. She was the epitome of beauty and elegance. Their eyes locked again and they saw everything they ever needed. They felt something dazzle within them, a strong emotion that they would never be able to explain eloquently, but they both felt it and it made them feel impossible, it made them feel invincible. They could focus on nothing else but the person in front of them. They never broke eye contact, for it was like looking into unseen galaxies – such beauty that had never been seen before.
The stars seemed to shine brighter for them as if they too shared their euphoria. A slight breeze built up and it swept around them like a tender embrace – it brought their bodies closer. Bert studied the features of Mary's face – marvelling at her magnificence, her sheer beauty. Her soft skin glowed angelically in the moonlight and her eyes were dazzling pools of sapphire. He just wished that he could capture her lips with his. He inhaled sharply, but kept gazing down at her lovingly as they continued to sway together and glide across the rooftop. They didn't say anything to each other, but they simply didn't need to.
Eventually their dance steps began to grow to the tempo of the sweep's song and the pair soon found themselves bouncing around the rooftop with the sweeps surrounding them in a circle of cheers. They clapped and sung as they watched the pair spring around with beaming smiles. The occasional "Ain't she beautiful?!" was let out by the sweeps as they watched Mary practically fly around the circle with Bert. The dance ended after what seemed like a millennium and once Mary and Bert came to a stop all they could do was stare and each other a smile – their breathing deep and heavy. They said their goodbyes to the sweeps and found themselves alone on the roof, but they made the most of the beautiful view by sitting against a chimney – their eyes falling over the beauty of a starlit London. As they sat, Mary found herself in the familiar position of cuddling into Bert's side with his arm wrapped tenderly around her. She rested her head on his shoulder.
"That was quite a dance" Bert remarked – still feeling giddy from the way it made him feel.
"It was indeed, I think a dance is much more pleasurable when your partner isn't collapsing" Mary joked and Bert laughed with her.
"I'm just glad that you're feelin' better, you gave me quite a surprise by suddenly turnin' up"
"As of late, it would seem as if I'm getting quite good at surprising you" her voice was light and humorous, but Bert could sense the darker undertone of her comment.
"Not all surprises are bad ones, Mary" he said simply.
It was a comment that really resonated with her, and took her back to her hopes of this situation causing them to grow into something happy.
"Sometimes they just take time adjustin' to, but there's good in everythin'" he added.
It was obvious what he was hinting at and it really warmed Mary's heart to hear something that suggested he too wanted something more to come out of this – something more than two friends deciding to stick together to raise an unplanned child. Bert felt this too. But neither of them allowed their minds to wonder off into the fairytale land that seemed to insist that they would end up married to each other and would raise a faultless family – things were rarely so black and white. But every now and then there was a slight tug at their hearts, a tug that told them that the stereotypical happy ending was something they had thought about long before this pregnancy. Mary moved her head to look up at Bert, but found him already gazing at her; she let her eyes drift over his soft features – his soft hair the blew minutely in the wind, his gentle eyes that always made her feel tranquil, his smooth skin that was so charmingly covered in soot and his caring smile that never failed to light up even the darkest of days.
Bert found his mind – once again – wandering to what they could call themselves. His confusion grew, what were they? Did Mary feel the same way now as she did when they had slept together? Could feelings change after such a short amount of time? Could feelings truly change at all? He thought maybe it was far too soon to be pondering the possibilities of a relationship, but over the past few days his want for her was becoming stronger; so he finally did what he had been on the edge of doing since she came back, he leaned towards her. The distance between their lips grew smaller, but before they could touch Mary pulled her head away and Bert's heart shattered.
"I'm sorry…" he breathed, his heart aching and his mind full of embarrassment.
"Don't apologise, Bert, I just want to make sure that this is the right thing to do…I want to know that you're doing this because you want to and not just because I'm pregnant…I would feel truly awful if I put pressure on you to pursue something you didn't want…"
"Mary Poppins, I wouldn't be able to tell you 'ow long I've wanted this, even if my life depended on it, but every time I see you my heart beats faster and my mind goes blank, when I look into your eyes it seems as if the rest of the world doesn't matter anymore, like it did the first time I met you…" It sounded so sickeningly romantic, but Bert could honestly say that he was speaking from his heart, "…I smiled the first time I met you, an' I'm still smillin' now, after all this time…I don't wanna ever lose you, Mary Poppins, so I promised myself that I'd go along with whatever it was that you wanted, I didn't want to put any pressure on you! But if you want to give us a go, if you want to be with me, then don't be afraid, because there is nothin' I want more than to be able to hold you in my arms, because I care for you more than you'll ever know…Mary Poppins, you make me feel somethin' that no one else 'as ever made me feel…you make me feel truly happy"
When Bert's speech had finally finished Mary felt a lone tear roll down her cheek, she looked up into his eyes and could see the strength of his words, how he meant what he'd said and that each word contained a part of his soul. She smiled, ran a hand down his cheek and tried to stop her tears. They nuzzled their noses together, taking pleasure from their closeness, but when they became aware of how tantalisingly close their lips were they could no longer stand it and finally did what they had been aching to do. They kissed each other. The kiss was like fire, electricity and pure bliss all in one and they felt their days of intensity melt away; the touch of their lips was the cure for them. They finally separated and could do nothing but smile at each other as they had both acquired what they had wanted most – and in this moment, nothing else mattered.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: AHHHH! Finally, am I right? I know that I upped the romance quite a lot on that one, and I was going to wait a while before I made Mary and Bert officially get together, but I just couldn't resist...plus I thought it fit better here and - in all honesty - there's only so much I can build up the romantic tension before it gets annoying - hopefully you agree with m decision?
Fun fact, I named this story after a quote from Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night", it goes like this: "But, Come what may, I do adore thee so" - Cute, right? :)
Anyway, I really, really hope you enjoyed this! Thank you so much for all the really kind reviews you've been leaving me, I know I say this a lot, but they really do mean a lot to me because I get very self conscious about my work, so hearing your kinds words make me so happy, but not only that, it also helps me to stay motivated because I know people want more.
So I would really appreciate it if you could leave a review and tell me what you thought of this chapter...sorry if I sound like I'm begging - I'm not! :P
But thanks so much for reading! xxx