CHAPTER 3

Patrick was at his wife's side the moment he noticed she was unable to stand any longer. Holding her, he sank down to the ground with her, keeping her close in his embrace. He didn't say anything, he simply kept holding her, while her body shook with silent sobs.

Sister Julienne stood in the door opening, her heart going out for the woman she considered a daughter. When she looked at Patrick she saw him mouthing the words 'the children' she understood that Timothy was babysitting Angela at the moment. "I'll ask nurse Crane if she wants me to drive to your home to pick up the children." After seeing Patrick's relieved look, she turned around and left the Turners alone, knowing that Patrick would take care of Shelagh.

Patrick noticed his wife's shaking had stopped and he carefully lifted her head from his shoulder. The look of devastation in her eyes tore at his heart, while his look of undying love slowly mended the pieces of Shelagh's broken heart after discovering the woman was her sister.

"We used to be close. When mother died we grew closer." Shelagh's lips trembled and she was desperately trying to keep the tears at bay. "And when father died, we grew even more close. I … I …"

Patrick took her hands and stroked the top of her hands with his thumbs, just like she had done earlier this morning. "You?" He gently prodded.

"I … I promised her I'd always be there for her." Tears streamed down her face. "And I broke that promise."

"You must have a had a very good reason to break that promise. If you feel ready enough to tell me, know that you can. For now, let us stand up, so you can go and sit with your sister and renewing your promise of being there for her."

The doorbell rang and Timothy hesitantly put his little sister in her playpen. He walked to the door and peeped through the spy whole. "Who is it?" he called, just to be sure and when he heard the voice of Sister Julienne, he opened the door, a waterfall of questions coming from him.

Sister Julienne smiled about the boys protectiveness towards his family. "Your parents are still at Nonnatus House. I promised them I would come and get you and Angela, for they might be there for a while."

"Does this have to do with dad's new patient?"

"It's not my place to tell, it's not even your father's place to tell, it only is your mother's. But I'm quite sure that your mother wouldn't mind it if your father explained some of it to you. Come along, if you grab the things both you and Angela need, I'll go and get the little lady."

Timothy spurted upstairs, only to get down as quickly as he went up. "She's in her playpen, Sister." And he was back up again to grab their things and stuff them in his bag and Angela's nappy bag.

While Sister Julienne hold Angela in her arms, the little girl babbling happily, Timothy came thundering down the stairs. "All ready to go." He said.

"Well, let's go then. We mustn't let nurse Crane wait any longer than is necessary."

Timothy got in the back of the car and dumped the bags in the seat next to him. Sister Julienne gave Angela to him to hold. She found it much safer for Angela to sit in the back of the car. Then she stepped in as well. As soon as she sat, nurse Crane started the car and they were on their way to Nonnatus House.

The moment the car stopped and Sister Julienne had taken Angela from Timothy, the teenage boy ran up the stairs. He was lucky the door opened, as nurses Mount and Gilbert had to go to a child-birth. He quickly mumbled a hello, but simply rushed inside in search for his parents. Sister Julienne and nurse Crane followed in a more sedate pace.

"Where are you two off to?" nurse Crane asked.

"Mrs. Danty called. Her water broke." Barbara replied. "It's her first, so it probably will take some time."

"We'll see you later and if needed, save you some dinner." Sister Julienne said.

"Thank you." Both nurses replied in gratitude.

"Mum! Dad!" Timothy had gone up the stairs, but he had no idea in which room his father's patient was put in to. He reckoned after what Sister Julienne had told him, they were with her.

Patrick Turner stood behind his wife when he heard his son call out for them. He quickly stepped in the hallway and admonished his son. "Try to keep quiet Timothy. The Sister's are at the chapel and there's a seriously injured woman just a couple of meters away."

Timothy sheepishly looked at his feet. "I'm sorry dad." Then he looked up at his father. "Is mum alright?"

Patrick sighed and motioned his son to sit beside him on the chairs that had recently been used by Shelagh and Sister Julienne. "She will be in time, Tim."

"What does that mean?"

"Remember when I wasn't feeling myself?"

Timothy nodded. "I do, you didn't speak to us for days and simply laid in bed." The boy remembered his father's period of depression well. "Is that's what's wrong with mum?"

"Not exactly. My illness happened because something that happened to me a long time ago caught up with me. And that's what's happening to mum now. Something that happened a long time ago, caught up with her."

"That seriously injured woman?"

"Yes."

"But how?"

"It appears she is her sister."

"Mum has a sister?" Timothy exclaimed surprised. "Sorry." He had lowered his voice again. "Really though?"

"Really, Timothy. And that's all I know. That woman is her sister, who she hasn't seen for at least ten years, and Shelagh feels as if she failed her."

"But…" Timothy started, but the shake of his father's head made him stop talking.

Sister Julienne had walked up the stairs as well, with little Angela in her arms. "Look who is here."

Patrick stood up and took his daughter in his arms, inhaling her scent, which instantly calmed him. "Thank you for picking them up."

Sister Julienne put her hand on his shoulder. "You're welcome. Go downstairs with your children and get something to eat."

Patrick shook his head. "Shelagh…"

"I'll go to her. You need to be around those lovely children of yours and they need their lunch."

He knew the Sister was right and he motioned Timothy to follow him downstairs. Although he desperately needed to see his mother, Timothy understood now might not exactly be the time to see her. He followed his father without any complaints.

Sister Julienne softly knocked on the door, then opened it. She saw Shelagh sitting besides her sister's bedside in the only chair the room possessed. "Shelagh, come and have some lunch."

But Shelagh stubbornly shook her head. "I'm not hungry."

"My child, if not hungry, than at least join us and your family."

"No, what if she wakes up? I don't want her to be alone when she wakes. Not anymore."

Sister Julienne accepted that Shelagh needed to be near her sister and told her if she needed anything they would be in the kitchen. She wondered what had happened in the past for Shelagh to react this way. Shelagh looked over her shoulder, a smile of thanks was sent to Sister Julienne together with an apology. The Sister smiled back, letting the other woman know she was forgiven and left the room.

Shelagh heard the door close. She grabbed her sister's hand, holding it delicately in her own two. "I know you probably can't hear me, but I am so very sorry, Aislinn. I broke my promise to you. I was so very scared. I know it's not an excuse, but I really was so very scared.

"Shelagh, be a dear and call your sister to dinner please."

"Yes, mother." Seven year old Shelagh walked out into the meadow behind their farm where she knew her little sister would be entertaining herself. When she arrived and looked over the meadow, her little sister was nowhere in sight. "Aislinn! It's dinnertime!" But little Aislinn didn't reply as she normally would. "Aislinn? Where are you?" Shelagh frantically ran towards the edge of the forest that was at the end of the meadow. It was there that she saw her little sister crouched down. "Aislinn, didn't you hear me call? You worried me!"

"Look, Shelagh!" The little sister took no notice of her older sister's worries and concern and pulled her next to her. "Aren't they the sweetest?"

Shelagh smiled at her sister's enthusiasm. "Yes, Aislinn, they are, but we have to leave them be. Mother has dinner ready. Come along."

Aislinn grabbed Shelagh's hand and together they walked back to their home. When they were about to enter, Aislinn stopped, making Shelagh stop as well. "I love you, Shelagh." She said matter-of-factly like only a five years old could.

Shelagh stroked her sister's hand. The memory came from out of nowhere and she asked her sister if she remembered that day. They'd been very young then, but Shelagh still remembered she'd been so scared something had happened to her sister. The relieve she felt when she'd found Aislinn had been immense. The last part of the memory made her smile and she told her the same words as she had then: "I love you, Aislinn. I always will."