For all the MMEPAC girls
There was one last present under the tree. It was wrapped neatly, with a ribbon tightly bound on top and the label attached said 'Angela'.
Angela was very excited. There had been a similar present underneath the tree for Timothy, and the little three year old knew that neither present had been from Mummy or Daddy.
All of Mummy and Daddy's presents were wrapped in a silvery wrapping paper, and these two were red.
Shelagh passed the present over to her little daughter, who took it eagerly and unwrapped it, tearing the paper in her haste to open it. Her mother quickly took it off her again, and pointed out the label.
Angela sighed, but obliged. Her parents had made her look at the label while they read it out to her for each present so she knew, and they knew, who to thank.
'For Angela, love Jenny' Shelagh read, and smiled as she passed the gift back to her daughter. Finally, Angela was able to tear the gift open fully and reveal what was inside, before squealing when she saw what it was.
"Who's Jenny, Mummy?" Angela asked belatedly.
"You know who she is, Angel" her brother replied from where he was examining his own gift - a large sketch book and pencils that Jenny had obviously picked out with the help of Philip.
"No I don't!" Angela insisted, while Patrick sent a warning glance at his son, who subsided.
"Yes you do, darling" Shelagh told her, "we went to her wedding in the summer. You thought she was a princess, remember?" Angela eventually nodded, and returned to looking at the small pile in front of her in awe.
"She remembered Mummy! Look!" Shelagh laughed when she saw exactly what Jenny had sent her daughter.
"You'll have to wear it when you visit Daddy in clinic in a few days." Patrick looked up and beamed when he saw Angela looking at him, before he strode over and squeezed her until she squeaked, murmuring "Daddy's little Angel" as he cuddled her.
A few days later, Patrick had to go to the one clinic that he and the nuns provided in between Christmas and New Year. He was waiting eagerly for Shelagh to drop Angela off, for he had said he and the nurses would keep an eye on her while she and Timothy went shopping.
When Angela toddled in with her mother and straight into his arms, the few mothers present, as well as the nurses and the nuns, couldn't help but smile. The rest of the afternoon, Angela followed her father around when she was allowed to, chattering away the entire time to anyone who would listen, wearing a miniature white coat and a stethoscope identical to her daddy's.