Angela had tears in her eyes as Michael told her he wanted to marry her and stay in England forever. She knew for a long time she loved him, but was never sure of their future. She would never have left her family. She had plans to work at the surgery with her brothers. Now she knew she could fulfill her dreams and have Michael too.
"Do you really want to marry someday?"
"Yes. I wish it could be now, but that would be foolish. It's not like at home where I could teach to pay the bills. I can't teach English in the country that invented the language. I'll have to hope I can make a living writing," he said.
She knew he hoped to be more successful, but his second book was released and he'd had some good reviews. She had years before she was a doctor, so they had time.
"We need not rush. I have some hard years ahead of me. We can wait to be married," she assured him.
He kissed her and seems to be in a lighter mood. "I really love you," she smiled.
She wondered if he was thinking that years would be a long time to wait. She had grown up always planning to wait for marriage. She had no idea about Tim. He and Julie were together for a few years before he finished and they married… Did they wait? She suspected that Ted hadn't waited or at least wouldn't for long.
Suddenly being in love and the prospect of waiting four years seemed unrealistic. Michael had never once pressured her or made her feel uncomfortable. She knew him so well, but that was one aspect of his past she knew nothing about. She certainly couldn't ask him.
Knowing they loved each other, was a secret they shared. They would talk of their future together, but it did seem a long way off. They didn't share their intention to marry with others. Time moved on sometimes slow and other times fast. Angela spent private moments wondering what it would be like to give in to her desires.
Michael had written an article and he asked her to read it. He told her he wanted to publish it, but not without her permission. When she started reading she understood…
The Day I Fell In Love With An English Girl
By Michael Gilligan
She had left her family and England to study in Boston. Through fate and mutual friends we met. On beautiful summer day, while on an outing to the beach, she captured my heart…
By the time she finished reading she had tears in her eyes. "Did you really fall in love with me that day?" she asked.
"Looking back I know I did, but had to settle on being your friend…"
"It's beautiful. You can publish it," she said suddenly not afraid to go public with their love not that she was even mentioned by name.
Michael was pleased that Angela agreed to let his work be published. He had written from his heart. The article was published in two popular women's magazines, one American and the other British. The author's note referred him as an American living in London and listed his two novels. As a result, demand for his novels increased, especially the second, because of its semi-biographical nature. He was requested for some publicity events at bookstores and an occasional radio interview. People came to see him, which completely shocked him. His income increased and he used some of what he earned to buy a proper ring for Angela.
One day he nervously stood on the porch and rang the bell. He knew that Angela was not home, but was unsure if both Dr. and Mrs. Turner would be home. Dr. Turner appeared at the door. "Aw Michael. I'm afraid that I'm the only one at home."
"I've come to speak to you, sir," he said nervously.
"Oh I see. Come in then and I'll get some tea. I'm glad that you've learned to enjoy a good cup of tea," Patrick said, not seeming phased by the surprise visit.
"I do still enjoy my coffee. I will go out for one occasionally," he replied wondering how he was going to start.
"I assume you've come to talk about my girl," Patrick said.
"I think you may know how much I care for her… how much we care for each other…"
"I read your article. You've surpassed me in using written words to court a girl," Patrick chuckled and noticed that Michael looked at him strangely. "Do you not know anything about how I won my wife?"
"No sir. Long ago, in Boston, Angela told me about Tim's mum and you being a doctor and her mum a nurse, but nothing more. She said if I knew I would want to write about it. As intrigued as I was, I cared too much to pry… although I would never write about someone's private affair… by that I mean business…" he was stammering.
"Tell me why you came and I may chose to tell you a story," the older man said.
"I came because I would like to officially ask Angela to marry me and I would like your blessing," he said rather rushed as to get the words out before he lost his nerve.
"Officially?"
"Well, we've talked about our desire to someday marry… but we will wait until she has become a doctor. I don't want to stand in the way of her dreams," he said.
"You don't mind a wife with a demanding career?" he asked.
"Oh no, I would never deny her happiness. Being a doctor makes her happy…" again he was rambling.
"I already know that you love her. I suspected that was the reason you came to England. I, for one, can't stand in the way of love. You see, I fell in love with my wife when I had no business doing so. She was not free, but my heart had other plans. I was afraid I would have to live with a love that could never be realized. She was sick and went away and I wrote to her, because I loved her too much not to…"
"Writing to Angela when we were apart kept me sane from missing her," Michael said understanding. "May I ask… why was she not free? You were a widower… was she married?"
"She was not married, but she had taken another vow…"
"You mean like a nun?" Michael said confused.
"The Anglican nuns are unlike the priests in that they do take all the same vows as Catholic nuns. The midwives that served Poplar for decades were an order of nuns. I worked side by side with them starting after the war…."
"Are you telling me that when you fell in love with Mrs. Turner, she was a nun?" he asked and when he nodded, Michael continued, "You do know that I was raised Catholic and spent more time than I should have wondering about if priests and nuns ever… It seemed so racy, especially in my early teen years after too much let's call in locker room talk started."
The older man laughed and said, "Well nothing inappropriate happened aside from letters. Shelagh chose to leave the order…"
"We'll I am grateful because if you weren't Angela's parents, I may not have met her and I suppose Ted is extremely grateful," Michael laughed.
Michael remembered when he told Angela that his sister teased him that he was a mistake, Angela said that she and Tim were known to say that Teddy was from Africa.
When Michael finally left after a very long and enjoyable visit, he had Dr. Turner's blessing.