If Only She Were Mine.
Goodness, I can't believe series 6 of CtM will begin on Sunday night! Arg! I hope there is plently of Patsy!
Patsy could feel the weight of Mrs Busby's stare, as she remained frozen to the spot. Her words replayed inside her head. What had she done? Patsy had been so caught up with her grand romantic gesture that she hadn't considered the consequences of her hasty confession. Patsy's mind began to race. Delia's mother had certain ideas about her daughter's future, and Patsy recalled the many fraught conversations Delia had shared with her mother regarding her love life. The red-head winced at her own thoughtlessness, and sheepishly shifted her focus from Mrs Busby's firm gaze to Delia's. She only hoped that Delia knew her intentions were good.
"Mrs Busby I..." Patsy began, wanting to quickly extricate herself out of this sudden hole she'd landed herself in.
Delia interrupted her. This wasn't exactly how she envisaged things going, but at least the front door hadn't been slammed in her face. "Could you please give us a minute Mam?" Delia gave a gentle sigh as she turned to face her mother.
"Give you a minute?" Mrs Busby repeated. "What I believed to be your best friend shows up here unannounced, declares her undying love for you, and you want me to give you a minute? I think I have the right to ask Patsy here some questions, Cariad."
Patsy couldn't keep her eyes from following Mrs Busby's hands, as they moved erratically while she spoke.
"I suppose this explains why you looked close to tears yesterday?" The caring mother posed the question to her daughter.
This tidbit of information caused the red-head to wince. The very idea of Delia being in distress was bad enough, but knowing she was the cause of it made Patsy want to fall to her knees and beg forgiveness for all of her emotional wrongdoings.
"Mam... please. Let's not get into this now."
Mrs Busby opened her mouth to speak again, only to close it seconds later, as she searched her daughter's imploring eyes, and found herself begrudgingly relenting. "All right, but don't stay out here for too long. You're not dressed for it and we don't need the neighbours knowing all of our private business."
"Thanks mam. We'll only be a minute and you don't want the bacon to burn under the grill..."
"Breakfast?" Patsy interjected, looking between the two women in front of her. "I do apologise, if I've interrupted you all during your meal."
"There is no need for any apologies." Mrs Busby said, her tone softer than her initial bite. She looked more closely at Patsy's perturbed expression. "There is... plently to go around. If you wanted to join us?" She offered. "You must be hungry after your journey?"
"Yes. T-that would be lovely. Thank you." Patsy smiled, somewhat taken aback by the kind offer.
"Five minutes." Mrs Busby nodded, leaving them to it.
With a gentle touch placed on her mother's arm as she passed by, Delia then turned her attention to Patsy.
"I'm so sorry Delia. I didn't think, and my mouth ran away with itself." Patsy explained, as she softly grabbed her hand.
"It's OK, I know you meant no harm." Delia flashed her a smile that faded all to quickly. "It isn't like Mam doesn't know about my preferences... It's just we rarely talk about it without one of us raising our voice."
"I really am genuinely sorry for just blurting it all out like that, but it was the truth and... and I'm tired of hiding." Patsy squeezed her hand tighter. "I guess I just wanted to show you how serious I am about you, but in my haste, I didn't think."
They stood in silence for a moment, and Patsy wondered if Trixie had been right all along in her assumption that Delia did indeed need more time to consider the change in their relationship.
"Delia?-"
"Pats, I-" They uttered in unison, until Delia began to laugh.
Patsy smiled. "You first."
"I was going to say, that I would have suggested we go for a walk, away from prying ears, but as I'm in my pyjamas I think we better go inside." Delia gripped Patsy's hand firmly before she finally let it go. "After all mam would go ape if I skipped out on her fry up. Especially since she's offered you a seat at the table."
"I know. I wasn't expecting the offer or her sudden turn around."
"Mam's bark is worse than her bite. You know that Pats, and she must be slightly impressed with you coming all this way. Though getting her to actually admit that might be a challenge." Delia laughed good-naturedly.
"Are... are you impressed as you say, with me coming here?" Patsy stared nervously into Delia's blue eyes.
"I am."
Patsy tried not to feel disappointed by the unspoken 'but', as she forced herself not to sigh outwardly.
"I am sorry..."
"You don't have to keep apologising Pats. You're here now, and that is all that matters." Delia touched her arm softly. "I know it must have taken a lot of courage, you coming here."
"I just couldn't stand the thought of you being angry with me Delia," Patsy told her, until the sound of Mrs Busby's voice could be heard. Ushering them inside.
"Coming mam," Delia replied, as she grabbed Patsy's holdall, slinging it over her shoulder. "We'll talk more later, but for now let's just enjoy some much needed breakfast."
"Your mother's cooking is rather divine." Patsy smiled, as she stepped over the threshold.
"Oo, you sweet talker." Delia smirked, as they made their way inside the small but homely house. "And I always thought you were a fan of my skills in the kitchen." She teased.
"I...well, of course..." The red-head spluttered, feeling her cheeks grow warm as Delia flashed her a wide grin.
"Why? Are you mocking me Miss Busby?" She added, pretending to wear a reproachful glare.
"Maybe."
Patsy proceeded to follow Delia into the kitchen, where Mrs Busby was putting down two large plates of full english breakfast. The smell was most inviting and Patsy soon found herself tucking in.
"Would you care for anymore tea girls?" Mrs Busby asked, as she joined them both around the table, pouring herself a cup from the china pot.
"No thanks mam." Delia smiled, around a fork full of fried egg.
"I'm quite alright, thank you Mrs Busby, and the breakfast is truly lovely."
"You're welcome dear."
Patsy could feel the weight of Mrs Busby's stare as the woman sipped her tea. She knew Delia's mother was waiting for an explanation. It wasn't everyday that your daughter arrived home from London clearly upset, closely followed by a friend/hopeful lesbian suitor. The red-head kept her focus on her almost empty plate. She did not want to risk putting her foot in it any further than she had done already.
The sudden tension around the small table was broken by Delia's discreet burp, which was quickly followed by a burst of laughter from Patsy.
"Leave your manners back in London did you?" Mrs Busby scoffed, placing down her tea cup sharply.
"Sorry Mam, but I blame your cooking. It's just too good." Delia grinned, at her mother's repressed smile.
"Well, now that you've clearly finished eating perhaps you can start telling me what has been going on?"
Both girls turned to each other, as Delia pushed away her empty plate. "Mam do you mind if we talk about this later. There are a few things me and Pats have to sort out first."
"I see." She sighed. "I'm only your mother after all, why do I need to be informed?"
"Mam it isn't like that at all." Delia replied, running a hand through her hair.
"Well, you could at least tell me if what Patsy said was true," Mrs Busby turned to the guest at the table.
"Are you in love with my daughter?"
Patsy felt the gaze of both Busby women. This was at least a question she could answer. "Mrs Busby, what I told you is most definitely true. I am in love with Delia, and I have been from the moment we first met." She could feel the blush slowly creeping across her body, starting from the tips of her ears all the way down to her chest, as Mrs Busby continued to stare at her.
The words that were uttered next came as a shock to both women.
"In all honesty I wish I could say I was surprised, but I am not."
"Mam?" Delia questioned perplexed.
"I'm not as closed minded as you may think, Cariad. I know how fond you are of Patsy. I'm your mother, and I know my daughter." Mrs Busby picked up her tea cup, taking a sip before she continued. "It wasn't what I hoped for you... This world can be cruel and I just wanted to shelter you from it, but times have thankfully changed and I want you to be happy. If Patsy makes you happy then... then I can be happy too."
Patsy looked on rather astounded. The red-head wasn't sure what she had expected Delia's mother to say, but that hadn't been it. She felt a swell of pride in her heart, when she watched as Delia left her seat and wrapped her arms tightly around her mother's shoulders.
"Mam... I... I don't know what to say."
"That's a first. You speechless."
Delia chuckled, as she wiped a stray tear from her eye. "Seems I've been doing a lot of that lately."
"Cariad, all I ask is that you know what you're going to tell your dad when he gets home. I can handle the secrecy, I'm your mam, but you know how he likes things out in the open. You know he doesn't like to be kept in the dark, when it comes to you."
"I think dad will be over the moon. He's always got on well with Patsy." Delia smirked.
"If my staying here, poses any problems, I am happy to check into a near by hotel." Patsy offered.
"Don't be silly, Pats. Dad wouldn't hear of it." Delia reassured.
"No, you're welcome to stay here Patsy. It won't take long for Joseph to pull the camp bed out of the shed." Mrs Busby smiled, gathering the breakfast plates together.
"Thank you Mrs Busby." Patsy returned the smile.
"I think it's about time you called me Kitty, dear."
-
Once their offer of assistance to help with the tidying was rebuffed, Delia led Patsy upstairs.
"Now you finally get to see my old bedroom." Delia smiled, as she placed Patsy's holdall on the bed.
The red-head was aware that Delia's bright eyed jubilance was masking a deeper hurt. A hurt Patsy wanted to desperately put right.
"It's very you." She grinned as she looked around Delia's child hood bedroom, running the tip of her finger over a sun scorched poster. Her grin widened. "Princess Leia hmh?"
"Of course. She's the strongest Princess there is."
Patsy continued to smile, as Delia arched her eyebrow. "I'll have to take your word on that, Deels. I've never seen any of the films."
"Patience Mount in all the years of our friendship, you mean to tell me that I'm only learning this bit of information now?" The Welsh beauty placed her hands on her hips with mock outrage. "When we get home we are changing that."
Patsy found her own smile faltering. The parallel of Delia's words to their current situation was overwhelming, but what made the nurse's pulse beat faster, was her last comment. "When we get home?" She repeated hopefully. "So, you plan on returning home? I hoped, but I just didn't want to assume. I know you have work commitments, but I..." Patsy rambled, until she felt a hand squeeze her shoulder.
"I think it's time we went on that walk, don't you? Give me a minute to get changed in the bathroom, and we'll talk."
All Patsy could do was nod.
A/N - A BIG thank you to Steff for helping me proof read this chapter and correcting the errors. - Thank you to all, for the lovely reviews. More Soon. x