Sorry Guys this is the right chapter! oops!
Thanks guys for your support on this, I've been stuck in hospital with my ridiculously dodgy hand...It seems I will be here for a little while longer, but I had someone go and get my MacBook and here I am! Firstly i'd just like to thank chelsietothenorthern and csota on tumblrdotcom, you guys are tremendous. Secondly, the only thing that has kept me going is these brilliant stories and chapter updates i've had the pleasure of reading. Thank you to you all.
Lastly, now I have my laptop I will be able to update this story! And yes it is a Chelsie story and after this chapter there'll be a bit more...well...you know Chelsie! It was made clear to me and I promise it is chelsie fluff... Love you guys... Thanks for your support..
"Are you alright Mrs Bates?" Thomas noticed Anna sitting at the table with a flushed face.
"Oh yes…I'm sorry Mr Barrow I'm just hot and exhausted….Lady Mary has had me running around for her all morning" She fanned her face with her hand.
Thomas poured her a glass of water from the jug in the middle of the table "Here sit down and have a rest." He passed her the glass.
"Thank you Thomas…" She smiled at him "Thomas…Please don't take this the wrong way because I certainly am not complaining…But are you alright? I mean you didn't need to help Mr Bates carry up His Lordships suits this morning, I know he struggles with them but it was nice of you to help without making a fuss. I was watching you both earlier…" She questioned with a smile.
He let out a breath "I'm fine Mrs Bates…I'll be honest, I've had some time to reflect on my behaviour and well…It was pretty awful and I won't get respect until I earn it. I don't have a family immediately but I do have one here and I want to be good to it. I feel better for being nicer. I only hope people can see me for genuine because I am."
"Mr Barrow…Thomas…You are a kind man and I know it. You'll always have a family here….When I heard you were looking after Mrs Carson, I knew that you were a big softie…" She stroked his arm and he smiled at her. "Can you keep a secret?" She whispered to him.
He whispered back "Go on then…" he lowered his ear to her.
"You have to pinky promise…" She held out her little finger to him and laughed.
"I'm sorry….Pinky Promise?" He looked at her little finger.
"Hold out your little finger and link it with mine….When you do it means you can't repeat what I will say to you…Kind of like a promise" She knew she could trust him.
"Ok Mrs Bates…I will never understand women but if you say so…" He linked his little finger with hers gingerly looking at their linked fingers.
"So I went out with Mr Bates the other day on our half day…We went to the doctor and Its been confirmed that we are to be expecting a baby!" She said in a hushed tone so only he could hear.
He clamped his hand over his mouth "Oh my goodness Mrs Bates!…Well I am made up for you and Mr Bates…I pinky promised so I won't tell a soul but when will you make an announcement…Surely you won't be able to keep quiet forever!" He smiled at her widely.
"Thank you Mr Barrow…Well thank you indeed….I actually said to Mr Bates I wanted to tell Mr and Mrs Carson first…I want to sort of adopt them as surrogate grandparents…It might help Mrs Carson, give her an incentive to get better quicker!" Anna said animatedly.
"Thats such a lovely thought…She would love that…You know I would have always said that Mrs Carson would look upon you as a daughter. She had a soft spot for you make no mistake" He looked at her fondly.
"That woman has been my constant rock ever since I have been here. I've taken her for granted many a time but she has always been at my side. There are a lot of things that she has done for me that if it wasn't for her God knows where I would be."
"When will you tell her?….I was going to go along tomorrow and see how she's doing, you could bring Mr Bates." He hinted subtly if she wanted to go with her.
"I might just join you then…Gives me an excuse to go out and have a breather from Lady Mary. Heaven knows what her problem is she's so angry recently I can't get my head around it. Besides I miss them both not being here so It gives me a good reason to tell them so I can see their faces! That'll cheer me up" She agreed.
"You know I went into the library earlier….I went to re-stock His Lordship's stationary….Master George had come down with Nanny he wanted to take a picture to Mrs Carson that he painted for her said he missed the story about the tortoise and the hare." Thomas was telling Anna about earlier.
"Ahh that's sweet of him. He's such a good boy bless him" She remarked fondly.
"Yes well needless to say he won't be taking the picture to her any time soon….She tore it up" He said flatly.
"She did what?! The poor little boy he must have been devastated!"
"Thankfully he was out of the room at the time….I wonder how she'll get out of that one but I dare say she'll think of something."
"Goodness….There really is something wrong with her." Anna said with wonder as she made to get up.
"Hmm…Mrs Bates?" Thomas said quickly.
"Yes Mr Barrow."
"Does that mean….I'll be an Uncle?" Thomas said seriously with a hint of mirth.
"Yes Mr Barrow or should I say Uncle Thomas…If the cap fits and all that!" She said getting up and leaving him there laughing.
Thomas was getting his coat on he was getting ready to go into the village to carry out some errands. He said that he would help Mrs Patmore with a visit to the grocers to order some more suet and flour. Then he was going to the post office and collect some stamps.
"I'll just get my coat on Mr Barrow and then I'm ready" Anna smiled holding her coat.
Thomas took the coat and expertly helped her with it. Mr Bates rounded the corner.
"He knows you know Mr Barrow" Anna whispered.
"Ah…Congratulations Mr Bates" Thomas whispered.
"Thank you Mr Barrow…I'll see you later then dear" He kissed his wife on the cheek "Look after her Mr Barrow will you, I have some urgent mending to do so I'm leaving the reveal up to you both I expect a full report when you get back."
"Certainly Mr Bates I wont let her out of my sight…Shall we…." He held the door open and smiled back at Mr Bates.
Mr Bates looked at the closed door and shook his head smiling. His wife had spoken to him when they went home about her conversation with Thomas and his new found lifestyle. John was sceptical at first but soon softened when she told him that he was happy to be an uncle.
They were sitting with Charles and Elsie having tea in the kitchen. Charles had said that they would walk to the abbey with them so that he could see Lord Grantham. Thomas and Anna were excited for Elsie being able to go out. They couldn't wait to show her off to the other staff downstairs.
"Looks like I'm outnumbered! Here was me thinking you would be on my side…" Charles joked at the younger two.
"Its alright Mr Carson we'll take good care of her…Or we'll cause loads of havoc and the whole house will be in turmoil…It will all be her fault and theres nothing she'll be able to do about it!" Thomas joked.
Elsie laughed "Don't tempt fate you! I can see it now Mrs Patmore's roast vegetables all over the floor because Mr Molesley tripped over me!"
Anna laughed, "It is so good to see you laughing and happy…You've come a long way in such a short space of time I'm so proud of you" she stroked her face fondly.
"I certainly couldn't do it without any of you. Mr Carson has looked after me, tolerated me and showered me with love. Thomas was my saviour the other day, if it wasn't for him I dread to think of the state I would be in." She looked at Thomas and he blushed under her gaze.
"Well sadly Mr Bates couldn't be here. His Lordship was in need of his services this morning, but I have his permission to announce something important. It's a good job Uncle Thomas is here to help me…" Anna stared at Elsie as she looked at her quizzically.
"Do you like pink or blue ribbon Mr Carson?" Thomas quickly realised that Anna was playing a game with the older couple.
"Pink or blue ribbon? What's the reason behind that?" Charles was surprised at the question.
Elsie looked at the two and suddenly it dawned on her and she realised what was going on. A huge smile spread across her face.
"Well I best get my exercises up to speed if I want my arm to get better…I'll need to start knitting then won't I?" Elsie smiled looking at Charles.
"What on earth are you going on about?! I'm sure it was only tea in the pot?" Charles was looking at them with a worried face.
Anna got up and sat by Charles. "Are you sure it was just tea…Perhaps we'll need milk in a bottle" She slipped her hand under his arm and started laughing.
"Put the poor man out of his misery Mrs Bates…I'm not sure he can't take it any more" Thomas chimed in.
"Alright…Alright….Well 'Grandad' I might need some help from you soon with a bedtime story…I know you can do those voices in the stories" Anna said softly smiling at him.
Suddenly it all pieced together…Uncle Thomas, the pink and blue ribbon and the milk…."Oh Anna!" He turned towards her and gathered up in a hug "Well…Isn't this just wonderful news!" He was extremely happy with news looking at Elsie.
"Mr Bates and I want you and Mrs Carson to be the little ones Grandparents….If you'll agree. You're the closest to parents I have and I want you to be part of his or hers life. It was Mr Bates who brought it up and I couldn't be happier to agree." She held his hand and looked at Elsie who had tears in her eyes neither could put a sentence together.
"Well Nanny and Grandpa…If the cap fits and all that." Thomas said smirking to Anna who couldn't help but laugh back at him.