I can't imagine anything more apropos for the prompts of "Promise" and "Future" than the arrival of the much wanted and tremendously loved Bates baby. The writing is simple, but heartfelt- as is my wish for each of you as offered in the final lines of this last drabble. Tremendous thanks for reading the over the last month, you sweet and gorgeous people.
Promise ~ Simple ~ Future
Baby Bates arrived just as the New Year's bells tolled from the nearby church. The labor had been mercifully quick and complication free much to the relief of the three people who waited in the small sitting room of the Bates' cottage; the collected heads of Lady Mary Crawley, John Bates and Charles Carson turning in anxious expectation at the sound of the opening bedroom door and subsequent cries of a new born. The messenger wore a bright smile as she delivered her news.
"Mother and daughter are doing beautifully." Elsie Carson focused her attention on John Bates as she beckoned him towards the room, "If you would like to meet your daughter, Mister Bates…"
Happy father ensconced in the room, Elsie made her way to Charles who took her hand and brought it to his lips. Sensing their need for privacy, Lady Mary took the opportunity to serve those who had spent the majority of her life serving her by offering to make everyone a cup of tea.
Out of Lady Mary's presence, Elsie allowed the tears she had held at bay to flow freely. "She's perfect, Charles. So pink and perfect." Accepting the welcoming arms of her husband, Elsie finally granted herself permission to let joy and relief wash away the anxiety and unwanted memories of Becky's birth the labor had conjured. Exhaling deeply, she pulled Charles' handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at her eyes, "After clearing her airways and cleaning her up a little, Dr. Clarkson handed her to me as he tended to Anna. I got to hold her, Charles. I hope she could feel how much I already love her."
Charles smiled down at her, "Of course she felt it, love."
He wrapped his arms back around her as she whispered, "And Anna told me they are naming her Elisabeth. Elisabeth with an "s."
Charles squeezed her tightly, "Your namesake."
The smiling faces of the village church congregation looked on as Elisabeth Geraldine Bates was welcomed into their church family on a Sunday morning in February, 1928. Adorned in a simple, but lovely ivory christening gown and bonnet made for her by Mrs. Baxter and safely held in the arms of Daisy Mason, her godmother, the baby let out only a small cry as Mr. Travis doused her head with water from the baptismal. She was not alone in her shedding of tears, this evident as Mr. Molesly dabbed at the corners of his eyes while placing a kiss on the head of his goddaughter.
The Crawley family had kindly arranged to have Sunday luncheon with the Dowager to afford the staff an opportunity to celebrate Elisabeth's christening at the Carson home that afternoon. The crowd assembled included the entire staff now employed at the Abbey, as well as Beryl Mason and Gwen, along with their husbands, and Gwen's little girl, Olivia Sybil.
The guest of honor managed to sleep through most of the party warmly cradled in the arms of the tall silver haired man who would become not only her surrogate grandfather, but future favorite playmate. It took some doing, but with the help of his wife, he managed to get the room's attention as he offered a quiet toast.
"We have gathered together so many times over the years, most often as colleagues, but today we are gathered as a family to welcome a new member to our clan. Please raise a glass to Elisabeth Geraldine Bates, may your life be long and your future filled with much promise and great joy. To Elisabeth."
The room returned a collective whisper, "To Elisabeth."
Beryl and Daisy had stayed behind to do the washing up, shooing Elsie out of the kitchen to relax in the sitting room with Charles who was taking care of baby Elisabeth while John and Anna made their goodbyes to the members of the house who were loading into the Abbey bound wagonette.
Elsie heard the low rumble of Charles voice as she opened the door. Quietly slipping through the kitchen door, she tiptoed towards the doorway that separated the dining room from the sitting room in an effort to hear him as he walked around the room, lightly bouncing a very alert Elisabeth.
"…and you are welcome here anytime, I hope you know that, my darling girl. We will spoil you rotten with toys and sweets and we will play and play all day and I am going to build you a swing that will hang from the tree and Elsie will make you shortbread. You know Elsie, don't you? She was the one Dr. Clarkson handed you to when you first came into this world. The first sweet smile you ever saw. She loves you so very much which makes you a very lucky little girl. We are both very lucky to have her, believe you me." The baby cooed in response to Charles. "You know that already, well, of course you do. Yes. Yes."
Elsie placed her hand over her heart, willing the organ not to burst from her chest, so filled with love as it was for the man before her. She managed to take a silent step back into the shadows of the dim dining room as Charles turned in her direction, his smile and attention still focused solely on the tiny girl he held out in front of him, her head gently cradled in his hand as his other hand supported her bottom as he began to sing a simple blessing:
Here's to you
May your dreams come true
May old Father Time never be unkind
And through the years
Save your smiles and your tears
They're just souvenirs
They'll make music in your heart
Remember this
Each new day is a kiss
Sent from up above with an angel's love
So here's to you
May your skies be blue
And your love blessed
That's my best to you…
