Granny settled in at Judy's house...It wasn't home, but it would do. Granny was a practical woman and did not require much fuss.
She felt sad for Judy, because Betty managed to come everyday and she brought her complaints with her…"Is this your best teacup?" … "No Mum, it's not a holiday." … "You should clean your kitchen." … "We just finished our luncheon when you rang the bell." … "Those children should be quieter." … "Mum, they just walked in from school."
On and on, she listened to poor Judy defend herself. On Sunday morning, Judy seemed a bit anxious.
Granny asked, "What are you fretting about?"
"I want everything to be just so."
"Your mother isn't coming is she?"
"I mean for Shelagh."
"Shelagh doesn't care. You can serve bread and cheese and she would be fine...She is as opposite your mother as any two people on earth."
"Still."
"No still, relax. You only need to worry if your mum rings that bell. Did you tell her they're coming?"
Judy whispered and Granny couldn't hear. "What?" Granny asked, "Oh no you didn't."
"I didn't know how!"
"Well this was inevitable...today may be the day."
The Turner family arrived. They brought flowers for Judy, but everyone was most excited about little Teddy.
"Look how he's grown!" Granny exclaimed.
"He is so cuuute, " the girls said together. Tim just rolled his eyes.
"Did you say hello to Tim?" Judy asked.
"Hello" … "Hello, can we hold him?"
"Give Auntie sometime with him. They've come to see her after all."
"Pat, old chap, an ale or are you working?" David asked.
"I'm always working, but I'll have just one."
"How will you get a call if you're needed?" Ned asked interested.
"Well in Poplar, if I can't be reach then people either call Nonnatus House or The London. I've left your telephone with both." Patrick explained.
"Do you cut into people?" Ned asked.
"Not usually. I am not a surgeon. Tim wants to be a doctor, do you?"
"Nah, I was just wondering."
David turned to Patrick and said, "That's the most the boy has spoken in a week."
Granny listened to the conversations as she held Teddy and Angela not to left out cuddled right up next to her.
"He's been well fed. He should be content for a while," Shelagh said as she followed Judy into the kitchen.
Everyone was having a lovely visit when the doorbell rang.
Shelagh
When the doorbell rang, Shelagh heard Judy say an expletive that was not very lady like.
Shelagh looked at her and Judy said, "My mother!"
"Oh. I've been warned. Should I hide?" Shelagh said half joking.
"No, we will protect you."
The two women left the kitchen in time to hear a voice in the hall.
"David, let me by."
"Mum, we have company," David explained.
"Company?"
"Hello Mum," Judy said.
"Judy, your husband won't let me by. I want to see my sister."
"Your sister has guests," Judy said.
"Guests...Oh. Well just let me by."
Shelagh watched as a woman taller and 'bigger' than Granny rush into the room. While the exchange was happening in the hall, she noticed that Judy's children had disappeared and took Angela with them. Only Timothy remained and she suspected to defend her. He was sitting next to Granny.
She had made her way over to stand beside Patrick who possessively put his arm around her.
Granny who still sat on the sofa with Teddy, looked up and said, "Hello Betty."
"How are you today?"
"Marvelous. I am spending time with my grandson."
"That baby is not your grandson!"
"He is if I want him to be. If I follow your definition of family then all I have left is Timothy...but I don't so now I have three grandchildren and a son…"
"He is not your son," Betty hollered.
Her voice startled Teddy who started crying. Patrick took him from Granny to sooth him.
"Mum settle down, you've scared the baby," Judy said.
"Look at that he's got time to hold this son," Betty said.
"Mum, what are you talking about?"
"He left Marianne all alone. He was never home. Barely saw Timothy as a baby."
"That's not true," Judy said, "When I was exhausted from being up with baby all night, Marianne was always bragging that Patrick took care of Tim at night. She said when he was home he spent it all with the baby."
"My Dad works hard, but when he is home he spends time with me. He loves the babies. He will walk all night with a fussy baby. He is a good father and loves us...All three of us, but first just me for a long time," Tim said quite passionately.
When she was done insulting Patrick she turned her attention to Shelagh and said, "So you're the one who used to be a nun. Such a sin, a nun fraternizing with a man."
"Mrs." Shelagh paused.
"Manning," she answered.
"Mrs. Manning, I can promise you that I renounced my vows before there was any relationship between me and Patrick."
"Shelagh, her issue is with me. It always has been. Don't bother yourself. Besides Teddy needs you."
Judy said, "Let's go back into the kitchen. You can see to him in there."
Shelagh wanted to stay a defend Patrick, but it was best she didn't.
"Patrick is a wonderful doctor who cares for his patients," she told Judy. She needed to speak about what was building up inside, "I know when Timothy was young there was a lot of work to do...I know because I was also working equally as hard. It must have been very hard for Patrick's wife, Timothy's mother to be alone so much."
"It was hard for her. Still she knew how important it was. I always thought he gave quality not quantity. With David, I had him under foot, but he was useless with the little ones. He's better now they're older."
"So he wouldn't want to hold Teddy?"
"No," Judy laughed, "I used to worry so about Patrick and Timothy. I am just glad he's found happiness again."
"He was so sad, both he and Timothy. He struggled to balance Timothy and his work. It was hard to see," Shelagh confided.
"I'm guessing that you found yourself caring too much."
"I lost my mother when I was little. That is something that Timothy and I share."
Shelagh was not going to admit to caring for Patrick too much. Judy could figure that out on her own.
Granny
What a disaster! She looked at her sister and said, "Betty stop."
"What?"
"You've come in here and insulted my family. You think you need to defend Marianne's memory. Well her legacy is sitting right there. Have you ever thought to ask Tim how he feels about things? No, I thought not...I will...Timothy love, you were sad when your Mummy died right?"
"Yes, Dad and I both were."
"Did you want your Dad to get married?"
"Oh yes. I helped with the asking. I couldn't trust him to get it right."
"Tim," Patrick laughed. He was now sitting next to Tim and Angela had come back and was on his lap.
"What about Angela?"
"They asked me first. I love her especially now we don't share a room. They didn't ask me about Teddy, but he is my brother and we were really scared we would lose him. I remember thinking if something happens to the baby, I hope Mummy will take care of him in heaven so he won't be alone."
Patrick put his arm around his son.
Granny said, "See Betty, Timothy is just fine. He loves his mother and thinks of her, but he is happy. I know that is all she ever wanted. She would be so proud of you love."
"Humph."
Granny looked up and saw Shelagh in the doorway. She saw glistening around her eyes and knew she had heard Timothy.
"Mum, we are going to eat now. I didn't invite you, because you don't care for my cooking," Judy interrupted.
"Oh I'm leaving." She got up and headed for the door, "Judy, there is dust on this table."
"Goodbye Mum."
David turned to Patrick and said, "Would you like another drink?"
Thank you to all the Granny fans out there. Granny is not over, but she needs new material/inspiration to keep her stories fresh. I try to not disrupt canon which limits things a bit. Therefore I am taking a break from Granny.
I am working on a new completely different story that I am extremely excited about.
