Chapter 16

It had been 5 hours, 23 minutes and 53 seconds since Patrick had held Shelagh in his arms. The moment the alarm clock had woken him up, she had been the only thing on his mind.

After a quick shower, Patrick made his way to the kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee before going to work. When he walked into the room he almost jumped out of his skin when he saw his mother-in-law sitting behind the table, enjoying her coffee.

''Good morning, Patrick.'' She calmly greeted him, with a little smirk playfully making its appearance in the corner of her mouth.

''G-Good morning.'' He quickly buttoned up the top button of his shirt in an attempt to cover up the hickey Shelagh's mouth had made.

''Sleep well?''

''Yes, thank you. You?'' He took a mug from the cupboard and filled it with already brewed coffee.

''I did.'' She took another sip, quietly waiting for him to sit down. ''Thank you for the blanket, by the way.''

''No problem.''

''So…'' she started when he finally sat down opposite her, ''…what's her name?''

''What?'' Patrick almost spilled his drink all over himself. Had Tim said anything to her after he had left yesterday?

''What's her name?'' she calmly repeated her question.

''Ammm...'' Patrick had no idea what to say. Would she be mad, or maybe even disappointed by the fact he had met someone? It's been three years since Marianne's death, surely, she could understand…

''Patrick dear,…'' His track of thoughts was suddenly interrupted by the touch of her hand.

''Look, I don't know what Tim's said to you but...'' he started to explain himself but she quickly interrupted him. ''It's alright, dear.''

''What?'' he frowned his eyebrows in surprise.

''It's alright to move on, you know,'' she simply said, with a soft smile of understanding. ''She would want you to.''

''But...''

''No buts, my boy.'' His mother in law laughed at his confused expression, ''I don't know who she is but the grin on your face tells it all. And it's been too long since I've saw you smile, Patrick dear.''

He could see she wasn't messing with him. They had always had a healthy relationship, but how do you tell your ex-mother-in-law you've met someone who is making you feel alive again only by thinking about her?

''And by what Timothy's told me, she must be very special.'' She added, encouraging him to open up about this new woman in their life.

''S-Shelagh, her name is Shelagh.'' Patrick gave in when he realized he wasn't going to upset her talking about the possibility of finally moving on with his life. Yes, he was a grown-up man who could make his own life decisions, but he needed to make sure she knew that no one could replace Marianne's place in his heart, or Tim's. She was his first true love, she was the mother of his child and nothing could change that. Nothing and never.

xXx

''I can't believe it!'' Trixie said for the hundredth time since Shelagh had told her about her date with Patrick.

''Trixie, you have to stop,'' Shelagh simply replied. It had been fun for the first ten times, but Trixie simply could not stop gushing over the whole thing. She had done it over breakfast, on the tube getting to the hospital and in the changing room.

''Stop with what?'' Trixie simply could not wrap her head around the fact that always shy Shelagh had spent the evening making out with Patrick on their couch.

''You know exactly what I'm talking about,'' Shelagh said as they were walking down the hospital hall.

''I do,'' Trixie could not help herself. What had happened between Dr Turner and her best friend was on the border of a miracle and there was no way Shelagh was getting off the hook so easily. ''But you cannot blame me, I mean, you've spent your evening smooching Dr Turner and…''

''Lower your voice!'' Shelagh blushed. No matter Trixie was right, Shelagh didn't want the whole hospital to know about them, especially not before she and Patrick had the talk. He had wished her a good morning via text message and had asked her to have lunch with him. And to be completely honest she could not wait to see him in a few hours.

''Alright, alright.'' Trixie almost whispered, but still had the biggest grin on all over her face.

''Please don't do that when you see him.''

''Do what?''

''This grinning of yours. He will know I've told you.''

''So? You're my best friend, Shelagh. Plus, I'm quite sure he already knows.'' Trixie nodded her head to her left and when Shelagh turned around, she could see Patrick on the other side of the hall, talking to Nurse Crane.

He didn't see her, not yet, and for a moment she just stared at him. He was wearing his white coat with a white shirt and a light grey tie and waistcoat under it. He looked absolutely wonderful. She could hear Trixie saying something to her but she didn't listen. She just kept staring at him, until he looked up from the papers he and Phyllis were looking at, and saw her. For a second Shelagh had no idea how to react, and then he smiled at her.

''Shelagh?'' Trixie poked her ribs.

''What?''

''You're drooling,'' Trixie teased.

''I'm not drooling, I just…'' Shelagh looked back in Patrick's direction but he was already gone, Nurse Crane, making her way towards them.

''Nurse Mannion? Nurse Franklin?''

''Yes, Nurse Crane?'' The girls said in one voice.

''I'd advise you to stop wasting your time in the hall, exchanging gossip and get to work.''

''Yes, ma'am.''

''Nurse Mannion?'' Phyllis added when they started walking away.

''Yes?''

''Dr Turner asked me to tell you to stop by his office.''

''What? What for?'' Shelagh almost choked.

''Well, you better hurry up and find out. We have a busy day ahead of us, so stop wasting all of our time and go.''

''Amm, yes, sorry…thank you,'' Shelagh mumbled and made her way towards Patrick's office. She had no idea what this could be about. Was he regretting what had happened between them? Surely not! He wouldn't smile at her the way he had if he would be having doubts. But why had he asked to see her, if they had already arranged to have lunch together?

Taking a deep breath, she knocked on his door. He answered,''Come in.'' His voice made her step in swiftly, before she knew it, Patrick shut the door behind her. He wrapped his free hand around her waist and started kissing her.

''P-Patr…'' she wanted to say but it was not use. His lips were on hers, bringing the butterflies in her stomach back to life. Without realizing when and how, he walked her backward until her back hit the hard wooden door, without letting go of her for a second. One of his hands made its way down her body, resting on her hips, while the other one buried into her hair.

After the initial shock, Shelagh finally started kissing him back and he responded with a simple moan, which got lost in her mouth. Good god, he was making her feel so many things with a simple kiss and she did not lose any more time before deepening it. And Patrick really did not mind a bit, as he pulled her even closer into his body with no intention of letting go of her. Not yet, anyway.

They simply kept kissing, their hands roaming all over their bodies while their tongues explored each other. Forgetting where they were for a minute or two, forgetting they needed to talk about all of this. They wrapped themselves in a warm bubble of love and the only reason they finally broke apart was the need to breathe.

''Hi,'' Patrick greeted her at last, while literally gasping for air. The last time he had acted this way was when he had been in high school.

''H-Hello.'' Shelagh sweetly smiled at him. He looked so adorable with his messy hair and swollen lips.

''I'm sorry, if…'' he wanted to apologize for surprising her like that, but she didn't let him as she stepped on her tiptoes and placed another kiss on his lips to shut him up. And unlike the previous one, this one was slow and gentle, which was in a way even better.

''I hope you don't mind me saying but…I've missed you.'' He blabbered out without thinking, but it didn't scare her. She knew exactly what he meant.

''I don't.'' Shelagh smiled, with her eyes still closed. ''I feel the same.''

''Good.'' He nuzzled his nose against hers, ''How are you?'' His hands still wrapped around her. He would gladly keep kissing her, but his body started to react to the closeness of hers and he needed to cool himself down. The last thing he wanted was to scare her away.

''I'm fine, more than fine, really.'' Shelagh finally opened her eyes and looked up at him. ''Don't get me wrong, but what brought this on?''

''I'm nor sure, really,'' Patrick chuckled. ''I just…I saw you and I…'' he could not explain to her, because in the reality he had no idea what was going on with him.

''Come here...'' she pulled him down into another kiss completely understanding what he was going through. She had felt the same from the moment he had left her flat yesterday. This urge to be held and kissed by him was strong and no matter that she could not understand it as it was so new to her, she knew he was the only one who could save her.

His soft lips traveled down from her lips on to her neck, gently sucking and licking, before covering her lips all over again. He was taller then she was, hovering over her as she was trapped in this bear hug of his. Not for one second did she feel unsafe or pushed into doing something she didn't want to do.

And who knew for how long they would have continued to explore each other if a loud strong knock behind them, hadn't made them jump apart.

''Come in,'' Patrick quickly replied while readjusting his tie, which Shelagh had managed to loosen.

''Dr Turner I'm sorry for bothering you, but Mrs Norman would like a word with you about baby Rex.'' Trixie's voice filled the room in the next second. ''Hi, Shelagh.'' She turned to her friend who was standing next to Patrick trying her best not to giggle. Shelagh knew Trixie had definitely put two and two together. Her ponytail was a mess, her scrubs were wrinkled and the pink blush creeping over her neck were signs enough for anyone to understand what the handsome Doctor and she had been up to.

''Ammm, y-yes, yes. I'll be right there.'' Patrick stuttered. The last time he had felt this way was when he had been 16 and his mum had busted into his room where he had been making out with a girl.

''Thank you Doctor,'' was all Trixie said before getting out of his office. But not before winking at Shelagh, who was still a little shocked by the fact Trixie had caught them.

''She knows, doesn't she? About us.'' Was the only thing Patrick said when the door closed.

''Kind of,'' Shelagh admitted, hoping he wouldn't be upset with her. ''She's my best friend and...'' she started to explain herself but Patrick simply gave her a peck to shut her up.

''I don't care.'' He whispered against her lips so honestly it almost made Shelagh cry

''So, there is an us, hmm?'' she playfully asked and could feel his whole body tensed in the next moment.

''I...well, I just, ammm...'' had he gone too far, too fast? Oh, god, he was such an idiot! They had been on one date and here he was assuming she wanted him the same way he wanted her. ''...would you like that?''

''I would.'' He was so sweet when he was nervous, Shelagh thought to herself.

''Good.'' He nodded, his eyes not leaving hers for a second.

''Good.'' She almost giggled as her chest filled with so much joy. She had no idea if she would be able to control it. ''See you at lunch?''

''See you at lunch.'' Patrick smiled, giving her another quick kiss and finally letting go of her so she could leave. They both had work to do, but he knew his morning would be filled with the thoughts of her.


beta: weshallc!