Author's Note: I got this chapter done quite fast this time around, so I thought I would post it to keep you all from waiting! Happy reading.


8 weeks later

With a cup of tea in hand, Margaret sat down on the sofa in the lounge and set her teacup down on the table before reaching for the folded blanket and opening it so she could put it around her shoulders. No sooner had she done so did she feel a familiar fluttering low in her belly and smiled, touching her hand there for a minute before tracing the slight curve with her palm. "And a good morning to you too, my wee one." She whispered, bringing her other hand to settle on her stomach while she reached for her tea so she could have a sip. It was terribly early, not even three yet, but she just couldn't sleep and it seemed her little one had the same problem.

It was no bother though, not when they had each other for company.

It was her routine check with Doctor O'Clery the day before last and it truly put her mind at rest to hear him say he had no concerns. He was delighted with the way she was eating and the weight she was putting on, the growth of the baby and the sound of its heart. He actually said he'd not heard such a clear, strong heartbeat in quite some time and that made her happier than she could explain. It no longer felt like such a dream now she was thickening up and she could feel those sweet little movements. She loved each one more than the one that came before and she'd caught herself chatting away to the baby without even noticing quite a number of times.

Ciarán thought she was mad for doing so, she was in no doubt about that, but she paid him no heed when he teased her about it. If she wanted to chat to her child then she would and no one could tell her not to do that.

Other than teasing her on the odd occasion though, she had to admit he'd been quite wonderful with her as of late. He let her put her feet up for an hour each day like the doctor said to and she would read or knit to pass the time, letting herself relax before she had to get up again to continue with whatever tasks she needed to do. He would sometimes come home with small gifts for her too, some lovely wool for her to make tiny cardigans with or a box of chocolates from the shop whenever he felt like treating her, and they made her smile. It took them a while, admittedly, but it seemed as though things were beginning to look up for them both at long last.

He was no longer drinking as much which meant his dark moods were rearing their heads less.

When he came in from work each night, rather than taking himself to their room once he'd eaten he would sit with her for a while and tell her about the day he'd had. Some of the things he said actually managed to make her laugh and when he was done talking about himself – which, of course, was something he still found joy in doing – he would take the time to sit and hear about her day and all that she'd done while he was out. When she thought about it, he probably had no desire to know and he probably didn't really care since her days were more or less always the same, but the fact that he never forgot to ask was something that she truly appreciated.

All he really needed to work on now, in her opinion, was the way he felt towards their baby.

Almost two months had gone by since she told him she was pregnant and he'd still barely mentioned anything about it. He never laid his hand on her stomach when they sat together, not even now she had a small bump, and he never showed much excitement when she told him about her appointments with the doctor. One thing she was pleased about though was that he'd stopped addressing the baby as a 'thing' and was now thinking of it as an actual human being as he should have been doing all along. Maybe once he was able to feel their baby kick for himself then he would become a little more interested and the fact he would be a father soon enough would sink in for him. It might even take the baby being born, but as long as he loved it she really didn't care.

It was the sound of the bottom stair squeaking that eventually pulled her from her thoughts and she looked up just in time to watch Ciarán enter the room. She gave him a smile which he returned as he ventured further in before walking past her on his way to his armchair, the two of them looking at each other for a moment when he sat down. "You kept me up most of the night with all that tossing and turning you were doing." He sighed.

"I was worried I might which is why I came down," She explained. "I didn't mean to, I'm just uncomfortable."

He shook his head. "I'm just going to have to try and manage."

"Once I'm done drinking this, I'll make you something to eat because I can't let you go to work on an empty stomach," She told him, smoothing her hand warmly across her bump "I think we still have a little bacon left."

"You are so good to me, you know that?" He smiled. "Sometimes, I'm not sure I'm deserving of it."

"You work long hours to provide for this family and you do it without complaint, Ciarán, don't think I don't notice and appreciate that," She sat up a little on the sofa and put her teacup down on the table at her side. "I forget to remind you sometimes, I know, but that's my error because I should be doing my all to support you."

He nodded, running a hand through his hair. "I'm glad you can see that."

"I might go into town and get a couple things so I can make your favourite tonight," She stood from the sofa and played with her hands. "I haven't had the time to do that for a while, but I think I may make time today."

"You would do that for me?" He reached out to take her by the hand.

She hummed. "I think I owe it to you after all you've done for me recently."

He brought her hand up and brushed his lips against the back of her palm then, a simple action that made her smile before she pulled her hand back and turned to leave the room. It was a lot of work, making him such a hearty breakfast, and she was worn out from the night she'd had, but thanks to her he barely slept at all in the night and so it was the least she could do and she knew for a fact she appreciated it which helped a great deal. Entering the kitchen, she placed a pan on the stove and reached for an egg and smiled while she cracked it in.

Her life, for the moment, was exactly the way she wanted it.

She and her husband were getting on, they had a beautiful baby on the way and it was just so perfect.

She could only pray it was going to last.


"Mags! Oh, aren't you a sight for sore eyes?"

It was when she was leaving the butchers after purchasing some lamb that Margaret heard Aoibheann call out to her and turned, beaming as she watched her friend practically run down the street to where she stood. Once she reached her, the two of them shared an embrace and she chuckled when she gave her a squeeze that nearly took her breath away. "I meant to come and see you or at least arrange for us to meet, I'm so sorry," She said when they moved apart and she looked at her again. "Ciarán and I have just been working on things as of late and, of course, this wee one is another reason why I haven't been able to have too much time to myself lately."

Aoibheann let her gaze follow her friend's hand to her little bump. "Oh, love, look at you!"

"Made itself known earlier than expected, but I can't complain," Margaret beamed. "I couldn't be happier."

"I have a little time to spare if you want to go and get some tea and tell me what you've been up to recently," Aoibheann told her, gesturing down the street to the little tea room the pair of them took tea in a while back. "I've missed you and I've missed these little talks of ours, so what do you think? Care to join me for an hour?"

Margaret thought for a moment before nodding. "I have no need to rush back, so that sounds lovely."

Aoibheann slipped her arm through hers then and the two of them made their way down the street to the tea room together before walking inside, heading over to their usual table and getting seated. Neither of them had any need to look at the menu since they went with the same thing each time they came, so they just settled in and shared a smile. "I went for my routine check the other day and the doctor has no concerns," Margaret said as her hand found her stomach under the table. "I haven't been able to stop fretting since I found out about it, but I think I might manage to relax a little more now I know all is as it should be and the baby's doing okay."

"Good! I never doubted it would be for a second, not when it has you for its mammy." Aoibheann told her.

"I think I worry so much because I want everything to be perfect and I want it to have the best life possible," Margaret admitted. "It's such a great responsibility, knowing such a little wain depends on you for everything."

"I worried with all three of mine," Aoibheann laughed. "It never gets easier, believe me, but it's so much fun."

Margaret breathed a sigh of relief at her words.

"Is Ciarán coming around to the idea?" Aoibheann asked gently. "Are things between you improving?"

"I never thought I would say this, but they really are," Margaret nodded. "I mean, we have the odd grumble at times and he comes home from work in a bad mood on occasion, mainly when I've kept him up all night with my tossing and turning like last night, but…but things are improving for sure. I made it clear to him that all I really want is for us to be like friends at the minute and he seems to be taking it well. I haven't moved out of the bedroom, but I keep him at arm's length and he knows better than to try anything with me anyway. When I'm ready to bring that side of things back in, I'll tell him, but it won't be for some time and he respects that."

Aoibheann was silent for a moment before saying quietly, "I just want you to be careful."

"I am being careful," Margaret assured her, a chuckle in her voice. "I thought I just told you that, Aoibh."

"No, I mean…" Aoibheann sighed. "I don't know, a part of me just feels wary about this."

"With all due respect, this is my marriage and you really don't know Ciarán the same way I do," Margaret told her. "I'm starting to see the man I fell in love with again and I truly can't tell you how long I've longed for it."

Reaching across the table, Aoibheann took her hand in her own. "I never meant to upset you, pet."

"No, I know, I'm sorry," Margaret shook her head. "I just haven't been sleeping well, so I'm not the brightest."

"All the more reason for us to get a cup of tea down you then, hmm? Might perk you up." Aoibheann smiled.

"No one else would put up with me the way you do, you know." Margaret laughed.

"Because no one else loves you the way I do," Aoibheann smiled. "And that is never going to change."

"I feel the same way," Margaret told her, giving her hand a squeeze. "The exact same way…"


Once the lamb was out of the oven and on the plates on the counter along with the potatoes and mint sauce, she used the back of a hand to brush her hair from her face and breathed. Since her husband came right home from work these days instead of going to the public house with the other miners, timing dinner had become a much simpler task for him since he came through the door at half past six on the dot more often than not. It was a close call this evening though because she and Aoibheann spent much longer than she anticipated at the little tea room and then when she got home she remembered she had to scrub the oven before she could cook.

It was a wonder she managed to get it all done in time, but by some sort of miracle she had and Ciarán would be home in just a short while which would give her enough time to get the table set for when he wandered in.

Lifting the plates from the counter, she carried them to the table and set them down in their respective places before heading over to the cutlery drawer for a knife and fork for them both. It was when she returned to the table with them that the back door opened and her husband came in, a weary look on his face as he removed his hat and dropped it in the laundry basket. He looked bone tired and she felt a pang of guilt, knowing for a fact he probably would have gotten a decent night sleep if she'd not kept him up with all of her moving about. "Come and sit down, love, and get some of this in you," She told him. "It's only just come out the oven, so…"

He walked over to the table and sat down in his chair in silence, taking his fork and stabbing a small piece of potato before putting it in his mouth. Once he started to eat, she moved from his side and walked over to the icebox to get the bottle of beer and pour him a glass. It was true she didn't like him drinking, but when it was in moderation it wasn't too much of an issue and it was plain to see his day had been anything but wonderful. Being mindful to shut the icebox behind her, she made to carry the beer over to the kitchen counter but before she could make it she managed to trip over her own feet which caused the bottle to fall to the tiles and shatter.

"Oh, you absolute…"

Spinning around to face her husband at his outburst, she could do little but stare at him with her mouth agape for a time. It had been so long since he last used such a tone with her that it genuinely came as quite a shock and he must have seen it in her eyes, given the way he instantly relaxed. "C…Ciarán…" She whispered quietly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped," He shook his head, running a hand over his face as he sat down a second time. "I…you just wouldn't believe the day I've had and since I got little sleep last night, I'm wretched."

"No, I should have been more careful," She told him. "I'll get this cleaned right up."

"Just leave it and sit down and eat. Your dinner is going to go cold and it'll be a waste." Was his response.

Choosing to listen to him, she moved around the shattered glass and liquid and made her way over to the little table before sitting down across from him and beginning to eat. "I bumped into Aoibheann while in town this afternoon and we went for some tea at that little tea room I like," She told him once she'd eaten her mouthful. "I told her that things are much better between us now be…because things are better between us, aren't they?"

He looked at her for a time before taking her hand in his underneath the table. "Of course. So much better."

Smiling at him, she squeezed his hand. "I thought I might sleep down here tonight. Since you have to work."

"No, there's no need for that. It really wasn't entirely your fault that I couldn't sleep last night either, it had a lot to do with me and my back," He explained, putting some lamb in his mouth and eating it before going on. "I think I may have to search for other employment because being down there all day is leaving me in agony."

"But I thought there were no other jobs available. It took you long enough to get this one." She pointed out.

He hummed in acknowledgment. "I won't leave the mines until I manage to secure another position elsewhere, we need the income, but if something doesn't come up soon then it might start impacting my ability to work."

"I want to help out," She told him. "If you feel you need to work less for the sake of your health then maybe I could take in some work from those around town. I know there are many women who have a lot of mending that needs to be done and not enough time to do it because of their situation. I could charge them a small fee to do their mending for them and the money can go toward the bills and other things. How does that sound?"

"It sounds like a perfect plan, but are you certain?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I am," She smiled, running her thumb across his knuckles. "I'll put it in motion the next time I go out."

He sighed with relief. "Mrs Bates, you really are a wonder."

"Tell me something I don't know," She smirked. "Tell me something I don't know…"


Author's Note: Thank you so much for taking the time to read this chapter! I would love to know what you thought of it if you have the time and I will see you all soon :)