As always, thank you!
Chapter 11
Fall 1970
Standing in the doorway, Mary watched as Maebh sat and spoke with Anna. She smiled. Maebh was wonderful with Anna. And Anna was always comfortable around her. Many times, Anna had called Maebh Sybil. Each time, Maebh just played along.
To Mary, Maebh didn't look much like Sybil at all. She did have her bright smile, though, and Mary was sure that was what made Anna see Sybil in Maebh.
"Ah, Aunt Mary," Maebh glanced up and grinned. She stood from her spot on the stool in front of Anna. "I spoke with Granny Sybil."
"Oh you did?" Mary asked, "Do tell, how is my sister doing?"
"Well," Maebh answered. "She is glad I am here helping. She wants to come for a visit soon."
"That would be lovely," Mary replied. "Wouldn't it, darling?" Mary slid to sit down next to Anna. She placed her hand on Anna's knee and gave her a smile. "Would you like Sybil to come for a visit?"
"Oh yes," Anna stated. "Will Edith be visiting, as well?"
"Not if I have anything to say about it," Mary rolled her eyes. Anna pursed her lips and touched Mary's hand.
"Be kind."
"I am kind," Mary said. "She and I haven't fought in ages, since she moved away. I think it works best for us."
Maebh chuckled. "Granny Sybil has told us all the stories."
"Oh, I'm sure she has."
1920s- Downton Abbey
"Sybil, why must you insist on bringing the baby to dinner?" Robert questioned his daughter, as she sat down at the table with young Sybbie in her lap. "We have a beautiful nursery upstairs for her."
"Papa," Sybil began, adjusting Sybbie onto another knee. "I don't want to raise my daughter like that, being raised by a nanny. She's my child."
On cue, the little girl loudly cooed. Sybil bent down and kissed the top of the baby's dark curls. While this was out of the norm for Mary, too, she didn't mind it as much as her parents or Mr. Carson seemed to be bothered by it all. One day, she and Matthew would have a child and she wasn't sure that she would want her child in the nursery all day either. Times were changing and it was only best if they changed along with it.
Matthew seemed to read her thoughts and his hand came to rest on her upper thigh. He met her eyes and made her heart nearly burst from her chest. Just the week before Mary had gone to see Dr. Ryder and there was now real hope for a child in the future. She could not wait to have Matthew's child. She placed her hand on top of Matthew's and gave it a squeeze.
There was more chatter about the presence of Sybbie at the table of adults, but Mary ignored it. They could bicker about it all they wanted to, Mary knew that Sybil wasn't going to change her mind and that her parents were only giving Sybil more ammunition to want to leave Downton Abbey soon. Eventually they would realize that and come around. They already adored Sybbie. This was just a change.
After dinner, Mary pulled Matthew outside. It was a beautiful evening. The stars filled the sky. Matthew placed his hand on the small of Mary's back and she happily sighed, leaning closer toward him.
"When we have children, will we bring them to the dinner table?" Mary questioned Matthew, her eyes turning toward him. His lips curled up, slightly, and he nodded.
"I'd like to think so, sometimes. Maybe we'd even have the baby sleep in our room, much like Sybbie does with Sybil and Tom. When he gets older, he'll move to the nursery, of course, but I can't imagine being away from him most of the day."
"No," Mary agreed. "We will follow Sybil's lead and change the way we do things. Thankfully, she gets to shake everything up first. By the time we do it, it won't be as shocking."
Matthew leaned forward and kissed Mary.
"I'm so thankful for you," he whispered.
"And I for you."
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
The sound of a baby crying made Mr. Carson pause his steps down the hallway. He wondered if young Sybbie was needing her mother. He adored that little girl, much like he had adored all the girls when they were young. It was no secret that he had a soft spot for babies. But as he turned the corner to the nursery, he found that it was Johnny Bates that was crying out in his small cot.
Taking in a deep breath, Mr. Carson took a few more steps forward. He looked around the room and saw that neither Nanny nor Sybbie were in the room. The baby boy was all alone. His lips fell into a thin line. At first, he thought it might be best to leave the room and search for Nanny or Anna. But Johnny's face turned bright red and his squeals grew louder.
"Alright, alright," Mr. Carson murmured, lifting the baby up into his arms. "You're alright."
The moment Johnny was settled in his arms, he stopped crying. He blinked and his eyes grew wide at the man holding him. Then his chubby hand reached out to grab at his nose.
"Well," Mr. Carson said, "See, it's not all that bad, now is it?"
"Mr. Carson?" Anna's voice made Mr. Carson turn toward her. She had a perplexed look upon her face, somewhat tentative. He gathered he hadn't been too kind about Johnny's place in the house and he could see how that could concern Anna when it came to him holding her son. He just took a step forward and handed the small boy to Anna.
"He's a good lad," Mr. Carson told her. "But could we perhaps, choose certain days he comes down to eat with us? Not too many days to get the entire staff riled up." Him suggesting that Johnny could be welcome in the servant's hall seemed to bring a warm smile on Anna's lips.
"Yes, Mr. Carson."
He nodded and stepped away from the nursery. But before he was too far away, he glanced over his shoulder to find Anna joyfully rocking her son and a small smile couldn't help but start on his lips. Perhaps having Johnny in the house wasn't too bad after all.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
"M'lady," Anna started, as she pinned a stray hair up of Mary's. "I've been thinking about today and I think it best if Johnny and I stay inside and not come out to the match." Those words made Mary immediately turn, nearly making the pin rip out of her hair.
"Stay here? I thought you were excited about coming to the cricket match," Mary said. "You and Johnny should come. It will be such fun!"
Anna frowned and shook her head.
"We'd only be a nuisance. I couldn't assist with the others while managing Johnny and they already think I receive special treatment, which I do."
Mary frowned. She stood and let out a low breath.
"Who thinks that?"
"No, my lady, you aren't to do anything about it. Everyone is kind to me and Johnny. Please don't make a fuss."
"Is it Carson? I know he likes tradition, but he'll come…"
"No," Anna quickly interrupted. "He's actually taken to Johnny."
"Well, of course he has!" Mary grinned. "Johnny is such a darling child. Then who is it? Thomas? O'Brien?"
"I'm probably being sensitive, m'lady," Anna said, shaking her head. "Johnny and I will come out today and join you, if you'd wish."
"I do," Mary strongly told Anna. "You are more than just my lady's maid. You are my friend, Anna. I want you there"
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
When the cricket match started, Anna brought Johnny over to the side and showed him the players. His eyes brightened and he happily clapped as he watched those on the field playing. Anna had forgotten how much fun this could be. It was fun to be able to share it with her son. Though a sadness did fill her chest, like every time it did when she introduced her son to something new. Because John would never be here for these moments. He would miss them all.
"Sybbie quite likes it too," Sybil's voice came from behind Anna. Anna turned and gave Sybil a nod, moving over slightly so that Sybil could stand next to her. Anna remembered the day Sybbie was born, how Dr. Clarkson convinced her family to rush her to the hospital for surgery. Sybil had been weak for weeks after Sybbie's birth and everyone had been so worried, but now she was fine and a happy mother to her daughter.
"It's all the white, I think, m'lady."
"Yes," she agreed. Sybil was called over by Tom to watch him in a different area, leaving Anna alone for a moment. In many ways, she preferred the quiet. She still didn't quite fit in with the downstairs anymore, but she definitely didn't fit in with the upstairs. She was, however, thankful for the people who did make her feel welcome.
"Might I borrow Johnny?" Mary asked, walking toward her. "I haven't held him in a while."
"Sure, m'lady," Anna replied, handing him over to Mary. Mary brought him into his arms and the little boy happily settled against her. His head rested on his shoulder and his little arms clung to her. "I think he likes you."
"Of course he likes me," Mary stated. "Everyone likes me."
Anna chuckled.
She and Mary watched the match together. While watching it, Johnny fell asleep in Mary's arms. Anna's eyes couldn't leave the two of them. Mary had always given Johnny a lot of attention and so he was always drawn to her and calm in her presence. Anna knew that Mary would be a wonderful mother one day in the future.
"Mary!" Matthew called to his wife.
"Here, I'll take him, m'lady," Anna whispered. But Mary shook her head.
"We'll let him sleep," she said back. "Enjoy yourself for a while."
As Mary walked away with Johnny, Anna found that she didn't know what to do with herself. She could go and find Mrs. Hughes, but instead, her eyes were drawn to Matthew and Mary. They were both fussing over Johnny who had already woken up. There happiness could be felt all the way across the way.
Anna felt extremely lonely in this moment. She realized there was a pang of jealousy in her chest. She missed John. She missed what they had. And she never really got what they had. She got two nights with her husband and no days, no time to discuss the future. He was taken from her so quickly.
But she recognized she didn't only miss John, she missed Mary. Yes, she saw Mary every day. However, they weren't as close as they had been on the ship and in New York. Things were different now. Mary had the love of her life; she did not. Over time, Mary and Matthew would have children and understandably Anna and Johnny would slowly become less important.
A shaky breath left Anna's lips and she shook her head. She was sounding self-pitying and knew that she wanted Mary to be happy and remain happy.
Fall 1970
"What are you doing, darling?" Mary asked Anna. She found Anna outside with a small photo album in her hands. Taking a seat next to her, she glanced down at the photo on the page. Mary's heart skipped a beat. It was a photo from the cricket match all those years ago. Matthew was right in the middle. While she never forgot his face, sometimes she could forget just how young he had been. Sometimes, in her mind, he had grown older with her.
"I remember that day," Mary murmured. Anna was sitting quietly beside her, twisting her lips and staring down at the photo. "Anna?"
"I had been jealous," Anna whispered.
"Jealous?"
"Of your happiness," Anna admitted.
"We were happy," Mary agreed. "Everything seemed to be falling in place; everything was perfect. But I can see how that would have been tough for you, Anna. You were raising Johnny all on your own. Maybe I should have tried harder to…"
"No," Anna interrupted. "You were wonderful. But sometimes I wonder if I subconsciously wished something bad…."
"I'm going to stop you right there," Mary strongly stated. She pulled the album from Anna's lap and lifted it up to get a better look at Matthew. The photo was yellowing along the edges. Then she placed it back on her lap and looked to Anna. "Life is full of the unexpected and we cannot control any of it. If we could, John and Matthew would still be here today, wouldn't they be?"
Anna feebly nodded.
"But if they were here, we wouldn't have all we have. And I do think that we have created this wonderful life with beautiful children and grandchildren. We can't change the past, but overall, I think it ended up quite well. I think John and Matthew would be quite proud of all we accomplished, of their legacies we continued on."
"Yes," Anna quietly replied. Mary wrapped her arm around Anna's shoulders. "We did."
The phone began to ring and Mary remained in her spot. However, it rang and rang, making Mary sigh and stand up, using her cane for help.
"That butler, Mr. Carson would never…." She mumbled under her breath. The phone was just in the corner of the room. Picking it up, she curtly said, "Hello?"
"Ah, Mother!"
At the sound of her daughter's voice, Mary's face softened.
"Oh, darling, we were just talking about you. How are you?"
"George called me. Why didn't you tell me you were sick? Am I the last to find out everything?"
Mary rolled her eyes. "I'm fine, honestly. George and Johnny can overreact from time to time."
The line went quiet for a moment and Mary was sure her daughter had hung up the phone. Then she said, "I'm coming over next week and I'm bringing the girls."
"Sounds wonderful."
"And you're going to tell me everything that the doctor said."
"Of course," Mary sighed again. "I love you and we'll see you next week."
To be continued...
Yes, Sybil lives in this story. I didn't go too into detail, because I figure the butterfly effect. John died and so things could change in the timeline, another life could be spared and what not. Also, there is enough sadness in this story, so I wanted to keep Sybil around ;).
Thank you for reading! More soon.
