Spoiler: This takes right after S6#3

Betty called on Thursday afternoon, "I am having my whole brood, except the ones across the pond, on Saturday. Will you come? They'll all be glad to see you."

"I am busy being Granny this weekend."

"Perfect! Timothy has not seen the cousins in a long time."

"What time?"

"Two o'clock."

As she hung up the phone, she thought, I hope this is not a mistake. She failed to mentioned Angela. She also hoped it would not cause a problem as Angela will miss her nap.

When she found out about the problem with Shelagh's pregnancy she jumped at the chance to take the children. She wondered if Patrick would want her to come stay for awhile. She would do anything she could do to help. She would offer for them to stay longer with her, but she would not want them to be too far from Shelagh. She needed them close.

The walk to Betty's house was not far. Betty's daughter Judy answered the door.

"Hello Auntie...Oh my Timothy look how you have grown."

Granny said, "Timothy, you remember cousin, Judy, she was very close to your Mum."

"Of course, my Mum and I visited often.

Looking down Judy asked, "Who is this?"

"This is my little sister, Angela."

"Well isn't this a surprise!" she responded before calling over her shoulder, " Mum, Auntie is here."

"Come in, come in," Betty hollered from the kitchen.

In the sitting room, Judy announced, "Look everyone...Auntie is here with Timothy and his sister, Angela."

Betty called to Granny from the kitchen so she left Timothy alone as Angela came to the kitchen clinging to her leg.

Betty, looked down, "You did not tell me that you were bringing…"

"You did not ask."

"Granny," Angela tugged on her skirt so she picked her up and Angela rested her head on her shoulder.

"I love her like she is my blood. Besides she is adopted so she is as much my blood as her parents."

"Adopted? I did not realize."

"You never cared enough for me to tell you," she turned on her heels and walked back into the sitting room.

Timothy was answering questions,"Yes soon I'll be as tall as my Dad." …."grammar school." …"She is two and a half."

David, Judy's husband, made room for the three of them to sit on the sofa. Granny made small talk with Betty's daughter-in-law, Jennifer, while she listened to Timothy and David talk.

"Grammar school, your father must be proud. How is he?"

"He is proud. He is busy as always," Timothy answered not wanting to get too personal.

"I miss him. He was always my ally at any big family do like this."

"I don't remember that as much as I remember coming with my Mum."

"Your Dad would come on big occasions too," looking at Angela, David continued, "Looks like you two have gotten along alright."

"Yes, Dad got married...almost three years ago and now we have Angela. Luckily we both survived our bachelor days."

"Timothy, you two got on quite well," Granny added.

"Granny, you know we didn't...he was a disaster in the kitchen. He can make fried bread and tea. Even now with Mum not home, it is always the chippy."

She heard the room go quiet and Betty gasp when Timothy said 'mum'.

David recovered first, "Perhaps I should ring your Dad some time, it has been too long."

Timothy

He felt like the center of attention. He knew that this was his Mum's family, but why did they seem so upset about Dad being married and Angela. They were happy...didn't that matter. Well until this problem with Mum's baby.

He looked around at the cousins. He remembered that they were mostly girls, but now they were 'girls' and he had no idea what to say to any of them.

One of the girls was talking to Angela and coaxed her off Granny's lap. Before he knew his sister was surrounded by four girls. She seemed to be quite content with the attention.

He answered David's comment about ringing Dad, "The only place Dad goes at night is housecalls. Perhaps he would invite you to come meet Mum although right now just is not a good time for them."

"Everyone has time for pint and some smokes with an old friend."

"Dad doesn't smoke."

"Really...The wife didn't like them?"

"No, I was me and the new medical information that convinced them both to give 'em up. They are not good for you."

"You sound like my doctor," he laughed.

"I will be one eventually."

"Good for you."

"You'll be the best," Granny added.

Timothy noticed the only boy cousin had left the room. He was a few years younger than Tim and always very quiet. Tim went to look for him and found him in the spare bedroom reading.

Tim remembered this room. He used to play in it. He asked cousin Ned, "What are you reading?"

"Island Of The Blue Dolphin...did you read it?"

"No. Do you like it?"

"Uh huh."

Looking at the rather large wardrobe that took up quite a bit of the room, Timothy said, "I remember thinking you could get to Narnia through there. Today I wish I could..."

"Why?"

"I have not been here in a long time and everyone remembers my Mum. No one seems happy that I have another mum or a sister. Do they think my Dad should have stayed unhappy forever?"

"I don't know what grown ups think. Do you like your new Mum?"

"Yes...and my sister...I love them both. My Dad is happy... well except right now there is something going on that is not happy."

"Will it get better?"

"I hope so…" Timothy was deep in worry over Mum and the baby and sat silently while Ned read his book.

"Boys time to eat" They were being called from the other room.

Ned rolled his eyes, "I guess we have to go back in there."

"When they entered the sitting room, Angela ran to him, "Timfee where were you?"

"It's okay Ange I'm here. Granny too," pointing to Granny by the table in the dining area, "See."

"Granny!" she laughed.

Granny

"Someone seems attached," Judy said.

"To me or Timothy?"

"Both apparently."

"He is a wonderful brother. I kept them for a month not long ago. Patrick and Shelagh were in South Africa helping at a mission."

"Both of them?"

"Yes, she is a nurse and a midwife."

"Dad, always says she is the best midwife he ever worked with," Timothy added.

"Does she work with those nuns that Marianne talked about?" Judy asked.

Tim and Granny looked at each other and both answered, "Yes." at the same time.

Judy continued, "She always spoke about the tough bird who delivered you."

"That was Sister Evangelina. She died last December."

"I remember quite a few came when your mother was sick. There was a younger one who was very caring...she sounded Scottish."

Tim looked a Granny who he thought may have winked, "Oh Sister Bernadette...she is...she is not a nun anymore…um" Granny smiled and Tim took a deep breath, "..um..she's our mum."

Clang, Auntie Betty dropped her knife. Jennifer coughed as she choked on her drink.

David said, "No wonder Patrick doesn't go out for a pint anymore."

Granny said, "Shelagh is lovely and Timothy and Patrick are lucky to have her. Shelagh postponed her wedding for months and sat by his bedside every day when Timothy was in the hospital."

Ned said, "Timothy loves his new Mum, he told me."

"Thanks Ned," Tim responded.

On the walk home, Tim was quiet.

"Don't be bothered by what they said," Granny assured him.

"Oh that does not bother me too much. I got used to it when everyone in Poplar talked behind our backs."

"Did they?"

"At first, but they don't anymore. I was thinking of something else entirely."

"Would you like to tell me what has you bothered? Is it the baby?"

"I am always thinking about Mum and the baby...but I was wondering...wondering if Sister Evangelina would have found my Mum and told her all about me...us. I wonder if it made Mum happy."

"I think your Mum knows all about you and is very happy, because you are happy. Well aside from this baby business. Now we have a tired girl who needs her bed."

"Thanks Granny."

"Anytime Love, anytime."