Still 1958
Time marched on and the healing continued. They passed the one year mark and winter turned to Spring. Spring turned to Summer which made Granny glad. Summer meant no school and Timothy was free to visit more often and to stay longer with each visit.
Patrick was always busy and never took a holiday so she wanted to ensure that Timothy did not spend too much time on his own.
On one of Timothy's visit, he explained that he would need to stay home over the next week or so. It appeared that he was busy with preparations for the Summer Fete. He listed much of the excitement which included a Robin Hood play.
She wondered why he did not ask her to come like he did the Nativity play. Her wondering ceased when she learned that Timothy would be Maid Marian in a costume which included a dress.
She understood completely why he would be embarrassed to have his Granny there. Beside it was their fete. She was not a member of their community and would know no one else.
Patrick and Timothy did give her a preview of their three-legged race. One evening when Patrick came for Timothy they practiced in her garden. She liked that they were spending time together and having fun. It did a world of good for both of them especially Patrick.
She couldn't tell what it was, but Patrick seemed different. Did he look younger? Relaxed? Happier? Perhaps three-legged races brought on exhilaration and youth. Whatever the reason, she liked it.
Marianne had worried about him working too hard. She once described him as appearing to be chasing demons through his work. She confided with her Mum that she did not know what the demons were, but they appeared anytime he felt he had failed to save someone. Granny noticed that for some time after Marianne's death, he appeared to be chasing his grief away with his work. He still worked too hard, but typically the demons he spoke of chasing were those of disease.
She had found herself taking on the job of worrying. Seeing both with their legs tied together, laughing and happy told her that no worrying was necessary.
On Timothy's next visit following the fete, he told her all about it. He told her how silly he felt wearing a dress. He told her about looking out from the stage and seeing his Dad smiling and laughing. He also told her about seeing him run off.
"He is always needed at the wrong times."
"Is there ever a right time for an emergency?"
"I suppose not," Timothy conceded.
His story brightened when he explained that he had run the three-legged race with one of the sisters instead.
"She was better at it than Dad and we won!"
He was quite happy to include that his father had returned in time to see him win.
Summer seemed to treating them well because Patrick appeared happy. He was full of excitement about an x-ray van. He explained how he had convinced the board to send the van to Poplar for tuberculosis screenings.
He wanted Timothy home the next day so that he could be screened. He explained quite passionately, " I can't fight a disease if I don't know about it until it is too late."
"You are like a knight slaying a dragon."
"Yes, but in my case there is always another dragon. We will never run out of diseases."
"Sounds like you have a busy day tomorrow. Eat and I will pack up the extras for you."
The next time Patrick came for Timothy, the dark circles were back.
"You look like you are working too hard. What happened to all that excitement of chasing disease?"
"We did the screens. The good news is that we know who was infected so they can get treatment. The bad news is that people were infected."
"Like Sister Bernadette," Timothy said.
"One of the Sisters you work with."
"She and I won the three-legged race and she is always so nice to me and now she is gone."
"Gone?"
Patrick explained, "She is away at the sanatorium. I had to break the news to her after the screening and make the arrangements."
"Well that can't be easy when it is someone you know well," looking at Timothy she added, "and your friend."
Summer turned into Autumn and it became clear that the Patrick's happy summer mood was gone. Perhaps it was the gloomy rainy weather and being overworked as usually, but every time she saw him he looked sadder and lonelier.
One day when Timothy was visiting, he said, "Dad is like a sheepdog without his sheep again. The other night he just sat in the car while the rain poured down."
"He did. Did he?"
She wondered what was making him so sad. He had been alone for a long time. Perhaps it was loneliness or maybe he was chasing those demons again...Whatever they were.
"I asked him if he was sad, but he said he wasn't and said it was because he had me," Timothy explained.
Timothy seemed to be getting on wonderfully. She wished she knew how to help Patrick. As time went on she marveled at how far they had all come. Even she had bad days where she missed her daughter like it had just happened. Perhaps Patrick was experiencing the same.
She attempted to speak to him, but he assured her that he was fine. He stated burdens of work. He assured her that it was not his grief although he missed Marianne every day.
She responded, "As do I."
"I know."
Once again, she found herself worrying about Patrick. She mentioned to her sister, Betty, that she was concerned.
"He is probably just working too hard. I never liked how his work came before his family."
"He has a very important job. He saves lives."
"Perhaps he had some dalliance end."
"I don't think so. He claims he is not interested."
"Well there is ONE thing all men are interested in…" Betty said bitterly.
"I am not so sure…" Granny responded...not agreeing.
"You waste too much energy worrying."
"Patrick and Timothy are my family," she responded with resolve.
Later when she was alone she wondered if a woman could be involved in anyway. Perhaps, all though not long ago he was adamantly uninterested. Could it have been some dalliance? No, not Patrick...That was not his way. It was probably just his work wearing him out again.