Still 1958 Again

Patrick came for Timothy and seemed more like himself. She had Timothy for a few extra days because it was half term. She would have been happy to keep him the whole week, but Timothy wanted to spend some time with his friends.

"I have some work for you in the morning," Patrick told him.

"Work?" Granny asked.

"He earns pocket change by helping in the sluice," Patrick explained.

"Test tubes, petris and pipettes," Timothy said mockingly.

"He likes the spending part more than the earning part."

"A bit of work is good for you," Granny added.

"Dad tells me I need to learn to be independent. One day I might be on my own."

"Well should we get on then," Patrick told Timothy.

Granny added, "Timothy gave me a paper frog. He told me all about your demonstration with the cubs. I never knew you had such talents."

"Now you are teasing me!" Patrick laughed.

"Yes, and it is nice to see you laughing."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye, love and be good to yourself."

"I will. I promise."

Alone again she took a deep breath and said out loud, "See, he doesn't need me to worry right now."

Timothy did not come for a number of weeks. There were a variety of reasons and the previous weekend, they had a baptism to attend. When he arrived, he was full of excitement. Patrick had stood by the car as she greeted Timothy at the door.

"I'll come for him on Sunday," he said as he waved and dashed off as if in a hurry.

"My he must have an emergency to dash off so fast."

"No emergency. He is going out."

"Going out!"

"Oops...I wasn't supposed to mention it. He said he will talk to you himself on Sunday."

"Talk to me about what?"

"I can't say. Granny, please don't ask me," she studied him intently as if trying to wear him down. He continued, "Don't worry. It is good. Really good."

Her curiosity was eating at her. She would respect Timothy's wishes, but found herself restless all night. In the morning she decided that she had to know what was going on.

"Turner here."

"Patrick?"

He asked, "What did he say?"

"Nothing, except that you rushed off because you were going out. Who is she? Is it serious?"

"Yes, it is very serious. In fact we are going to be married."

"Married?" she repeated shocked, "Has this been going on for some time?"

"No, but we have known each other for a very long time. We have been...friends, but that changed recently."

"What is her name?"

"Shelagh, her name is Shelagh," he answered.

"When will I meet her?"

"Not yet, but soon."

"Hold on Timothy wants to speak to you."

She could only hear Timothy's side of the conversation.

"Dad, promise I didn't say anything."

"You don't mind me telling her?"

"Everything?" "Even about before..you know."

"Bye Dad. See you tomorrow."

Granny waiting for him to hang up the receiver and said, "Well you seem to have quite a big piece of news."

"We got engaged before the baptism last week."

"We?" she asked confused.

"Yes, I wrote a note to do the asking."

She was stunned and asked, "How long has this been going on?"

"Just since half term."

"Half term, but that was only weeks ago."

"That is when we found her on the side of the road and everything changed."

"Every changed?"

"Well yes, she changed. She was a regular person and she liked Dad and he definitely liked her."

"Timothy, you are making no sense. What do you mean by a regular person."

"Well she wasn't a nun anymore."

"Ohhhh," Granny gasped, "a nun?"

"Yes, she went in the sanitor...torium a nun and came out a regular woman."

"Sanatorium...you mean the one you ran the race with?"

"Yes, Sister Bernadette."

"When did it start with your father?"

"When we picked her up...I know he sent her letters. She said so in a letter she sent me."

"Picked her up?"

"We found her in the mist after she left the san..a..tor...ium," he managed to say it correctly.

"When is this wedding going to be?"

"Christmas Eve."

"Christmas Eve! But that is so soon."

"They can't ever be alone or people will talk. People are already talking. That's why they went out in the West End."

"Was she in the car last night?"

Timothy grinned like the Cheshire Cat and said, "Maybe."

Granny smiled, "She was! Was she hiding?"

He shook his head and said, "She is just small."

Granny realized that she had been talking to Patrick who was standing aside the driver's door. She never looked into the car at all. Why would she have….