"Julie, Julie…" Teddy ran to her the minute she started up the footpath.
"Teddy have you been waiting long. It's cold."
Julie wore a scarf to keep out the January chill on her walk from the bus stop. The house felt warm and smelt like home. Not the little cottage she grew up in or her flat, but as she'd visit so often, she felt like she belonged here.
Angela came to greet her, but at fifteen she was more reserved than Teddy. Julie noticed that she had been working hard at being grown up.
"Is your Mum out?"
"She's off delivering a baby. Dad's at the surgery," Angela answered.
"They'll be home soon," Teddy said.
"We're meant to be working on our revisions, but Teddy has hardly looked at his," Angela complained.
"That's because I know it all. I'm not spending all day reading something that I've already read," Teddy whined.
Julie knew the boy was smart like Tim. Angela was as well, but she had to work harder and resented her younger brother.
One day when she had first started coming round, Tim had been helping Angela with her maths. Julie remembered how patient he was with his sister. The thought made Julie's heart race. As Tim asked the questions necessary for Angela to work it out, Teddy kept answering before Angela.
Julie bit her lip, as Teddy, who was playing cards with her, kept answering without hesitation.
Poor Angela didn't find it humorous and Tim had to intervene. Remembering that moment made her miss Tim. Seeing how he had calmed his sister, helped Julie fall in love with him a little bit that day. She knew then he would make a wonderful father.
She hoped that their children would take after the Turners. She knew that Tim would tell her and that she was smart too, but she went to the local comprehensive and not grammar school. Teddy knew maths better that day than Julie had ever known.
"Ange can you take a rest now?" Julie asked.
She put down her pen and smiled. Teddy had flipped the telly on and Angela looked his way before speaking.
"How did you know Tim liked you?" Angela asked.
Julie laughed and replied, "Tim never hid it. He might as well have written it on his forehead. Tim isn't subtle." Angela giggled. "Do you like a boy?"
"Maybe." She acted coy.
"Don't tell your brothers. They'll tease you."
Teddy called over his shoulder, "She likes Philip Wentworth."
"How do you know?" Angela asked clearly annoyed.
"Because I've heard you on the phone saying things like Philip said this, Philip's hair is so neat, Philip, Philip, Philip," Teddy said in a girly voice.
Julie put her hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh, before she said, "Well at least Tim doesn't know."
"He might." Ted flashed a grin much like Tim's.
"Teddy, how could you?" Angela exploded.
"Oh dear, I'm afraid Tim will be over protective. If he does ask him about the bassoon. That should shut him up. Please don't tell him that I told you."
"The bassoon, I remember that… a bit. It makes me think of Mum and Dad laughing."
"You should ask your mum about it then," Julie said, feeling relieved that Tim might not find out she was telling tales.
Truthfully she knew Tim would only tease her. He would never get angry over something so silly. Tim had never been angry with her. She thought of how her father was angry all the time. In her heart, she knew her life with Tim would never be like her poor mother's.
"Angela, Philip will never like you. He likes footy and you don't," Teddy said.
Julie wasn't certain if he was teasing or serious, but either way he set Angela into a fit. Julie watched as the two siblings, who could get along so well, suddenly began fighting like alley cats. Whilst she was debating her role as referee, they were interrupted by the doorbell.
Instantly they stopped bickering and ran for the door. Julie heard a friendly voice.
"Hello Angela, Teddy, I was hoping your father might be at home, but I see his car is not here."
"We thought he was at the surgery, Sister," Angela replied.
"Well I'll track him down. We've seem to have had some generous donations of cake and Sister Winifred suggested you might enjoy this!"
Julie, who was now looking on saw a layered chocolate cake. She knew about the Sisters, but had never seen one apart from in photographs.
Both children exclaimed, "Oh!"
The nun noticed Julie looking on and smiled. She said, "I'm sorry. I didn't realise you had a guest."
Angela laughed and said, "Don't be silly Sister Agnes, Julie isn't a guest."
"She's going to be our sister," Teddy added.
"Oh, you must be Tim's fiance. We've heard so many wonderful things about you," she said as she clasped Julie's hands in both of hers.
"Thank you Sister," Julie replied, a little unsure of how to act with a nun.
She looked at the woman before her. She wasn't as old as Mrs. Turner. Even though she'd seen pictures, she found it hard to imagine Mrs. Turner dressed like that. Before her thoughts were processed properly, they were interrupted by the arrival of Dr. and Mrs. Turner.
"Hello Sister," Mrs. Turner greeted her.
She acknowledged Mrs. Turner, but turned toward Dr. Turner and said, "Might I have a word, Doctor."
"Of course," he responded and they went into the sitting room with Mrs. Turner following behind.
The children took the cake into the kitchen. They were admiring the cake whilst Julie thought of Mrs. Turner being a nun. How did she turn Dr. Turner's head wearing all those loose layers? Julie was aware that she could turn heads, not that she cared to, but not if she wore a large burlap sack.
How does one go from nun to wife?
One thing Julie was certain of was she could trust Mrs. Turner's advice on being a wife. Watching Tim's parents interact, she suspected Mrs. Turner wouldn't tell her to grin and bear it like her own mother had.
After the nun was shown to the door by Mrs. Turner. Julie noticed the husband and wife with their heads together in deep discussion. Mrs. Turner had a furrowed brow. She saw them as partners and felt a pang in her belly. She wanted to always be like that with Tim. Again she compared her parents' marriage to that of the Turners.
Her thought was disrupted by Teddy and Angela who went back to their argument that had been interrupted by the arrival of the nun. This time there was a referee.
"Angela and Ted stop!" Dr. Turner commanded.
They looked at each other and both turned away like cats with their tails between their legs.
Dr. Turner turned to his wife and said, "Shelagh, I hope you didn't tell your new mother that this is what she had to look forward to in fifteen years."
"Patrick," she laughed and Julie felt as if she were intruding on a private joke.
He turned to Julie and said, "Just remember babies are cute, but they grow up to be teenagers. If you aren't old like me already you will be after the teenage years."
"You're forgetting that I'm the oldest of six, I know about siblings. Those two are angels compared to some of my brothers."
"What were they bickering about now?" Mrs. Turner asked.
"You'll need to talk to Angela about that," Julie said.
Teddy called out, "She thinks a boy likes her, but I said he doesn't."
"A boy? Oh dear, now I'm feeling old," Mrs. Turner said with a laugh.
Later when she spoke to Tim, he asked how her visit was and she answered, "Wonderful."
"Did you miss me?"
"I always miss you," she replied.
She thought about the two arguing and smiled remember that was how they caught her attention at the cinema. Her life with Tim was all because of their sibling spats.