Warning: You may need tissues and not for the reason that you think.
Dr. Turner arrived at eight-fifteen, but Julie knew that he had a habit of running late. He didn't say much until they were on the motorway.
She noticed he looked at her and started to speak, but stopped himself once or twice. Finally he said, "I'm not certain anything I say will help at this moment."
"Will you see her and let me know… know how long she might have?"
"Of course." He was quiet for a few long moments and then said, "As I was trying to think of something to say, it reminded me of another time that I felt as helpless on a drive."
Julie didn't ask him to explain. She expected he would and she was happy for the distraction. The story he told was certainly unexpected.
"You know about Sister Bernadette?"
"Yes, of course. I find it quite romantic," Julie said.
He smiled and she could tell that he still thought of it that way from time to time.
"Did he tell you about the TB?"
"Maybe a little. He told me he had polio."
"Now that was a frightening time, but Shelagh or rather Sister Bernadette had TB and I had to deliver her to the sanatorium. I didn't know how long she'd be there. Although I knew the treatment was quite effective, I wasn't certain and neither was she.
"The problem was that I loved her, but couldn't tell her even when I didn't know if I'd ever see her again. So as you can imagine, I was at a loss for meaningful words…"
"That's lovely. It's far more romantic than meeting at a party and again at the cinema."
"You and Tim have your own love story. The way you have patiently waited for him and he's supported you. I couldn't be happier that you've found each other."
Julie had a soft spot for Tim's father. He couldn't be more opposite her father if he tried. She also could see Tim in him and that filled her heart.
"Thank you for driving me and for helping…"
"You are family. I'm glad to do what I can. I've seen more families say goodbye to a loved one. I've had to myself…"
"Is Tim anything like his real mother?" Julie asked.
She saw him smile and listened as he answered her question.
Dr. Turner did a lovely job at distracting her for most of their drive. She gained insight on the woman who gave Tim life. Most importantly, she knew that she'd have two parents in Poplar. She longed to be a Turner.
When they arrived in front of her cottage, she didn't wince at the thought of the doctor seeing its rundown condition and neglected garden.
The kitchen was neat and tidy and Julie felt guilty for burdening Carole. Dr. Turner followed her into her mother's room. If he was surprised to see that only Carole was sitting by her bed, he didn't say anything. She wondered if the others were at work. It was too early for the pub.
"Is she conscious?" he asked.
"In and out," Carole answered and stood up. "You'll be wanting tea after your drive."
Julie sat beside her mother and took her hand. "Mum, it's me, Julie. I've come to visit."
She stirred and said, "Julie."
"Yes, Mum."
She fell back to be sleep.
Carole set out the tea in the kitchen and made to go back to Mum, but Dr. Turner said, "Sit. She'll be fine for a moment. What has the doctor said?"
"That she'll likely go to sleep and not wake," Carole answered.
He nodded and after some thought said, "Julie, you asked me to tell you how long I thought it would be. I don't think long now. Today or tomorrow… perhaps the day after, but not longer. She needs to know she can go. You must tell her."
"That's what the nurse said. She comes in and gives her morphine," Carole added.
The doctor nodded. Then he surprised Julie by asking to go see her again. Julie stood outside the room and watched as he lifted the sheet and examined her legs. She could just hear what he said to her.
"Don't worry about Julie. Tim will take care of her. I'll make sure he does."
As he made to leave, Julie hugged him and whispered, "Thanks Dad."
####
Julie's mother passed away that night. Tim felt frustrated that he wasn't there for her. They could only speak on the phone.
Tim was able to get permission to go to the funeral. He suspected that David helped. He had finally started calling him David after Tim was recruited to spend a night with Oliver in Julie's absence.
He was in the backseat dressed in his suit with Teddy squeezed in the middle.
Dad kept scolding from the driver's seat. "Ted," and "Angela," and "Tim."
Tim entertained himself by keeping score as they approached Julie's village, he announced, "That was five Angelas, four Teds and one Tim."
"Tim."
"Make that two for Tim," Mum laughed.
"Shelagh."
"See Mum even you get it," Tim said.
His father laughed. He'd gone easy on Tim as they were traveling to the funeral of the woman who had been meant to be his mother-in-law.
Thankfully they arrived early. Tim insisted that he had to see Julie before, so Dad dropped him at the cottage and drove on to the church.
Julie met him at the door and fell into his arms. He held her as tight as he could without crushing her.
"Are you alright?" he asked into her hair.
"I will be now."
He didn't plan on ever letting go of her hand.
The service was nice and the entire village turned out. Julie seemed most surprised by the people who came because of her. She kept whispering to Tim.
"Oh look Kate and Arthur…. Oh Paula and David… Oh look how smart Teddy looks."
Tim suspected the distraction helped her control her emotions. After when they were greeting people, Julie hugged Paula.
####
"Where's Oliver?" Julie asked.
"He's in good hands."
"Am I being replaced?" she asked.
"No, we could never. The benefit of being ward sister is I can schedule the nurses so certain ones are free to mind my baby when needed. We even recruited Tim."
"I heard. I think he liked the opportunity to sleep in my bed."
Paula whispered, "Again."
Julie felt herself blush. "We fell asleep."
"I'm teasing. I understand," Paula laughed and moved on.
Kate appeared and hugged Julie.
She asked, "Where is the baby?"
"With Oliver, the Jeffers were good enough to drive us."
Julie felt honoured that her friends would leave their children and travel for her.
Tim said to her, "They love you. Jules, everyone loves you… just not like I do."
####
The drive home was much better. Julie was in the middle and Teddy was in the boot. Tim felt sorry for the lad now that he had sprouted, but Tim was glad to have Jules back with him.
Shelagh spoke first. "That was lovely. The spread was quite superior. The villagers were kind to help out."
"They were, but I did quite a lot myself. I had to keep busy," Julie explained.
"I've never seen more uniform macarons," Shelagh commented.
"I made them. I bought a book. I'll need to learn to do things like that as a doctor's wife."
She smiled at Tim.
"Jules, you do know I'll be caring for the people of Poplar not the Royal Court."
"I think she's quite right. She'll be asked to help out at community and church events, like the pensioner's picnic," Shelagh replied.
"I'll be a pensioner soon. I'll look forward to those sandwiches," Patrick added.
Angela said, "Jules, I've got a song to sing for you and she started to sing: 'If you leave me now you'll take away the biggest part of me…'"
Tim exclaimed, "Ange stop! That's too sad."
The majority of the ride was quiet and quite somber. No one was scolded the entire return trip almost.
"Patrick!" Shelagh exclaimed
"Sorry Shelagh."
In unison the backseat, including Julie, called out, "Dad!"
"Pardon me. It must have been the deviled eggs."
Julie announced, "I didn't make those!"
Everyone laughed. Angela rolled down the window and stuck her head out.
Tim said, "Mum, I think Dad's got a bit of Sister Evangelina's influence."
"Timothy, stop," Mum cried, as she laughed uncontrollably.
"Shelagh, we've just come from the funeral," Patrick said quite seriously.
"I'm sorry Patrick, but you started this." Shelagh was still laughing.
Tim turned to Julie and winked even she was laughing and that was exactly what she needed.
Angela started singing a happy song. Patrick groaned, but Tim just smiled because Julie joined in with her beautiful voice.
"Don't go breaking my heart
I couldn't if I tried
Honey if I get restless
Baby you're not that kind
Don't go breaking my heart
You take the weight off me
Honey when you knock on my door
I gave you my key…"
I needed the tissues because I laughed so hard after not reading this since I wrote it almost five months ago. We needed some comic relief.
I originally had songs from the wrong year, but have since corrected it. It is 1976, some time around Teddy's 14th birthday which means I'm not exactly sure if it is November or early December.
When I decided or was coerced ;-) to go back and write Tim and Julie's story, I realized that it was the Turner family that Julie served lunch to every Sunday. She had taken Shelagh into her home and there was never any mention of her own parents or family. That is the reason that the Miller story evolved as it did. As for Mr. Miller, I love a villian in my stories. I always think that the villain can help bring out the good in my protagonists. If you read any of my AU pieces (not family fluff) or original work you will usually find a character that you love to hate as well.