Tim tore his eyes away from the perfect little pink face to look at his wife. He was so proud of her. She had faced her fear like a champion. A champion who was giddy from the effects of nitrous oxide. Only Jules would cause her midwife to cry from laughter. Tim was convinced she'd be mortified if she knew half of what she had said.
Watching his daughter enter the world was amazing. The miracle of childbirth certainly came alive as he saw her crown and slowly slide out with each push.
Jules was resting comfortably and had come through needing only a little stitch. Their daughter was a bonny little thing — already the phrase, Daddy's little girl kept rolling around in his head.
Mum and Dad popped in and Tim wasn't certain either would be able to wipe the smiles off their faces for a month.
"She's precious… our little Marianne."
Dad mouthed, "Thank you," to him. He had wanted to honor his own mother and knew Mum wouldn't mind at all.
Whilst Mum was fussing over Jules. Dad took the pink bundle from Tim.
Winking he said, "You were so certain you'd have a son."
"Me? Oh no, I wanted a daughter," Tim said seriously. Suddenly years of talking about a son were all but forgotten.
Julie laughed and Tim approached his wife in the bed. He kissed her forehead and said, "I couldn't be happier."
The baby started mewing and Shelagh snatched her out of her grandfather's arms. As she pulled the privacy curtain, she said, "The men can take a walk, whilst Granny stays and helps mummy feed."
Tim laughed, "Granny!"
"Come on then, we've been told," Patrick said.
They were greeted with a chorus of congratulations as new father and grandfather walked through the maternity ward.
Patrick said, "I'm proud of you son."
####
Julie was tired, but extremely happy. She was really a mum! It was true what was said about as soon as the baby was born, you forget. She only had faint memories of the whole ordeal. What she did remember was Tim by her side the whole time. She was so glad that he didn't look down there. Julie's down there was sore and when she went to the loo, it seemed unrecognisable. She remembered Tim assuring her that everything would be righted and hoped that was true.
Mum was leaning over Julie now, helping little Marianne latch on to her breast. Once she got it, Mum exclaimed, "Well done!"
Julie was not certain if she meant Julie or the baby or both. She studied her daughter's little face. She remembered Tim explaining about the cells dividing and the little bean, but now she was a tiny person with fingers and toes and ears and lips. What a miracle it was — all from her and Tim's love. She was a part of both of them, but seeing her dark hair, Julie conceded that she might be a bit more of Tim.
Tim reluctantly left Julie to go home after she was moved to the postnatal ward. She'd never stayed in hospital before. Because of feeding, she was woken in the middle of the night and the night seemed to last forever.
In the morning, Tim came in to visit. He greeted her and said, "Just on my rounds. There's a very healthy pink bundle in the nursery."
"She kept me awake," Julie said.
"You can sleep. You're here to rest. When you come home it will be different."
Tim gave her a kiss that curled her toes and said, "I've got to be off. Jules, Thank you."
"For what?" she asked.
"For our daughter," he said with a wink before he vanished.
The new mother in the bed next to Julie's said, "How did he get in? Visiting hours aren't until afternoon."
"He's a doctor. He's here for his patients."
Later that morning, Shelagh breezed in and said, "Hello Darling. I just took a peek at our baby, she's sleeping like an angel. How's our new mummy?"
"Tired, sore."
"I know. Let me know if you need anything."
"Thanks Mum," Julie said as Shelagh breezed out.
"Was that your mum?" her ward mate asked.
"No, my mother-in-law… She's a midwife."
"Don't tell me you're a nurse …"
Julie laughed, "Oh no, but my husband's father is a GP. My baby is their first grandchild."
After a nurse, who addressed her as , brought Marianne for a feeding, Julie spent some time with her until she was collected for visiting hours.
Julie didn't have any visitors. Everyone was busy working. She suddenly missed her mum, but if she were alive her father wouldn't let her travel to London anyways. She was feeling sorry for herself when Angela and Teddy popped in at the very end of visiting hours.
"We'd come sooner, but we had school," Teddy informed her.
"Did you see her?" Julie asked.
"She's adorable, but she isn't a he," Angela joked. "Mum and Dad couldn't stop talking about her last night."
"Has Dad come by today?" Teddy asked. When Julie shook her head, he added, "I bet he will."
They had only just arrived before the visitors were ushered out. On his way out, Teddy said, "I suppose I'm not your favorite anymore."
Julie replied, "You're my favorite brother."
Later her neighbor asked why she wasn't bottle feeding. Julie proudly said, "My husband, the doctor, told me that our baby will be healthier."
"Healthier?" she asked.
"Yes, I'll pass on something in my milk that will help her fight illness better."
"Really."
"I don't care it's dirty," another ward mate said.
Julie responded, "It was my choice and I quite like it. One leaflet said it will help me get in shape faster."
"Really? My midwife didn't tell me any of that."
"I think you were meant to read the leaflet and decide for yourself," Julie suggested.
Throughout her stay Mum and Dad stopped in when they could. Tim came every evening and any other time, he was at hospital.
One night she woke to find him asleep in the chair beside her. She whispered, "Tim."
He opened his eyes and said, "I'm waiting on a patient. They kicked me out of the nursery, so I'm hiding in here."
"I miss you. I want to go home."
Before he could answer a nurse came in and said, "Dr. Turner, they're ready for you."
He kissed her forehead and whispered, "Love you."
The nurse looked at Julie and said, "Since you're up, I'll bring in baby."
On her last full day, she was forced to learn how to care for baby. This included lessons on bathing, changing nappies, and bottle sterilisation. When she was through, she felt as if she learned very little new information. She was very ready to go home and be a family.
When she finally walked into the flat with Tim behind her carrying Marianne, she felt as if she'd been gone a lifetime. All that lying-in only made her more tired.
"Welcome home Mrs. Turner!" Tim said.
Julie said, "Welcome home little Miss. Turner."
She sat and held her baby content that a nurse wasn't going to come and take her away from her.
####
Julie was every bit as wonderful a mother as Tim imagined. Every night he'd come home to his two best girls dancing.
One day they might be dancing slow and singing,
"Your once, twice
Three times a lady
And I love you
Yes, your once, twice
Three times a lady
And I love you!"
Another night she'd be singing loudly and trying to get Tim to join in,
"Summer lovin' had me a blast
Summer lovin' happened so fast"
Life was always fun with Jules. Even when he was worrying about a patient, she'd remind him just how lucky he was.
Marianne was six months old as they were preparing to celebrate her first Christmas. Timothy remembered the letter they wrote on Angela's first Christmas. His daughter also lived in a nice flat with a real Christmas tree.
That autumn after Angela turned nineteen, Mum and Angela had contacted The Church of England Adoption Charity. Their inquiry gained no results as a flood in the cellar had ruined all the records from before nineteen-sixty-six.
Angela had told Tim that she wasn't upset, because she only wanted to be a Turner.
"Julie had to marry you to be a true Turner, but I've been one my whole life," she said.
"You know Ange, Mum and Dad never loved you less. You were even more special because you're their only daughter."
"I know. Just like I know you always loved me."
On Christmas morning, they woke early and Tim took pictures to remember the day with his new 35mm camera. He was always snapping pictures of Marianne. His favorites were of the two together.
Later they drove over for Christmas dinner with his family. Julie helped Mum whilst the baby was passed around. Once Dad got a hold of her, he didn't pass her on until she cried.
Angela teased Teddy by saying he was one of the little rich boys that The Kinks were singing about in their new Christmas song.
She was a calm content baby. Julie was so relaxed with her that Tim was certain Marianne learned from her mum.