Linens:
It was a beautiful spring day and Charles Carson was stuck inside, much to his dismay. He longed to be outdoors in the sunshine, fresh air, and the cooling breeze with his wife. If he closed his eyes, he could easily see them enjoying a quiet morning sitting on the swing in the garden, reading a novel, or simply listening to the birds singing as they basked in the sunshine. But, regardless of the longing in his heart and mind, he would have to postpone that little fantasy since he knew he had work to do. The job before him was no easy task but it was most certainly one that he wanted to do on his own. Elsie had offered to help, even to simply keep him company, but he was slightly afraid that she would be disappointed in his skills and the end result so he had promptly but politely declined her offer.
He looked around him at all the various pieces to this complicated yet incredibly important task and wiped the sweat from his brow. Even with the meticulously outlined directions and diagrams he had secured from one of the carpenters on the estate, he was beginning to doubt his ability. But then he remembered the look on Elsie's face when he'd mentioned the project to her, the way her eyes sparkled and her lips curled into a large smile was his undoing. He soon found himself smiling and with a boost of confidence he picked up the hammer and a nail and started to work.
Elsie jumped and clutched her hand to her chest as the sound of the hammer hitting the nail and driving it into the wood resounded through their little cottage. She had been anticipating the loud banging for a good half hour but the suddenness of it was enough to make her heart skip a few beats. She stopped kneading the bread dough and closed her eyes, wanting to preserve the memory for years to come, however silly it might sound to others, perhaps even to Charles if she were to tell him of her little moment.
Soon, though, the steady rhythm of the hammer and the occasional outburst from Charles if the hammer slipped, filled the silence in every corner of the house, and with her bread set aside to rise before baking, she decided it was time for Charles to take a break. With two glasses of fresh lemonade in hand, she carefully climbed the stairs to the small room and tapped the door with her foot.
"Charles, love, open the door. I have some lemonade for you," she called out sweetly to him. She had to wait a moment or two as she heard sounds of shuffling and scraping before the door opened just slightly. "Well, for heavens sake, open the door! I can't very well give you the glass if you don't open up," she scolded with a smile on her face.
"I don't want you to see. I'm not finished. Won't be for some time," he added, stepping into the hallway and gratefully taking the glass from her. He downed half of the contents of the glass before continuing. "Besides, I've got everything spread out on the floor, in the correct order, and I don't want to run the risk of getting anything out of place."
"I promise not to touch a single piece, not even one little nail, if you'll let me see," she pleaded, though he was already shaking his head.
"Not until I'm done. Elsie, please, we've talked about this. I want it to be a surprise … well, as much as it can be at this point." He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips then rested his forehead against hers. "I promise to show you the moment it's finished. Just … trust me."
"Charlie Carson, I trust you with my life. You know that. I'm merely excited, that's all. But, if it means that much to you, I promise to leave you alone for the rest of the day." When he started to lean down for another kiss, she stopped him abruptly with her fingers on his lips. "You must promise me that you will open the windows in there and keep the door open for some air to circulate. You're much too warm, and it won't do you or me any good if you get sick from the heat. I promise not to come back up these stairs until you call for me."
He kissed her fingertips then the palm of her hand before resting it over his heart. "You have my solemn oath, Mrs. Carson. Windows and door open, and I'll call for you the moment I'm satisfied with the project."
She caressed his cheek for a moment, staring into his deep brown eyes. "I'm such a lucky lass to be married to you." She brushed her thumb across his bottom lip and trailed her fingertips down the side of his neck causing them both to shiver as shared memories of passionate nights filled their minds. "I think I'll put the bread in to bake and then do a bit of laundry."
"Nothing heavy," he reminded her. "No heavy lifting."
"Oh, go on with you. It's merely a few sheets, pillow cases, and the like. I think I can manage." She gave him a little wink and a pat on the bottom before turning and starting towards the stairs with his empty glass in her hand. She was caught completely by surprise when his arms slipped around her waist drawing her back against his damp shirt.
"Take a rest this afternoon and we can go down to the lake for a little picnic supper. It might be nice to do a bit of paddling at the end of the day to cool off a little and watch the sunset." He brushed his lips against the side of her neck and nipped her earlobe playfully.
"You have yourself a date, Charlie. Just don't get too worked up over this," she said, nodding her head towards the closed door. "It will be perfect because you made it with love, and we will cherish it."
With that extra boost of confidence and a cool breeze now blowing in through the window and opened door, Charles returned to his task with renewed energy and excitement. He worked tirelessly and with intense concentration for the rest of the afternoon until he added the last nail to the wood with satisfaction.
As he stared at the little wooden object, he felt a surge of pride filling his chest. He didn't think he'd ever felt such a deep sense of accomplishment as he did in that moment. Then, suddenly, he had a deep desire to share this moment with Elsie. He had promised to let her see it the moment it was completed. After looking it over carefully with a critical eye, making certain that every detail was perfect, every nail flush with the wood, the edges all smooth so that nothing could cause any harm, he decided it was time to show off his handiwork.
He stood and stretched, the tired and achy muscles in his back and legs protesting, causing him to wince and groan. The cool water of the lake would certainly wash away any discomfort he was feeling now. He was about to call downstairs to Elsie when he heard a lovely voice floating in through the window. Crossing the room, he pulled back the billowing curtain to see his beautiful wife.
He was mesmerized by the image of her. She had dark hair, though when the sun kissed it, it highlighted the auburn streaks, and one or two silver hairs, though he'd never tell her as much. Her skin seemed to glow with the warmth of the sun and the tiny beads of sweat at the nape of her neck, no doubt from the work she'd been doing both inside and outside of the house. The dark blue skirt she wore was a little tight, though that was to be expected. However, it also accentuated her bottom … something he greatly appreciated. And the pale blue shirt with the little yellow flowers on the collars was one of his favorites. On more than one occasion, he could recall telling her how the shirt made her eyes seem an even lighter shade of blue, like a clear pool of water on a summer day. To him, she was absolute perfection, and as he scanned her outline as she carefully draped the freshly laundered sheets across the laundry line, his eyes were drawn to the perfect little baby bump at her tummy.
As he continued to stare, he watched as Elsie gently removed each little piece of bedding for the crib and attached it to the line, running her hand over the crisp white sheet as if the baby could care about wrinkles when he or she arrived. Elsie was singing, too. He was sure it was some lullaby her mother used to lull Elsie and Becky to sleep when they were younger, something she was sure to sing to their own bairn in the middle of the night.
A sudden burst of wind caught a little square of white cloth that she was trying to attach to the line and Elsie barely caught it just before it hit the ground. Her laughter rang through the garden and up to the window where Charles stood watching, his own soft laugh joining hers.
"Good catch, love," he called down from the window.
She looked up and waved at her handsome husband. "The last thing I want is to have to wash all of this again. It was a chore, but it's finished now. We just have to wait for the sun to dry the bedding and for this little one to arrive," she said caressing her baby bump just as the little one decided to give her a swift reminder of their presence.
"I'm finished if you'd like to come up and give me your opinion," he called down. "Leave the basket, and I'll hang the rest of the laundry while you take a rest on the sofa. I don't want you to tire out before we get to the lake."
She carefully folded the little sheet for the crib and placed it back into the laundry basket then made her way inside. She had been waiting on this moment all day, trying to keep her mind occupied and her hands busy so she didn't disturb Charles as he worked so very hard. Within minutes, she was standing at the threshold of the little room they had designated for a nursery.
"Close your eyes," he said, taking both of her hands in his and leading her into the middle of the room. When he released her hands, he moved to stand behind her, his chin resting on her shoulder and his hands now resting securely on her stomach where their little miracle was nestled safely for at least another few weeks. "Open them," he whispered softly.
Slowly, Elsie opened her eyes and gasped at the sight in front of her. Her darling, wonderful, talented husband had actually managed to make the baby cradle. It was exactly like the one she had seen in the magazine she'd been reading and had showed it to Charles. She had immediately dismissed the idea of buying the cradle because of the price, but it was clear to her husband that she had already fallen in love. He had to admit, too, that he could easily imagine their little baby sleeping soundly in the cradle beside their bed each night.
It was when that image settled firmly in his mind that Charles decided to try his hand at woodworking. It wouldn't be an easy task by any stretch of the imagination but he had to try … for Elsie, for their baby, and for himself. If he could manage, it would be something that their grandchildren might use one day. One afternoon while Elsie had been in the village, Charles took the magazine to the carpenters on the estate and explained his situation. They assured him that, with their help and explicit directions, it would be possible. Now, standing in the nursery with Elsie, he had never felt prouder.
"Charlie, it's perfect. It's exactly like the one I saw in the magazine. I can't believe you did all of this, you lovely, amazing man," she said, turning in his arms and kissing him soundly on the lips. She turned back and gently bent down beside the cradle, amazed at the deep coloring of the wood, the smoothness of the edges, and the ease of the glide when she gently pushed it.
Tears filled her eyes as she peered into the cradle. The bottom and sides of their baby's new bed were lined with a thick white padding to protect the little one from any discomfort or harm. Little white bows evenly spaced around the crib and keeping the material securely in place only enhanced the overall beauty of the gift.
"I hope you like the insides. If not, we can certainly change them. Mrs. Logan, at the shop, suggested the white fabric since it is softer than some of the others I looked at, and she suggested it would be perfect for a boy or a girl. She also put me in touch with a lady in Ripon who managed to sew the lining since I told her it was to be a surprise for you. But, if there's anything you'd like to change …"
"No! It's perfect, absolutely perfect. I'll stop by and thank Mrs. Logan myself the next time I'm in the village, and I'll send a thank you note to the lady in Ripon, too." Elsie wiped at the tears of happiness now freely streaming down her cheeks. She wrapped her arm around Charles's waist and snuggled into his side as he rested one hand on her hip and the other on her baby bump.
"I'm sorry if I was grumpy with you earlier today. I wanted all of this to be a surprise. You seemed so sure that I was going to do a very simple design, and I would have been forced to do just that had this been an utter failure. But, Elsie, I've never been happier than I am right now. Seeing the look on your face was worth every hammered thumb, ever nail-pricked finger, and all the sweat and heat in the world. I will be one proud Papa when our little baby arrives and can sleep in here for the first time."
Charles closed the distance between them and kissed Elsie softly on the lips, letting the seconds tick by slowly and enjoying the happy moment between them. They both began to laugh when the baby decided to kick Charles's hand, letting them both know that soon they would be a family of three and there would be someone to occupy the tiny cradle that Charles has crafted for baby Carson.
Later that evening, after they had enjoyed the picnic by the lake and watching the sunset, the couple returned home. It was dark but the moon was full and bright, casting odd shadows on the laundry still flapping in the light breeze. Charles ushered Elsie inside before returning to gather the linens from the line. Pulling one of the cradle sheets to his nose, he inhaled deeply while remembering the image of Elsie as he'd watched her from the upstairs window earlier that day. The sheet smelled of lavender and sunshine, love and happiness, security and home … all the things that reminded him of Elsie. In only a few short weeks, he would be able to wrap up his son or daughter in the sun-kissed blankets and tell them of his love for their mother and how she stole his heart away.
A/N: Thanks so much for reading. This is, of course, an AU for our sweet Chelsie, but the idea of baby linens was too cute to resist. If you're so inclined, I'd appreciate you taking the time to leave a little review. HUGS!