Evening at Nonnatus House
There's a house we can build
Every room inside is filled
With things from far away
The special things I compile
Each one there to make you smile
On a rainy day
They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy
They can say, they can say we've lost our minds
I don't care, I don't care if they call us crazy
Runaway to a world that we design
As always, it's been a busy day for the Turners, surgery, midday visits, afternoon clinic. They were needed in the community and they knew it. It was their mission to devote their help and care for those who needed it the most. But somehow today was one of the rare occasions that Patrick actually was on time, when his MG pulled up in front of their house to pick up his family for dinner with the extended family.
When he opened the front door, the doctor was welcomed by the smell of home and the familiar sounds that were so uniquely his family. When they first bought the house, he was a little bit uncertain if it was too big for them. But now it was filled with a warmth that filled his heart with even more love for his family. After his first wife had died, Patrick would have never thought or dreamed that he could be so happy again.
"Hello darling," his wife welcomed him with a warm smile and a kiss, as she always did. "
We're almost ready to go. Teddy just needs a new nappy and Angela is yet not certain with dress will fit tonight's occasion." she sighed. Patrick knew that she didn't liked it very much, when she couldn't manage to be on time.
All he could was laugh a little, he was almost never on time, and the world still spun. "Why don't you help Angela. I wouldn't be a help there anyways and I go and see after Teddy. I think that much I can manage." He kissed her cheek and got his son from where he was playing on the ground with his bricks. Even when it wasn't very common these days, Patrick loved to be involved in taking care for his son. So whenever Shelagh would let him, he'd enjoy a little quality time with Teddy while changing his nappies or bathing him.
A short time later, they all were in the car and drove over to Nonnatus House, where they were all welcomed by their friends. "There you are, come on in," Sister Julienne gave Shelagh and the two younger kids a tight hug and rushed the Turner family inside. All nurses, nuns, the Turners and Fred with his family were sit around the dining table. It just seemed like any other family sitting. Sister Julienne the matron of Nonnatus House like a mother, warm, welcoming, loving. Sister Monica-Joan a little bit noisy, a little confused, just like the weird great-aunt. Nurse Crane like an aunt always a little stern, judging, but meaning good. Fred the uncle that was always up for some fun. And the younger nurses and Sister Winifred just like a bunch of sisters and cousins. And even when more so often they all had different opinions on the world's things, they could count on each other and nothing would ever stop them from supporting each other. They weren't related by blood but yes, they were indeed a family.
With all of them at the table, a very rare occasion that no one was at a delivery at the moment, it was loud. Full of chatter and laughter. So Sister Julienne had to make herself to be noticed when she raised her glass for a toast, "Today we came together here to welcome back Nurse Franklin. It's so good to have you back so well," the superior smiled and Trixie smiled back and had to hold back some tears.
The blonde was so very glad to be back as well. This was her home and she had missed her family terribly. "Thank you so much! All of you, it's so good to be back home. But please enough of me, we've got something so much better to celebrate." Trixie looked over at Shelagh and Patrick and raised her glass as well.
The superior now looked at the Turners to her left, "Nurse Franklin is right. We also have something special to celebrate today. A unique bond of love and respect." A motherly glance washed over her face, before she continued, " I know it wasn't always easy, especially in the beginning, but you've found your way. If we look at you now, we can see what love is and even if He didn't give you an easy start, it was His plan, His path for you after all and the result is so very beautiful. So here's to many more years."
Glasses were raised and clicked, "To Shelagh and Patrick." "To Shelagh and Patrick!" They all joined in.
The doctor's wife was touched by all of this. In the beginning Shelagh wasn't quite sure if she wanted to make such a fuss about her wedding anniversary, but now she was happy that Patrick convinced her to her to share their joy with the family. The blonde looked at her husband and even when she normally was very hesitant to show her affections so openly, Shelagh couldn't resist to simply kiss her husband. The nuns and nurses squealed of joy.
"Oh no, why? We didn't even had dinner yet," Timothy sighed with a slight smile.
He gained a laughter from the others while his father couldn't otherwise but reply: "Because we like to embarrass you." And with that he kissed his wife again, before they all turned their attention to the delicious meal Mrs B. had created.
The Nonnatus family enjoyed their dinner over chatting about Trixies latest travels, their day and recent cases. After they finished the main course and before Mrs. B could provide them with the cake she made for dessert, it was time for Timothy to take the word. He cleared his throat and looked boyish, "Mum, Dad, I know most of the time I seem to be embarrassed when you do all your mushy stuff," he looked from his parents to the others, almost a little bit shy, "But truth to be told. I couldn't be more happy that you've found each other. That you became my mum, that dad finally is happy again, that you gave me Angela and Teddy and that we're a happy family again. Mum you showed us, that love is always there, and never ending, thank you for that... and before I start rambling even more, we've got something for you."
The eldest Turner got a wrapped parcel from his bag and handed it over to his mum. Angela clapped her hands in excitement, "Teddy and I helped Tim. He let us color the pages."
He looked at his little sister and hushed her with a smile, "Yeah you almost ruined it." Shelagh's heart swelled with motherly pride and while Patrick got his son Teddy from her, she started to open the present. It came out a beautiful handmade scrapbook. Everyone was looking at her, while she flipped through the pages. It contained photos of them as a family and surprisingly lots of photos of just Shelagh and Patrick together, doing mushy stuff, not aware of being photographed.
"Where?" the blonde started, but didn't finish, because she was overwhelmed by her feelings.
"You gave me camera, remember? And well most of the time you didn't notice much around you, while your at it," Timothy explained with a played groan.
Shelagh got up and gave her eldest son a bone crushing hug, not caring about his embarrassment.
Patrick mumbled a "Thank you," while patting proud his sons back when he sat down again next to him. The couple viewed their present together and became aware of how in love they looked, and how lucky and in love they were indeed.
On one of the pages Shelagh stopped, "There are even photos of our wedding I've never seen before and there's even a photograph of our first three-legged-race together, where did you get those from?" She turned to the teenager.
"Well let's say I've had some help," he smirked and winked at Trixie. "One of the best memories ever, mum." Wiping away a single tear, the blond looked once again at this particular photo.
There was a nun and a young boy having fun doing the three-legged-race. But she could see so much more, this was her old life, and it was the day that everything changed. The day that he was so weak to kiss her hand. The day that she felt the lump in her belly grew even stronger. The day that she became aware that he felt the same way as she did. The day that she got even more troubled by her own feelings. The day the daydreams started. The day she started to dream about a life, that came true five years ago. Shelagh took Patrick's hand and squeezed it lovingly.
"Oh you two are just so sweet," Trixie chirped, "But could you please pass over the album, we're dying over here to see you being cute together."
With a blush on her cheeks, she handed the album over, not quite sure if she was ready to share all those very private photos. But then on the other side, this was her family, so it couldn't do her any harm. They all were happy for them after all. The young nurses had a good look at the little book, while Shelagh tried to busy herself and joined Sister Monica-Joan eating the cake Mrs. B had made. Nurse Crane and Patrick got into a discussion over a case, Sister Julienne took delight in the stories that Angela told her. Everyone was enjoying the dessert.
After a while Valerie gasped and tried to suppress a giggle. "You've been a nun?" Lucille asked surprised and put Valerie's thoughts into words.
The blush on the doctor's wife's cheeks crept a little higher and took a darker shade. She wasn't hiding her past, she wasn't ashamed of it. But somehow they never talked about it either.
Nonnatus House newest additions looked around in the room, "Oh sure, you all know about it, I'm sorry," Valerie excused herself.
Phyllis rose to speak, "Well yes and no. I didn't know for certain until just now, I'd say. When I arrived at Nonnatus house the Turners were already married. But I had my suspicions. Because in the books I found the notes of a certain Sister Bernadette. And Sister Monica-Joan enlightened me with all the stories of this young exceptional midwife. Well after no one talked about where she went and everyone spoke about Shelagh being a midwife herself, but I couldn't find her in the books. I made the math."
There was a brief pause, before Trixie spoke, "Well I'd say in the end you found the right path for you. You look so happy, the both of you do." Shelagh thankfully smiled.
"I'm still very proud of myself to have been able to get you out of that habit." Patrick joked, but seeing the dark shade of pink on his wife's cheeks made him regret his comment instantly. "Sorry dear."
"No it's alright," she smiled a little insecure. "Yes after I finished nursing school I joined the order as a postulant. I felt a calling and reacted upon it. Then He changed His plan for me and I went another path. I took me some time to figure out what He wanted from me, thankfully in the end I knew what I had to do. But don't let Patrick persuade you that he swiped me out of the habit. It was my decision before I even could be sure where it would end. Not that I'm not happy about the outcome." Shelagh looked full of love at him, "And don't think we were hiding it from you. It's just, well it doesn't matter anymore. I left Sister Bernadette behind and became Shelagh again."
Valerie, Lucille and Phyllis nodded and were happy that the doctor's wife felt safe enough with them to share her story.
Another short silence followed before an overly excited Angela jump from Sister Juliennes lap and run over to her older brother, "Tim'thy, is now the time for the big surprise?" The blonde girl jumped up and down fussily.
Patrick looked at his son, while Shelagh got her daughter in a tight embrace. "Another surprise? You're doing well son."
"Well yes, another surprise, well kind of."
Angela couldn't wait any longer, "Oh Tim'thy you're so lame. Mummy the big surprise is, that we're having a sleepover at Sis Julie tonight!" She jumped from her mothers lap and run back to the Sister.
The couple looked at each other, then at her son, back at Sister Julienne who smiled warm. "Yes indeed. See it as a present from all of us to you. Unfortunately we can't send you on holidays because you're so needed here. But we thought some time alone would be appreciated likewise."
"But we can't leave the kids with you, it's too much to ask for."
"Mum, you can't give back a present."
"Timothy is right darling, we can't deny them the happiness of giving us their present," Patrick jumped in, and thanked God for everything. It seemed like they would have some time just by themselves after all.
His wife eventually agreed with a heavy heart, because it would be the first night that they spend without their youngest son. But when she looked around and saw their friends' faces, there was only one other thing that was bothering her. Shelagh was pretty sure that at least every adult around the table had a pretty good clue on what would probably happening tonight. She tried to hide another blush.
After this unforeseen possibility came up, Patrick almost couldn't wait to get home. Luckily for him, it was already rather late and Angela and Teddy were tired after an exciting evening.
"Seems like the little princess and the little prince are ready to visit the land of dreams," Sister Julienne rose, "Go and say goodnight Angel girl."
The little girl did as she was told and said goodbye to her parents. The matron got her little brother from his father's tide embrace. "Goodnight Shelagh, Patrick. May you have a peaceful night." Sister Julienne dismissed herself and the children and left the room. Shelagh melancholy followed them with her eyes.
"Let's go home then," her husband whispered into her ear, before he spoke a little louder, "They will be alright, darling. They are with a bunch of the best nurses and midwives we both know. They couldn't be better taken care of."
She tried to force a steady smile and stood up.
"Yes, we've got everything in control," Trixie tried to usher the Turners out into the night, "And if one of them gets a little homesick, Timothy is here to make it all better. They're going to be alright. Go and have some fun," she suppressed a giggle, winked at Shelagh and gave her friend a tight and knowing hug.
Timothy had followed them outside, "Yes mum, just go. Be all mushy with each other. That was the plan." He laughed and gave his parents also a hug, and they thanked him again, before they got in the car and drove home.