For Hannah who is very special to me

'Nonnatus House, Midwife speaking.'

'Trixie?'

'Patrick! Why are you phoning here?' It had been several months since the Turners had left Poplar and their much awaited children were due to be born any day. Being so tiny herself the stress on Shelagh's body had been massive and she had been quite unwell for the past month. Cynthia had moved in with them as their midwife last week telling the nuns she had a family issue-which was entirely correct as far as any of them were concerned.

The fact that Patrick was phoning Nonnatus House directly meant that either something wonderful had happened or something terrible had. She sent up a brief prayer that it was the former.

'Could you get to a phonebox?' His voice gave no hint to the tone of the situation.

'Of course. Is everything okay?'

'Yes. All is well.' She let out a sigh of relief.

'Good. I'll phone back in a few minutes.'

Patrick?''Ah good. You're free to talk?''Of course.'

'The tadpoles are now tiny little frogs. Shelagh's had the babies.' She could hear the proud grin down the phone. She squealed, bouncing on her toes.

'She has? How marvellous! What has she had? Are they okay? Is she okay? Who do they look like? Have they been named yet?' She had so many questions she felt she was going to burst. It had been hard being so far from the reality of her dear friend's pregnancy and every morsel of information she could gather in between visits was taken in eagerly.

'We have a little boy and a little girl. And they are completely perfect. Matthew James was born first and is the spit of his Mum and Catherine Aurora was second-she's the perfect mix of the two of us, Shelagh's eyes and hair, my mother's nose and my ears poor girl.' They chuckled. Patrick had oft complained about the possibility of one of his children inheriting his ears. Both vividly recalled the emotional response Shelagh had had in response to one of those occasions. She had been greatly upset, then filled with fury, at his self-depreciation. Those mood swings alone were enough to put Trixie of starting a family for a good few more years.

'How lovely. How's Shelagh?'

'Tired but ecstatic. She did so well. I'm so proud. It was a long labour and it took a lot out of her but she's already back in charge and giving us all orders. She's so happy. It's marvellous. Timothy absolutely dotes on the pair of them already. He's going to be such a fantastic brother. Shelagh's going to be an amazing Mum-she already is. Oh and Cynthia did a stand up job herself-she was exactly the right midwife for Shelagh. It was so lovely of her to take the break from Nonnatus.'

'If only the nuns had known what it was for.' They laughed.'Indeed. Sorry I have to go. My child needs me.' Patrick said proudly as she heard a faint wail in the background.

'Well I'll let you go then Daddy. I'll tell the girls-they'll be over the moon. You give that wife of yours a massive hug from us all.'

'I will, and thank you. For this and for everything these past months. To all of you.'

'We love Shelagh and we're moderately fond of you.' She teased. He chuckled. 'We could never turn our backs on you when something so wonderful happened to you. And I hope we manage to come see them as soon as possible.

'We'd like that. Already Shelagh has told them all about their aunts in Poplar. Speak to you soon.''Yes. And congratulations. Bye.'

'Bye.'

'Come here.' Patrick walked back into his bedroom to find his wife back in bed with heir hours old son nestled in her arm. Grinning wider than he had ever done before he settled himself gently next to the woman he still couldn't believe had ran away with him and given him a family.

'Where's…'

'Timmy took her. Oh Patrick he's such a good brother already. I was so worried he would feel pushed out, especially when we found out it was twins. They would outnumber him. I have a biological son now-I don't want Tim to feel like that makes him any less my son.'

'Shelagh that boy adores you. He adores his baby brother and sister too. Just ask him yourself.' Patrick smiled as the boy in question appeared in the doorway cradling his sister.

'You're my mum. The three of us have the same parents-I just have two mothers. Yes our history as a family is a bit unusual and yes you and I share no biology but that doesn't mean I don't love you. I know you love me, I know you won't intend to ever make me feel like less of your son. But it's okay if you do. Because you chose to love me when you didn't have to. You're stuck with these two now-you have no choice but to love them. If anything it makes me more special than them.'

'You are very special to me sweetheart. Sit with me?' The boy sat awkwardly on the edge of the bed. After a minute of awkward shuffling and swapping over of babies they were soon all sat comfortably on the bed.

'Shelagh?'

'Yes dearest?'

'You know what we were just talking about? How you're my mother?

'Yes?'

'Could I…could I maybe call you Mum?'

'Oh my darling sweet boy nothing would make me happier.' From the doorway, unseen by the family so deeply engrossed in each other, Cynthia smiled sadly. If only the nuns could know of this joy their former Sister had found. If only they could see the love and joy and peaceful rightness of the family Cynthia knew all would be forgiven and forgotten in a heartbeat.

'Trixie what is it? What on earth can be so desperate you have to drag us into your room mid afternoon?' Jenny scowled. Trixie shushed her, checking the corridor outside once more before closing the door tightly and explaining quietly.

'It's Shelagh. She's had the babies. A little boy called Matthew James and a girl called Catherine Aurora. Both healthy. Both beautiful apparently. Shelagh's already telling them of all their aunts in Poplar. Patrick sounded happier than I've ever heard him.'

'Oh how wonderful. A boy and a girl! Just what she wanted.' Chummy grinned. She had been shocked when the nurses had explained the situation to her and Peter but both Noakes' had been beyond happy for the pair and had agreed to keep quiet. Baring a few near slips they had continued to hide the news from the nuns. Not long after they had found out they had visited the Turners, telling the nuns they were visiting a friend they had made in Sierra Leone. Until Chummy had clapped eyed on the woman who was extraordinarily pregnant she had half beloved that the nurses had been pulling her leg. But they hadn't. And it was wonderful.

After Freddie's birth Peter had managed to organise a private phone call between his wife and her friends promising to visit but as of yet neither couple had had the time.

And now Shelagh too was a Mum to a young boy, and also to a little girl. She couldn't help but wish that her boy would grow up closer to his cousins but The Turners couldn't come back and The Noakes' had lives and a family support network in Poplar. Frequent visits would have to suffice for now.

As if reading her thoughts Trixie continued on-

'I promised we'd visit as soon as we could. So who wants to draw straws to see who gets to go see our niece and nephew first?'

I know I know. Many of of you may have thought I had given up on this fic but I kept hitting a brick wall whilst trying to write Chummy finding out and visiting. After months of trying and giving up I scrapped that idea and moved it on a few months.

Probably only one or two chapters of this left now I've progressed it in the right direction. The next chapter should be longer than this one.

Reviews appreciated xx