Title: Day of anticipation
Chapter: 2/3 – a night for fun
Characters: Mattie, Jean, Lawson, Blake, Danny, Charlie
Rating: 15
Spoilers: Set post S2
Summary: It's the eve of Blake and Jean's wedding, but they're not the only ones whose hearts are touched by romance.
Word count: ~ 3,000
Notes: This is a sequel to 'An unexpected gift of fate' which was written between Seasons 2 & 3. As such, I've ignored most of S3 in writing this fic.
Disclaimer. I don't own the characters, I'm only borrowing them, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Mattie realised that she was holding her breath as she waited to see Lawson's reaction, half afraid of what he'd say. But she and Matthew had been courting for almost six months now; she loved him and couldn't imagine her life without him in it. She only hoped that she hadn't she hadn't been too forward and scared him off. To her surprise, Lawson's face creased up with laughter. "What's so funny?" asked Mattie, indignantly. "I'm being serious."
"I know, Mattie," said Lawson, unable to hide the relief in his voice. He reached up and gently caressed Mattie's cheek. "But you've only gone and stolen my bloody thunder!"
Mattie gasped, "You mean...you were going to..."
Lawson nodded, "I've been working my way up to it, yes. Trying to find the right words...the right time..." He sighed, "I didn't want to rush into it...didn't want you to feel pressured. I guess...I guess a part of me was afraid because I didn't know what your answer would be..."
"And now you know," said Mattie softly as she leaned in and kissed him on the lips.
"Now I know," said Lawson, when they finally pulled apart. "Reckon it's time I made a call to your father."
"Don't tell me that you're going to ask him for my hand in marriage," said Mattie, pulling away slightly, a frown on her face.
"No, but I figure I should give him the good news that I'll be taking you off his hands," retorted Lawson.
"Comments like that and I might just change my mind," said Mattie, without thinking. She saw Lawson's face fall slightly and quickly added, "Oh Matthew, I'm only teasing." She cupped his cheek in her hand. "I meant what I said...I love you, and I want to share my life with you."
Lawson held her, half afraid he was dreaming, only letting go when he heard the clock chiming the quarter hour. "Come on," he said, "Let's go tell the others."
"We can't do that," said Mattie, "I mean, not yet." She saw the puzzlement on Lawson's face. "Whatever about stealing *your* thunder, I can't steal Jean's as well. It's her big day tomorrow, hers and Lucien's, and they don't need us sharing their limelight."
"You're right, of course," said Lawson, trying to hide his disappointment.
Mattie squeezed his hand, "I'm not going to change my mind, if that's what you're worried about. We can tell the world...just not until after the wedding." She curled up against him, resting her head on his shoulder. Holding her hand out to the light, she smiled.
"Already thinking about the ring?" teased Lawson, smiling as he saw her blush slightly.
"Just wondering what would suit," said Mattie. "I mean, I haven't really thought about it before." It wasn't strictly true, thought Mattie. She'd seen several of her friends get engaged, had oohed and aaheed appropriately over the varying shapes and sizes of rings they'd shown off. And sometimes it had crossed her mind to wonder just how they'd look on her finger. But she'd usually dismissed such thoughts, certain that that life path wasn't for her. And then she'd fallen for Matthew, head over heels, and suddenly that path didn't seem quite so far fetched after all.
"Day after tomorrow then," said Lawson. "You and I, let's go see what sort of ring will suit that pretty little hand of yours."
"And then see about setting the date, making plans..."
"We'll see to all of that after your final exams next month," said Lawson, firmly. "You've worked so hard for them, last thing you want is to get distracted when you're so close to finishing. I know how important this is to you, how much you want to do this."
"You don't mind the idea of me working?" Mattie hesitated, "Even after we're married?" She knew that while Matthew was a reasonable man, there were some things upon which his attitude could be said to be less than modern. But so far in their relationship, none of their differences had been insurmountable.
"Would it make any difference if I did?" Lawson had a teasing note in his voice as he smiled at Mattie.
"Yes," said Mattie, honestly. "I do want to be a good wife to you."
"Then don't change for me. Being a social worker or a nurse, wanting to help people isn't just what you do, its part of who you are, part of the reason I love you. And I'd never ask you to give that up. I want you to always be the woman I've fallen in love with, the one who stands up to me and tells me when I'm being an idiot...even if you do occasionally scupper my big plans for romance!"
"Next time, don't keep them to yourself!" Mattie hesitated before continuing, "I mean it Matthew, promise me that you won't hide things from me, especially if something's bothering you. I don't care whether it's your health or more police politics. If it affects you, it affects me...I don't want you to shut me out, I want you to be able to talk to me."
"I will," said Lawson. "As long as you do the same for me.
"Oh Matthew!"
The clock was chiming the half hour when Mattie reluctantly disentangled herself and stood up. "Jean's sewing circle will be here soon, you should be on your way."
"I'd rather stay here with you," said Lawson, as Mattie pulled him to his feet.
"This is for ladies only. Besides, you have to fulfil your best man duties," teased Mattie, as she led him to the door. "But just make sure you get Lucien to the church, sober and on time tomorrow!"
Jean had similar instructions for Lawson. "I'm trusting you to keep an eye on things," she said as Lawson pulled on his coat.
"Jean, I promise you I'll have your groom at the church on time if I have to clap a pair of handcuffs on him," said Lawson with a smile. "And he'll be sober enough to say his vows and all."
"Oh I'm not so worried about Lucien," said Jean, airily. "He can hold his drink." Glancing down the hallway to where Blake and Danny were approaching, she bit her lip.
Lawson followed her gaze, "Don't worry, I'll watch out for Parks as well."
True to his word, Lawson kept an eye on Danny as the night progressed. Indeed he kept a watchful eye on all of Blake's party, making sure that nobody was drinking enough to cause any trouble later on. Danny, he was happy to see was pacing himself, refusing to match Blake drink for drink in spite of all the Doctor's efforts. "Kid's learning to stand up for himself," thought Lawson as he nursed his own drink. By all accounts, Parks was doing pretty well down in Melbourne. Lawson hadn't been happy at first, having his constable transferred without so much as a by your leave, but given later events, Lawson had to admit that it was as well that Parks had been out of the way of the police politics that had threatened his own career.
"Parks," said Lawson, as Danny walked past him with an almost empty glass. "What can I get you?"
"Oh I'm fine, Boss, I mean, Sir," said Danny, with a smile. "Have to keep a clear head for tomorrow. Don't want to let Auntie Jean down!"
"You'll do fine," said Lawson. He took a sip from his drink before continuing. "We're not on duty now. Reckon it's time you stopped calling me, Sir."
Lawson had officially taken himself off duty earlier, leaving Charlie to man the station for the night. He'd been given strict instructions that he would have to handle anything short of a murder by himself, and if the police surgeon was required, well Blake's locum would have to handle it as he would be doing until the Doc and Jean returned from their honeymoon. A smile came over Lawson's face involuntarily as he considered the prospect of honeymooning with Mattie.
Danny watched as a faraway look appeared on Lawson's face. "Um, Boss...Sir...I mean, Lawson? Is everything okay?"
Lawson pulled himself back to the present, with an effort. "Yes, fine. Just thinking about tomorrow." He was about to say more when Blake walked up to the bar.
"Cec, my good man, I believe there is a minor outbreak of empty glasses over in the corner," said Blake, even more jovial than usual. "We must remedy that immediately." Turning to the two police officers, he said, "Matthew, Danny, I see that you've both been affected as well. Cec, bring another bottle for my dear, dear friends." He put his arm around Lawson. "Ah Matthew, who'd have thought, all those years ago back in Ballarat West, who'd have thought that one day we'd be respectable members of the community and you'd be acting as my best man. It's been a wonderful evening, don't you think?"
"It's been good all right, Doc," said Danny.
But Blake's eyes were already on another table at the side of the room, "Excuse me, Danny, I believe I see I see a toast about to be made in my honour over there. And speaking of toasts, Matthew, I do hope you're not going to embarrass me too terribly tomorrow. Too much gushing and I might get a swelled head." He smiled widely before picking up a bottle from the bar and moving on.
"Whatever about a swelled head," said Danny, "He's certainly going to have a sore one in the morning!"
"That he is," said Lawson, with some relish. "Better make sure I have a bucket handy!" He took a sip of his own drink and glanced discreetly at his watch.
"You don't look like you're having half as good a time as the groom," observed Danny, quietly.
Lawson looked up quickly and forced a smile on his face, "Blake's having a good time, and that's what counts. These are his friends, not mine. Coppers don't tend to be the life and soul of a party."
"We're usually the ones breaking it up!" said Danny.
Lawson laughed and held out his glass to clink it against Danny's. "And that's the truth!"
"Bet you wish you were with Mattie right now," said Danny. He saw Lawson glare at him, but didn't back down. "The Doc told me about the two of you. Said you're a regular couple or something." Danny took a quick drink from his glass, "Just be good to her...she deserves it."
Lawson relaxed visibly and a genuine smile appeared on his face, "That she does, Danny, and that I will."
Several miles away, Mattie too was wishing she was somewhere else. Like Matthew, she was feeling somewhat out of place in the company she was keeping. Although in her case, it was more to do with her marital status than her occupation. As Mattie had looked round the dining room table at the start of the evening, she'd realised that not only was she by far the youngest member of the sewing party, but she was also the only one who had never been married. A fact which had not gone unnoticed or indeed uncommented upon.
Oh the other women had been welcoming to her, and hadn't deliberately excluded her from conversation. And true, she had met most of them before this evening, but it had usually been in her professional capacity and she couldn't exactly strike up a conversation by enquiring into their medical ailments. Not that Mattie's silence was noticed by most of the group. While she worked away at her own little project, choosing to concentrate more on placing her stitches as carefully as she could, the other women were full of gossip, their tongues moving as fast as their needles did through cloth.
"So you're heading along the coast for your honeymoon, Jean?" said Nancy, as she expertly bit off a thread. Rummaging in her basket, she threaded a new needle and picked up the next button.
"Yes," said Jean. "We're going to stop over in Adelaide for a few days, spend a few days with Christopher junior and his wife, and then continue on." She carefully picked out the last of her tacking stitches and smoothed down the material. Jean looked up to see a few glances being exchanged around the table. "It would have been too long a journey for them to make to visit for the wedding, especially given my daughter in law's condition." Jean knew that she and Lucien could easily have postponed their wedding when she'd heard that she was going to be a grandmother, but it had been difficult enough to find a reliable locum for the practice and in all honesty, Jean hadn't wanted to delay any longer than the proprieties demanded. The last thing she wanted was to spend any more years regretting opportunities not taken.
"We'll be gone for three weeks," Jean added, "But I'm sure Mattie will keep the house in shipshape order for us!" Jean didn't miss some of the glances that passed between her friends. Luckily Mattie had her head bowed over the handkerchief she was hemming and didn't notice them.
"Well it'll be good practice for you, Mattie girl," said Patricia, "Assuming you ever have a household of your own to manage one day."
This time Mattie did look up from her work. She forced a smile onto her face, "Oh I'm quite happy to be under Jean's roof. She does look after us all so well."
"Ah well," said Nancy, "Not everybody is cut out for marriage. Maybe that's why you're still single."
"Nancy," said Jean, quickly. "Could you pass me over your small scissors, I just need to trim a thread here. Where did you get it, it has such beautiful workmanship." Jean did her best to steer the conversation back towards more innocuous matters, but she couldn't stop the occasional snide comments that were clearly directed towards Mattie, along the lines of 'women who shouldn't be keeping a man on a string if they weren't serious about him'.
It took all of Mattie's self-control not to blurt out the news of her engagement, especially when Patricia made a pointed comment about men who couldn't make up their minds.
Fortunately, Jean came to her rescue, and announced that it was almost time for a pot of tea. "Mattie, would you give me a hand in the kitchen?"
Mattie put her almost finished work on the table and followed Jean out to the kitchen.
"Don't let them get to you, Mattie," said Jean, as she put out the cups and saucers. "They don't mean any harm...it's just that they're from a different generation. Things were done, well, a lot differently back then."
"No taking tea in a man's bedroom?" said Mattie, with a smile.
"Not even sitting in the parlour without a chaperone!" said Jean, returning the smile. "No, back in Patricia and Nancy's day, once a man asked a girl's father for permission to walk out with her, well, if an engagement wasn't announced within six months he was clearly not a serious suitor." Jean saw Mattie bite her lip. "Oh Mattie, I didn't mean to...Matthew does love you, a blind man could see it. But he's a man, and nowadays they sometimes need a bit of encouragement. Remember, courtship is all about chasing a man until he catches you!"
Mattie couldn't help but smile and something about her expression made Jean gasp, "Mattie, has he?"
Mattie shook her head quickly, then nodded, "Yes...I mean no, I...I sort of did...and he said yes!" she added almost in a whisper.
"Oh Mattie!" Jean put her arms around Mattie and hugged her, "That's wonderful news!" Pulling away, she added, "Forget the tea, I'm opening a fresh bottle of sherry for the occasion." She started towards the cupboard.
"Oh no, Jean, you can't," Mattie pulled her back. "I don't want to say anything until after your wedding. This is your big day, yours and Lucien's. Besides, I made Matthew promise not to say anything either."
"I won't say anything if you don't want me to," said Jean, "But we might as well still have something stronger than tea."
"I'm not so sure," said Mattie with a sigh as she started taking down the glasses. "I'm all thumbs as it is, and I *do* want to get this handkerchief done properly...for Matthew."
"You know he won't mind a few uneven stitches," said Jean as she got out the bottle. "He probably won't even notice them."
"I know...but I'll know they're there," said Mattie, "I just want to do it right...everything..."
Jean could see that it was more than just the sewing on Mattie's mind. "Anything you need to ask, Mattie. Anything you need me to show you, whether it's sewing or cooking or anything, all you have to do is say the word."
Mattie felt a huge wave of relief come over her. "Thank you Jean."
"Now," said Jean, briskly. "You bring the glasses, I'll bring the bottle. We'll make this a night to remember."
Mattie carried the tea tray and Jean the bottle of sherry as they returned to the sewing circle.
"Breaking into the good stuff already, Jean?" said Nancy as Jean opened the bottle. "Better not drink it all, you might need a bit of Dutch courage for tomorrow!"
"Or for tomorrow night," added Patricia as she took a filled glass from Jean.
"Hmm, do you mean for me or for Lucien?" asked Jean as she handed round the rest of the glasses.
"I'll leave you to be the judge of that!" said Nancy, as she picked up her glass.
To be concluded