Prompt 27: "You're blushing"

Summary: Timothy has big plans for after the wedding. A bit more Shimothy than Turnadette, but I really like this one. Also I love embarrassing Timothy.

A/N: Hey guys! I realized if you're not on tumblr, it probably looks like I died. I didn't! I just have a crazy schedule until after December 31st, so updates will only be coming once a week. I am still full of love for Turnadette and have every intention of completing this series.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Timothy Turner was full of plans. There were so many projects and dreams he'd forgotten about or pushed to the side when his mother died and he had to take over caring for his heartbroken father, but now, with Shelagh, he felt them all resurfacing. He was still recovering from Polio, so he wasn't quite as mobile as he would've liked, but Shelagh was happy to help him and between the two of them, the flat had never been so full of intrigue and excitement.

Shelagh was also in a better mood than she had been about the wedding. He supposed it had to do with her and his dad deciding to have a real wedding (with all the "frills" as the nurses said), but he couldn't be sure. He did know her new dress was going to be white and he was glad of that. She really didn't seem to like her grey dress very much.

The day before had been a big day for the two of them. Shelagh had been helping him walk in circles around the garden. On their third circle, she paused.

"What is it?" Timothy asked, concerned.

"I just noticed that patch over there." She pointed to a dry, abandoned area that Timothy himself had nearly forgotten about.

"Oh," he spoke softly, "that was Mum's garden."

"Oh." Shelagh sighed. "I'm sorry, Tim, we don't have to talk about it."

"No, no!" he insisted. "It's okay. I like talking about her. Dad is still quiet about it all, but I like it. It helps me remember."

"I completely understand." Shelagh assured. Truly, she did. She'd felt the same way when she lost her own mother. "Did she like to garden?" she asked as they continued their walk.

"She loved it. She never allowed dad in there. She used to say if he couldn't be trusted around ingredients in the kitchen, he couldn't be trusted around them out of the kitchen either. I think she just liked having it be hers. She let me help though."

"You gardened with her?" Shelagh asked, impressed. Tim had always shown more prowess with home keeping than Patrick, but she didn't realize it was because his mother had taught him.

"Mmmhmm." He hummed in reply before going quiet. "I miss it sometimes. Just me and Mum."

Shelagh thought long and hard about her next words, but decided the risk was worth it.

"Well, maybe after the wedding, the two of us can start a new one next to hers?" Shelagh tentatively suggested.

Timothy lit up.

"That would be smashing!" he shouted excitedly. "Can we grow carrots? Dad hates carrots and it'll make him so mad when he has to eat them because he wouldn't say no to something we grew ourselves." He laughed.

Shelagh felt happy tears of acceptance brimming behind her eyes, but she forced them away. She'd been crying for all kinds of reasons lately and she knew it worried Timothy horribly.

"We can grow whatever you want, Timothy dearest." She promised.

His plan was fully in motion. He knew Shelagh was constantly worrying about figuring out her place in their family and in Poplar now that she was no longer Sister Bernadette and this would be the perfect way to welcome her to their home after the wedding. He'd talked to Fred and gotten all sorts of information about what to plant, and when to plant it, and what soils to use. He was thrilled. Now, he just had to tell his Dad his plan so he could surprise Shelagh on her first night as Mrs. Turner.

"Tim, I'm home!" Patrick called out as he burst through the door and quickly shut it against the February chill.

"You're early." Tim observed with a quirk of a smile.

"Miracles do happen, son." Patrick smirked back. "When did Shelagh leave?"

"Just a bit ago. She wanted to wait for you, but Mrs. Noakes called and said it was an emergency about her dress. We went to Nonnatus today." He mentioned.

"Oh good, you're getting out and about. How did your legs feel?" Patrick asked, slipping into GP mode.

"Fine, Dad…" Timothy sighed. "That's not the point. I talked to Fred about a wedding present for Mum."

Patrick eye brows shot up. He didn't know Timothy was calling Shelagh Mum, but it warmed his heart measurably.

"Oh?"

"Yes! Fred's going to give me all the materials so that after the wedding, when we all come home, Mum and I can plant the first seeds in our garden to welcome her home! It'll be a surprise!" Tim finished excitedly, not noticing the look on Patrick's face.

"Huh." Patrick murmured. "And, when you talked to Fred, did you mention you wanted to do this the night of the wedding?"

"I don't think so." Tim replied. "Why does it matter?"

"Tim." Patrick paused. He loved his son's idea and it would mean the world to Shelagh, but there was absolutely no way Shelagh was spending their wedding night with his son in the dirt in their backyard. They could have their mother-son bonding time the following day. "You see, the thing is, it's a beautiful idea and I think Shel-Mum is really going to love it, but traditionally, the bride and groom spend the night after the wedding alone together."

"Oh." Tim slightly deflated. "But, that's only traditionally. I mean, you don't have to. Mum's not exactly a traditional bride."

"Yes, I know." Patrick laughed. "And I also realize most couples don't already have a child when they marry, but Shelagh's going to be making a big adjustment to how she lives and having that night for just the two of us is going to be a big help for her."

"Well, that's how I came up with my idea!" Tim exclaimed. "It'll make her feel welcome. Like she's part of the family, officially!"

Patrick took a deep breath. Why wasn't there a way to simply tell his son that he needed him out of the flat because it was getting harder and harder not to just pin Shelagh down on the couch?

"Tim, I really don't want to disappoint you, but you're going to have to welcome her to the family the next day. You'll be staying at Jack's that night…" he said delicately.

"What? Why?" Timothy asked indignantly.

The Turner men heard the door open and both turned to see Shelagh, back from Chummy's.

"Oh good, Patrick, you're here. I'm sorry I had to leave, there was a problem with my dress and Chummy said it couldn't wait and why are you both looking at me like that?" she asked as she took in their serious-conversation faces.

"Dad says I can't stay here after the wedding!" Tim cried out.

"What are you talking about?" Shelagh asked, confused. "We're not sending you to the orphanage, Timothy."

"No," he explained, "I mean that night. He said I have to go to Jack's. I don't want to go to Jack's! I want to be here with you!"

Shelagh looked back and forth between Tim and Patrick trying to figure out whose face was funnier: Tim's because he didn't understand that he really didn't want to be in the flat on their wedding night or Patrick's because he was desperately trying to convince his son without actually telling him the blunt truth. Finally, she simply smiled.

"I want you to be here too, Timothy dearest, but your father and I need a bit of time by ourselves after the wedding." She explained patiently.

"But I planned a surprise." Tim said sadly. Shelagh's heart broke, but she knew he couldn't be there.

"Oh Tim." Shelagh pulled him close. "That's so wonderfully thoughtful. I'll tell you what. What if we spend the night before the wedding together? I can't see your father because it's bad luck, but what if he went out somewhere," she looked pointedly at Patrick, "and we shared your surprise then?"

Tim smiled.

"I think...that'd be really good." He decided. "Dad?"

"I'm happy to make myself scarce for my two favorite people." Patrick assured warmly.

"Thanks Dad!" Tim hugged them both and hobbled to his room.

Shelagh and Patrick burst out laughing.

"You're blushing." Patrick teased.

"Well we couldn't tell him the real reason we wanted him gone, Patrick." She muttered with her eyes down. He stood up and gathered her in his arms.

"And what reason would that be, love?" he asked knowingly.

She glared at him briefly before bringing herself to meet him in a shy kiss.

"I think you know that better than I do." She teased before flitting away to the kitchen.

Patrick was definitely not going to make it two more weeks.

27 down, 23 to go! Hope you enjoy!