God Gave Me You 23
The next week passed in a blur of patients and shopping, and before Patrick knew it, Christmas Day had arrived. He was nervous and excited all at once, feeling every bit like a young child about to open his presents.
"Timothy! Are you done yet? Shelagh and Angela will be here soon!"
"No need to shout, I'm right here." Tim rolled his eyes at his father. Ever since their conversation about proposing to Shelagh, his father had been a mess of nerves and even more scatterbrained than usual.
"Right. Thank you. Is it done?"
"I left it on your desk. Dad? Please stop being so weird. If you don't calm down, Shelagh will notice something's up."
Patrick tried to smile at his son, but he could tell it looked forced. He walked into his study to put the final touch on his proposal before slipping it into his pocket and making his way back out to the living room as the doorbell sounded.
"They're here!" Timothy screamed as he ran from the living room to the front door to greet them. Practically tackling Shelagh to the ground as he opened the door, he took Angela from her arms as he shouted "Merry Christmas!"
Patrick's harsh scolding of 'Timothy!' was drowned out by Shelagh's laughter.
"Merry Christmas, Tim. Hope we haven't kept you waiting too long. We had to stop at the shop on the way over." She said, indicating the bags in her hand. Patrick moved to take them from her as she walked into the entryway.
"I did what you said and kept Dad out of the kitchen, except to make tea. But I'm real glad you're here now!"
Shelagh and Tim both laughed as they saw Patrick's face. "I'm sorry, Patrick...but we couldn't have you burning Christmas breakfast." Walking up to him and placing a quick kiss on his cheek, she whispered "Merry Christmas, Doctor Turner."
"Merry Christmas, Shelagh."
"Presents!" Angela piped up from the corner of the living room where she and Tim were sat under the tree.
"Yes, dearest. We can open presents now. Just let us put the bags down."
Walking into the living room, Shelagh was stopped at the sight of four stockings hanging on the mantle. She smiled as Tim handed her a stocking with an embroidered 'S' before helping Angela to open her goodies from Father Christmas.
After twenty minutes, the Turner living room was covered in strips of wrapping paper, bows and ribbons. The children were sufficiently spoiled, both of them unsure which of their new presents to play with first.
After breakfast, Tim and Angela disappeared out the front door to go and play out in the snow. Shelagh watched them for a moment from the window, laughing as Tim tried to teach his little sister the correct way to throw a snowball, then getting hit in the face on her first try. Noticing Patrick on the settee, she walked over to join him, laying her hand on top of his fidgeting ones.
"This was a lovely Christmas, Patrick. Thank you. I think Angela is going to need a nap before dinner, she's so excited. Everything was perfect." She leaned her head on his shoulder as he exhaled. This was it, he thought to himself, a smile brewing on his face.
"You're welcome, Shelagh. Something is missing, though... I just can't put my finger on it. Maybe you can?"
Shelagh looked at him puzzled as he handed her a small, wrapped box. Unwrapping it slowly, she glanced at the writing on the inside of the paper.
"Please will you marry Dad?" was written in neat, adolescent copperplate, surrounded by butterflies, clouds and swoops of crayon that Shelagh had come to know as Angela's version of drawing.
She was speechless. She looked from the paper to Patrick's face, then back again to read the paper. Opening the box, she found the most elegant ring. Demure yet stunning, she touched the velvet reverently.
"Oh, Patrick..." She breathed out in a whisper.
"Shelagh...will you marry me?"
She couldn't form words, though she tried. He held his breath, fearing the answer would be 'no', until finally she broke out into the most exuberant smile and nodded her head emphatically.
"Yes."
Taking the box from her and grasping her left hand, Patrick's gaze never wavered from her eyes as he slipped the diamond onto her finger, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles and kissing the ring once it had been placed. She placed her palm on his cheek as he lifted his face from her hand and leaned in to kiss him.