Patrick rushed into Tuesday clinic with his case swinging from his hand. He knew he was at least 20 minutes late due to running over on his morning calls, he could see the woman waiting and he felt guilty. He nodded in greeting to the nurse he passed as he made his way towards the parish hall kitchen. He set his case down to take off his damp overcoat and put on his white lab coat instead. Once fully outfitted for clinic he turned to exit the kitchen and ran smack dab into someone carrying a rather large box of supplies.
"Excuse me." He responded immediately, stumbling to catch the box. Both of them grabbing from either side managed to stop the medical supplies from dropping to the floor.
"No excuse me Dr. Turner. I couldn't see where I was going." The Scottish lilt gave away that it was Sister Bernadette behind the box.
Patrick took hold of the box and set it on the kitchen counter. When he turned back to Sister Bernadette he gasped. Her normal dark round glasses were not what rested on her face but instead a new pair of larger gold ones were in their place. The new upswept shape made her bright blue eyes more noticeable and Patrick found himself getting lost in them.
"I...I... wasn't watching where I was going either." He sputtered out, still staring into the depths of her blue eyes.
Sister Bernadette stared back into his brown eyes and furrowed her brow at his strange behavior.
"Your new specs look... nice." Patrick uttered with a smile. He had finally stopped staring into her eyes, only to realize his stare had dropped to her pursed lips. He felt even more guilty than he had earlier for being late and his gaze went back to her eyes.
"Thank you Dr. Turner. It was time for a new prescription and new frames were available on the National Health so it felt justifiable." Sister Bernadette said softly as she watched him staring at her.
"That's tickety boo and marvelous." Patrick smiled at her.
"Ah Dr. Turner! Are you planning on seeing any of our patients at clinic today?" Sister Evangelina boomed as she walked into the kitchen.
Patrick startled at Sister Evangelina's intrusion and bolted into action out to the clinic.
Sister Bernadette stood in wonder of the strange interaction with the normally polite doctor. True he had been more absent minded since his wife passed last year but this was different. She shook her head to clear it from her mind and turned back to the box of medical supplies to put them away in the cabinets.
"I'm glad you finally got your eyes checked." Sister Evangelina stated firmly before she marched out of the kitchen.
After clinic Sister Bernadette was stacking chairs at the parish hall, the other nuns and nurses had all left to go back to Nonnatus or to go on evening rounds. The door to the hall slammed open and Timothy Turner ran in, colliding with Sister Bernadette.
"Sorry." Timothy yelped.
"It's perfectly alright Timothy, no harm done." Sister Bernadette steadied both of them with her hands on his shoulders as she replied.
"You got new glasses... They're pretty." Tim commented with a smile that mirrored his father's from a few hours earlier.
"Thank you Timothy." Sister Bernadette replied. She blushed slightly at the compliment from the child, knowing that children were some of the most honest souls on Earth.
"Tim, I thought I heard you out here. Are you ready to grab some fish and chips before cubs?" Patrick called out as he exited the kitchen. He stopped in his tracks as he saw Sister Bernadette holding onto his son.
"What happened?" Patrick added quickly, worry evident in his voice.
"I seem to have a habit of running into you Turners today while we aren't paying attention. Everything is fine, isn't it Timothy?" Sister Bernadette responded with a slight blush while removing her hands from Timothy's shoulders.
"Yes we are both fine and I know I shouldn't have been running. Dad, have you seen Sister Bernadette's new specs? Don't they look nice?" Timothy commented, hoping to distract his father from how his rule breaking could have harmed him or the small nun.
"Yes I have Tim, she has been wearing them all day. Sorry for bumping into you earlier Sister Bernadette, and hopefully Tim has apologized as well." Patrick joked as he ruffled Tim's hair. He then looked back at Sister Bernadette, getting lost in her bright blue eyes once again.
"Oh he has, don't worry doctor he has been a perfect gentleman." Sister Bernadette commented with a smile at Timothy.
"Dad, can we go get the fish and chips? I don't want to be late to cubs again." Timothy asked with an added eye roll as his dad stood around silently.
"Oh y... y... yes Tim, let's head out. Thank you Sister Bernadette." Patrick shook his head to release his stare on the nun. He grabbed his case and followed his son out the door.
That was a strange encounter Sister Bernadette thought for the second time that day as she pushed her new glasses up the bridge of her nose.