Timothy and Carol collapsed on the mattress. Entangled, naked, breathless and exhausted.
"Whoo…that was…" he burst out, still panting.
"Awesome?" suggested Carol.
"I'd rather say…incredible. Against any laws of physics!" he groaned, holding her in his arms while kissing her forehead.
She giggled, slipping her hand on his chest.
"We've definitely improved our skills, doctor…" she noted.
"I concur. We're getting pretty good," he stated, brushing her back. Running his fingers all along her spine following each curve was soothing. And definitely in the top five of his new favorite activities.
The rhythm of the massage was slowing and fading. Sensing the reason, Carol turned to him. She was right: with his head reclined on the headboard and his eyes closed, Tim was back asleep.
"C'mon Tim…it's almost 10am! We really should wake up and start doing something!" Carol whined, looking at the alarm clock on the bedside table.
"Oh…I thought we already did a lot since we woke up two hours ago!" he sniggered, his eyes still closed.
"You know what I mean…also, I'm starving!"
"Fine! I'll go to make some breakfast for the two of us…but you won't get out of here 'cause really, it's Sunday and I don't see anything more interesting nor urgent than spending the whole day in this bed with you!" he ordered before jumping into some clothes and leaving the bedroom.
He came back a few minutes later holding a tray with a cup of tea, a mug of coffee, pudding, toast with blackberry jam and a red rose.
"Mrs Turner, your breakfast is served."
"Aaww…Tim!"
"Hope your mum won't mind if I stole this one from her garden…it is for a good reason!" he said, handing her the rose and giving her a kiss on her lips.
"She won't even notice," Carol muttered. Then took a better look at Timothy and added "May I point out that you just stepped out into the garden just in your underwear?"
"So…? I'd walk naked in George Street for you!"
Carol burst out laughing, then she tenderly stroked his cheek.
Timothy made her laugh, he made her feel loved, he cared for her with little things, he moved her with his sweetness. He had always done it and that's why she fell in love with him, since the very beginning. He was a gentleman, maybe a little old fashioned, but that's what made him different from the others. That's why she was sure she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.
While she was lost in these thoughts, Timothy had resumed his process of worshiping her body.
"Tim…I want to draw your attention to something else," she declared.
"Oh come on! Just tell me one thing that deserves more attention than your perfect legs," he complained.
"Our wedding, darling. I can't be a if we don't start making some plans…"
"Fair point. Though…promise me that if I can accomplish this task, you'll let me go back to my previous activity."
She smiled at him. "We'll see…" she teased him.
He moved closer to her, leaning against the headboard.
"So…where should we start?" he demanded, gazing at her mesmerizing eyes.
"I'd say…with when?" she suggested.
"Easy said. We're starting our specializations next October, so September seems the best option to me."
"That means we only have three months to set it up, you know that?"
"Yes, I know…but I don't see what the big deal is!"
"You don't? We've three months to prepare a wedding and move to Cambridge and we haven't even announced it to our parents!"
"Darling…let's try to deal with one thing at a time. OK? I'm going to call home in a while and spread the news to my Mum and Dad and then tonight you can tell your parents."
Carol became serious and a veil of concern appeared on her face.
"Will you stay for dinner so that we can announce it together?" she shyly asked.
Sometimes he forgot that Carol's parents were not like his own, they weren't supportive and most of the time they were very critical of her.
"Of course, love. We'll do it together, don't worry!" he reassured her, letting her slide in his arms.
She sighed, but Tim's calm and steady heartbeat comforted her.
"Do you want to get married here in Edinburgh?" he asked.
"I don't know… it wouldn't be very practical for your family. Don't you agree?"
Timothy imagined for a moment what this meant. He figured out his father while driving 400 miles to Edinburgh, struggling with his mother's fretting and the excitement of the four children.
"Mh…You're right. I could never do that to my Dad!" he observed.
Carol chuckled, then she added "Tim…Honestly, I think London it's the best option for everyone! You have your family there and most of mine will come from the States."
"Perfect then. See? We have just fixed the where and when. We're doing great!"
"Impressive…very impressive, Turner! What time do your parents leave the house to go to church?" she asked.
"Usually around 11am…"
Carol looked in his eyes and without saying anything she gave him the phone.
A few seconds later, the phone rang at the Turner house. Patrick was holding Julie in his arms so that Shelagh could fix her hair without the little girl running away.
"Angela, please, can you answer the phone?" Patrick gently asked.
The girl picked up the phone and diligently announced: "Hello, Turner residence, it's Angela speaking. Mum and Dad are busy right now, to whom am I speaking?"
"Busy with some mushy stuff?"
"TIMMY!" she called out excited.
"Hello to you too!" He greeted her.
"Actually she is tying Julie's hair and Daddy is helping."
"I see….and what are you doing?"
"We're getting ready to go to church and then we'll have lunch at Nonnatus. It's Nurse Crane's birthday."
"Oh nice, please wish her well on my behalf!"
"Sure! Mummy is done but Teddy and May want to say hi. Bye Timmy!"
He quickly greeted each of his siblings and then he finally heard his mother's voice on the other side of the phone.
"Timothy, dearest!" she exclaimed.
He could feel from her tone that she already imagined.
"A promise is a promise, Mum! So…Carol said yes and I'm glad to announce that we are getting married! You're the first one to know…"
"Oh Tim…I'm so, so, so thrilled for you. For both of you!" she gushed, her voice cracked. "Dad's here, do you want to talk with him?" she asked, not holding back her emotions.
"Yes, please! Love you Mum!"
Shelagh took Julie from Patrick's arms while he got the phone.
While Patrick congratulated his son for the news, the little girl looked at her mum's tears and worriedly asked "Why are you crying, Mummy?"
Shelagh held her close and explained that sometimes people cry also when they're very very happy for something or someone. And she was, 'cause Timothy just gave her wonderful news.
"So why are you crying if you're happy? You have to smile, Mummy! You are very pretty when you smile!" Julie told her, while drawing a smile on her face with her little fingers. Shelagh beamed and kissed her sweetheart.
Patrick was still speaking to his son, when he called her attention. Shelagh put down the little girl inviting her to join her siblings.
"Tim, I'm here with Mum and we'd really love to invite Carol next time you'll come home for the weekend," he stated, gazing at Shelagh.
"Great! Sure! Actually Dad…what if we should stay for a little longer? Would it be a problem? You know, just the time to set things up for the wedding and find some place to live in Cambridge."
Patrick and Shelagh didn't think twice, both knew there was just one thing to do.
"Of course you can come and stay. We'll squeeze in!"
"Fine! We're ending our FMT in two weeks, so I suppose we can be there by the end of June. Is it ok?"
"Of course! We can't wait to meet her. But…are you deciding on your own? Don't you want to discuss it with Carol first?"
"Dad…she's here. You two are not the only ones to share the receiver during a call." Timothy revealed.
"OH! Well then…hello Carol!" Patrick exclaimed, smiling, echoed by Shelagh's own hello.
Carol blushed at first, but she could feel the genuine and warming welcome in her future-in-laws greetings.
"Hello , good morning Mrs Turner," she said.
After a quick exchange of pleasantries, they ended the call wishing a good day and they hung up.
While the younger couple celebrated the moment with another round of lovemaking, the older couple faced a logistic problem they both undervalued.
"Shelagh, I'm afraid we bit off more than we could chew."
"What is it?"
"There's no room for another bed in the girls' room!" observed Patrick.
"Oh Patrick…and the boys' room is not big enough to add one," she noted.
"Maybe we could ask sister Julienne to host Carol…" he suggested.
"Patrick! We are not inviting Tim's fiancée and let someone else host her!" she scolded.
"So what? Shelagh!…There is no room in the inn!" he insisted.
Patrick gazed at his wife and he knew she was already up to something. She had that look. Again.
"She will stay in the girls' room with Angela and May. Julie will sleep with us or maybe you could set her baby's cot in our bedroom." she concluded. Then she hurried up the kids, disregarding the fact that Patrick was mumbling about their privacy leaks.
That evening, Tim had dinner with the Campbells.
If he could pick an adjective to describe Doug and Patricia Campbell he would choose polite. Even though he was aware they liked him and he was welcome in their home, they were always formal, rigid and their conversations were all about matters of work, politics, and little else. The term kind contained an idea of warmth that he could not quite associate with the two.
They showed respect for each other and that was it.
He knew that Carol felt crushed by this situation, almost suffocated by their way of being. In that house, in their presence, she seemed like a bird locked in a cage eager to take flight to live a different life. And his primary goal was to open that cage and get her out of there, to set her free to be the amazing and bright person he had come to know and love.
The dinner proceeded in silence, the BBCnews played in the background and every now and then commented on some random news.
Timothy had realized that Carol was stuck, she couldn't find the right words to begin. He gently took her hand and winked at her.
"How was your trip in Dublin?" he started.
"We had a nice time, thank you Tim." Mr. Campbell answered.
"Glad to know." Timothy added, while thinking about something else to introduce the subject.
"And what about you two? Did you have a nice weekend?" quizzed , quite absentmindedly.
Both Tim and Carol were lit up by the right question at the right time.
"An unforgettable one, mum. In fact, Timothy proposed to me and I willingly accepted to marry him," Carol declared, proudly showing her new ring.
Her parents looked at them in surprise.
"Oh! Isn't that a bit rash? Perhaps you should think first about your specialization…" her father suggested.
"Mr Campbell, I don't see how our marriage can interfere with our training."
"You don't?" he glared with a death-stare at Timothy.
"We have always studied together and we are among the best students of our course. Our profession is something that binds us deep down and sharing it is not an obstacle but an extra motivation," he argued firmly.
"All very nice, but Timothy, what would happen if a child came to upset your projects? You could certainly continue with your training, but my daughter could not do the same," retorted Carol's mother as if she wasn't at her side.
Timothy could perceive the nervousness of Carol from the trembling of her hand and he couldn't stand it anymore.
"With due respect, ma'am. Firstly, a child would never upset our projects. If that should happen, and it's not in our plans right now, we'll decide together what to do and how to balance our job with our family's needs. However, I assure you that I will do everything I can so that Carol can professionally realize and fulfill her aim. Secondly, our marriage is not subject of discussion. We have already decided and we just shared the news with you hoping that you will be happy for us." His determined and firm tone of voice was obviously enough to close the matter.
After a few minutes of silence, Mrs Campbell asked again "And have you already set a date?"
"End of September, but we still have to check available dates," Timothy kindly answered.
"Have you any idea where to organize the reception?" she inquired.
"We'll get married in Poplar, London, Mum. In two weeks we'll go and work out the details. Timothy's parents will host us." Carol informed her parents.
"Were your parents happy with the news?" Mrs. Campbell demanded of Timothy.
"More than happy. I'd say over the moon…" he admitted, smiling at Carol.
They closed the marriage argument there and the dinner ended without further conversation.
After dinner, Tim and Carol went for a walk.
"I'm sorry for tonight" she confessed.
"Sorry for what? You don't have to be sorry, love." he reassured her, passing an arm behind her shoulder.
"I wanted to say more. I left it all to you."
"Is there anything you wanted to add?" he demanded.
"I wanted…I wanted to tell my mother that I know very well that she has always considered me an obstacle for her career, she has brought it all back to me ever since I was born. But I'm not like her…" she answered, but it was hard to say it all.
"I know that."
"And I want to say thank you. For what you said."
"You're welcome, but you don't have to thank me. I really mean it, Carol. I want you to be a fully satisfied woman both personally and professionally. 'Cause you deserve it and because I love you."
She kissed him, 'cause she didn't know other words to express her feelings right now.
"I want you to know that I love you too. Immensely. That is why it will never be a problem to put my profession on hold to carry our children and to take care of them when the time comes."
He kissed her back, he didn't know how to collect all his feelings in a few words otherwise.
"Glad you say children. Not child," he observed.
She smiled. Her beautiful and brightening smile. He embraced her, holding her close to him.
"Yes I did. Absolutely. Three, at least," she specified.
"Let's not get into details, please! My parents thought they were done with two, and we ended up being five."
They both laughed.
Meanwhile, they were back in front of Carol's home.
"So, here we are," he said.
"Will I see you tomorrow at work?"
"Hopefully we'll cross our paths during our shifts."
"Possibly in an empty elevator!"
They laughed.
"I will miss you tonight," she whispered.
"I'll miss you too. But trust me, three months will pass in a flash."
They shared one last tender kiss and then Timothy walked back to his apartment.