Shelagh awoke earlier than usual that morning.

It was just after 6am and her brain was in overspeed. She kept wondering if she had left out any detail. So while the other two occupants of the bed slept blissfully, she found herself staring at the ceiling.

Patrick slightly shifted in the bed and let out a deeper sigh, interrupting her flow of thoughts. She turned to him and smiled. He slept soundly, his relaxed features softening the signs of time on his face. Julie also was in deep sleep, mirroring her father's position. The little girl had fallen asleep as usual in her arms, stroking her hair. During the night she rolled into the bed, eventually curling up against Patrick's chest.

Shelagh adored watching them like this. The clear resemblance between the two was even more evident. She greatly enjoyed spotting the most unseen common traits, the ones that only she could witness. Like the slight curl of the lip they both had while they slept.

The thing she loved the most though, was the habit they both had while awakening, when the mind is still blurred by slumber. They would stretch out their hand looking for her and in the moment in which they found contact, with their eyes still closed, they smiled reflexively in an almost imperceptible way.

Patrick had just done it.

"'Morning," he whispered, voice still hoarse from sleep.

"Morning," she answered, with a lovely smile, reaching for his hand.

"You're early this morning!" he noted.

"Too many thoughts, I couldn't sleep," she confessed.

"Shelagh…we're not hosting a Royal visit! It's our son, coming home with his fiancée," he observed, yawning.

"Patrick, you know we're a house full of chaos…and I don't want to make a bad impression."

"Shelagh…we can be a little chaotic, but I can assure you everything will be fine! We don't have to impress, we just have to be us!"

"I know…I feel silly!"

"You're not silly, you're just being the astounding woman, the caring mother, and the absolutely amazing wife you are," he reassured her, leaning forward for a kiss.

However, as the supportive husband he was, he helped her mentally double check all the tasks they planned for the day. At least, until a certain little girl woke up complaining with her adorable sassy tone that they were speaking aloud, not letting her sleep properly. A joyful tickle fight started. Julie giggled and squealed, pleading with her parents to stop.

Shortly after, the rest of the pack joined them on the bed, all excited for the much awaited visit.

Knowing their children well, Patrick and Shelagh took the chance to remind them one more time to behave and not overwhelm Carol with their enthusiasm.

At 7.30 sharp, Shelagh stated it was time to get out of bed and start doing something.

While having breakfast all together, she assigned tasks to everyone. The girls had been commissioned to go to the market and fetch the groceries Shelagh had ordered the day before. Both Angela and May had willingly accepted the request, happy to be able to use the permission to go out on their own that they had recently obtained. Moreover they had the chore to set the table for dinner. Shelagh gave them free rein, trusting May's creativity and Angela's care for details.

Patrick and Teddy had been asked to thoroughly clean and tidy the patio, activity which had not been welcomed with the same enthusiasm. They had also been entitled to pick up the couple at the train station in the afternoon. Father and son had glanced at each other with knowing looks, both sure that the journey to King's Cross Station would be a new adventure together.

Shelagh, with Julie's help, would prepare a special dinner for the family and, no need to say, she would have to supervise the team's work.

In the meantime, a train sped towards London.

Timothy, as usual, took advantage of the hours of travel to read. Carol sat in front of him. She also had an open book in her hands, but her gaze was lost in the landscape that rushed out the window.

She had no doubt that she would love Timothy's family. The question she couldn't get out of her head was whether they would like her.

"Carol! Stop it!" Timothy soothed.

"What?" she answered, absentminded.

"Stop fidgeting, love. I told you: they will love you!" he repeated, with a tender smile.

"You told me that already, but as we get closer to London I'm feeling more anxious, Tim. What if.." she quavered.

"Love, it is ok to feel a little trepidation, I feel it too! But believe me: there's no what if. They will love you as much as I do. So, stop worrying!" he reassured her.

"OK…I'll try."

After a while, Timothy noted that look again. And grinned. Sometimes he really wanted to find a way to show her from outside how amazing she was in everything she did. How was it even possible that someone on earth could not love her bright smile or her mesmerizing eyes? Her genuine and spontaneous being made her a special person and yet she was not at all aware of how unique she was.

"Would you feel more comfortable if I told you that I'm pretty sure my mum is also fretting as you're doing?" Tim asked in an amused tone.

"Not at all!" she retorted, upset. "Thank you very much, now I'm even more worried!"

"But why?"

"Because, Tim, she of course has really high standards and I'm not sure I can fulfill her expectations!"

"You sound just like her, though!" he chuckled.

"Timothy Turner, don't laugh at me!"

"I'm not laughing at you darling, it's just that you'll see…you two are more alike than you can imagine!" he gently told her.

He took her hand in his and continued "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do!" she admitted, with a sigh.

"So, believe me! You two will get along so well and you will make a good team in no-time…Something that's gonna get me and my dad in trouble for the next umpteen years!"

This time Carol couldn't help but smile.

"Do you know why I love you?" she huskily quizzed him, slightly tilting her head.

"Feel free to say it again!" he said, getting face to face with her.

"You have the power to make me see things from another perspective. One where I feel so special and definitely loved!" she whispered, ending her statement with a kiss.

"You are. And my aim for the rest of my life is making this the one and only perspective."

A few hours later, Patrick and Teddy walked into King's Cross Station.

They had found a bench right near platform 8, where the train from Edinburgh would arrive, and sat there waiting.

Teddy loved that place. It wasn't just the magnificence of the structure that fascinated him. Above all, he was enthralled by the uncessing coming and going. The whirlwind of people traveling with their luggage in tow. Where would they go? Where did they come from?

People who were waiting for someone's return, with their intense and impatient gaze. Like the one he could observe in his father's eyes right now. And people who were there to accompany someone off. He had learned to recognize them because there was always a veil of melancholy and sadness to them.

For Teddy, it was also the place of hugs: those full of joy and smiles of the homecomings and those of goodbyes, always paired by some tears.

After about twenty minutes, the train made its entry into the station, slowing until it stopped.

Patrick stood up to spot Timothy among the passengers descending from the train. To have a better view, Teddy climbed on the back of the bench, leaning against his father to keep his balance. He was the first to identify his brother in the crowd.

"RIGHT THERE! THAT'S HIM!" he shouted.

"Where?" his father asked.

"Over there! He's helping an old lady get her bags out!"

Then Teddy noticed the tall girl next to him. That should be Carol, he thought. She was smiling at the old lady. A cascade of soft red curls framed a beautiful face. Teddy had not much experience. To tell the truth he had never seriously considered the girls' question before, but he was sure he had never seen such beauty. She was not just gorgeous, she was graceful.

"Woah dad! She is a bunny!" he spontaneously blurted out.

"TEDDY!" Patrick exclaimed, almost shocked. "Where on earth did you hear this word? Don't ever repeat it again! It's totally disrespectful!" he harshly chastised his son.

"Sorry, dad…I didn't mean it…my classmates call nice girls that. I thought it was a cool compliment," The kid tried to justify himself.

"Well, it's not! And you won't use such a term anymore," he scolded him, pointing his finger at the boy.

"Ok, Dad…" he said, confused. Teddy was mortified, he'd never seen his father so angry, at least not towards him.

Patrick understood from his son's look that he had overreacted, but he was really taken aback! He didn't expect to already have to deal with Teddy's adolescence, with all that implies. Nevertheless, that was clearly a sign and, different than he thought, the time had come.

"We're going to have a talk soon on the subject…in the meanwhile, promise me that you will always refer to a girl with kind and gentle words that you're more than sure about the meaning!" he added, with a softer tone.

"I promise." It was all he could say.

To make up for his reaction, he offered his son a soothing smile and ruffled his hair, then helped him jump off the bench.

Meanwhile, the couple were walking towards them and Timothy had seen the scene from afar. "Ow, I'm afraid my little brother is in trouble!" he chuckled.

"How do you know?" Carol asked.

"The look on their faces. I can read them loud and clear!"

When they were close enough, Patrick could not help but acknowledge that, although the term was totally inappropriate, Teddy's source of amazement was at least understandable.

He welcomed both with a warm smile, extending his hand to the girl to introduce himself.

"Nice to meet you, Dr. Turner. And thank you for your hospitality," she kindly said.

"You're welcome Carol. It's my pleasure to meet you." he stated. Then he looked around for Teddy to introduce him.

He was of course already chatting with Timothy.

"And…this is Teddy," said Patrick, presenting his youngest son.

"Hi Teddy! I'm glad to meet you! Your brother speaks highly of you!" she greeted him, twinkling.

Teddy blushed and shyly returned the smile.

The four headed towards the car.

Teddy walked behind the three adults, still thinking about his father's words for the episode that happened just before.

Carol turned to him several times. Timothy had hit the mark. The boy was really in trouble.

On the way home, they were both sitting in the back seat. Carol glanced at the child a couple of times, offering him a gentle smile. Teddy kept avoiding her gaze. So she tried to get the ball rolling.

"Something is wrong? You seem very thoughtful."

"No, I'm fine," he replied, turning to look out of the window.

She decided to take advantage of that moment to give him a little something she had brought for him. She took from her backpack a copy of High Life and one of Clipper, the two magazines respectively of British Airways and Pan Am.

"Hope these will brighten your day! There are also a couple of interesting articles on the Concorde."

Hearing that word, he turned instantly and he took the two magazines in his hands, almost unbelieving.

"Thank you! Where did you get them!?" he asked her, excited for his gift.

"On board, last time I visited my grandma in the US..." she told him, smiling.

"You've been in the US?!" he echoed her, his mouth wide open.

"Actually, I go often to visit my grandma. Tim didn't mention that my mum's family lives in Chicago?"

That was it. The rest of the drive home was a series of questions about planes and what it's like to fly. Carol had easily found the right way to win him over and Teddy had just put Carol on his list of top favorite people.

The clock on the cupboard marked 5.50pm.

Shelagh had just put the chicken in the oven, the final task to prepare one of her most accomplished meals. Both mashing potatoes and the gravy were ready.

She took a look all around the room. Everything was done and absolutely tidy. The girls had set the table remarkably, they had also handmade and decorated each placeholder.

Letting out a sigh of relief, she felt very satisfied with the team work they had successfully completed.

"Mum, if there's nothing else we can do, can we go play outside?" asked May.

"Sure, darling. Let me say you did a great job, girls! You have been really good at involving your sister as well!" She praised her daughters.

"Was I good too, mummy?" asked the little one, pulling her mother's apron to draw attention.

"Oh! You've been such a good girl today, sweetheart! Mummy is very proud of you!" she reassured her, picking her up and kissing her cheek.

"I didn't even fuss. Are you gonna tell Daddy?" asked Julie, while playing with her mother's locks.

"Of course I will! As soon as he comes home" she told her, taking another look at the clock and realizing that they should be any minute now.

"C'mon Juju, let's go play outside!" Angela invited her and she immediately joined her sisters out on the patio.

Shortly after, Patrick parked in the driveway.

"Here we are!" he stated.

Carol took a deep breath, Tim opened the car door and held out his hand to her.

"You ready?" he asked her, smiling.

"Not really…"

"Yes, you are! C'mon…" he encouraged her.

Meanwhile, Patrick was unloading the suitcases and Teddy was dragging them to the entrance.

When the door opened, Carol started to record those images in her mind like a timelapse. She saw a tiny woman with blue-sky eyes and a beaming smile welcoming Dr. Turner, who entered his home placing a sweet kiss on her cheek. Carol couldn't help but notice that Mrs. Turner closed her eyes for just a moment, as if she wanted to store it in her heart.

Right after, she saw Tim's arms wrap her in a warm embrace and his mother giving him the sweetest caress with her misty-eyes full of pride and love. Carol barely had time to wonder what it felt like to be hugged like that, 'cause right after she heard her name and found herself wrapped in that same embrace.

She had her answer. Loved.

She had just met that woman, but she could already say with confidence that she was radiating love. All her fears and doubts vanished. Timothy was right.

"It's my pleasure to finally meet you, Mrs Turner!"

, with Julie in his arms, proceeded with introducing their daughters.

She greeted both May and Angela and then she said hello to the little one, who was too focused drawing attention from her dad.

"Sorry Carol…" he excused, before addressing the child "I'm pretty sure Mummy and I have taught you how to behave when someone greets you, haven't we?" He quizzed the toddler with a loving but determined tone.

"Yes," Julie answered.

"So, what shall you say?" he kindly added, while the little girl cuddled in the crook of his neck.

"Hello Carol, welcome to our home!" she shyly said, with her sweet and melodic voice.

Carol melted in front of the cuteness of the child and smiled broadly at her.

"That's a good girl!" Patrick complimented Julie, brushing his large hand on her back. "Now, what did you want to tell me?"

"Mummy, tell him!"

"Oh, right dearest! You know Patrick, she's been a very good girl today! She helped me cook and her sisters to set the table," Shelagh reported to Patrick.

Carol gazed at the loving parents flattering their little one who was now happily smiling and giggling.

"Teddy, can you please help your brother with the suitcases? And…Angela and May, take Carol to your room so she can settle down," Shelagh directed the kids, then warmly addressed Carol "You will sleep with the girls."

"Of course, thank you Mrs. Turner!"

"I want to go, Daddy. I want to show Carol my new bed!" pleaded Julie.

Patrick took her from his arms and let her follow her sisters and Carol upstairs.

Having noticed a look on Tim's face, while Shelagh went back in the kitchen to check the roasting of the chicken, he called aside his oldest son.

"Timothy!"

Tim freezed. He had heard that tone his whole life. It used to mean warning.

He turned towards his dad and tried an innocent smile. "Yes, dad!"

"I just want to come clean about something. Your mum and I consider ourselves two open-minded people and we imagine you and Carol are already…sleeping together…" he said with a half quizzical and half affirmative tone of voice, leaving the sentence suspended waiting for his nod.

Tim's blushing and sheepish look was a rather eloquent answer for Patrick, that followed on "But we don't think it's appropriate for this to happen under this roof, especially in the presence of your siblings. At least until you two will be married."

"Oh…don't worry we won't…I mean, I got it Dad," he stuttered.

"So we have a deal?"

"Yes, sure Dad," he cut short and ran up the stairs to reach the others.

With a satisfied smile, Patrick approached Shelagh to ask her if she needed any help.

She immediately recognized that look.

"What did you say to him, Patrick?" she inquired, squinting at him.

"Nothing," he answered, with nonchalance.

Shelagh turned towards him, face to face and she repeated her question barely managing to hold her smile.

"Nothing, I told you. Well, given the circumstances, I might have reminded our son of a few rules for their staying," he confessed with a knowing look.

"Which I guess are the same ones you're going to respect?" she questioned.

"Which are the same ones we're going to be forced to respect for the next TEN days. Since you thought our little bee would sleep better in our bed," he corrected her. Then, letting his hand slide on her side and getting close to her lips with his, he added "Tell me you're not the least bit sorry," he whispered with his husky voice, staring at her eyes.

"Patrick…" she breathed.

"Say it…" he insisted.

"I am…sure we can manage," she babbled, gently pushing him away with a wink.

Later that night, they enjoyed dinner with some pleasant conversation mostly focused on topics brought up by kids. Patrick and Shelagh let them have their time, since they knew Timothy really had fun listening to his siblings' stories and Carol was apparently very involved as well.

Having found out that she had studied ballet for fifteen years, Angela kept asking tips on how to improve her arabesque, while May was more interested in finding the secret to perform a perfect pirouette. Teddy was bored by all these topics, so he went back to insist with his parents that after the wedding they would somehow acquire family ties with Carol's American relatives. In his opinion, that would entitle him to fly overseas for a visit. He had no success.

The time ran fast. Slumber was starting to win out the little one, who had climbed on her father's lap and kept yawning.

Patrick got up with the girl in his arms and told her to say goodnight to everyone.

"Nightie-nightie," she babbled, while rubbing her eyes and resting her head on his dad's shoulder. Then he invited the other kids to do the same. Even with some complaints, the three did as requested while Carol and Tim helped Shelagh to clear the table.

"Dinner was delicious Mrs. Turner, Timothy told me you were a great cook but to be honest I think you're an excellent one!" she stated, while helping Shelagh with the dishwash.

"Oh Carol…you're too good!" Shelagh answered, feeling a little uneasy with the compliment.

"You're such a toady!" murmured Tim, bumping his girlfriend's elbow, while passing behind them with a stack of dirty plates.

"I'm not a pimp! You're the one who is so stingy with praise!" she replied.

They all giggled.

"I'd say more, . Someday you should honor me with the recipe!" Carol gently asked.

"Absolutely dearest, next time we'll do it together!"

Tim was observing the two women going along so well. They hadn't even known one another for more than a few hours. He was really glad that Carol was so comfortable with his family. He was happy to see her being herself: the kind, radiant and cheerful girl he adored.

Once done, they moved into the living room and sat on the sofa.

After a while Patrick came back from upstairs and joined them.

"Why did it take you so long?" inquired Shelagh.

"You know…bedtime stories require some time!" he answered.

"Oh Patrick…did you fall asleep with her?!"

"I might have closed my eyes for a little while, but I didn't fall asleep!" he admitted.

Both Tim and Carol chuckled at the scene.

"Does Julie even sleep?"

"Of course she does! She sleeps like an angel and the kids crashed as well! They were exhausted!"

Shelagh was not entirely persuaded by his version of events, but didn't argue.

"So guys, at what stage are your preparations?" Patrick asked, trying to shift the focus on the main argument.

"We have some ideas, but we have to fix a date first. On Monday we have appointments both to the local registry for the license documents and then with the vicar, to check for available dates," Tim said.

"And what about the reception?" Shelagh asked.

"Well…we are still looking at options, Mum."

"The thing is…my family is expecting a big wedding, with a reception in some sumptuous location. Honestly I'm not at all sure that's what we really want…" confessed Carol, holding tight to Timothy's hand.

"I see…but you two can take your time to decide what's best for you!" Shelagh replied, reassuring them.

At that moment, Timothy noticed that two bare tiny feet were coming down the stairs.

"Dad…look behind you!" he muttered, raising his eyes and chuckling.

Patrick turned around and saw the pouting sleepy girl standing at the end of the stairs. He immediately got up to pick her up, before she could start crying. Shelagh also turned and with a grin, she shook her head and ironically asked Patrick "Wasn't she sleeping like an angel?"

He sighed.

"I don't want to sleep on my own!" the little girl whined.

"Oh sweetheart! You want to stay here for some of Mummy's cuddles?" Shelagh offered.

Julie nodded and leaned towards her. Patrick kissed her head and put her on his wife's lap.

She nestled on her mother's chest, with her ear resting on Shelagh's heart. In no time, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

They all found themselves with an adoring look toward the child who slept peacefully. The day has been long and full of emotions for everyone. None of them were immune to tiredness. After a few yawns, Patrick suggested they could all go to bed and resume the conversation the next day. The proposal was positively welcomed.

Climbing the stairs, hand in hand with Tim, Carol admired the couple in front of them. Dr. Turner was ahead, with the little girl asleep on his shoulder, Mrs. Turner followed him with her hand tenderly resting on the small of his back. She was amazed by their complicity and their clear love connection.

After wishing goodnight, they watched them as they disappeared behind the door of the master bedroom.

Carol and Tim were standing in front of the girls' room. Tim kissed her before opening the door.

She looked into his eyes and whispered "Thank you."

"For opening the door?"

She giggled.

"For making me part of your family. Thank you, Tim."

She kissed him back.

"You're welcome. 'night love."

"'night".