This one came out of a chat with @thatginchygal . She’s a bad influence, in case you were wondering.
Shelagh’s eyes adjusted as she skimmed the dim theatre for a seat. She avoided the back--Patrick called it the “snogging section” (he did so love to make her blush)--but she preferred the middle.
She settled in, feeling naughty. She really should relieve Mrs. Penny, but, oh! an afternoon to herself!! Bliss!
“Mrs. Turner!” A shocked voice broke her reverie, and she turned to see Sister Winifred.
The women exchanged shocked expressions.
“I can explain-”
“I never come-”
A piece of popcorn flew from the back row.
“You two better zip it,” groused Sister Evangelina. “The picture’s about to start!”
I don't know if this Challenge still exists but I leave it here anyway.
Cold.
The time was short, it was morning and soon there would be children awake.Patrick unbuttoned her nightgown, kissing her everywhere. She moaned as she felt his mouth on her skin until…
“Atishoo!”
When she opened her eyes, he wiped from his face the remnants of her sneeze.
"I'm sorry!" I’m so sorry!” She caressed his face, she was full of shame, but he laughed, resting his face on her chest and she laughed as well.
“If you have a cold I suppose you're going to need a good doctor" he said kissing her again, ready to give his wife the best of remedies.
Patrick had been married to Shelagh for over a year and was familiar with her appearance both at home and at work.
One day he was startled by a glimpse of another woman. Shelagh was sewing with her head bent in profile and her hair upswept. His stomach clenched with feelings left in the past. He knew that profile so well. It had haunted his dreams and his waking thoughts.
He saw for a moment the woman he fell in love with covered and hidden from view. She was still the same woman but he would always love Sister Bernadette.
I’m so excited about this drabble challenge! Here are my three contributions. Each 100 words. I hope you enjoy!
Based on a little moment from episode 5x5, I have @my-little-yellowbird to thank for the direction I took with this! I’m not sure how the ‘kettles’ I’ve seen mentioned in fandom work, but there’s some steam alluded to here.
From Poplar, With Love
He found her naked in his bed. “How did you sneak in, Ms. Turnova?”
She reached for his tie, tugged him close. “You’re an excellent GP but your reconnaissance requires finesse. I’ve trailed after you all day.”
“Perhaps I allowed you to…hoping for this outcome.” He slanted his mouth over hers.
She pulled him down onto the bed, never breaking their kiss.
“Dad, Mum?” Timothy banged on their bedroom door. “The toilet is overflowing! Angela must have thrown another toy in there earlier.”
Shelagh and Patrick froze and simultaneously groaned.
Patrick sighed in defeat. “These kids are worse than SPECTRE.”
Poor little innocent ginchy was not alerted to this photo being ‘in the wild’: glasses I may have made an embarrassing squeaky noise and stared at the photo for … awhile. Ahem. Anyway, I wrote this drabble due to this picture. I’m calling it a ‘modern’ Turnadette, though I wouldn’t mind seeing Patrick with reading glasses on the show! Sadly no steam except in my fertile imagination. Rated G.
Specs
Shelagh watched Patrick narrow his eyes at the menu. He muttered, patting at his jacket before removing a pair of black-framed glasses. He put them on, smiling tentatively at her. “Prescription. Yet another sign of my old-age.”
Shelagh blinked and tried to find her composure as she stared at him. “Watch it,” she murmured, tapping near her eye as if reminding him of her contacts.
“What do you think? Not too ‘insufferable dullard’?” His eyes glinted as he awaited her verdict.
Leaning across the table, she adjusted his glasses and grazed her thumb against his cheekbone. “I’ll show you tonight.”
This drabble was inspired by @like-an-officer-and-a-sergeant and the post on Shelagh’s changing mirrors The Bible quote is from Psalm 119:37*. G rated.
In the Mirror
Sister Bernadette tossed and turned, but could not sleep. When she closed her eyes she could picture herself, without her wimple and cap, with her hair hanging free. How young she still looked; how pretty. She sat up and looked at the mirror on her dresser, imagining herself once more standing before it. An unknown longing in her heart haunted her. Oh God, she prayed, turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, and revive me in Your ways*.
She settled onto the bed, resolving to ask Fred to remove the mirror in the morning. A smaller one would suffice.
I’ve decided that the theme for my 100 word fic challenge is going to be ‘pros and cons’. What are the pros of being married to Patrick, what are the cons? And what are they in a marriage with Shelagh?
Patrick handed her the tin, using his free hand to pat her head. “There you go, my tiny wife,” he told her, unable to stop smirking.
Shelagh rolled her eyes and tucked the tin under her arm. “I could get a chair next time, you know, and reach the top shelf all by myself,” she told him, already stepping past him.
“Ah, but will a chair do this?” Patrick asked, draping his arms around her and bending down to steal a quick kiss.
She smiled against his mouth. “No, darling, that is definitely a pro of being married to you.”
This definitely went over the word count and I can’t bring myself to reduce it anymore! Compromise you say? Yes, this is my compromise, based on my 100 Word Challenge! Here’s another tiny series, which hopefully gets completed!
“Dear Sister Bernadette,
Is St. Anne treating you well? I bet their meals don’t compare to Nonnatus House.”
Scratch that.
‘God, this was easier said than done’ thought Patrick. He imagined the written word would exceed his verbal communication, but both were escaping him when it came to Sister Bernadette.
“Why does writing one letter lead to trivial words and my palms sweating!” he exclaimed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
“I’ve acted out of turn once before” he said, this time, barely above a whisper while a sigh escaped him. It was then that a film reel played throughout his mind.
It was the day of the summer fete and the events that followed happened in one quick blur: cradling her hand with tenderness, despite how rough his hands could be.
He knew what possessed him that day; the need to comfort and care for her. Patrick wanted to cure her loneliness and in the process, she was curing his. He wanted Sister Bernadette to know he had feelings for her and didn’t want to avoid the issue any further.
Patrick’s lips softly rested upon her palm as he heard an intake of breath and for one deceitful moment, he thought he cured her. He felt Sister Bernadette wavering underneath his touch before she retracted.
It was completely inappropriate, but he didn’t regret the kiss. Instead, he regretted walking away and burying the question lingering in both their minds: Am I more than just a colleague to you?
“Perhaps, I’ll stick with the basics. I don’t want to scare her off,“ Patrick said aloud, reaching for a new piece of stationary.
‘Yes,’ he thought, ‘if she replies, I’ll send another letter to clear up any misunderstanding.’
He hoped the letter read as a friendly hello with terms of support written throughout, but the signs of formalities remained with the conclusion of:
{mainly because I needed an excuse to post another sunset picture and I couldn’t resist participating in the 100 word challenge, even if it is a bit rusty and written on my phone}
Thank you @like-an-officer-and-a-sergeant for this challenge
I cheated it’s 128, I couldn’t cut it down and I have limited time to get it written, just a bit of fluff, I imagine to be set just after 4x05.
Shelagh lay tucked beneath Patrick’s arm and the pair watched as the sun began to set, painting the sky in an array of pink .
“I love the sunset,” Patrick began, causing Shelagh to sit up slightly. The tone of his voice told her he was deep in thought. “It brings me comfort knowing that however terrible the day, it’ll always end with something beautiful. That got me through the darkest -” His words were cut short by Shelagh placing a gentle kiss on his lips.
“There’s beauty in everyday Patrick, and not just at the end of it.”
Patrick looked down at his wife, and knew he no longer needed the sky to be reminded of the beauty of the day, for he saw it in her eyes everyday.
