They'll sit in the living room watching TV or listening to the radio. And she's sideways on his lap or just has her legs over his. And Patrick wraps a hand around her ankle and brushes his thumb along the delicate bones as he reads or they talk. Just enjoying being close to her .

After they're married, his hand tends to wander up a little further than just her ankle.

But casual cuddling on the couch continues like that throughout their marriage. When Angela is small, they'll sit like that with her against Shelagh's chest. She's taken to wearing his shirts to bed more often so she can cuddle the baby against her skin with the buttons open. But the way they're sitting, her legs across his lap, has Patrick close enough to be able to put his hand on the baby's back or stroke her head. And the same thing after Teddy is born. But usually adding Angela into the mix, once Teddy's a little older and Shelagh has recovered from giving birth. Angela just wedges herself between her parents, essentially sitting on Shelagh's stomach/pelvis. Not the most comfortable thing in the world, but Shelagh wouldn't trade it for anything.