#patrickandshelagh

It was later that same morning when Shelagh was stood in front of the mirror in the corner of the bedroom that she shared with Patrick as she buttoned up the front of her blouse, her mind far away as she reflected on the conversation that she and Magda had shared less than two hours earlier. She chastised herself silently for not noticing the signs.

Q is for Quarrel! 

She hadn’t said one word to him since they had made their way through the front door of their flat earlier that evening, choosing instead to make her way into their sitting room and settle herself on the settee with Teddy cradled protectively in her arms after she had thanked Sister Julienne for taking care of the children. He hadn’t meant to be so harsh when he had reprimanded her for forgetting to label one of the pregnancy tests that had been sent up to the London earlier that morning, but even when he had seen pure hurt and shock in her eyes as she had been sat at her desk in the waiting room he hadn’t apologised for his outburst. His scolding had put her in a sour mood for the rest of the day, the only time she wore a smile being when she was either tending to a patient or when one of the Sisters or nurses came in. She hadn’t spoken to him since he had told her off. 

He had wanted to speak to her about it once she had put Angela to bed after supper but she had been breastfeeding Teddy and he knew that she preferred silence when he was at her breast, so he’d accepted the fact that he’d need to wait until their son had succeeded in filling his small belly and he had nodded off in his mother’s arms with his blanket. To his slight annoyance, however, Teddy had been in just as much of a sour mood as Shelagh had been throughout the day. It’d taken nearly two hours to get him off, not even skin-to-skin helping to settle him as it usually did. The only thing that had seemed to comfort him enough to finally get him to drift off had been his mother allowing him to suck upon the tip of her finger, and even that had taken it’s time to have any effect. Her bad mood still hadn’t lifted when she had come downstairs once again after settling Teddy in his cot and kissing his warm forehead lingeringly, Shelagh refusing to meet her husband’s gaze as she’d walked straight past him and had made her way through to the kitchen.

Where she was now.

Patrick took a deep breath as he was stood outside the kitchen and he could hear his wife washing the dishes at the sink, the humming that usually came from her as she threw herself into her task unable to be heard. She really was in a mood. He told himself to man up a short time later before he made his way into the room, Shelagh casting her gaze over at him for just a moment before she went back to her task and disacknowledged his presence. ‘Shelagh.’ He sighed softly as he made his way over to her, coming to a halt beside her as he leaned against the kitchen counter and she continued to ignore him as she cleaned one of the supper plates with the dishcloth, her hands soapy as she worked. 'Darling, we need to talk about this.’ He placed his hand upon the creamy skin of her shoulder, sighing deeply as she shrugged him off and he gazed down at her. 'Please listen.’

'You mean like you listened to me when I tried to explain to you why I forgot to label that pregnancy test this morning?’ She hissed as she gazed at him momentarily before she cast her eyes back down to the soapy water in the skin, shaking her head in annoyance. 'Next time you decide that you’re going to scold me like I’m a naughty schoolgirl that is in need of a paddling, may you have the decency to ask me to step into your office so that I’m not made to look like a fool in front of the patients? I’ve never felt so humiliated!’

'Shelagh, I only snapped because I’m exhausted!’ He exclaimed softly. 'We’ve only been back at work for three days since having Teddy, and I’ve not had one full night’s sleep!’

'You’re exhausted!?’ She laughed in disbelief as her eyes widened and she turned to him with a hand on her hip through her apron, her deep blue eyes fixed on him. 'Who is the one that has to get up several times through the night to sit and breastfeed our son?’ She asked, the anger clear in her voice as it was mixed with her beautiful Scottish brogue. 'Who is the one who has bleeding hands at the end of every day from wringing out nappies? Which one of us, even if we’re not well, has to prepare and make meals every day?’ He heard the tears in her voice and felt awful as he realised just how exhausted she really was. 'I had Angela and Teddy keeping me awake all night last night, Angela crying for me because she’s ill and because she kept having nightmares that there was a stupid monster under her bed, and Teddy crying because he’s three-months-old!’ Her warm tears were rolling slowly down her cheeks now as she gazed up at him, Patrick unable to respond as he felt his heart break for her. 'I forgot to label the pregnancy test because Sister Julienne telephoned me, Patrick.’ She sniffed, wiping the stray tears from her cheeks whilst fresh ones continued to fall. 'She told me Angela’d thrown up and asked what to do.’

'You should have told me.’ He told her gently, his voice more loving than it had been throughout the day.

'I tried!’ She exclaimed through her tears, running a hand through her brown hair in exasperation. 'But you just kept harping on about how irresponsible I was for forgetting the label, and when I told you that I had a viable excuse for it, you said that there couldn’t be one. I understand that you’re tired, but that’s no excuse for being so cold toward me.’ She removed her glasses from her face momentarily in order to wipe the tears away and compose herself slightly, her sniffs continuing as she went back to cleaning the dishes.

'My darling-’ He sighed, attempting to place his hand upon her shoulder once again.

That was when the two of them heard Teddy’s cries from the floor above, Shelagh sighing as she untied her apron. 'I’ll go.’ She told him, glancing at him as she left the kitchen.

Patrick groaned to himself as he leaned back against the wall. He was an absolute idiot.

He needed to do something to make it up to her. But what?

'See, there’s no need for all this noise, darling.’ She soothed as she continued to slowly pace her bedroom a short while later, Teddy’s perfect head cushioned upon her shoulder as she patted his back comfortingly and pressed slow kisses to his hairline. It had turned out that all he had been after was a snuggle with her because he had woken up to find that he was alone, and as soon as she had brought him into her arms he had quietened and buried his head into the side of her neck. She lowered herself down into the rocking chair that sat in the corner of the room a few moments later, supporting Teddy’s rear as she brought him to settle against her chest and she felt him cuddle up against her. 'You gorgeous boy.’ She whispered with a smile, sweeping her hand over his brown hair before dropping a kiss to his crown and beginning to rock quietly back and forth in her chair.

It was a short while later when she felt a presence and she looked up to see her husband standing in the doorway as he leaned against the door frame, a warm smile on his lips as he gazed over at her and his arms were crossed over his chest. 'You were born to be a Mummy, you know.’ He told her as his deep brown eyes sparkled softly. 'I mean that.’ She allowed a small smile to form upon her own lips as she met his gaze, her annoyance at him still there but not as deeply as it had been a short while back. 'Could I show you something?’ He raised his brow at her as he entered the room and she continued to pat their son’s back soothingly as he slept peacefully against her chest. 'Please, my darling?’

She could see that whatever he wanted to show her was important to him, and so she nodded quietly before raising from the rocking chair and carrying Teddy to his bassinet. 'I love you so much, my perfect boy.’ She whispered before leaning down to kiss his forehead softly, a gentle sigh leaving her as she made her way up to her husband and slipped her hand into his own. 'What are you up to?’ She asked softly as Patrick brushed his thumb warmly across her knuckles, lingering slightly upon her wedding ring as he smiled at her and continued to lead her down their stairwell before coming to a halt outside their sitting room door and taking hold of her waist, drawing her against his chest with a sigh.

'I’ve been a complete and utter fool.’ He admitted as he gazed down at her and her deep blue eyes sparkled as she listened to him, her hands settled upon his chest through his shirt as he stroked his thumbs against the dips of her sides. 'I shouldn’t have lost my temper with you at the surgery and I should not have spoken to you like that, especially in front of the mothers. You’re my wife, Shelagh, and I love you more than I’ve ever loved another woman in all my life.’ He cupped her cheek warmly. 'I don’t know if it’s because we had to fight so hard to be together or because you’ve given me and Timothy so much support, but what I do know is that I shouldn’t be treating you as though you’re simply another nurse. I shouldn’t speak so harshly anyway, never mind who I am talking to, but I should never have spoken to you like I did earlier. I am so sorry, and I can only hope that you can forgive me for that.’ He felt his heart begin to race as she rose carefully onto her tiptoes and left one of the warmest open-mouthed kisses upon his smooth cheek.

'I do forgive you, Patrick.’ She whispered as she returned back to her mediocre height and slipped her arms loosely around his waist. 'I should have made sure that all the tests were labelled before I let Nurse Crane take them this morning, and I’m so glad that the London realised that I’d missed one and telephoned you to inform us. It did upset me to hear you speak so harshly to me, but I don’t judge you for it. It was my mistake and I needed to be reprimanded for it, so I shouldn’t have acted so badly towards you today.’

He shook his head. 'We’ve both made a few mistakes today, my love, mistakes that we both need to learn from. But right now, I want to show you what I’ve set up for you.’ He took her hand once again before telling her to close her eyes, Shelagh doing as she was told before he opened the sitting room door and guided her safely into the room. 'Okay, you can open your eyes now, darling.’ She gasped softly when she did, her eyes beginning to sting with tears of love and joy as she took in the sight before her. He had made a replica of the indoor picnic that the two of them had shared on their first proper date after she had fallen ill with a cold and so they’d had to cancel their reservation at the fancy restaurant that they’d originally planned to eat at, and she couldn’t help but giggle at the chocolate-covered strawberries and the two glass champagne flutes upon the blanket.

'You did all of this for me?’ She whimpered as she gazed up at him, her hand coming to rest upon his chest.

'Everything that I do is for you.’ He reassured her as he allowed his hand to find her waist, their warm lips meeting in a long and soft kiss. 'It always has been, my perfect girl.’

'I love you.’ She breathed as he pressed his forehead against her own and they permitted their noses to graze affectionately. 'Even if you are extremely sentimental.’

'I love you too, sweetheart.’ He reassured her. 'So incredibly much.’

As the two of them indulged in their chocolate-covered strawberries that evening and fed them to one another as they were snuggled on the blanket, their champagne flutes sat before them as the fire spat in the hearth, they knew that no matter how heated their quarrels got they would always make amends. They’d never slide into bed in a foul mood.

Because they loved one another deeply, and neither one of them could sleep without the other one being wrapped up in their arms.

It was just the way they worked. And they cherished that.

M is for Melancholy!

She had been melancholy ever since she had stepped out of the car once Patrick had driven her home from the hospital after her procedure, her husband knowing that she was forcing herself to giggle and to smile in front of their son throughout the day before she would sob into his chest when they would get beneath the covers in the evening. Witnessing Shelagh's heart shatter before him once he'd admitted to her that the Tuberculosis had attacked her pelvic organs along with her lungs, leaving her infertile, had been one of the most agonizing things that Patrick had ever had to experience in his life. They had only been married for four months and yet his wife was already going through extreme heartbreak, the emotional pain of knowing that she would never be able to conceive naturally serving more painful than that of the physical pain from her stitches. She had pushed the nightdress that she had been sewing to the back of her undergarment drawer, hoping that it would take at least some of the pain away, but had still found herself sobbing into the fabric of it as she sat on the edge of her bed once she had said goodnight to Timothy. Patrick had been her rock over the last week, but no amount of kisses would fix her heart.

A is for Angela!

'Here's your Mummy.' From the moment Patrick had softly spoken those words as he had eased Angela into her arms whilst she had stood with her eyes closed at the adoption agency, Shelagh knew that she had never felt such an overwhelming rush of love course through her veins. Their little girl had been so fragile and vulnerable as she had grizzled against her chest, but the moment that she had caressed her soft cheek with the side of her finger, Angela had settled immediately and gazed up at her in wonder. They had taken her home that same afternoon after she and Patrick had signed the legal documents with a shaking hand, finally adorning their daughter with the name Angela Julienne Turner. The Sisters of Nonnatus had been so generous towards them over the first few days of settling into life as the parents of a newborn, showering the two of them with toys, clothes and necessities for their little princess. The thing that they had been most grateful for was the beautiful bassinet which they had been presented with.

The bassinet had been a stunning sky blue colour with hand-stitched buttercups dotted over the fabric and lacy frills along the outside. Shelagh and Patrick knew that the Sisters had worked tirelessly in order to have the bassinet ready as soon as possible for their little miracle, and they knew that they had put all of their love and devotion into the gift. Surprisingly, to the mutual astoundment of them both, Angela had seemed to have gained a place in Sister Evangelina's heart. When they had been invited up to Nonnatus in order for the Sisters and the Nurses to meet their little girl, Sister Evangelina had sat for nearly an hour with Angela and a smile of pure love had been plastered upon her lips the entire time. Maybe she really did have a softer side. People didn't give her enough credit. However, no one could have loved Angela more than her parents. Shelagh had taken to motherhood like a duck to water and not a day had gone by that Patrick hadn't praised her for being such a perfect mother, causing her to giggle sweetly.

Now, however, their precious little girl was just two months away from turning three-years-old and she was still just as perfect as she had been on the day they had brought her home. Her hair, which, in the beginning had been soft and downy, was now a beautiful golden colour and traced the outline of her perfect face which made her parents adore her all the more. She was completely obsessed with her father, much to the delight of Shelagh, and would always go to him for snuggles when she was feeling under the weather. She did love her mother terribly, her parents knew that, but when Patrick wasn't working at the surgery the two of them would spend most of the day snuggled up watching cartoons. The one thing that Patrick and Shelagh loved most about their daughter was the fact that she was quite sentimental. On the day that she had turned one, Patrick had surprised her with a beautiful teddy bear. Its fur was made of the softest white material and its eyes were ice blue, a stunning red ribbon tied around its neck.

Angela had slept with it every night since her father had presented it to her, and she still couldn't get to sleep without it being next to her. If Shelagh or Patrick tried to settle her down into bed without it, she would cry and fight against sleep until they searched the entire house and found the bear that was now a little on the tatty side. The first time that the bear had been washed since Angela had received it, she had cried and thrown a tantrum on the kitchen floor as the bear had gone round in the washing machine. It had taken Shelagh over twenty minutes to calm her down with warm kisses and nuzzles, promising her that nothing bad was going to happen to her beloved toy. As soon as her bear had dried out on the washing line, Angela had been over the moon and she hadn't put it down for the rest of the day. It was one of the most heartwarming things that Shelagh had ever been blessed enough to witness. Aside from standing in the doorway to her daughter's bedroom as Patrick sang her lullabies after her nightmares.

The only person that could possibly love Angela just as much as her parents was probably her older brother, Timothy, who never failed to make her laugh when she was in one of her occasional moods. It had been incredible to see how close the two of them had gotten since the first time he had cradled her in his arms when she had come home to the flat, watching him become more and more protective of her as she had learned to walk and become more attuned to what was going on around her. Their parents had noticed how strong their bond had grown over the last few years, and Patrick and Shelagh had realized that there wasn't another boy more suited to the task of Angela's big brother. She adored him almost as much as she adored the two of them, and she'd only recently leaned to say his name correctly instead of calling him Timmy every time. He had thought that the nickname she had adorned him with was a little babyish for someone who was attending grammar school. However, he still adored his perfect sister.

Everyone who knew her was absolutely smitten with Angela.

Just the way she liked it.

K is for Kiss!

His lips moving slowly over her own was what roused Shelagh pleasantly from her deep slumber on the first morning of her honeymoon, a soft hum of satisfaction escaping her as she draped her arm over his abdomen and tangled her leg with Patrick's beneath the warmth of the covers as she started to sleepily return his kiss. The next thing she felt was his large yet gentle hand coming up to cup the roundness of her cheek beneath the curtain of her soft brown hair, his thumb lightly sweeping over her ear as his arm wrapped around her waist and he brought her closer. His warm tongue traced the seam of her bottom lip in a silent plea to explore the depths of her, Shelagh sighing softly into his mouth as she parted her lips beneath his own and permitted him to roll her onto her back in order to cover her  body with his own. The next few minutes were filled with gentle chuckles and sighs as they allowed their hands to travel slowly over one another’s sides, murmuring words of love into the other's mouth. All too soon, the need for air became too insistent and they pressed their foreheads together affectionately as Shelagh stroked the tips of her fingers through his disheveled dark hair. 'I believe I could get used to being woken like that every morning.' She breathed as his hands trailed slowly along the curves of her sides, pure love in his warm hazel eyes. 'It's far more pleasant than my alarm clock.'

Patrick released a gentle chuckle as he brought his hand up to caress the side of her face with the backs of his fingers, his heart swelling with love for the beautiful woman that had given up so much to be his wife as her eyes fluttered closed in contentment. 'You are so beautiful.' He sighed as he brushed his thumb soothingly against the soft brown hair that he discovered at the side of her head, her gorgeous blue eyes sparkling when she looked up at him and a small smile formed upon her lips. She stretched up to press her mouth slowly to his a few moments later, her hand settling upon the warm skin at the nape of his neck as she lay her head back down on her pillow and brought him with her. They had made love for the first time the previous evening after they'd arrived in Torquay, both of them equally as nervous as the other in regard to becoming intimate. Shelagh had been sat on the edge of the bed when Patrick had left the bathroom once they had gotten changed into something a little more comfortable, her perfect brown hair cascaded over her shoulders as she had been sat in the pale pink negligee that she had purchased especially for their honeymoon. He hadn't been able to keep his eyes off of her. The nervousness and uncertainty had been evident in her eyes when she had met his gaze, the soft and slow kiss that he had left to her cheek seeming to help settle her down somewhat. He'd then been able to reassure her.

Patrick had held her to his chest as he had explained what would unfold as the evening progressed, her head resting upon his shoulder as he had stopped every so often to kiss her warm lips slowly. They had started out by simply kissing as they lay beside one another, Shelagh allowing Patrick to rest his hand upon her hip as she cupped the side of his neck and he held her close, their kisses slowly becoming more passionate before he had brought her on top of him and she had taken the lead. She had been bold enough to trail languid and warm kisses along the length of his neck when she had been laying upon his chest and he had run his fingers through her hair, his free arm wrapped around her waist as he held her securely on top of him and she had hummed against his smooth skin. When the time had arrived for the two of them to make love; to consummate their marriage, the nervousness had returned in her eyes and she had admitted that she was scared. He had respected that and reassured her that he wouldn't ever put her in a position where she couldn't say no if she wanted to, explaining that he would be content enough to just hold her in his arms. She had shaken her head in reply, though, admitting that all he had to do was be gentle and slow with her. He'd taken that into consideration when he had finally made love to her that evening, the kisses that he had pressed to her lips and neck both delicate and full of tenderness.

They had lay in a comfortable silence in the early hours of the next morning, her leg tangled with his beneath the warmth of the covers as she had fit perfectly into the curve of his side. His fingers had slowly been brushing through her warm brown hair as her cheek had rested upon his collarbone, her forehead pressed into his neck as her arm was draped over his abdomen. They didn't need to use words in order to tell one another how they were feeling; they had never needed to, deciding to communicate through actions instead. As he had trailed his fingertips over her hip whilst she had drifted off slowly in his arms that evening, he knew that she was the only woman in the world that was right for him. The only woman in the world that he could ever love so furiously. Now, however, as they kissed languidly in the safety of their marital bed, he knew that she was also the only woman who would ever have his heart. Her fingertips grazed along the sharpness of his jawline as their lips brushed once more, her hair now seriously disheveled from the way Patrick had trailed his fingers through it, satisfied smiles upon their lips as they gazed deeply into one another's eyes. He moved to lay down beside her a few moments later, drawing her close to him before she snuggled against his chest with a soft sigh of satisfaction and nuzzled into his neck. 'If you'd told me a year ago that I'd leave the Order to marry you, I'd think you'd gone insane.'

He chuckled softly as he ran his palm along the curve of her back beneath the covers, feeling her tangle her leg slowly with his own as she shifted closer to him and nuzzled her nose gently over his shoulder. Her wedding and engagement rings were cool against the warm skin of his chest when she allowed her palm to settle upon the dark curls that covered his torso, a gentle smile appearing on his lips as he took her fingertips gently in his hand and brushed a kiss over the rings that symbolized her commitment to him. He trailed his kisses slowly over the back of her palm toward her wrist, extending her arm whilst he began to cover the length of it with warm and tender kisses. It didn't take long for him to reach the creamy skin of her shoulder that had a light smattering of freckles upon it, a loving smile on his face as his lips finally found the supple skin of her neck. Her sigh of contentment was what he took as her request for him to continue, her arms wrapping slowly around his neck when he moved to lay atop her. 'My gorgeous girl.' He growled as he smirked into her neck and she buried her face into his shoulder, her fingers going to his hair and threading slowly through the dark strands. 'Mine.' He murmured.

'Yours.' She whispered into his ear as he continued to trail his kisses along the length of her neck, her face burying into the crook of his as she hummed gently in satiation. 'Always yours.'

I is for Intimacy!

The sitting room of Patrick Turner's apartment was dimly lit with candles as he and his beautiful fiancee were content in one another's embrace upon his settee, the two of them indulging in the white wine he had purchased for their night in as her head lay upon his shoulder and he brought his fingertips soothingly through her warm brown hair. It had been a little over a month since he had proposed to Shelagh in the kitchen of the Parish Hall, the same place that he had pushed his luck with her less than a year earlier, his heart pounding within his chest as she had opened the small box and her eyes had widened with surprise at the sight of the diamond ring resting inside. She had accepted his proposal with eagerness before he had slid the small ring down her finger and drawn her close to him, catching her in the slowest and the softest of kisses as he had cupped the back of her neck. The first kiss of many. Since that afternoon in the Parish Hall they had shared many kisses, some comforting, some hungry and some languid.

The first time that they had indulged in a deep kiss and he had buried his hand in her hair, she had panicked and admitted that she felt like things were moving too fast, but she had soon become comfortable with the added intimacy and was now a very eager participant. Snuggling in closer to her fiance's side as she took a slow sip of her wine, she couldn't help but sigh as Patrick pressed his lips to the side of her head in a tender kiss, his hand running along the curve of her side through her thin blouse. 'My gorgeous girl.' He hummed into her ear, drawing her earlobe slowly through his teeth which made her shiver with a gentle whimper. 'Mmm, you like that, don't you?' He nuzzled the tip of his nose against the soft skin of her neck just below her ear, her head tilting back with a slow shrug of her shoulders as she giggled beautifully. 'My Shelagh.' He sighed as he hooked his finger beneath her chin and brought her gaze slowly to his, her eyes leaving his to drop down to his lips and then travel back up. 'What do you want, my love?' He stroked the backs of his fingers gently along the softness of her cheek, reveling in her beautiful hum of complete contentment.

'Kiss me.' She spoke softly as she set down her wine glass and allowed her hand to settle upon the side of his neck, brushing her thumb against the soft skin that she discovered. 'Please, Patrick.' The sparkle in her eyes made it impossible for him to even consider refusing her, his free hand resting upon her waist as he set his wine glass down beside hers before he cupped her cheek warmly. He leaned in to her in order to ghost his lips slowly over her own, causing her to release a gentle whimper. 'Please don't tease me.' She breathed as she stroked her fingertips against the dark hair at the nape of his neck, a rush of love coursing through him as he allowed his eyes to meet hers for a split-second. He then covered her perfect mouth with his own as he brushed his thumb against the warm skin of her cheek, her sweet hum of gratification warming his mouth as she smiled against his lips. He slid his hand around to the back of her neck as he shifted closer to her upon the settee, running the tip of his tongue against her lower lip.

Her lips parted beneath his as she sighed gently and her hands came to cup the sides of his neck, a surge of warmth rushing through her veins as their tongues tangled leisurely. It was hard to believe that at the start of the year she was living the religious life, considering she was now sat on the settee of the man who was once nothing more than a colleague, having him kiss her senseless as he allowed the palm of his hand to run along the curve of her side. She had certainly come a long way since she had discharged herself from the sanatorium. There was no going back now. 'Shelagh.' He breathed in between long and deep kisses, his arms wrapping slowly around her waist as her soft hands ran along the front of his chest through his shirt. 'We should slow down, darling,' He cupped her face tenderly in his hands whilst he began to slow their kisses down, moving his lips to her neck as she rested her forehead against his shoulder and waited for her breath to even out. 'Before we lose all control.' She let out a breathy giggle.

His lips were warm and slow as he trailed his kisses along the slopes of her neck and his palm rested upon the base of her back through her dress, Shelagh nuzzling into his shoulder as she felt her eyes close of their own accord and she let out an audible sigh of satisfaction. 'I think somebody's getting sleepy.' He hummed in between gentle kisses left upon her neck and he brushed his thumb against her spine, his kisses becoming slower and softer as he covered her skin with them. 'We've got a while until we need to get you back to Nonnatus, my love, why don't you try and get a little sleep until then? I can wake you when it's time for me to drive you home.' He pulled away from her neck, then, unable to stop himself from kissing her forehead when he took in the sight of the sleepy smile that had appeared upon her face. Bringing her slowly into his lap, he covered her small body with the soft blanket that hung over the back of the settee and kissed her crown, allowing her to snuggle against his chest as her eyes softly closed.

'You always take such good care of me.' She hummed sleepily into his shirt as she gripped the fabric of it gently in her palm, feeling his arms tighten around her small body. 'I always feel protected with you.'

'It's because I love you, Shelagh, and I'm never going to stop.' His voice was muffled in her hair as he held her closer to him and covered her further with the blanket. 'Now get some rest, darling, it's alright.'

'I love you too.' She murmured as she slowly began to drift off in his arms, her hand resting over his heart as she could feel it beating steadily whilst she fell asleep.

It wasn't long until she was sleeping soundly in his arms and Patrick nuzzled against her shoulder, kissing her warm flesh. He loved the perfect woman in his embrace, you didn't need to be a genius to see it.

She was his and he was hers.

Just the way it should be.

L is for Laugh!

Patrick couldn't help but smile to himself as he continued to wash the dishes after supper one evening and soft squeals and peals of laughter reached his ears, his heart swelling with love for his two gorgeous girls that he could hear but couldn't see as he had his back turned to them. Angela was now eight months old and had managed to completely steal her family's heart, the love that Shelagh possessed for her little girl evident to anyone that saw the two of them together. The one thing that Patrick loved most about getting home to his beautiful wife and children after a tiring day at the surgery was the fact that he was able to watch Shelagh and Angela play together, their little girl settled in her lap as Shelagh blew playful raspberries onto the warm skin at the side of her neck. It was the little things that he loved most. Drying his hands thoroughly on the towel that was hung over the handle of the oven door, he made his way over to the kitchen hatch and leaned against it with deep love and adoration glistening in his eyes.