I’m a big fan of the imaginary pair, Frulu. Nonnatuns, you know what I’m talking about.

It all started out with a Twitter pic of the cast with someone we thought would be a very special guest star…

She wasn’t, but it’s still fun.

Angela was finally asleep. Shelagh stood next to the cot, watching the reassuring rise and fall of her daughter’s chest, and whispered to Patrick, “There is nothing so peaceful as a baby sleeping after hours of fussing.”

Patrick pulled her into his arms and nuzzled her neck. “Mmm…I can think of another way to feel peaceful, sweetheart.”

“Patrick, we can’t,” she protested.

“Shelagh, we can,” he responded. His hands gently massaged her back, slowly moving lower as his lips traced a trail along the curve of her ear.

“Patrick…”

“Shelagh, it’s been so long,” Patrick lamented.

“It’s only been three days, Patrick.”

“As long as that? That’s forever!” he moaned. “Shelagh, I need you.” His hands slipped down to her hips and pulled her softness against him.

“We’ll make too much noise. Aunt Lulu is in the next room. She’ll hear.” Shelagh’s protests were becoming weaker as her head fell back to give him access to her throat.

“We’ll be very, very quiet,” he whispered so softly into her ear. “At least I will be. I’m not the one that makes that little noise in her throat.” His tongue tasted her pulse.

Shelagh sighed brokenly. It was difficult to resist when she was as eager for him as he was for her. Her arms slid up around his neck and she brought his mouth to hers. Heat flared through her body as she surrendered to her body’s demands and pressed herself against him even closer. “You are a bad influence, Doctor Turner,” she breathed.

“All’s fair, sweetheart.”

In the work of a moment, her nightdress was gone and he was pressing her into the bed, his hands on her body. Shelagh struggled to remain quiet as he stoked the fire within her. She had just begun on the buttons to his pyjama top when a rap at their door startled them.

“Shelagh?” her aunt called.

“Get up, Patrick,” Shelagh whispered, pushing him away. She darted from the bed, frantically grabbing her nightdress. Slipping it over her head, she heard her aunt call out again, “Shelagh, dear?”

The baby startled and began to wail. Patrick moved from the bed. “You get the door, I have her.”

“My glasses?” Shelagh asked. Patrick never put them in the same place twice.

“Here,” he reached into the crib and handed them to her, the baby’s angry cries in his ear.

Aunt Lulu knocked at the door again just as Shelagh opened it. “Shelagh, dear, I was wondering if I could borrow this book from the bookshelves downstairs? I’ve always wanted to read…Oh, is the baby up, again? You should put her down, Patrick. You’ll spoil the child picking her up at every bleat,” she scolded him as she tried to take the baby. Angela’s screams became louder, and Patrick turned away, murmuring into his daughter’s ear.

At that moment, Timothy joined them. “Do you have any idea what time it is?” he grumbled. “What’s the fuss?”

“I was just-” Aunt Lulu started.

The chaos proved to be too much for Shelagh. Raising her voice, she called out, “Will everyone please stop talking and listen. Timothy, everything is fine. Go back to bed.  Aunt Lulu, of course you may borrow any book you like from the shelves. Please feel free to take it back to the guest room to read.”

”If you’re certain my dear, I could stay and settle the child.”

“No, Aunt. That won’t be necessary. Angela is my responsibility, and I know what’s best for her.” She took the crying baby from her husband, who was trying, but failing, to keep the grin from his face. Instantly Angela calmed and placed her head in the crook of her mother’s neck, her breathing starting to calm. “I’ll take care of her. Thank you, but you go to bed.”

“Well, dear, if you’re sure…” Aunt Lulu was reluctant to leave.

“Yes, Aunt.” Shelagh guided her aunt to the door. “But Aunt, if you’d really like to help, you could do breakfast in the morning. Not porridge, though. Timothy hates it. Cold cereal will do just fine. And coffee for Patrick, if you please.”

Surprised, her aunt nodded as Shelagh closed the door.

She turned to her husband, a relieved look on her face. “There. That’s settled,” she told him. The baby had calmed and was now sucking her mother’s finger, trying to settle herself back to sleep.

Patrick made no effort to hide his grin now. He looked at his wife admiringly. “My lovely little general. Back in charge now?” he asked, placing his arms around his two girls.

“I think so, Patrick.” Angela yawned loudly, her body shuddering from the effort. “Well, second in command, anyway.” She kissed the soft skin of Angela’s temple and placed her back in the cot. After a moment of wriggling, the baby settled back into slumber.

“There’s some peace for the next two hours,” Patrick whispered. “How about we go back to where we were, sweetheart?”

Shelagh turned in her husband’s arms. “Just don’t let me wake the baby,” she giggled.

Fortunately for both of them, he found a way to keep her quiet.

 

The next evening, Patrick came home to find his wife resting on the sofa, holding a happy, cooing baby in her arms. Bending to kiss each he asked, “Where is everyone?”

Shelagh placed the baby in his arms and snuggled next to him.

“Aunt Lulu brought Timothy to the library to drop off some overdue books. They’ll be back anytime now. Dinner’s almost finished. She’s made a roast, and there’s a Victoria Sponge for pudding.”

“You’ve been busy,” he smiled.

“Not me,” Shelagh started to explain. The front door opened and the rest of the family soon joined them.

“The librarian said not to mind the overdue fees this time. She said it was as a congratulations for the new baby,” Timothy told them as he entered the room. Jiggling his sister’s foot, he added, “See, Ange, you’re lucky!”

“Dinner will be on the table in just a jiffy,” Aunt Lulu called from the kitchen. “Patrick, could you help set the table? And Timothy, I’ll need you to put your school books away.”

Patrick looked at his wife, surprised.

“Better do as she says, Patrick.” Her eyes laughed up at him.

“Yes, Patrick,” Aunt Lulu added, coming into the room. “Shelagh has one job, and that’s to take care of this little one for now. You two are perfectly capable of taking care of things for a bit while the baby takes up so much of her time. I’m not going to be here forever, you know.” She turned and walked back into the kitchen.

“Grand,” muttered Patrick. Now I’m living with two generals.”