Anna [J.Shelby]

CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX

"So she's alright?" John questioned the doctor again.

"She passed out due to stress and exhaustion. It's nothing a few days rest can't fix, and it isn't abnormal after labour either"

"Thank you" Ada saw the doctor out, the early hours of the morning had began to take it's toll on both John and Ada.

John sighed, glancing down at Anna as he held their son who had fell fast asleep.

"You've got a good wife there, John." Ada leaned against the door frame with her arms crossed.

"When this is over, put her and your kids first, and move on from this all. We both love Tom, he's our brother, but don't get caught into another one of his messes, John. You saw the way he was tonight, he doesn't even trust his own family"

"The war changed him" John muttered.

"The war changed us all, even the women." Ada replied.

John sat beside his sleeping wife, and he didn't get any sleep, he sat awake for hours. Looking after their newborn, getting up with the kids in the early morning and he made them breakfast before the nanny came.

As he shrugged his coat on, he quickly scribbled a note and kissed Anna's head before he left.

Anna woke up at around 9am to a small cry, she looked around in confusion before she turned her head, and beside her was her newborn.

She let out a laugh as she shuffled rather uncomfortabley and took the baby into her arms.

"Oh, Anna. I was just about to check on the little lad" The nanny spoke as she opened the door to the room.

"Boy?" Anna questioned and the nanny nodded with a smile.

"Did you have a name for him?"

"We agreed on Eddie, short for Edward"

"Suits him, Mr Shelby said he left a note, but I'll leave you two to bond"

Anna glanced over to her bedside after the nanny left and read the note, sighing afterwards.

Couldn't stay, there's work to be done. After tonight, we move on, we find that house and everythings going to change.

The doctor said you need to stay in bed, so listen, and let the nanny help you. He's a Shelby boy through and through.

"You're probably very hungry ey?" Anna smiled down at Eddie, stroking his soft cheek, her suspicion confirmed when he latched with ease.

"Of course you are" She laughed softly.

Linda visited around midday, Anna taking the time to thank her for the previous day.

"There was nobody else, I just did what I had to" Linda replied simply.

"According to John's note, I'm supposed to be in bed, but John isn't here, is he?" Anna laughed as the kids came rushing in, the nanny following.

"Go and have a few hours to yourself, come back a little later and help me with their tea will you? I think I can manage a few hours by myself. Full pay of course" Anna smiled at the woman, who smiled gratefully in return and thanked her.

"I still wish he was a girl" Isabelle grumbled.

"I don't!" Harry exclaimed.

"What's wrong with us? You're the naughty ones!" Katie defended herself and her sisters.

"Are you sure you want kids?" Anna questioned Linda.

"Just the one" Linda replied with a tight but amused smile.

"Can I take him?" Katie asked her mother.

"If you sit still and hold him carefully, and if your siblings don't fight you over him like they did with Hattie" Anna replied.

"I'm 12! I'm old enough!" Katie exclaimed.

It was late night when Anna sat awake, sitting downstairs with the kids fast asleep and the baby getting there.

The hardships of labour was forgotten for the whole day by the lingering thoughts about what was going on.

She bit at her fingernails nervously by the fire, as soon as John came through the door she was up and out of the chair, looking into his haunted eyes and glancing dow at his cut skin.

"Oh John" Anna whispered.

"Charlie's safe, back home"

Anna tried to force a smile before she gulped, "but the train.."

"They were innocent, Anna, fucking innocent people that we hand-picked" Johns face looked sour.

"It's over, John. It's over, now we, we can move on with our lives, right?" Annas hands were on his cheeks, making him look down at her.

"I'm your wife, we share eachothers burdens, because that's just who we are, and what we do. And no matter if people have died, innocent or not, I know and the kids know, and even your own family knows, you are not a bad person because of this"

John pursed his lips and nodded, his forehead rested against hers before looking down at the newborn in her arms.

"After 9 years, finally another boy" John let out a low chuckle.

"I know, the girls hate that they're outnumbered" Anna laughed, and John took him from Anna.

"I should have been home, with my family"

"But you're here now, and it doesn't matter about anything else."