Childhood Memory (Finn Shelby)

Part 36

"And then I asked Molly and Roland and his wife to come too." Elsie added.

"We need another table" Finn said.

"Yeah"

They set up the dining area so there were two tables. Enough to fit twelve on each. Finn and Roland did the heavy lifting while Elsie and Polly sorted out the glasses, plates and cutlery.

Guests started arriving at midday. Molly, Roland and his wife were the first ones to arrive, since they didn't have to travel up from Birmingham. They were lucky that Ada had came back briefly as she had business to attend to back home.

Soon Finn's family started arriving and soon the tables were mostly filled. Isaiah and Jeramiah came in and Elsie greeted them both and Finn still felt weird with Isaiah but he greeted them both politely too.

"Where's Tommy?" Elsie questioned Arthur as she would've thought he'd come with him.

"No one has really seen him, he only just showed up to work yesterday" he told her, "he was on holiday so he might not make it"

"I forgot about that. Finn? Did you speak to Tommy or was it his maid?"

"His maid, she said she'd tell him"

"Perhaps he's fully back? Oh, I do hope he comes" Elsie looked around and Esme wasn't there either but that was understandable.

Everyone sat down at the tables and they all ate the delicious meal that Elsie's maids had made for them. At the end Elsie stood up and dragged Finn up too. "So, I brought you all here since Finn and I have some news. I'm pregnant" Elsie announced and there were a round of congratulations and cheers.

"Does that mean you'll also get married?" Linda asked, "your baby will be a bastard if you don't"

"Linda, we are actually having twins, Polly told me, but I'm not sure about getting married, we haven't discussed it" Elsie looked at Finn. He was tense and he was turning a sickly white, "Finn, are you alright?" She said quietly.

"Excuse me" Finn rushed and then left the table, stunned eyes followed him out of the room before locking onto the young mother-to-be.

"Uh. Excuse me." Elsie left the room too, "Finn?" She went outside and saw him sitting on the steps. "Are you alright?"

"Elsie, I don't know if I am" he admitted truthfully, "I'm scared about you having the babies. And I don't feel like I'm ready to be a father. And getting married?"

"We don't have to" Elsie started but Finn cut her off.

"I do want to marry you, Elsie, but I thought it'd be before you ever get pregnant and not right now." Finn told her.

"I thought that too. I especially didn't want children now. But life doesn't always work like that, does it?" Finn nodded, "why don't we have a small ceremony now? Get married now? Jeremiah can officiate?"

"No" he told her quietly, "it's not that I don't want to marry you but I just wanted to make it special, you know? Besides, even if we did marry today, I'd want Tommy to be here"

A car then pulled up and Tommy stepped out. "He timed that wonderfully" Elsie laughed.

"Tommy!" Elsie greeted, pulling the man into a hug. "You missed the announcement"

"What announcement?" He questioned, looking at the two of them.

"I'm pregnant, with twins. Polly confirmed it" She smiled and Tommy smiled.

"Congratulations" Tommy said, hugging his brother and Elsie once more.

"Everyone is inside, there's still food for you if you'd like it" Elsie informed him, he thanked them before making his way into the house, "Twins, huh." Elsie said.

"Two" he breathed out. "I don't know if I'm ready for that" he sighs and placed his head on his knees which were pulled against his chest.

"Me neither" she told him, "does that mean you'll stay with me here instead of going to Small Heath?" She asked him.

"I'm not sure. I'll think about what I'm going to do tomorrow, okay? Let's just celebrate today" Finn kissed her gently, she smiled into the kiss.

"Okay" they stood up and walked back into the dining area full of their closest friends and family.

~:~:~:~:~:~:~
Thomas had told the couple on how to contact Michael to tell him the news. "Hi, Michael" Elsie chirped, Finn also saying "hi".

"Elsie? Finn? Hi, how are you both?" He questioned, it must be morning time.

"Great, actually, we've got news," She told him.

"Good or bad?"

"Definitely good" Finn told him, smiling at Elsie.

"I'm pregnant" Elaie announced.

"Really? Congrats you two" Michael told them, "did you get my mum to see what gender it's going to be?"

"A boy and a girl," Elsie told him.

They ended up talking for a couple more minutes before Michael had to carry on working.

"So you're happy that I'm pregnant?" Elsie asked Finn as they sat on the sofa, family surrounding them, all in their own little worlds talking and laughing.

"Yes, very" Finn told her, "and I'm glad it's not Isaiah's" he whispered.

"I'm glad they're yours, I can't think of someone better to have a child-" she gently shook her head, "two children with" she kisses him lightly.

"Are you happy?" Finn questioned, Elsie's face fell slightly.

"I want to say I'm happy, Finn, but I'm scared and didn't think that I'd have children at this age. And I want you to be with me for the pregnancy so I can boss you around" she said the last part jokingly though she was serious.

"I'll stay with you, I promise," Finn told her, "I know I said earlier that I'd think about it but I'll stay with you"

"Thank you," she said softly, cupping Finn's cheek and kissing him. 

"Okay, I think this is our cue to leave" Thomas announced after the couple was kissing for well over a minute.

The couple split as everyone laughed, "you don't have to leave" Elsie told them but everyone soon departed.

"Congratulations again, Finn, Elsie," Isaiah told them genuinely.

"Isaiah, thank you" she smiled, Finn glared at his back when Elsie hugged him, Elsie noticed and whacked his arm once she stepped back to him. "Behave," she whispered to him.

"Thank you, Isaiah," Finn told him. Isaiah smiled before following his father out of the house.