So Many Things I Want To Say

Adoption?

"Are we still not getting any post?" Patrick asked as he put his copy of the Lancet on the hatch ledge and threw on his coat.
"None here and apparently none at the surgery either they say the strike could go on another week" Shelagh frowned.
"Can I show Colin my airfix submarine spitfire when he comes?" Timothy asked excitedly.
"Do you have any time before your outing?" Patrick asked, picking up his Lancet.
"Have you got your packed lunch?" Shelagh asked leaning on the table trying to peer into his bag to check.
"And who's Colin?" Patrick asked getting confused.
"It'll only take a minute, yes I have and Colin's a new boy at school" Timothy smiled switching each parent he was looking at. When Timothy heard the door knock, his eyes lit up with excitement.
"That'll be Colin" he smiled before going to answer the door.
"He's got his lunch" Shelagh smiled closing his bag again.
"Hello Timothy's mum and dad" the young boy smiled.
"Hello" Patrick and Shelagh responded in unison.
"No time to see the spitfire" Timothy said as he grabbed his bag and left.
"Goodbye Timothy's mum and dad" Colin smiled again before following Timothy out.

"Come on young man your dad will be home soon and we can't keep him waiting for his dinner" Colin's mum said as she picked up her handbag.
"What is for dinner?" The boy asked crashing his plane again.
"Someone's feeling better" Shelagh laughed.
"I have tried to tell him insects aren't good for the digestion" Colin's mother rolled her eyes.
"Never mind, he seems fine now and they've had such fun" Shelagh smiled at the boys.
"Yes, I worry that Colin gets lonely sometimes as an only child" Colin's mother admitted.
"I worry for Timothy too" Shelagh admitted.
"Would you have liked another?" Colin's mother asked.
"He's actually my step-son Dr Turner was widowed when we met" Shelagh explained.
"My husband and I couldn't have children of our own. But Colin's mum had died and he was put into foster care. He knows he's adopted and we all know we're lucky" Colin's mother explained was the two looked at their sons "and all the way along, all the love he's needed the more love we've found, we haven't ran out yet" Colin's mother smiled "but I will if he doesn't get a move on" she said loudly to her son.

"Spitfires weren't bomber planes Tim, they were fighter planes" Patrick called into the sitting room.
"Pedant" Tim replied before running off with his toy.
"Somebody's expanding their vocabulary" Patrick smiled.
"I made a new friend yesterday" Shelagh commented.
"Did you?" Patrick asked growing interested.
"Jean monk, Colin's mother" Shelagh smiled mixing what was in her bowl.
"Colin?" Patrick asked.
"Cub Colin" Shelagh reminded him.
"Ah, yes" Patrick said remembering.
"Jean was telling me that Colin is adopted" Shelagh commented.
"Really?" Patrick asked.
"You know what I'm going to say don't you?" Shelagh asked.
"I know who much you want a baby and I think you know how much I'd like one too" Patrick smiled at her.
"I really don't believe I'd have to carry a child in my body for it to feel like ours, if I felt that it would mean that loving Timothy has taught me nothing" Shelagh smiled.
"Shelagh if you want to adopt, we can look into adopting" Patrick smiled.
"Really?" Shelagh asked in disbelief.
"Really" Patrick smiled at her "I know as little about this from a parents perspective as you do, but we can work this out together. First time for both of us" Patrick smiled taking Shelagh's hands in his.
"I just hope Timothy agrees" Shelagh smiled.

"So fire away" Patrick told Timothy. Timothy looked down at his notebook before he spoke.
"If you did adopt a brother or sister would I have to share my bedroom?" Timothy asked.
"Do you want to?" Shelagh asked.
"No" Timothy said plainly.
"Would I still get the same pocket money? I wouldn't get half?" Timothy asked looking up from his notebook again.
"No, you wouldn't get half" Patrick smiled at the question.
"Could they play the piano at choir practice so I could play cricket instead?" Timothy asked looking up from his notebook.
"I think that's a possibility" Shelagh smiled.
"So what's the verdict?" Patrick asked.
"I think...that would be good" Timothy smiled.

"Busy day?" Shelagh asked Patrick as she cleared off the kitchen table.
"A landmark day! We are now completely up to date with the polio vaccination programme" Patrick exclaimed.
"That's wonderful Patrick, well done" Shelagh smiled "meanwhile I haven't been entirely idle, I called in at the church of England children's society, asking about the possibility of adoption" Shelagh smiled excitedly.
"And?" Patrick asking taking a seat on the couch and lighting a cigarette.
"And I was made extremely welcome, tea in a China pot and some superior biscuits. I think they quite like the idea of us, a GP and a retired midwife, as a first step we have to fill in all these forms then if all's well we will progress to interview" Shelagh said handing him the forms.
"We'll be filling these in for a week" Patrick huffed looking up from the paperwork.
"Quite right too, as the lady said the children have already got off to a sorry start in life. They need the very best parents the agency can find them" Shelagh smiled.
"I don't know why they need to know half this stuff, I've never seen so many questions" Patrick huffed.
"Quite" Shelagh smiled.
"No, I'm sorry Shelagh but you've rushed into this. There are plenty of other charities, we should see what they impose" Patrick said puffing his cigarette again.
"No one is imposing anything Patrick, and we are filling these in tonight" Shelagh said putting her foot down.