A couple of days later
12th of March, 1970

The days passed quickly as the Howards were eagerly impatient until the day to their trip to England to visit Timothy's mansion, located in London and currently housing his siblings and parents as well. The children were beyond straining at the leash. Further, they wanted to see their grandparents mostly.

Whilst on other hand, Jude was peculiarly agitated about the impending trip to London and future encounter with her mother-in-law and the rest of the Howards, who aren't residing there. The middle-aged mother was not only agitated, moreover little did she know what's kind of an impression she will make to them and is her mother-in-law going to like and accept her, or rather reject her.

Timothy wasn't exceptional either too. He was uneasy about his forthcoming encounter with his parents and siblings a decade and a half later. He wasn't particularly sure whether Julietta is going to like his wife and accept her as a part of the family or otherwise disapprove her as if she was nothing in the vacuum limbo. On one hand, little did he know his parents and Anna and Daniel are going to think about him being a family man with a marvelous wife and adorable children by his side, whereas, on other hand, he was irrefutably excited and happy to behold his relatives years after emigrating in the another part of the world not only due to his golden divine Vatican dream that whirled in the limbo, further, due to the fresh start in his life on a different continent. In a different country. Being encompassed by people who scarcely have any clue who's he.

In addition to their impending trip, their tickets were booked a several days ago as their flight was at 1 o'clock in the afternoon.

Once the morning sun rays dispersed through the opened curtains of the windows in the two story mansion, bathing the rooms in fresh, undimmed daylight, resurrecting within seconds, the Howards woke up early, as a result of their flight which they shouldn't miss in a matter of hours.

First and foremost, they got up in 7 o'clock in the morning as the first thing they did was having a breakfast downstairs along so that to invigorate them for the rest of the day, besides granting them sufficient physical strength and stamina to pack up their luggage in suitcases.

They ate in silence breakfast and shortly after breakfast time, the couple commence to store their belongings such as garments, shoes and beneficial items inside their suitcases.

Whereas Jude and Timothy were being occupied with their baggage as their suitcases reclined opened on the edge of the bed, Ellie peeked through the ajar bedroom door as she was in the hallway, prying what her parents were doing as her chikdish inquisitiveness verged. In spite of they weren't doing anything special than setting their luggage hours before their flight.

In the meantime, Tristan was teaching his younger sister Agnes Jude in their room, holding a children's book in his tiny hands, their studious eyes darted down to the papers with pictures of objects and their actual names.

"Agnes, repeat after me!" Tristan encouraged his younger sibling cheerfully, his forefinger tipping as he pointed directly at the picture, glimpsing at her, making sure if she followed his instructions as well. Then his gaze shifted to the paper. "Snore!" He began as the both children were seating on the carpeted floor.

"Snore!" The little girl repeated after her older brother, following his instructions properly, hence, she giggled inwardly to herself as she sensed pride, enveloping her heart.

"Bravo, little sister! You are incredible." Tristan complimented Agnes's skills as she was a quick learner and didn't struggle to gain knowledge. He felt two wee pair of arms clasped around his shoulders as he couldn't help but startle as the hug was unpredictable. His big chocolate brown eyes widened, sensing his sister's embrace tightened fleetingly. Additionally Tristan refrained to spill a comment which might offend Agnes.

"Timothy?" Jude was folding her pair of casual cotton trousers with her dexterous hands, sighing coldly, frustrated. Frustrated, factly, she might not impress well her mother-in-law and the rest of the Howards. In the meantime, Timothy helped her with packing their luggage.

"Yes, my rara avis?" He questioned engrossed her current condition and it was part of his responsibility to acknowledge it. As an addition, the former priest sensed something was out of its borderline and her anxiety invaded his wife, without leaving her soul like a spectral, roaming around a godforsaken, demolished façade. "Is there something encumbering you right now?" He left his responsbility by walking up to her after she stored her folded trousers, wrapping arms around her waist as she span, turning to him as their eyes met.

"I think you know already." She threw freely her arms around his neck, encompassing him in a tight, loving hug for a while. Her face all blushed as her heart beat decelerated in her throbbing chest, her ribs pressed to Timothy's. A heart beat decelerated once she thought about the upcoming hours when she's going to meet not only Timothy's siblings, further, his parents. The former nun shut her eyes for a several seconds, relishing the moment of being loved and comforted. "I don't even know if yar mothah will approve me and accept me as a part of the family, I swear." She said very softly between the hug, resting her head on his broad shoulder, couldn't resist the urge to smell his alluring cologne, emanating from his garments and creamy skin.

"Judy, you shouldn't be that agitated about it at all! I am definitely sure my parents and siblings will like you." He opted to encourage her though his sparkling fiasco, looming on the horizon. "They are going to realize what a unique woman are you, no matter what I have done to you and," He paused, rubbing her back with his long, fine fingers, tipping her turtleneck's fabric. "What dismal past you shared with yourself! They won't judge, I promise."

"Don't you realize how tough is it? It's one of the hardest stages in the marriage to be accepted by your man's mother-in-law so that to be in peace with yourself." She confessed in velvety, desperate voice.

"We will overcome it!" After they broke off the hug, they withdrew their faces as their faces' proximity was barely inches, admiring one another's enthralling facial features. He offered her an affectionate, boosterish smile, bloomed on his complexion. "Let's take for example my older brother John. He liked you from the first time. It wasn't that difficult at all."

"He understands and supports you, Timothy! I remember," She swallowed a lump in her throat as she locked his soothing, glistening chocolate orbs. "When you planned to emigrate there, the majority of your family disagreed with your decision and perceiving it as a madcap until you did it."

"Not only he respected and supported me back then, but also my father Timon." The former monsignor confessed, patting Jude's upper back. "They were the people from my family who supported me and didn't care whether Anna, Daniel and Julietta are disagreeing or not. Although their opinions matter."

"It's alright." Then he captured her soft, luscious lips in light kiss, relieving her to feel less antsy. She blinked, closed her eyes for a couple of seconds, relishing the kiss as she took a deep breath. "At least, their opinions are being heard by both sides."

"Absolutely!" He affirmed her words as they withdrew, proceed with storing their items and folding garments.

When Ellie peeked through the ajar door as she observed the turmoil of her mother and beholding Timothy comforting Jude she couldn't oppress a growing, rejoiced smile, distorted across her lips.

A little after finishing with preparing their baggage as they closed their full suitcases, Timothy lovingly cupped her cheeks in his palms, admiring her ethereal, natural beauty as she placed her hands on top of his shoulders. Gleaming smiles crawled on their fresh, shining faces. Their brittle heart throbbed in their chests. A sudden, hectic silence arched between the couple as the chirping birds were the sole sound source for this moment.

"What's it, sweetheart?" Judy whispered softly as her whisper was sufficiently audible for Timothy's ears, ringing angelic anthems. The silence meant something fishy occured.

"You are just beautiful, my love!"

The blonde just gave him a content smile, pressing her lips on his.

In the interim, Ellie couldn't contain a vague giggle, escaping her thin lips.

***

"Fathah, what was that heated debate a couple of nights ago?" Sister Molly held a teacup, filled with hot green herbal tea as she seated in the dining room with the juvenile priest all alone. No nuns, priests and priestesses disturbed the both pious members of the church. Her amber brown eyes were fixed on Father McKenzie's azure blue eyes, sitting against one another.

"From where do you know, Sister Molly?" He posed the question seriously in low voice. 

Sister Molly and Alexander have not only a profound platonic relationship as Alexander perceived his tutor as his mother figure, but also they shared along even their deepest, grimmest secrets they kept away from the others, keeping for themselves only as if they were the sole people, who should acknowledge whether their vices or strong points. 

The truth is Sister Molly inspected cautiously the scenery between her favorite priest and the police officer who came remarkably for the holy man. She gained a lot of information about their conversation when they saw each other  these days. In addition to that, the middle-aged woman couldn't help but overhear the conversation between Alexander and Casey. She was on Father McKenzie's side for sure. 

"I couldn't help but overhear the conversation between you and this policeman." The older lady sipped her hot beverage, sensing its liquid reviving her body and arousing it, fueling it hydrously. "He seemed suspicious and aggressive, Alex!" She furthered skeptically, leaving her teacup on the large wooden table, fixing her wimple with her both handy, elvish hands. 

"Oh!" The man of the cloth cried, taking a deep breath. "He's! Not gonna lie." He admitted honestly, glimpsing down at his fingers as he played with them. Consequently, he shifted his gaze to the older woman's eyes. 

"I know what you did but he wasn't a saint neither too. Neither of us is saint, Alex! He tried to manipulate you."

"I know!" He diminished his voice tone, pursing his lips until he popped them up. "He shouldn't slap her and abuse her physically when they used to be in a relationship. I even smelled something wide of the mark." Meanwhile Molly arched an eyebrow in puzzled manner, modestly sipping her tea. "He did things to her which aren't particularly okay."

The nun just listened attentively her protege, without peeling a single word and digested his monologue. Inhaling a stiff air in the dining room where she was desolated with the member of the clergy. Little did she know about the former nun's biography, nevertheless as far as she listened about her, she was neutral because she wasn't a keen fan of judging people without knowing them in person. 

"He cheated on her. He murdered her baby not only with his infidelity and unbearable ire as scorpions dwelled in his skin, poisoning each cell by stimulating his adrenaline, craving for laying the blame on the perperators," The younger man paused, attempting to control his tone. On one hand, he was strongly against Casey's actions a few decades ago and sided with Judy, factly, the physical abuse she experienced back then was way too much and didn't solve the solution at all as significantly aggravating it. On other hand, he abhorred bimbos and the woman she transformed into after all this. All this agony, attempted suicide, sorrow, desolation and heartbreak. An epitome of plagued woman with demons, haunting her from the past and the present. "Further, he passed an atrocious sickness to her and addressed irrelevantly, therefore turning into the whore he called her."

Sister Molly panicked after hearing these severe words, coming from her protege's mouth. She emitted a dramatic sigh as she wanted to acknowledge more about Father McKenzie if either he was being encroached or not. Then she plainly sipped from her teacup by grabbing it over again. 

"I have no words what to say about this. Jude doesn't seem a horrible person at all."

"I don't even know her personally, however, I know it's not her fault she depended on the high class prostitution back in the time."

"Did he try to attack you or do something to you?" The middle-aged lady posed the question dryly, changing the topic as she felt embarrassed to talk about prostitution.

In this moment, the young holy man got from the dining table, sauntered around the table as his hands were behind his spine, inhaling, then exhaling sharply.

"I will tell you something, Molly!" He stated coldly. "I swear for million, trillion times he did not touch me!" 

***

"Timothy, look at our little angels!" Jude exclaimed merrily in velvety voice, holding Ellie in her secure, affectionate arms as she was already asleep in her mother's arms for a handful of hours, without interrupting her slumber. The blonde couldn't suppress a rapidly growing smile on her plump, naturally rosy-coloured lips, looking down at her eldest daughter. 

The couple were with their children in the plane for 3 straight hours as the infants had fallen asleep shortly after establishing in their parents' arms and embrace. Jude and Timothy were widely awake, keeping their eyes open constantly as they supervised their rays of sunshine, soothing them with their presence, warmness and love.

"They are as beautiful as you, Judy!" The former priest evoked gleefully, holding Tristan and Agnes in his arms as Jude seated next to the window. Their genial, doting eyes were staring down at the asleep little angels, admiring their natural beauty and cuteness. 

She chuckled raspily, looking up at Timothy's chocolate irises as their eyes met, locking up his stare after pursuing for a direct eye contact with him. 

"Let's not forget they are as beautiful as their father, darling!"

"Of course, rare bird!" Subsequently, he captured her lips in a light, amatory kiss. 

***

"Gosh, they must be there in a matter of minutes!" Anna said disappointed, sitting on the bench with her brothers Daniel and John, waiting for Jude and Timothy's arrival as the flight to London was delaying with a several minutes behind. 

Midnight hours loomed on the horizon, as a result of the empty London streets and the airport was hardly crowded during these hours. Timothy's parents, Julietta and Timon were at home, already asleep since they strictly followed their daily schedule and crawling in the bed no later than ten o'clock in the night. 

Anna, Daniel and John were lucky they were still awake, due to the fact their guests will arrive within minutes. They were more than as excited as little children for their new toys on their impending birthday. 

"You shouldn't be concerned about it at all, Anna!" John opted to reassure his younger sister, patting lightly her shoulder as he checked his watch, currently reading accurately half past midnight. Daniel grew discreetly impatient to meet his brother and his splendid wife with their precious mini them at last. "They are going to be right there in a matter of minutes. I pressume their luggage is being checked." He speculated sanguinely.

"Come on! These flights are pain in the ass." Daniel admitted as he earned his siblings' mortified gazes especially his younger sister's one. Initially, she gaped at him as if he threw the bombshell, then her facial expression transformed momentarily in a glare, gritting her firm, yet white like vanilla teeth.

"Language, Danny!"

"Oh, I am so sorry, Anna!" Daniel owed an apology to his younger sibling, as a result of delivering it instantly without hearing her complains anymore, muting them in the vacuum. "It's just," He stammered, realizing what foreword he would spill reluctantly, abiding his sister's presence oblivious for him. "You know!" A mischievous grin curled up in the corner of his lips, scarcely being capable of oppressing it. 

"It's okay." She pecked a kiss on his cheek, comforting him. "I know how painful is doing nothing but waiting there like night birds."

All of a sudden, the double doors were being pushed with entire strength, grabbing immediately Anna, Daniel and John's attentions as they watched in awe the married couple with three children approaching them, being guided with their peripherial visions. Charming, content smiles sparkled on their faces altogether like falling stars in the nocturnal, ebon sky. Heart raced as they exhilaratedly braked in their pulsating chests. 

Agnes Jude's legs were wrapped around her mother's neck, sitting on her neck, whilst the middle-aged mother struggled to hold her suitcase including the miniature ones of her children, storing their garments and necessary stuff altogether. The twins held their parents' hands, grasping them as Timothy's other hand was occupied with another suitcase, his stuff and clothes repleting it. 

Once the twins beheld three adults sitting on the bench, recognizing their faces, in fact, they resembled Timothy whether a bit or overally. Little did they know how elated they were, accelerating by pulling the couple's hands towards the former monsignor's siblings.

"Dad, are they your sister and brothers?" Ellie questioned curiously as she wanted to confirm whether they were though a tad hesitancy hit her abruptly. 

"Correct, sweetheart! It's them." Timothy replied hastily, unable to catch his breath though his stamina.

"Slow down a bit, Ellie and Tris!" Judy sniggered gaily, sensing her cheeks heating promptly. "I completely understand how eager are ya to meet Timothy's family, howsoever, don't act like there's an ice-cream truck!"

"You must be Judy and," Anna started as her chocolate brown eyes wandered up and down the couple with their little angels, scrutinizing them as quickly as possible. The slightly younger woman was in awe once she beheld Timothy's wife, who was beyond mesmerizing with her natural beauty. "What are your names, cupcakes?" She asked the children.

"Ellie!" 

"Tristan!"

"Agnes!" The youngest Howard answered rather bashfully, lowering her head as she tried to hide her face, burrying it in her sparse mane of silken honey curls. 

"I know you!" John declared jubilantly as he got from the bench, crouching down to the twins by throwing his arms around them, tugging them in a tight and warm hug that didn't even last for a several seconds. "Beautiful children of beautiful parents!"

Jude and Timothy chuckled as the other three adults joined them either too. "They are for sure!" Daniel answered cheerfully as his honey brown eyes were lowered to the twins by drifting them up to the bashful little girl, offering her an appeasing smile, honed across his lips. 

"It's true." The former sister of the church riposted joyously, nonetheless demurely. "We are so lucky for having them!"

"Of course, my rara avis!" Timothy set the suitcases on the floor by wrapping an arm around Jude's upper back. "Anna and Danny, that's my wonderful wife Judy Martin Howard!" 

"Hi Judy! It's nice to meet you." Daniel stretched his hand, offering a handshake as he shook a hand with his brother's wife. "I am Daniel or just call me Danny." In the meanwhile, he winked at her through his subtle grin, formed on his mildly wrinkled face.

"And Anna!" The brunette turned to her older brother, smiling cryptically.  "That's Judy, my ray of sunshine!"

"Hey Judy! I am Anna, Timothy's younger sister." The brunette handshaked with the older lady, exchanging radiant, vivid smiles.

"It's a huge pleasure to meet you, Anna! It's Judy Martin Howard, Timothy's wife."

"Splendid!" The younger woman murmured content as she fondled the twins' soft hairs, admiring its freshness and youth, oozing from them. 

To be continued...