Title: A Suitable Flat
Fandom: Call the Midwife
Rating: G
Length: 529 words
Summary:Cyril shows Lucille the flat he's found for them.  She is less than impressed.

Cyril Robinson led Lucille Anderson proudly into the small flat.  “What do you think?”

“Oh!”  They were getting married in less than two weeks time and had been desperately looking for somewhere to live.  Cyril had been so excited when he’d come to tell her he’d found a flat, Lucille knew she had to say something positive, despite her reservations.  “I’m sure it’ll suit us very well.”

“It’ll look better once it’s had a coat of paint,” Cyril said.  “But otherwise there’s nothing wrong with it.”

Lucille looked around.  “It will need cleaning too.  It’s not bad, but you could see there’s been nobody in for a few weeks.  I’ll come down after work when I can and get on with it.”

“Don’t you worry about anything, Nurse Anderson,” Cyril said firmly.  “You’ve got plenty to do.  I’ve already got some help lined up.  And you, if I’m not mistaken, have a wedding dress to finish sewing.”

The next twelve days past very quickly for Lucille.  Every time she tried to ask Cyril about progress with the flat, he changed the conversation.  On a couple of occasions, she’d tried to visit it herself.  However, the first time when she’d mentioned her destination to Val, her friend had distracted her with how she wanted her hair to look, and on the second occasion, although she’d deliberately not told anyone where she was going, Phyllis just happened to be driving back to Nonnatus House and, catching Lucille walking towards the flat, offered her a lift home.

The day of the wedding was overcast, but it was not going to dampen Lucille’s happiness.  She missed her mother, but she had received a letter from her which she had placed inside her new handbag.

The formal marriage ceremony was a quiet one at a registry office, after which Cyril drove them to a hall where they were to have a blessing surrounded by the members of their church, before the reception.

Much to Lucille’s surprise, they stopped at their new flat on the way.  Cyril led the way up the stairs and then unlocked the door, before standing back and encouraging Lucille to go in.

“What do you think?” he asked.

The flat was spotless.  The walls and ceilings had all been repainted and there were new curtains hanging at the windows.

Lucille gave Cyril a huge smile.  “You’ve not had the time to do all this,” she said.

“No,” he agreed.  “I did some of it, but most of it was done by members of the church as their wedding present to us.  Mrs Turner and Miss Higgins made the curtains.  Oh, and Sister Monica Joan has knitted the tea cosy, although I rather doubt it will fit any normal teapot.”

Lucille laughed.  “Thank you very much, Mr Robinson.”

“It was my pleasure, Mrs Robinson.  And now we must be getting on.”

“Of course.  Thank you for bringing me here on the way.  I shall be able to thank everybody properly at the reception now.”

“That’s why we came her.  I was sure that was what you’d want to do.” 

They kissed and Cyril escorted his new wife back to the car.