This is the story of Thomas Barrow.
Thomas Barrow has been working as the first footman at Downton Abbey for years. He's always been careful to keep his personal life hidden from the prying eyes of the other staff members and the Crawley family. Bu...
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Thomas rubbed his eyes as he tried to muster the energy to get out of bed. He groaned as he felt another kick from the baby inside him. "Ouch! Why do you have to be so active this early in the morning?" he muttered to himself.
He slowly got up, feeling the weight of his thirty-two weeks pregnancy on his stomach. He looked down at his rounder and swollen belly and sighed. "This is not going to be an easy day," he thought to himself.
He made his way to the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. Dark circles were under his eyes and he looked tired and worn out. "I don't know how much longer I can keep this up," he said to himself as he washed his face.
As he got dressed, he could feel the baby moving and kicking. He winced as it kicked him in the ribs again. "You're going to be the death of me, little one," he said with a small smile on his face.
He made his way downstairs, feeling a bit more awake now. He was supposed to start his duties for the day, but he was feeling so lethargic. "I just need a moment to catch my breath," he thought to himself.
He leaned against the wall, closing his eyes for just a moment. Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching and he quickly straightened up, feeling embarrassed that he was caught not working.
"Thomas, is everything alright?" asked Mrs. Hughes as she approached him.
"Yes, Mrs. Hughes, just a bit tired," he replied.
"It's not easy, carrying a child and working at the same time," she said sympathetically.
"It's definitely not," Thomas agreed. "But I'll manage. I always do."
Mrs. Hughes patted him on the arm. "Just take care of yourself and that little one," she said before walking away.
Throughout the day, Thomas struggled to keep up with his duties. He felt tired and lethargic, and the baby's movements were making it difficult for him to focus. At one point, he even wondered if he was in premature labor.
"Are you feeling alright, Thomas?" Mrs. Hughes asked, noticing his distress.
"I just can't seem to catch my breath," Thomas replied, panting.
"Let me take a look," Mrs. Hughes said, placing a hand on his stomach. "It feels like Braxton Hicks contractions to me. You need to slow down and take it easy, Thomas."
Thomas nodded, grateful for Mrs. Hughes's care and concern. "I will try, Mrs. Hughes. Thank you."
"Just remember, the health of you and the baby is the most important thing," Mrs. Hughes reminded him.
Thomas smiled, feeling a sense of comfort in her words. "I know, Mrs. Hughes. I'll be careful."
As the day went on, Thomas took Mrs. Hughes's advice and tried to pace himself. The baby's movements continued, but they no longer made him wince in pain. Instead, he felt a sense of awe and wonder at the new life growing inside him.
~
He had been working all morning as he tried to pace himself but ended up running errands and assisting the other servants in their tasks, but he could feel himself reaching his limit.
As he took a moment to pause and catch his breath, he felt a wave of dizziness wash over him. He leaned against a wall, closing his eyes and trying to steady himself. Just as he was about to open his eyes, he heard a small voice.
"Are you okay, Mr. Barrow?" The young Master George, Lady Mary's three-year-old son, was looking up at him with concern in his eyes.
Thomas was taken aback by the young boy's kindness and felt a surge of gratitude. "Yes, Master George, I'm just a little tired," he replied with a smile.
The young boy seemed to sense that Thomas was in need of comfort and took his hand. "Let's sit down together," he said, leading Thomas to a nearby bench.
As they sat down, Master George looked at Thomas with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "Why are you so tired, Mr. Barrow?" he asked.
Thomas was hesitant to share the news of his pregnancy with the young boy, but he found himself drawn to the innocent kindness in Master George's eyes. "I'm carrying a baby, Master George," he explained.
The young boy's eyes widened in amazement. "A baby? That's amazing, Mr. Barrow!"
Thomas couldn't help but laugh at the boy's excitement. "Yes, it is," he agreed.
"You're going to be a great mommy, Mr. Barrow," Master George declared with a smile.
Thomas felt a wave of emotion wash over him at the boy's words. He had never considered himself as a mother, but hearing Master George's words made him realise that he could be a good one he knew he could be both, being mother and father to his baby.
"Thank you, Master George," he said, squeezing the young boy's hand.
As they sat together on the bench, Thomas felt a sense of peace wash over him. He realized that even though he was facing many challenges in his life, he had found a friend in Master George.
"You're a good boy, Master George," Thomas said, looking down at the young boy with a smile.
"And you're a good friend, Mr. Barrow," Master George replied, grinning back up at him.
