His Two Miracles | Thomas Barrow

Chapter 45

With just three weeks to go until Ellie's first birthday, Thomas knew he needed to start planning her celebration. He wanted to make it special for her. As he passed by the pantry, he saw Mr. Carson, the head butler, organizing the shelves.

"Excuse me, Mr. Carson," Thomas said, approaching him. "May I speak with you for a moment?"

"Certainly, Mr Barrow," Mr. Carson replied, looking up at him. "What can I do for you?"

"Well as you know, it's Ellie's first birthday is coming up in three weeks," Thomas said, his excitement bubbling over. "And I was hoping to take the afternoon off to go into the village and get her some things for her birthday."

Mr. Carson nodded thoughtfully. "Of course, Barrow. Family comes first, after all. You may have the afternoon off. Just make sure all your duties are taken care of before you leave."

"Thank you, Mr Carson." Thomas said, relieved. "I'll make sure everything is in order before I go."

~

Thomas made his way to the village, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of what to get Ellie. As he walked down the street, he noticed a toy shop and decided to take a look inside. The shopkeeper greeted him with a warm smile and asked, "What can I help you with, sir?"

Thomas replied, "I'm looking for something special for my daughter's first birthday. She's almost a year old and has cerebral palsy. I want to make it a special day for her."

The shopkeeper nodded understandingly and showed him a range of toys suitable for Ellie's age and condition. Thomas carefully examined each one, making sure it was safe and appropriate for his daughter. He eventually settled on some toy cars and trains.

As he paid for the gifts, the shopkeeper asked, "How old is your daughter, sir?"

Thomas replied proudly, "Ellie is almost a year old now. It's been a challenging year, but she's been a fighter, and I couldn't be prouder of her."

The shopkeeper smiled and said, "It's evident that you love your daughter very much. She's lucky to have a father like you."

Thomas thanked him and left the shop, feeling satisfied with his purchases. He couldn't wait to see Ellie's reaction to her gifts. As he made his way back to Downton Abbey, he thought about how far they had come since Ellie's diagnosis. It hadn't been easy, but they had faced every challenge together, as a family.

As he returned to the house, he made his way to his room to store the presents under his bed before searching for his daughter.

With the presents safely stored away, Thomas eagerly made his way to find Ellie. He missed her dearly and couldn't wait to see her beautiful face.

As he entered the nursery, he was greeted with the sight of his daughter giggling and playing with her toys. Thomas couldn't help but smile at the sight of her. "Hello sweetheart," he said as he made his way over to her, planting a kiss on her forehead. "Have you missed your daddy?"

Ellie giggled and hugged him tightly, beaming up at him.

Ellie looked up at him with a big smile on her face, and Thomas couldn't resist picking her up and giving her a big hug. "I've missed you so much," he said, holding her close.

As Thomas rocked back and forth in the chair, he sang softly to Ellie, humming a lullaby that his own mother used to sing to him when he was a child. Ellie listened intently, her big pale green eyes locked on her father's face.

Thomas smiled down at her, feeling his heart swell with pride and happiness. "I'll always be here for you, my love," he said, stroking her hair. "No matter what happens, you can always count on me."

As he held his daughter close, Thomas felt a deep sense of gratitude for the family he had found at Downton Abbey. Despite the ups and downs he had experienced over the years, he knew that he was exactly where he was meant to be, surrounded by people who loved and cared for him. And as he celebrated Ellie's first birthday in just a few short weeks, he knew that his heart would be filled with even more love and joy than ever before.