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Language:
English
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Published:
2023-09-14
Updated:
2024-08-11
Words:
700
Chapters:
7/?
Comments:
193
Kudos:
498
Bookmarks:
6
Hits:
2,422

My wife

Summary:

I too caught the Sidlotte Drabble bug! 👒🎩

Featuring:
1.) A rather effusive Sidney Parker*
2.) A similarly voluble Charlotte Parker
3.) Some competition and some coping methods
4.) Younger siblings (Charlotte: 🙄)
5.) Hipflasks
6.) Reunions
7.) No exaggerations

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Chapter 1: My Wife

Notes:

*And, for some reason, a Bridgerton brother.

Chapter Text

 

“My wife,” Sidney Parker began as he recounted some anecdote about Charlotte to Babington and Crowe.

 

“My wife,” he said and proceeded to wax lyrical about her to a completely disinterested Sam Sidaway.

 

“My wife,” said Sidney to his table of fellow card players at the club, launching into a lengthy monologue about his favourite subject.

 

“And where is the inestimable Mrs. Parker currently?” inquired Benedict Bridgerton dryly.

 

“My wife,” Sidney replied mournfully, “is visiting her family in Willingden. I’m to join her at the end of the week,” he added, brightening considerably.

 

“Thank god,” muttered Crowe under his breath.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 2: Meanwhile in Willingden

Notes:

Crowe would probably feel better if he knew he wasn’t the only one suffering so 😉

PS as always, much gratitude to you lovely readers for your wonderful comments and kudos! 🖤

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

“Sidney and I…” Charlotte blushed, making her mother smile indulgently.

 

“Sidney always,” Charlotte confided in a hushed whisper to Alison, whereupon the two sisters dissolved into a fit of giggles.

 

“Sidney says,” Charlotte told her father, who only nodded in response. Although pleased for her, he was rather nonplussed by his usually sensible eldest daughter behaving more like her gigglesome cousin Alyssa*. 

 

His son-in-law was to join them in Willingden in a few days, which Mr. Heywood was looking forward to. Not the least because once he arrived, his daughter would hopefully talk about something other than her husband Sidney.

 

 

 

 

Notes:

* The twittering fair-haired young lady from Season 2 is not actually Charlotte’s sister Alison but their blonde cousin Alyssa Heywood, whose personality, outlook in life, and propensity for silliness are quite similar to that of Miss Lydia Bennet.

Chapter 3: The second wife

Chapter Text

“My wife,” began Sidney–

 

“Aunt Charlotte,” Henry chimed in, proving he understood perfectly who his uncle was referring to.

 

“My wife,” Sidney agreed as he told his nephew and nieces a story about their aunt’s childhood in Willingden. 

 

“Sanditon,” said Tom Parker, apropos of nothing, as it mostly was.

 

“My wife,” said Sidney, switching to talk about how well Charlotte handled the administration of the town’s development.

 

“Sanditon,” Tom repeated, unwilling to let his second wife get less attention than his brother’s first.

 

“My wife–”

 

“Sanditon!”

 

Mary Parker decided a second tumbler of that excellent whisky was definitely in order.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 4: Eye rolls

Notes:

A special and huge thank you to MrSidney, who gave me the idea for this chapter when they said in one of their comments: “I could picture the eye rolls on the rest of the family's faces” ! 🖤

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

“Sidney–” began Charlotte at the breakfast table, looking up only to find her siblings rolling their eyes.

 

“Oh, we know all about Sidney!”

 

“Your husband Sidney!”

 

“He can box–”

 

“And row!”

 

“And swim!”

 

“And play cricket!”

 

“He reads Heraclitus.”

 

“He has the fastest curricle!”

 

“He’s lived in Antigua.”

 

“He likes clifftop walks,” Alison said slyly.

 

“And always matches his vest to your ballgown!”

 

Charlotte blushed furiously and opened her mouth to retort.

 

Just then, Mr. Heywood entered the room. He knew immediately what his children were up to.

 

“Has Lottie been talking about Sidney again?” he teased, eyes twinkling.

 

“Papa!!”

 

 

 

 

Notes:

It’s been the kind of week that makes you seriously consider hibernating (actual hibernation) for the next six months just to get away from everything. Coped by scribbling this short little Sidlotte drabble.

If I don’t say it enough, every single one of your kudos and comments means the world to me! 🖤

Chapter 5: The second hipflask

Notes:

MissToni described this series of drabbles as a box of chocolates, so the best thing I can do is share more of them with you! 🖤

Chapter Text

 

“My wife,” said Sidney in the carriage on the way to Willingden.

 

“My wife,” Sidney continued when they stopped at a coaching inn for lunch and to water the horses.

 

“My wife,” Sidney repeated as a disgruntled Crowe put away his first, now empty, hipflask and pulled out a second, full one.

 

Hours later, their carriage trundled over Willingden’s stone bridge and into the courtyard of Heywood Hall. Crowe flung himself out of the carriage even before it stopped, for his friend was still talking about “my wife”.

 

“Your wife,” he pointed as Sidney tumbled out after him.

 

“My wife!”

 

 

 

 

Chapter 6: Reunions (and Crowe’s woes)

Notes:

A couple of more drabbles coming up!

Chapter Text

 

Sidney swept Charlotte up in his arms. Mr. Heywood heaved a sigh of relief, which quickly became a grimace. He hastily covered his youngest child’s eyes and began herding the others inside; they had no need to witness this passionate reunion, which only showed signs of intensifying.

 

“I hope it was a comfortable journey, Mr. Crowe?”

 

Crowe hesitated. “Comfortable enough.”

 

“But?”

 

“I’ve had to listen to Parker talk incessantly about Mrs. Parker all week, sir!” he burst out. “Including the entire journey here.”

 

“That bad?”

 

Crowe pulled out his empty hipflasks. “I ran out somewhere near Hailsham.”

 

Mr. Heywood winced.

 

 

Chapter 7: More reunions (and more younger siblings)

Notes:

Here’s another one to help you see out the weekend. Or to set you up for the week ahead, depending on where on our lovely planet you’re reading this story from :)

Speaking of, it’s brilliant to see so many other Sidlotte authors have also updated their stories in this past week! Very honoured to be in such great company 🖤 and lovely to see the Sidlotte inspiration going strong! 🖤🖤

Chapter Text

 

“Mr. Heywood,” Sidney greeted his father-in-law as he entered his study. Charlotte was with him, their fingers entwined tightly together. “It is good to see you again, sir. I apologise for not greeting you sooner. Charlotte and I quite forgot ourselves.”

 

Both his and Charlotte’s cheeks were pink.

 

“It is understandable, I suppose,” Mr. Heywood remarked, with a teasing glance at his eldest daughter. “If you missed Charlotte even half as much as she missed you. She would not stop talking about you.”

 

“Papa exaggerates!”

 

“He does not!” Came the voice of one of her brothers from outside the study.

 

 

 

Notes:

I believe we are to thank @withMoxie for this burst of inspiration at writing Sidlotte drabbles. It's been pretty amazing to see everyone's efforts!

I didn’t realise it would be such a challenge to keep it at exactly one hundred words! (But not surprising, considering how verbose I am!)