Chapter Text
Call Me Papa
Pacing the bedroom floor, “It is not funny Penelope!” Penelope looked up at Colin through her vanity mirror with a simple smile on her face and continued to brush her curls. Colin moved over to her, taking the brush from her hand and began to detangle the curls himself. “You are of no help; this is your fault you know that” Penelope giggled “How was I to know those would be his first words? Honestly Colin, you would think it was the end of the world.”
Colin huffed “It is, my own son. Can you not be distressed for me?” Colin continued with each brush stroke “I will not stand for it Penelope. Something must be done.” Penelope grabbed the brush from his hand and turned around in her seat to face her husband. “Colin it is cute and harmless. He will grow out of it.” Colin began pacing again, hands flailing “I am unmanned in my own home. It is cruel that is what it is.” He flopped down on the bed. Penelope moved from the vanity over to him and sat on his lap “We shall work on changing his opinion in the morning. He may even forget he said it.” Penelope wrapped her arms around her excitable husband and gave him a peck on the cheek. Colin gave in and got ready for bed. Once nestled next to each other, “You are right, of course. I was overcome it was his first words and all.” Patting his hand, Penelope blew out the candle “Goodnight Mr. Bridgerton.”
Colin woke up from a fitful sleep but determined. Once dressed and with a new resolve he sought out his wife, sure to find her in the dining hall. He heard the giggles before he saw them. Penelope sipping tea, which Thomas found hilarious as he gummed a biscuit. “You did not wake me, you know your eyes are the first thing I wish to look into in the morning, my wife.” Colin leaned down and placed a kiss atop her head then reached around to give a swift tousle to his young son’s ginger hair. “You seemed fitful in sleep and so I sought to give you extra rest my love. But we are glad to see and have you join us, are we not?” Penelope wiggled her young son’s foot as he moved it back and forth.
Colin took his seat as he was served a healthy breakfast portion, “Thank you Dunwoody.” His son looked over to the butler “dwoody” pointing his finger. The butler smiled. “Oh, my bright boy, you are quick to learn names. I say, now that he has started talking, we may have difficulty finding quiet.” Penelope was a proud mama as she gave Thomas a snuggle. “Mama,” Thomas hugged back with sticky hands. Penelope, always curious was quick to point to other objects on the table to see if Thomas would recognize and name them. So, the game of show and name began. “Pork” for fork, “Poon” for spoon, “buzkit” for biscuit. Colin eager to join the game held up his teacup and asked, “and this, what is this?” Thomas slanted his head and Penelope beamed because that was the same way Colin slanted his head in thought. Thomas, other than the Featherington hair, was all a little carbon copy Colin. “Tup,” Thomas yelled excitedly.
Colin laughed as well and so the game continued. Penelope pointed to her son, “And who are you, do you know your name?” Her son grinned and pointed to himself “tohms” for Thomas. Penelope and Colin smiled. “My son is a genius,” Colin exclaimed to the dining hall currently only occupied by the trio. Penelope point to her son “Thomas,” then pointed to herself “Mama,” then to Colin “and?” Colin sat up straight secure in what his son would say next. Thomas fidgeting looked directly at Colin and replied clear as day, “Mr. Bridgerton.” Penelope’s laugh could be heard down the hallway. Thomas smiled broadly, giving a clear view of his first tooth, while Colin deflated and sunk back into his chair. “My own son.” Not one to give up, he regained his composure and dived back in. “This is nothing to laugh at. We simply need more practice. We shall have lessons.” Colin started to grab other objects from the table and tried to get Thomas to repeat them and every fourth object he pointed to himself. Each time Thomas would loudly exclaim “Mr. Bridgerton.”
Penelope shook her head. She thought it was rather cute and charming of her son to adopt the nickname she had turned Colin formal name into. It began so innocently. Each night as they soothed Thomas to bed, they would lay him down in his crib and Penelope would whisper “Goodnight Mr. Bridgerton.” She had reframed the moniker from the roughness of which she had used at the onset of the 1815 social season to be a sweet endearment. She had had no idea her little one would notice it, but it made sense as she thought about it, as it was the one word or phrase he heard with consistency in his first year. Taken from her thoughts, with the sound of Thomas’ cry there was Colin growing more and more frustrated. “No, Papa, P-A-P-A,” as he pointed to himself. Thomas pointed back “Mr. Bridgerton.” “NO! I am your father.” Colin grabbed his hair in frustration, Thomas noticed the tension and began to cry. “That is enough Colin,” as Penelope swooped and picked him up to sooth her baby.
Colin mid hair grab saw Thomas first tear drop before he began to wail. “Oh, do not cry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Colin moved to pat his son back. He had taken it too far as he often did when he became excitable. “Penelope, I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry wife. It’s just he knows the name of everything but me. It is quite upsetting that my son does not know me.” “Simply because he had not said the name you prefer does not mean he does not know you, Colin. You must give it time. This is all new.” With that she picked Thomas up and prepared to leave the dining hall. “Come, we are set meant to be at Bridgerton House soon for Hyacinth birthday celebration.”
“Yes wife, but I am not giving up. Before the day is out our son will call me Papa. Mark my words.” “Yes husband, now come along.” Within an hour the family was refreshed and changed, in the carriage and on their way to Bridgerton House. Colin heart lightened as they made their way. His son bounced on his knee, giggling as his wife’s eyes were alight with love for her two boys. There really was nothing better than this. All would be well. Colin and Penelope were not even out of the carriage before Violet was upon them, and Thomas was reaching out “gma.” Violet wrapped her grandson in her arm “Oh, oh my. You are talking. My smart sweet boy!” She turned to Penelope and Colin, “When did this begin? “Penelope beamed “Just the other day out of nowhere and it has been nonstop since.” Colin did feel a sense of pride as he wrapped his arm around Penelope following Violet inside.
Entering the great parlor they were met with a host of Bridgerton’s. Anthony and Kate on the couch, Benedict, and Simon on the floor with little Edmund and Auggie building paper birds and horses. Daphne rocking baby Belinda, Gregory, and Hyacinth in a heated game of chess. “Our Penelope and Colin have arrived, “Violet announced to the room as she bounced Thomas in her arms. Hyacinth, looking up from the chess board, “Finally you arrive. May we open presents now?” “Hello and happy birthday to you too,” as Colin gave her a big bear hug. With that, Penelope and Colin made their rounds around the room greeting everyone. “Oh, and they have news to share!” The mention of news and all Bridgerton eyes and ears turned in their direction. Penelope declared, “We now have a walker and talker on our hands and in your midst.” “Well, it’s about time,” noted Anthony. Benedict looked up from his paper bird “We always knew you could do it Colin.” Both brothers laughed. “Very funny! Thomas, our little genius has mastered both skills.” Eloise entered the room at that moment, “What has my favorite nephew mastered?” Receiving raised eyebrow looks from Daphne and Kate, she continued “Oh do not look at me like that. When you name one of your kids after me, I may reconsider rankings.” She turned to Penelope and winked, knowing full well Thomas place was solidified as he was the child of her best friend and sister.
Penelope chimed in, “Thomas has started walking and talking.” Colin asserted, “Our little genius.” Eloise couldn’t resist “Naturally he takes after Pen.” She made her way over to Thomas who had walked over to the boys on the floor. Leaning down, “Can you say Aunty Eloise?” Thomas gave his classic sideways head tilt like he was considering weighty matters. He looked around the room and pointed first to Eloise “elise” then to his group “bend,” “emund,” “age,” and ‘smon.” The room erupted in cheers with Thomas clapping along.
“Oh, he definitely takes after Penelope. Our little observer, “noted Kate from the couch. Penelope and Colin beamed with pride and a couple tears in their eyes. Penelope from joy, as was Colin but also a small bit of sadness and envy as Thomas had said everyone name but his. “What was his first word?” Colin flinched to Anthony question. “Why don’t we open those presents, Hyacinth.” Colin desperately sought to change the topic. Hyacinth bounded over to Thomas “Do you know my name?” It had turned into a cute round robin game of Thomas being passed around the room and mostly getting everyone’s name correct on the first try. He even got bloody Mrs. Wilson name right, thought Colin. So, into his thoughts he had not realized until he felt his pants leg pulled that Thomas had sidled up to him. Colin, without a second thought, pulled him into his arms. The room was full of conversation on how amazing it was and the fast development being a harbinger for more children soon. Penelope blushed. It was then that Thomas turned his most beguiling smile to Colin and stated “Mr. Bridgerton.”
The room gawked and Colin sighed. “Papa, its Papa,” Colin tried to cajole to no avail, and Thomas turned to the room pointing to Colin “Mr. Bridgerton.” The room erupted in laughter. “It is no laughing matter; my own son doesn’t even know me. He knows everyone but me.” Colin handed Thomas back to Penelope as he flopped into a nearby chair defeated. “It really is a point of honor, it was his first word,” as Penelope tried to placate Colin and quiet the room. Bridgerton siblings being who they are and not ones to miss out on a good ribbing took to calling Colin “Mr. Bridgeton” for the rest of the afternoon. Each time Thomas would clap as if he was the winner of a secret game. Penelope could see Colins’ ire growing and tried to diffuse the situation with getting Hyacinth’s presents opened. The attention turned the tide, or at least she thought so until Hyacinth opened their gift – it was the last one. “Oh, it is lovely! Such a beautiful jewelry case and look at the earrings and necklace.” Hyacinth turned to them “Thank you Pen, Thomas and of course Mr. Bridgerton.” Thomas clapped as the room erupted in laughter once again. Thomas, the center of the attention and loving it looked at Colin and pointed “Mr. Bridgerton.”
“That is, it! I am done being ostracized and two can play that game, “as he leveled a hard start at his son “We are going home Baron Featherington – now.” With that he grabbed Penelope hand, as she hastily picked up Thomas, and headed for the door. Violet ran after them “Darling please, you know how our family is, it is all in playful fun and you cannot be truly mad at poor little Thomas. He does not know any better. Your first word was biscuit.” Violet held Colin hand “It was not Mama or Papa but biscuit. It did not last, and neither shall this with love and patience. “Colin nodded “I know,” and he kissed his mother goodbye.
Penelope sitting next to him on the carriage ride home, rubbed his arm “Colin, you are not truly mad at Thomas?” Thomas sensing the tension pushed slightly away from Penelope to lean his head on Colin. Colin let out a deep breath, tousled his son’s hair, and kissed his wife on the forehead. “No, just disappointed that he does not recognize me.” “I have been thinking about that, and I believe he recognizes you most of all.” Colin turned to her “What do you mean?” Penelope looked down at Thomas, now fast asleep in the carriage sprawled across his parents, head, and shoulders, on Colin with little legs and feet on Penelope. “Every night since I conceived and over this entire year we end our night the same way. I say goodnight, Mr. Bridgerton to remind myself you are my sweet husband, and we have come full circle. I would not change a thing and why it is such an endearment for me to end my nights in that manner. “Think about it Colin, I say Mr. Bridgerton to you with such warmth in my heart and that is what Thomas has heard all along so how could he not think of you as his Mr. Bridgerton too.” “It is the ultimate expression of love to his papa.”
Colin reflected on Penelope’s words as the carriage carried them back to Bloomsbury. Their time there being short as they were set to move back into Featherington House any day now that renovations were done. His eyes misting over, “I have never thought of it that way. How lucky I am to have such love reflected back to me from those I cherish the most in this world.” “Eloise was right, you are a genius, but I will never tell her so.” Colin leaned down and moved to the side the red curls of one Penelope Bridgerton with a kiss to her temple and the ones of Thomas Bridgerton with a kiss to his temple. “I guess Mr. Bridgerton is not so bad.”
They descended the carriage and made their way inside. Candles blown out and the house quiet they laid Thomas in his crib and could not help but watch his little breaths and take in his little snores with smiles on their faces. Back in their room they snuggled under the covers. “Goodnight, Mr. Bridgerton.” “Goodnight, My Wife.” Colin eyes already half-closed heard Penelope whisper “We shall have to practice calling you Papa, so this little one gets the hint.” She smiled and closed her eyes. “Penelope!”
Epilogue Winter 1816
“She is beautiful. Is she not Colin?” Penelope turned to Colin, wiping the tears from his eyes upon the arrival of his daughter Agatha. He leaned down, “You most certainly are, and I am your Papa, P-A-P-A.” Penelope rolled her eyes and laughed.