Don't get me wrong, I love all my grandchildren, but Molly is special. She's the first born and for nearly 9 years was the only one. She's always been there for her Mum, helping out in and around the house.
When she left school she got a job at the nailbar and got involved with that tosser Artan. I never took to him, I thought he was a two faced ponce and when she ditched him it was a day to put the flags out, I couldn't have been happier.
When she left to join the army it was at the time quite stressfull, and, when she came back in the middle of her training, something kicked off and a rift appeared. Her Dad was being a prize prat.
Before she left to go to Afghanistan that first time, she came home for the night to say her goodbyes. We all stayed strong, but inside our hearts were breaking. Never had watching the news become so important.
During that first tour she came home for a 2 week break. R & R she called it.
We had that weirdo Shazza about. Molly soon jumped on her and there was a better understanding between her and her Dad.
I caught the tail end of a conversation she had with her Dad on the balcony and was impressed at how she handled him, going so far as to get him to change his attitude and be helpful to Belinda.
I thought she'd found someone to love and be loved by in Smurf, nice lad and shame what happened to him. Looking back you could see the changes starting to happen. The pair of them left to go back and we all went back to watching the news.
Going to see her on her return to Brize when she came home, I put up with Dave's bitching. Seeing her walk into that hall, safe and sound, with all those soldiers was a bit of a shock.
She seemed anxious in the car on the way to Birmingham, obviously worried.
The day of her medal cermony, I was so proud. The young men in her section were a good buch of blokes and you could tell that they were also proud and cared a lot about her and, apart from Molls getting a bit stroppy afterwards we had a really good day.
I'd collared her in her room one day after she'd got a message from someone. Who'd a thought they had universities over there. But, that day I saw something, a new maturity in her. I wasn't impressed with her Dad that afternoon though. She'd let slip about her deployment money and his eyes had lit up at the thought of getting his greedy mitts on it.
A few weeks later she went off for a few days to visit a friend in Bath. When she came back, there was a glow about her and she was more restful.
It was nice to see Smurf again and bloody sad at the same time.
We had the day at the Palace when she was awarded her Military Cross, that was a grand day out. Just wish her Grandad could have seen it.
I'm not sure why, but Molly decided to go back to Afghanistan. Only for 3 months this time, and she'd said she wouldn't be in a combat role, which eaed our worries.
She came back a totally different person, so confident.
She went away to visit her friend in Bath again. Friend my arse. She came back with a bloke called Charles. Posh, but nice. I remembered her telling her Dad about the army holding her hand. Bollocks! This bloke did and I saw the way he watched her. The love shining from his eyes. I thought she'd met a good 'un in Smurf, this one is an absolute diamond and I'm the proudest Nan you could ever be.