It was now five years on from their emotional reunion at the Charity Ball.
They had recently moved to the North of England, Charles had taken a job as the head of the Physical Education Training Academy at Stonyhurst College an Independent school in the Ribble Valley. Molly had also left the army completely and had a new job leading a specialist medical trauma team at the Royal Preston Hospital. They had bought a lovely converted barn just outside a village called Hurst Green near the school, where Sam and Charlie were both pupils.
It was Sunday morning and Charles was out walking the dogs in the school grounds, his fumbled in his pocket for his mobile, looked at the screen it was home calling what had he forgotten now? He swiped the screen it was Molly "Charles can you come home now...its Nan...Bill rang...she's in hospital she has had a stroke" Molly was naturally distraught "Listen Molly pack a bag, I will go and leave the dogs with the groundsman, have the boys and the car ready to leave I should be about fifteen minutes tops"
Nan had got married to Bill about six months after Charles and Molly's wedding, he was also a widow like Nan who had sold his business, a local Bingo Hall in Guildford when he retired, Nan had been having a lovely life at last, as they went travelling on and off for a few years to far flung places on the proceeds.
They were about half way just past Birmingham it was going to be another two hours to the hospital in Guildford, it was Sunday so there was no traffic and Charles was getting his foot down as much as he could, Molly had been on the phone to Bill several times during the journey, Nan was unconscious still, Molly could sense from Bill even though he was trying his best not to worry her that it didn't sound good, she was holding back tears for the sake of the boys.
As Molly rushed down the corridor towards the ward she could see Bill lent against the wall, Her Mum and Dad had arrived and were stood with him, as they heard Molly approach they all turned, the look on their faces said it all, her Mum shook her head at her, eyes full of tears "I'm sorry Molls, she's gone she died fifteen minutes ago"
Molly's legs gave way from under her and she collapsed in the corridor, it was her Dad that got down beside her and held her tightly as she sobbed into the sleeve of his coat.
Charles had been parking the car and as he rounded the corner into the same corridor with the boys and saw Molly with her Dad, he knew immediately and instinctively grabbed the boys hands as he approached. Belinda led the boys away with her and Charles reached down to pick Molly up as Dave handed over to him, he took hold of her and held her tight "I am so sorry Molls, I got here as fast as we could" after a few minutes Belinda came and took Molly's hand "do you want to come and see her?" Molly nodded and followed Belinda into the side room.
Molly stood at the side of the bed and took hold of Nan's hand, stroking her fingers and then leaning down to kiss her forehead, she whispered into Nan's ear "what you doing leaving me before I got chance to say goodbye, I love you, you silly old bat...sleep tight" she left her Mum in the room and went to find Charles and the boys outside, they were in the relatives room with her Dad and Bill. Charles made her a cup of tea and watched her snap into Molly the Mum mode making sure Sam, Charlie and Bill were all ok, he adored her for many things but her ability to always put everyone's feelings before her own, even at times when she was feeling the most intense personal pain herself was incredible.
the following Thursday they arrived at the Manor Park crematorium, Nan had requested that her ashes be scattered in the woodland glade, so after a short service they had gone to the Golden Fleece, this had been Nan's local for years, for a toast and a send off and then returned to the crem later in the day where Molly scattered the ashes by a large oak tree.
Molly, Charles and the boys had stayed over in London since last Sunday to support Belinda and Bill but on the Saturday morning after the funeral had started the return journey home as Charles and the boys needed to be back at school on the Monday. Molly was holding onto a letter that Bill had given her after the funeral, he had promised Nan that if anything ever happened that he would give it to her, Molly hadn't been able to bring herself to open it, maybe she would when they got home.
It had been a long drive back with lots of hold up's at various places along the journey, it was early evening by the time they pulled into the drive to the house, the boys were both asleep, Molly had barely spoke the whole way back but Charles could see she was now getting the chance to begin grieving he just hoped that she would allow him to help her and not try as usual to do it all on her own.
Molly couldn't believe she was gone, there were so many things that she would have wanted to say to her, she wouldn't have made it through her childhood without her Nan, she had always been her champion, been there for her, gave her the strength to push on and make a life ...her life would have been so different without Nan at her side, she couldn't come to terms with the fact she would never speak to her again, laugh with her, get a hug when she needed one, yes Nan had been doing her own thing with Bill these last few years and had a brilliant time and she had been doing the same with Charles and the boys but she was always there on the end of the phone if she needed her...why couldn't she have been nearer...she should have got to her to hold her hand and say goodbye, it wasn't fair...why Nan...why now?
The boys were in their rooms, Charles had picked the dogs up and they came bounding in to greet Molly, it was clear that they had been well looked after whilst they had been away but the reception suggested they had missed their owners terribly. Molly had never had pets when she was younger, the council wouldn't allow it in the flat and even if they had chosen to break the rules, they could barely afford to feed themselves let alone pets.
They had bought Bailey and Starbuck two chocolate Labrador brothers a year after they got married, the boys had been nagging for a puppy and when they had got to the breeders these were the last two of a litter and Molly couldn't bear to split them up. Charles took very little persuading in the end to have both of them as they had also melted his heart practically as soon as he had set eyes on them, they had been the fifth and six members of the family ever since.
Both dogs jumped onto the sofa one either side of Molly, instantly sensing that she was feeling down, laid their heads on her lap each one vying for the most attention as she ran her fingers over their velvety ears. Charles brought her a cup of tea and parked himself in the armchair opposite "you ok?" She nodded back at him but he could see the tears welling up "I don't want the boys to see me crying" she wiped her eyes on her sleeve and took a deep breath, he leant forward and put his hand on her knee "you have to keep talking to me Molls, in your own time of course...but don't shut me out and try to be the big brave Molly that deals with everything on her own"
she shifted in her seat a little "I'm ok, I promise I am, I will miss her so much Charles, I am just so sad that I never got the chance to tell her..." She tailed off from finishing her sentence
"I know Molls but she knew you thought the world of her, loved the bones of her...she knew that" he was trying desperately to comfort her but the words seemed useless somehow.
Molly hesitated "I wanted to tell her...well tell you...and then her...that..." Charles looked worried "Tell me...her..what Molls is something wrong?"
"I did a test Charles...just before I got the phone call from Bill...I'm pregnant...we are having a baby"
