Chapter four: Parenthood


A week later,


"I don't like her!" Sherlock Jr. whined. "She's smelly!"

"So were you, at one time." I reminded him

"She cries!"

"Sherlock," his father says. "stop whining to your mother and be nice to Rosie."

He lets out a huff and walks back over to his father's chair, hauls himself up into it and settles back into it with a plop. He crosses his arms and scowls. Linda is content with playing with Rosie's balloons, when she's not hugging or kissing Rosie's head. it took a lot of effort to pull her out of the pictures to just get one of Rosie with her parents.

"Has that come out?" Mrs. Hudson asks in exasperation as she looks down at her camera. "They never come out when I take them!"

Molly puts down her glass of champagne and reaches for the camera. "Let's have a look."

"Aww," Mrs. Hudson sighs. "she's so beautiful."

"Isn't she just?" Charles Walker asks from the corner where he's standing, looking at Molly. She blushes as he raises a glass to her.

Molly hands Mrs. Hudson back her camera. "Have another go."

She smiles at Molly before turning back to John and Mary. "What about a name?"

"Catherine." John supplies.

"Uh, yeah," Mary says. "we've gone off that."

John frowns in confusion. "Have we?"

She bobs her head. "Yeah."

"Ok." As always, John takes Mary's wishes in stride.

"Well," Sherlock says from where he's still glued to on his phone. you know what I think."

It's not a girl's name. John and Mary reply in harmony.

Sherlock smiles, without even bothering to take his eyes up from his phone. John stands up and clears his throat. "Molly, Mrs. H. we'd would love you to be godparents."

Molly and Mrs. Hudson start laughing in delight. "I think you'd be a natural." Charles says as he approaches Molly to plant a kiss on her forehead. I keep waiting to hear wedding bells from them soon. Molly and Charles had both gotten their hearts done in by the Holmes's, so, they were taking things slowly.

I walk over to Sherlock as Mrs. Hudson and molly keep talking to Mary and John. I walk over to Sherlock and wrap my arms around his waist. "What are you doing?" he questions, still texting on his phone.

"Holding you." I reply as I look up at him. "Should I stop?"

He responds by giving me a peck on the lips before returning to his phone. "You may stay there." he sends the message and hastily starts typing off another one.

John walks over to Sherlock. "And, uh," John hesitates for a moment before saying. "you, too, Sherlock?"

"You too what?" he's still typing on his phone.

"Pay attention, you idiot." I mutter.

"Godfather? We'd like you to be godfather."

"God is a ludicrous fiction dreamt up by inadequate who abnegate all responsibility to an invisible magic friend."

I groan. "Sherlock, not now."

"Yeah, but there'll be cake." I grin. It's amusing how John thinks bribing Sherlock with sugar will work. "Will you do it?

Sherlock glances at him briefly, contemplating the sugar before saying. "I'll get back to you."

John nods resignedly and walks away. "We'll be there John." I say with a smile. "I promise."

I release Sherlock's waist and he turns sharply to me. "Did I say you could let go?" I shake my head no and wrap my arms back around his waist. "Good."

I roll my eyes. "It's like I'm hugging a palm tree." He groans and looks down at me in disbelief. "Well, it's true!"

"I'm going to-

"I know, I know." I roll my eyes. "No need to say things like that in front of other people." I sigh. "Could you get off your phone a bit, please, for me?" his phone goes off and I groan. "I really hate it when you take random pictures of me. you know that right?"

"Yes. Just something to add to my collection." I blush and roll my eyes. "What? You looked really cute."

I pat his cheek. "Put the phone away, please."

He sighs and tucks the phone into his back pocket. "Fine."

"Thank you."

He sighs and turns me around, pressing me against his back and wrapping his arms around my waist. "How's this?"

I smile. "Wonderful. Promise me you'll try to cut down on that phone."

"Lives are at stake Tammy."

I sigh. "Compromise?"

He pauses. "I'm all ears, but I can't promise I'll agree to your compromise."

"When we're having family oriented moments like this, you'll be off your phone and be present?"

He frowns. "Be present? I am present!"

"I could have said socialize," he made a face at me. "but I figured present would be better."

He shrugs, thinks it over and bobs his head. "Ok, we'll try to compromise."

And true to his word, Sherlock did cut back on his phone use, somewhat. The most humiliating moment was when we were at the christening and Sherlock decided to start texting behind his back. When the vicar asked if all the godparents were ready to help the parents of little Rosamond Mary in their duties as Christian parents. Sherlock accidentally hit the SIRI app who announced to the entire church. Sorry. I didn't catch that. Please repeat the question. It was certainly one of the more embarrassing, yet hysterical moments with Sherlock.

Life was getting more hectic. Sherlock and I had four children, he had cases and I had a lot of work at home to deal with. I actually retired from my club. I still owned it, just never sang there as I didn't have the mind. I didn't mind. I still sang, I just had a more wonderful and loving audience. My husband and my children.

"As ever, Watson, you see but do not observe." I pause in the hallway, balancing a huge load of laundry on my hip as I listen to Sherlock reprimanding John. "To you, the world remains an impenetrable mystery whereas, to me, it is an open book. Hard logic versus romantic whimsy. That is your choice. You fail to connect actions to their consequences. Now, for the last time," I poke my head in the doorway just as Sherlock picks up Rosie's rattle. My mouth drops as I realize that he's talking to her and not to John or Mary. "if you want to keep the rattle ...do not throw the rattle?" I grin as Sherlock hands Rosie her rattle. She gurgles with glee before throwing the rattle back into Sherlock's face. Sherlock winces and lets out a sigh just as she sneezes in his face. He groans and wipes his face and scowls at her. "Brat."

I shake my head. "She's not a Holmes." he looks up at me. "She can't help it."

Sherlock sighs. "I'm stuck babysitting."

"Having fun yet?" I question with a smile.

"It's horrible when it's not your own child." He holds out his hand to me. "Put that laundry down and come here."

I frown but do as he asks. "Why?"

He shrugs and pulls me into dance hold. "No reason." I stare up at him in semi-amazement as he starts slow dancing with me. "The kids are all tucked away upstairs and God knows when I'm going to get to hold you like this again."

I chuckle as I bring my arms around his neck. "You want something from me, don't you?"

"Tammy, I'm always going to want something from you. Just don't automatically assume that it's for my own personal gain."

"I'm sorry."

He shrugs. "I don't blame you. After all, we're still working through things. I have to be more open."

"And I, apparently, have to stop being so suspicious. I do trust you; it's just that when you do things out of character, it throws me for a loop."

His brow as he wrapped his arms around my waist and shoulders. "So, spontaneous moments don't please you?"

I laugh lightly. "They do Sherlock; I just need to realize them for what they are. Spontaneous." I sigh as I rest my head against his chest. "I'm probably going to enjoy this for five more minutes before something happens."

He groans. "Don't say that, then it'll be shorter." Rosamond lets out a wail and we sigh. "See? I told you so." I pull away from him and go to Rosamond, picking up her rattle and handing it to her. She stops crying and looks up at me as Sherlock wraps his arms around my waist. "She's a monster."

"Well, she's a Watson," I remind him. "not a Holmes. she processes things differently." A stirring on the couch informs me that John and Mary are finally up. a wail upstairs tells me that one of the twins is awake now. I sigh. "I'll talk to you later Sherlock." I smile flirtatiously at him. "Thanks…for the dance."

"My pleasure." His phone goes off and he ignores it. "Here, let me help you."

I shake my head. "No, no, answer the phone, then come up." I trip over the basket and sigh. "Then, meet I'll walk you back downstairs so we can part our ways again."

He frowns. "Are you sure? Don't you want my help?"

"Of course I do. Just make sure it isn't an emergency before coming up to find me."

He nods as he reaches for my hand. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine."

"No, Tammy," he studies me gently. "Are you ok?"

I almost start to cry at the concern in his face. "I'm a mother Sherlock, to four wonderful children. I've got a husband who's a brilliant detective. I assure you, I'm ok."

He frowns. "You need a vacation."

Linda comes around the corner, shouting and her brown hair is an unnatural green. I nudge the laundry to the side and head up the stairs. "Where would I ever find the time for one?"