Bright sun reflected on the various sleek cars that drove in the crammed roads. Molly squinted at the glare of light that crossed her eyes; half-glad for the actual warmth of the sunshine, instead of the air-conditioned air inside the café they'd been in, having a somewhat disappointing breakfast (buffet and all). Holly was still eyeing her, clearly wondering whether or not she would breach the topic to the curly haired man whose blue eyes were intent on his camera phone.
Sometimes it was easy to forget how inconveniently thick Sherlock could be at times, especially about something this universal. It wasn't like her and Holly hadn't laughed, the latter had snorted, while she'd tried very hard not to giggle too loudly. Crossing her arms as they stood by the gushing fountain with some ghastly cherubic angels in gold surrounding it, she tried to find a way she could make it obvious that what he'd just said wasn't really possible, though she would love to see him try (so would several, and she knew they'd all film it without an ounce of guilt).
"Umm, you want to go to the hen-party?" she said carefully staring up at the man who was half-distracted by the newly lit cigarette smoke wafting over from Holly.
Sherlock inhaled sharply to her mild surprise, and then proceeded to blink furiously - his eyes turned to hers briefly with an unfocused - "Yes," said with a crease between his brows, as if she was being peculiar.
Another social thing he hadn't caught on, clearly. He hadn't even used the word 'hen' - - - "poultry" (she already knew this was a story she'd retell).
Sherlock and weddings was a peculiar thing after all.
"Did you go to Mary's?" she said with pursed lips, not putting at against Mrs Watson to let Sherlock go.
"Mary's? No. I was busy with John's stag do. You know that."
Maybe she shouldn't argue, but he had been adamant at them
trying to be discreet. They were already rather non-discreet with her being the ex-fiancé of the future groom and Holly being the twin sister with a dreadful backstory. Polly, the bride-to-be wouldn't jump for joy at their appearance, especially with Sherlock thrown into the mix, trying to casually infiltrate a group of women all probably drinking pink frothy frozen drinks. It wasn't as if he just had a sudden urge to go, or that either her or Holly longed to attend, but after the suspicious phone call the night before, all previous plans had been thrown out of the window.
Originally the other twin wasn't even supposed to be involved, but clearly, whoever had called, knew whom they were, meaning that it was best to go with the most obvious, especially when the person had mentioned the party to begin with.
So.
Hen night it was.
"Should I tell him?" said Holly after a minute, a rueful smile on her lips, which was probably helped when she'd requested a shot of whiskey pre-breakfast. The woman's nerves were a wreck, whether or not it was the threat or her sister, Molly wasn't entirely sure.
Both were potentially not good.
She didn't expect another Jim, but she did wonder why Sherlock seemed more on the edge than usual, despite what she felt was a rather empty threat, then again, the man was trying to join a hen night (she had a vague feeling he was trying to pre-emptively save her to her annoyance). When he'd told them over breakfast that they'd have to attend Polly's pre-wedding celebrations, both her and Holly had been unenthusiastic, especially Molly who had made staunch arguments against it, as she wanted to go with him, wherever he was going - that was until the bomb was dropped - "I'm also coming to this poultry activity."
Holly appropriately took her shot of whiskey then.
"No, it's alright-," she said to Holly who gave a small nod, and stood off to the side while Molly directed her attention to the oblivious man before her. "You can't go to Polly's hen party-,"
"Why not?" he said with his brows knitted.
The thought of explaining an entire social situation to him made her feel rather tired, so, she opted for the laziest course. "Call Mycroft"
Sherlock proceeded to blink at her, before he gingerly brought out his camera phone, and walked away with it pressed against his ear. She gaped after him a little bit, wondering slightly why he hadn't protested firmly. "That was quick," said Holly who appeared at her side with a laugh, another fresh cigarette in her hand. "... What did you say?"
Molly didn't know if it was so much what she said, or even how she said it, but rather the circumstance in itself. They'd had another lost opportunity the night before - - one rather distressing phone call to cock it up - - where he'd swanned off to think, and she'd sat up most of the night gnawing her lower lip swollen. When Sherlock had finally returned it hadn't felt like the right time, despite what he promptly said at the sight of her - "Don't. Tempt. Me." Apparently he had a severe problem with her biting her lip, and throughout the whole breakfast she caught herself subconsciously doing it, while his eyes were fixed on a photograph of the Pope on the wall.
"Alright, then, don't tell me," sighed Holly, while she suddenly remembered herself.
"Oh sorry - I just - I've got a lot on my mind," she said.
"I suppose the lot after me and my sister - aren't just Mr Black's regular mates, are they?"
"Sherlock thinks it might be a friend of someone who's finally dead..." she winced at her own words. It sounded less stupid in her head, but then again the original sentence of 'I sort of dated a psychopath bomber who faked his own death because he guessed the man I was in love with would also fake his death, so, they sort of out-faked each other' hardly sounded clever, even if it was true.
"...Finally dead? - - Oh? Is it that Moriarty bloke?" said Holly in slight awe nodding while she stared at Sherlock's back head. "He didn't end up well though."
"No, no he didn't," said Molly quietly recalling the master criminal on her slab.
Holly clearly caught on, and said waving her cigarette about - "Do we really have to go to the hen party? Polly's not exactly going to let me show up without a fuss."
Molly could imagine everyone's strained smiles around the table, as she could hardly see Tom's fiancé trying to point out the problematic nature of the evening, even if it were staring her in the face. "We don't know what they're planning, but they did mention a party on the phone. It's got to be this one - Sherlock and his brother will be taking every precaution, so, we'll be heavily watched-," said Molly all-too-knowingly.
"I wish I'd never come here," said Holly who threw her cigarette away with a frown.
Molly looked at the woman and quickly said. "You couldn't have known, anyway - if you hadn't been here for your sister - she might not be alive right now."
"... Thanks for reminding me, but it's still my fault, you know," said Holly with a shaky laugh. "Which I'm sure Polly agrees with, at least there's that."
"I'm sure you'll sort it out," said Molly who watched with mild amusement when Sherlock reappeared with a clearly ruffled expression on his face. "What did she say?" she said, trying to look like she didn't already know, half-hearing the drawling smug voice of Mycroft in the back of her head.
"I'll be handling the stag," said Sherlock ignoring her question, which only caused her to grin to his blatant discomfort. "Someone needs to keep an eye on Tom."
It's when the words registered with her that Molly realized she was the one feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden.
"Oh, right," said Holly with a nod.
"My ex-fiancé?" she piped up to which Sherlock briefly glanced at her.
"Yes, who else?" he said.
"No wonder you don't want to go," said Holly who gaped slightly.
"Go get the rest of your things, Holly," said Sherlock with his hands in his pockets, jerking his head to the hotel. "We'll ready a car and go back to the other hotel. I hope you've brought some change for the occasion?"
"... I'll manage - I'll be right back," she said walking off, while Molly returned her eyes to Sherlock was staring at his phone again.
"So - what did he say?" she asked.
"That I owe him for Le Miserable," he said with a heavy sigh, suddenly holding out his other available hand before she'd had time to ask.
Molly stared at his hand.
"Why are you doing that?"
"Take it," he said with a nod towards his hand.
She laughed at this display of romance. "...You could have just taken my hand, you know," as she let him hold her hand, his mouth tilting upwards as she did so.
"I wanted to see you smile," he murmured, his fingers brushing over her knuckles gently, eyes lifting up to meet hers. "Molly - I know I don't need to warn you to take care of yourself...I am only standing here breathing because of you, but I'd like you to be careful."
"I'll be alright."
He tilted his head briefly.
"I'll try, but you should too."
"People try to kill me all the time. They tend to miss frequently for some reason, though it helps when others jump in at the last minute." He suddenly scoffed, clearing his throat soundly. "Anyway - Tom is hardly a target," he said with a raised brow.
"I really don't want to do this," hissed Holly after they'd gotten into the lift, the pair of them wearing some decent dresses she'd brought along for the occasion (as Holly's dress wasn't as much a dress as it was an over-sized t-shirt, not that Molly wouldn't love to just show up in her pyjamas for the occasion, tired as she was). It had been a blessing to have a shower and a change of clothing, since Molly's luggage had thankfully been cleared from the crime-scene that was literally their old room.
They'd gotten a new room as compliments from the hotel itself, which had surprised her. When they'd left the night before they hadn't exactly left the room in ship-shape, but apparently the news of their innocence had reached the ears of the staff.
She would still be reluctant to let two previous suspects reside in her establishment if she had one. "Does this happen here often, you think?" she'd said to Sherlock - after being a bit put off by how merry the woman at the reception was under the circumstance, especially when the woman referred to the dead man as an 'unfortunate incident'.
"Three times a year. It's only a four star hotel, after all," he said easily.
"What?"
"I'm only joking. They know my name, or well, Mycroft's."
"...You know, you owe me for this."
"In what way?" he said looking suddenly intrigued.
She blushed, making a face. "Not like that, I mean, after all of this is over-,"
"You want to go on a sex holiday?" he whispered adding a tiny gasp afterwards, grinning at her slight shock.
"Sherlock..."
"Fine. I can't see why you're upset. You always planned to go to this hen party."
"Not like this."
"Possible suspect, you mean?"
"That's not funny."
"Yes, it is."
She grudgingly giggled, aware of how close he was standing, and she itched to touch him. "Okay then, just - take care of Tom," she said looking up at him, aware that his eyes had seemingly landed on her lips.
They were alone after all.
"Meat dagger can fend for himself," he said right before he leaned down, and she pulled back remarkably fast with slight grief.
"No, you don't. Look after him."
"Fine," he said rolling his eyes. "- - - Can I kiss you now?"
He never got the chance for that was when Holly appeared in her 'dress'.Sherlock let them get on their own, as he had business to take care of, besides speak to his brother some more. Molly spent the next couple of hours dissuading Polly from wearing the dress, as they didn't need to ruffle more feathers than needed; especially when it was crucial they participate.
"Pay attention," the voice of Mycroft had warned them over the speaker on Sherlock's phone, even if that was hardly new. She'd been overly vigilant during Jim's return, after all, but she wasn't going to treat this in the same maddening way.
"I don't want to go either, but we have to... We'll just have to remember why we're going," said Molly as the lifts doors opened and they both strode out.
"Should we tell her why we've come?" said Holly who dragged on the end of her dress, which was a bit short; it wasn't exactly equipped for her legs.
"Don't know," said Molly who caught the stare of Sherlock from the other side of the room, briefly smiling at him as he stood with the other men who were all keeping him at arms length.
Molly pointedly looked at him, and he grimaced in return, though he immediately tried to join the conversation being had, but she had inkling it had much to do with the blokes who'd begun staring at them wide-eyed.
"Have you changed Polly?" one of the men called out. "Nice legs." There were whistles from the men, which prompted Tom to stare, especially when Molly got them to walk quickly into the direction of the restaurant. Not keen on stopping for a chat.
"She's not told anyone, has she?" said Molly, though the answer to that very question came rather quickly when the table of ladies - including Polly - all shut their gob, eyes wide and mouth's slack, not giving her enough time to recover.
She'd hoped they'd be further in the restaurant.
Apparently not...
"No, don't think so," said Holly, while she tried to avoid the gaze of the woman at the end of the table looking like she wanted to beat the pair of them away with the breadsticks. "Hi..."
"Drinks," said one of the blonde haired men - Peter? Patrick? Puck? Or whatever other atrocity a single architect would be named - single - all the other men were, except the lone engaged meat-dagger who kept eyeing him with kicked puppy eyes. There was an expression of approval so apparent on his face, Sherlock felt rather sick, as if their roles were reversed. He wasn't the one snubbed here - ignorant of his fiancé - oh - too soon - "Do you want to?"
Sherlock stared, finally registering that the others were paying heed to his existence, and not merrily patting each other on the back in self-congratulating smugness.
"Why are you asking?" he said with raised brows. Their plans didn't mean anything to him, though, he did want to stay close enough to the hotel, but he suspected they wouldn't be creative in their choice of venue, except something grimier in appearance.
"Well, umm, I want all of us-," Tom made a decisive gesture with his hand, while Sherlock watched in mild amusement at the other slightly disgruntled faces surrounding him. " - To share in the fun, even you, especially when the girls seem to be hitting if off..." It irked him that in some way, Tom - reminded him of his father.
Narrowing his eyes, he pressed his lips together, "Ah." Of all things he did not want to associate to his father, it was Molly's ex-fiancé.
"So - drinks?" said Tom with a bright smile.
"Good idea," Sherlock said quickly, plastering on a smile for the man's benefit, and hoping the evening could end quickly enough. He was practically crossing his fingers for a disaster of some kind to take place, but clearly their dangerous foes for the night were rather kiddie-friendly. Everyone else seemed to regain happier expressions at his normalcy, except when one of the men darted out with a sharp - "You can both bond over shagging the same girl over several pints!" Sherlock's fake smile dropped.
Oh Goodie, the village idiot.
Molly tried smiling, shifting slightly on her feet, as she stared at the women who all eyed her and Holly like they were harbouring some antiquated decease. She would rather be doing extra shifts in the lab, even fetching Sherlock coffee, than subject herself to this, but she put on a cheek-hurting smile instead. "So-,"
"Didn't you murder someone?" blurted the woman she knew went by the name Olivia with her ginger curls.
It was one of those rare moments where she'd almost forgotten about that, which was quite a thing to forget. Knitting her brows she quickly said, "Umm, no, actually - he had a heart attack - so I didn't kill anyone."
"How did he get into your room?" continued Olivia.
Opening her mouth, she quickly shut it as she found Polly's eyes fixed on her, a rather direct gaze compared to her sister. It was almost funny how rough Holly looked, but how soft she was, while her twin was the very pinched-nosed-upper-class-stiff. The fact that Holly wasn't saying anything was certainly not helping, though it was clear that the female was equally intimidated. And Molly knew she needed to come up with a better explaining than the one her mind was brandishing with neon signs - "Polly and Holly thought they'd killed a man and put him away in my hotel room."
"You can't just blurt out that someone's a murderer," said Iris like there was a protocol, smacking the Olivia on the arm. "Sorry Molly - I don't think you are though, if that helps, and I'm actually more interested in her sister?" The women around the long table all turned their heads towards Polly. "Or isn't she your sister, as she looks the spitting image of you?"
"Do you want to sit down, then?" said Polly with that pearly white smile of hers, which didn't reach her eyes, but for once, it seemed that Molly wasn't the only one who picked up on that detail. Everyone else glanced at each other at the overt - under the rug sweeping, which wasn't working, though Polly tried. "Sit?"
"...Thank God," breathed Holly besides her as she dropped into an available chair, the pair of them eyeing each other, both already sensing how long the night would be. But Molly didn't know how sitting down would actually help with it being rather tense.
Hopefully, she thought, hopefully Sherlock was having more fun.
"Alex!" snapped one of the men, giving the man a less than playful smack on the back of his head, which he immediately flinched at.
"Oh - - you're the moron - sorry - I'd forgotten," said Sherlock scrunching his nose slightly, while the others stared at him in blank surprise, except Tom who was looking at him with somewhat akin to gratefulness (or he was misinterpreting that expression).
"We've met-," began Alex who took a step forward blinking, suddenly aware of what he'd just missed, nostrils flaring - " - sorry - what did you just call me?"
"Moron? - - Might want to have your hearing checked," he said with an innocent face, while the man in question was subdued with a simple touch on the shoulder by one of the others. Clearly by his stance, he was known to be rather physical. Somehow, despite the various warning signals that were hissing by this man's presence, Sherlock couldn't help but want to egg him on.
The stag would be more interesting.
He could have stayed in the hotel, or perhaps even followed the women from a certain distance, but his dear older brother had been particularly insistent he attend this bit of the evening - "And perhaps mend some bridges - before - you're questioning the position this man once held, even if you feel you're the fast favourite-,"
"I'm not-,"
"Jealous? Oh no. I wasn't implying that, but we both know how greedy you can be. I'm rather grateful, I'd be fatter if it weren't for you."
" - You complete cock-,"
He should have been paying attention, he thought rather belatedly, especially when he found himself taken aback by the moron's large fist.
The stag hadn't even begun and he was already in a scuffle.
Molly had felt something was off when most of the staff was sprinting away from the restaurant to apparently help with some 'fight' by the reception, or that's the only word she managed to remember from her little translation book (besides the sound of shouting from afar, difficult not to notice).
No.
He hadn't?
She almost texted him, but she resisted, especially when everyone around the table were eating their dinner with some precision. There had been some talk, all of it wedding-related, which was thankfully not a complete nightmare to discuss. It wasn't her intent to direct attention to herself, but for once, no one seemed keen on putting her - or even - Holly underneath the spotlight in that manner. "So - you must know your way around Rome?" said a woman called Emma to Holly.
She was clearly one of Polly's closest friends, yet, she'd seemed as surprised by the whole event like the rest, but remarkably cool about it.
"Oh, not at all," said Holly looking mildly confused.
"Weren't you - born - here?" said Emma mid-chew, eyes darting towards Polly who was breathing through her nose heavily.
"No, where did you - oh-," Holly shut her gob at that, pursing her lips and dropping her cutlery to take a large sip of her white wine, eyes flicking off to Molly who didn't know what to do either. After all, Holly's lies wouldn't have been uncovered if they'd not been there, then again, why was she lying to begin with? " - - How much have you actually lied about Pol?" Holly bit out. "I was into drugs by the way, dad was or is a bit of a drunk and mum is a hideo-,"
"You're one to talk-," said Polly who immediately got to her feet, her chair clattering to the carpeted floors with a thud, before she stormed off to everyone's mutual surprise, causing mouths to shoot off in more than one way, but nobody seemed to be rising to follow after the female.
Molly saw the evident regret on Holly's face, but she kept her back when she seemed to be getting up - "I'll go - she doesn't like me, but I'll explain-," she whispered and the woman hesitantly nodded.
She got to her feet and instantly ignoring the curious glances coming her way. Stepping out of the restaurant she found the reception quiet and virtually free from the stag party. Polly was sat on one of the longue chairs, long legs crossed, as she seemed to be holding back tears. Molly settled down on the one opposite to her, only getting a rather fierce look in return - "Umm, you don't mind?"
"I do, but you're bound to appear anyway," she said glowering, and seemingly awaiting some sort of explanation. "Why are you here?"
"... The body you dropped in my room-,"
"I didn't know it was your room!" said Polly.
"I know - - your sister sort of explained, anyway - your sister's warning wasn't just rubbish, you know-,"
"Sort of got that when a man tried to strangle me - oh God - God - let me guess - I'm going to be murdered the night before my wedding? Nice way to top off this whole weekend, then, isn't it?" said Polly with a face that didn't look extremely smug or perpetually pleased. Molly rather liked her better like this hysterical mess. "Haven't you ruined enough?"
"No," quipped Molly with a slight smile, which did not get the desired laugh, as much as Polly gaping at her. "You really are in danger, though, so it's not just-,"
"You taking the piss? ...Right. God - - you know when Tom first mentioned asking you I thought, well, I hated it to be honest, but I didn't want to be that terrible fiancé who was such a bitch about it - I wanted to be cool-,"
"It's your wedding-," said Molly with an apologetic face.
"Thank you!" said Polly looking relieved that she agreed. "It's like, of course you'll show up, and be all enigmatic-,"
"Enigmatic?"
"Your boyfriend taking you off on a moped, while we're basically going through Wikipedia-," said Polly with a snort, soon laughing genuinely. "And Tom's all - this is bliss, which, it wasn't - - - and I'm - oh God - he's a tiny bit of an idiot, isn't he?"
Molly nodded slowly at that, getting another round of laughter from the bride-to-be. "Somehow, I still love him," said Polly abruptly looking forlorn. "But what's he going to think of me now? I'm only barely passable in Italian, and, I'm so not interesting. I modelled for a catalogue, not Italian Vogue."
"I don't know - the identical twin and hiding away a corpse is pretty interesting?" said Molly in an encouraging tone. "... I don't really think he minds a few lies, as long as you don't lie about what you feel about him."
Polly smiled all of a sudden, sudden brightness reaching her eyes. "You know, I think I'm ready to face the lot - - and you know - - I can see why he really wanted you to come."
"Yes, I don't mind dead bodies much," she said grinning. "Hiding them in my room isn't that big of a problem."
"Oh - wait - I forgot what you worked with - god - glad I remembered that-," said Polly giggling, stopping up all of a sudden. "Are there really people coming to kill us?"
Molly made a face at that.
He'd never understood the aspect of the adolescent beatings, which boys at his school took to. Roughhousing had been regularly something he avoided, except in those few intricate moments he knew John needed to feel better, and apparently punching him did.
When they'd finally been extracted from each other, and he'd gotten to throw a few punches, the man had clapped him on the back laughing heartily, while he was plotting the fastest way to murder him (specific point on his thick throat, asphyxiation, heart stopping, death). Clearly there were some social things he did not fully understand, especially when the one apologizing turned out to be Tom, repeatedly even, when they'd finally found a dodgy clammy bar with sticky floor to appease them (the alcohol was cheap, the taste peculiar and more pungent). "Sorry. Sorry," said Tom once more, and Sherlock tried not to reflect too much on the fact that 'Staying Alive' was playing on the speakers.
Actual coincidence.
Not coincidence, coincidence.
Popular song. Yes.
Jiminy-Jim just choosing a number one hit.
"It's fhine-," he bit out, his voice a tiny bit more slurred than expected. He stared at his glass. It was his third glass, and he was only supposed to have three in total, as dissuading anyone of his not drinking had been futile. When everyone else had commented on the flavour of the beer, he hadn't found it suspicious, especially when he wasn't intricately familiar with the flavours (Molly was the one who'd recommended what type him and John drink after all during the last stag). "You-," he said pointing at Alex who'd been overly cheery ever since they'd stepped into the bar. "Tequila?"
The man winked at him. "Vodka."
"Really, really, sorry," said Tom.
He was drunk.
When they'd gotten back to the table, it seemed that Holly was leading the conversation - " - And Pol was of course the only one who dared say anything back - giving the bloke a vice grip around his-,"
"No!" started Polly. "Let's not - let's not revisit that particular moment, shall we?" The women who'd been indulging in drinks it seemed looked rather upset by this, though also glad the bride had returned to the table with a happier disposition. Molly received appreciative smiles at that, and the two of them settled down, while Holly seemed to withdraw instead, staring down at her lap in silence.
"Holly, why can't you tell them about Rupert?" asked Polly which made her sister look up in surprise.
"Rupert? Really?"
"Yeah, really- I want you to-," she said.
There was some sort of silent understanding between the sisters, as Holly soon shot off with - "So, my mate Rupert was on a holiday in Brazil-,"
"Sthop apologizing," he said budging away from Tom in the seat, rubbing at his eyes in annoyance.
He was supposed to keep an eye open.
His eyes were half-shut.
He was also not supposed to drink anymore, but what could one more drink do - when it was too late, after all? They weren't in danger. Molly was.
"Wait-," he started - "They're in-,"
"You're supphosed to apologize! You were a crush! I was real."
Sherlock opened his eyes and gaped at Tom.
"I ahm real, thank you vhery much," he spat.
"And you were all eyesss-,"
"I wasn't eyess-,"
"You put me off at the wedding! When she kissed me - you looked like you were about to-," Tom immediately gestured at his eyes - " - Daggers. Eyes."
"Maybe you shouldn't have slipped them vodka?" Peter whispered to Alex who gave a shrug in return, more amused by the display.
"Imagine how they'd be if they'd been sober? ...No they'll be all right," he said grinning.
" - - So Rupert doesn't know what to do - and pulls up his trousers and leaves-," finished Holly and all the girls lost it.
"Oh my God!" said Iris. "Poor bloody idiot."
Polly's admittance of being less posh had certainly unwound the entire group of ladies, as it was clear that several had lied about themselves as well, prompting more laughter between them all. Molly was still having fun despite having not touched a drop of alcohol; instead she was keeping an eye out and a glass of water close by. The hotel bar was hardly a dangerous place, but she still felt like being vigilant. She could only assume that Sherlock was on full alert as well.
Speaking of which, her phone suddenly began to ring with a foreign number. She excused herself from the ladies, which prompted looks from the sisters who clearly remembered the situation at hand.
"Molly?" said the familiar voice of Sherlock, huskier and a bit - slurred.
"Sherlock?" she said surprised. "Are you alright?" This wasn't the first time she'd experienced something like this, but he wouldn't, especially when they were supposed to be taking the evening seriously. "Have you been drinking?"
She heard something that she could define as a struggle, or perhaps a silent battle over the phone, but it seemed that the heavy breather won. " - - - - - Problem," Sherlock said on the other end after a minute.
"Problem?"
"Yes, Tom and I seem to have been kidnapped."
A/N: You know what's sad? I edited out the Brazil story, but I couldn't work it in. It's a true story. Also, it's not really my story to tell. But it is hilarious and has people rolling on the floor kind of funny. Oh and hello. Yes. Update? I know, right? What? Well, the good news. This is soon over. This is so crack, it has to be. Thank you to those who came this far down the page. I'm in awe.
