Sherlock, Mycroft, John, Rosie, and Tara carpooled to Musgrave. An old man greeted them when Thomas pulled over at Musgrave Hall, the Holmes family home located somewhere in the countryside. He greeted the three men and ruffled Rosie's hair, as Tara awkwardly stayed back.
'Tara, this is my father, Siger Holmes' Mycroft finally introduced.
'Tara Matthews.' she smiled and offered her hand.
He shook her hand and gave her a warm smile. 'I've heard good things' he said.
'I like you already' Tara said and they both chuckled.
Mrs. Holmes came out of the house and embraced her boys and Rosie first. She then greeted Dr. Watson and then turned to Tara.
'Mummy, this is Tara' Mycroft introduced.
'Hello, Mrs. Holmes' Tara greeted and offered her hand.
Violet shook Tara's hand. 'Tara, finally! I've heard so much about you.' she pulled Tara into a warm hug.
'Good things, I hope' she said nervously.
'Myc has been acting like a dog with his favorite bone, hiding it away. I can't wait to get to know you!' Violet pulled Tara into the house with Rosie following them.
'50 pound says she is going to tank in the first ten minutes.' Sherlock sniggered as Tara helplessly looked behind at Mycroft. Mycroft glared at his brother.
'No, I have faith in Tara. She'll make a good impression.' John said confidently.
'Look at her! She looks like that girl in Rosie's kinder garden play, the one who forgot her lines and peed her pants' Sherlock smiled mischievously.
John opened his mouth to disagree, then took another look at Tara. 'Dear Lord! She does look like that girl'
Mycroft stared at the Baker Street Boys in horror.
'Don't listen to them, Mycroft. Your mother will love her' Siger assured his eldest with a pat on the back.
The three men then took all the luggage inside the house as the women chatted away.
...
Mrs. Holmes and Tara sat in the kitchen enjoying a nice afternoon tea as the men put away the luggage.
'Are you a good girl?' Mrs. Holmes abruptly asked.
Tara almost does a spit-take when she heard that. She looks at Mrs. Holmes's stern face, she really expected Tara to answer that question. Tara's lips quiver as she tries to answer the question 'Yes...' She said doubtfully, squinting her eyes.
'Is that an answer or a question?' Mrs. Holmes asked.
'Yes.' Tara's voice lacked confidence.
'Are you sure?' Mrs. Holmes let out a small amused laugh.
'Yes.' Tara said firmly.
Mrs. Holmes gave her a warm smile 'I asked Myc to tell me more about you, but you know how secretive he can be. So, I asked Sherlock. You know Sherlock, he'd do anything to piss off Mycroft.' She chuckled.
Tara chortled 'I do.'
'So, Sherlock tells me you grew up in London.'
'I did.' Tara was uncomfortable with Violet's line of inquiry.
'Do your parents live there too? What do they do?'
'I am an orphan. I grew up in St. Matthew's Orphanage in London, thus the name Tara Matthews.' She had repeated that answer so much over the past few years, even in a Narcotics test that would be her answer. It was the best way to avoid any questions about her past. Sherlock and Mycroft knew that very well.
'Oh, sweetie! Don't you ever say that, you have all of us, dear' she said and gave Tara's hand a gentle squeeze.
Tara smiled in reply. 'Mrs. Holmes, I made you a yule log' she tried to change the topic. She handed the dessert to Violet.
'Oh, sweetie you shouldn't have.' Violet said and put the dessert in the fridge for later.
'No, I wanted to, Mrs. Holmes' Tara assured her.
'You can call me Violet, dear' she smiled
So far meeting the parents was going well.
...
'So, this is your childhood bedroom' Tara looked around Mycroft's bedroom as he put away their luggage.
'Yes'
'Have you ever...?' Tara asked mischievously and walked over to him.
'Have I ever, what?' he asked absentmindedly as he unpacked their bags.
'You know...?' Tara slid her hand up his arm. She smirked when she finally got his attention.
Mycroft's eyes went wide in realization, when he finally understood what she implied 'No' he told her.
'Well, then we should christen this baby!' Tara smiled.
'My family is under the same roof' Mycroft whisper yelled at her.
'I'll be quite I promise' Tara whispered before pulling him towards the small bed.
...
Mycroft and Tara came to the living room to find Mr. and Mrs. Holmes talking to Sherlock and John, though Violet was doing most of the talking. Siger kept Rosie occupied, he occasionally threw in a word or two in the conversation. Sherlock sat in his prayer pose, wondering when the annual Christmas nightmare would end and John politely acted interested in Violet's story.
'...It wasn't where I'd put it at all. Silly woman. Anyway, it was then that I first noticed it was missing. I said 'have you checked down the back of the sofa?' He's always losing things down the back of the sofa, aren't you dear?' Violet rambled and asked Siger
Siger looked up from Rosie to his wife 'Afraid so.' He agreed.
'Dear Lord, not this again' Mycroft muttered. 'I am going to go outside and pretend to use my cellphone' Mycroft said and turned to leave.
'Go' Tara chuckled and entered the living room. She went and sat beside John, joining the conversation.
'Oh, keys, small change, sweeties. Especially his glasses.' Violet continued her story.
'Glasses' Siger said.
'I have something to discuss with Mycroft' Sherlock said and swiftly left the room.
Violet didn't really notice and continued to tell the story to John and Tara. 'Blooming things. I said 'why don't you get a chain, wear them round your neck?' And he says 'What?' Like Larry Grayson'
'Larry Grayson?' Siger added again.
'So did you find it eventually, your lottery ticket?' John asked, wondering when her story would end. Tara hid her snigger behind her hand.
'Well, yes, Thank goodness. We caught the coach on time after all. We managed to see St Paul's, the Tower, but they weren't letting anyone into the Parliament. Some big debate going on...' Violet continued 'Where are my boys?' she asked when she finally noticed that Sherlock and Mycroft were gone.
'They're outside, talking about something' Tara told her.
'I bet they're smoking again. Those two think I don't know. How stupid of them. One day I finally decided to scare them, just for the heck of it. I go outside and they're smoking. So, I asked sternly 'Are you two smoking?'. Both of them jumped and turned around. 'No' Mycroft almost yelled and Sherlock; 'It was Mycroft' he blamed. As if I couldn't see the smoke clouding their faces. Idiots, both of them' Violet said and laughed.
They all laughed and Tara decided to play Violet's prank on the boys.
'Are you two smoking?' Tara mimicked Violet as she stepped out of the house.
'No'... 'It was Mycroft' They both said at the same time and turned around, hiding the cigarettes behind their backs.
'It's just your goldfish, brother mine' Sherlock said flatly and turned around, taking another drag.
'Don't you dare call me that' Tara smacked his arm.
'She is not a goldfish, Sherlock' Mycroft told his brother and passed his cigarette to Tara.
'Well, it's good to know my brother hasn't made you responsible for your own orgasms' Sherlock smirked at Tara.
'Oh My God! Sherlock' Tara coughed and flushed with embarrassment.
Mycroft glared at his little brother.
'Oh yes! I heard that particular one. I see sex with my brother also involves loud and unnecessary appeals to a deity neither of you believes in' Sherlock said, the mischievous grin never leaving his face.
'Sherlock, stop it' Mycroft warned, gritting his teeth.
'I could hear the bed creak. Good to know you have your uses, brother mine. Age hasn't had much of an impact on your virility. Mummy might still have a chance at having a grandchild.' Sherlock was on a roll. He was unstoppable.
'Oh, My God!' Tara cried in embarrassment
'That's quite enough, Sherlock' Mycroft said sternly.
'Oh, no. From what I have heard. She is insatiable. She can't get enough of you' Sherlock laughed. Mycroft cringed, fighting the urge to either kill himself or his brother, he favored the former. The only thing worse than his brother knowing he had a love life was his brother knowing he had a sex life.
'Okay! You know what? I am going to go inside and look for some cyanide' Tara said spitefully and extinguished the cigarette.
'So, you can end your embarrassment?' Sherlock yelled and asked as Tara stormed inside.
'So, I can spike your tea' Tara yelled back and slammed the door behind her.
