Sherlock watched impatiently for the test results. He wasn't going to wait 30 minutes before looking. If the test was positive, and he was sure it would be, he wanted to know as soon as it became apparent. He swallowed, feeling that annoying tickle.
As the liquid spread along the test strip, Sherlock watched the control line appear, and then another line that indicated a positive result for Covid.
He left the kitchen and went to the front room, where Molly was sitting with the girls, watching Encanto again for the Nth time. It was amazing how obsessed Victoria became with a film for weeks before moving on to the next interest.
Molly looked up at him as he appeared. "That wasn't thirty minutes."
He gave a short huff. "Doesn't take that long when the result is positive."
She gave him a sympathetic smile. "Well, at least you know the worst. Now we just have to deal with it." She took a tissue and blew her nose.
Sherlock was thankful that he wasn't reacting in the same way with a runny nose, although he had felt feverish during the night and again when he woke this morning, until he was able to take some more Panadol which had done the trick at lowering his body temperature for now.
"Daddy, come watch," said Victoria, turning to Sherlock. That was when he noticed her nose was running, although she didn't seem bothered by it.
"I will, but come here and let Daddy wipe your nose," he instructed, and she went to him.
Victoria's nose continued to run, and she sniffled several times. It looked as if their daughter also had contracted the virus, although when asked if her throat was sore, she said no. Christina, at least for now, showed no signs of illness.
After lunch, Sherlock received a text from Greg Lestrade.
Hey, Sherlock, want to come and investigate a crime scene?
Sherlock frowned at his phone, piqued that he would be unable to do so, and he tapped out a reply.
Sorry, Greg, I can't. Molly and I have come down with the Covid curse. His lips twisted wryly at his own made-up name, before continuing.
But I'd be glad to look at any crime scene footage and other documentation if you like.
Greg's response was swift. Oh, sorry to hear that, mate. How are you doing? Girls okay? I'll pass on some pictures and documents via email for you to take a look at, in that case.
Molly has a sore throat and runny nose. I've been running a fever, but it has been controlled with Panadol, bit of a sore throat too. Victoria has a runny nose. Nothing for Christina so far.
I hope Christina doesn't get sick too. Lori and I will be praying for you and especially Molly with the twins. I'm actually quite surprised I haven't caught Covid yet myself. People at the Yard have been dropping like flies. Anderson had it two weeks ago, but he's back at work now and seems none the worse for wear. Said Felicia had it too and she's also fine.
Sherlock smiled at the mention of Felicia. Philip had remarried a few months back in a quiet ceremony. He and Molly had been invited to a small reception, but they had declined, as Molly had been so tired during her first trimester, that she didn't feel up to spending an afternoon and evening away from home. It was hard enough going to work two days a week.
Thanks for the prayers. Sherlock couldn't resist using Molly's term for having Covid. Hope you don't get added to the Covid Club anytime soon. I'll keep an eye out for your email.
Expect it later this afternoon. Thanks Sherlock.
Anytime.
More doses of Paracetamol and sucking on Strepsils kept Sherlock's symptoms well under control as the day went on, although he did feel a little tired.
When the blood pressure monitor arrived in the post, he immediately unpacked it and checked Molly's blood pressure. It was normal.
"Told you I feel fine except for my runny nose," she told him, once he removed the cuff from her arm.
Sherlock had called the midwife earlier, who had also advised Sherlock to keep an eye on Molly's blood pressure, and if she felt any cramping pains, that they should immediately go to the hospital.
In the evening, Sherlock was pleased to successfully find enough evidence to the culprit in the documentation and photographs from Greg, that his friend assured him it would be enough to make an arrest. Another crime solved. At least Covid hadn't rendered him completely useless.
Over the next two days, Sherlock kept a watchful eye on Molly. She was doing better, as was Victoria, as Sherlock noted by the lower volume of tissues being used. Her blood pressure had increased slightly, but was still in the normal range. He no longer had a fever, although his throat remained a little scratchy, and he had developed a cough.
They were in front of the television on Sunday night when they saw a news report that said the queen had contracted Covid.
"Oh, I do hope she will be okay," said Molly in a concerned tone. "She is ninety-five, after all, and she was in hospital in October."
"Only overnight," pointed out Sherlock. "She's a very resilient woman. If anyone can beat the odds against Covid, it is Her Majesty."
His mind went back to the only time he'd set foot in Buckingham Palace, with the case that had involved Irene Adler. He hadn't thought about "The Woman" in years. She was probably out of jail by now. He hoped she would turn her life around, if so.
He must have had an odd expression on his face, because Molly said, "You look miles away, all of a sudden."
He decided to be honest. "Thinking of the queen had me remembering when I visited Buckingham Palace, and that had me recalling the Irene Adler case."
Molly's expression hardened slightly. "I know she went to jail after what she was up to during our engagement. Would she be out yet?"
Sherlock coughed and pondered the question for a moment, thinking back to 2017. "I remember Mycroft telling me that she received a ten-year sentence, which means she would be released after serving half that time with supervision, which falls later this year. If she was a model prisoner, she might have received parole by now." He puckered his brow. "Mycroft would probably have said something though to me about it, although with all the Covid stuff of the past two years, he might not have even thought of it."
He saw Molly bite her lip. "I admit that I hope she never bothers us again. She's a woman who really needs Jesus, but I find it hard to believe she could ever change."
He shrugged. "One never knows what God might do in a person's life. But I am content to have no contact with her either. I do not seek drama the way I used to." He looked fondly over at Victoria and Christina, who were in the playpen, rolling a ball back and forth.
Molly slipped her hand into his. "I think we have a very blessed life, Sherlock." He saw her wince slightly and was immediately alert.
"Is it the babies? Are you having pains?" He couldn't keep the anxious note out of his voice.
Molly withdrew her hand and got to her feet. She gave him a reassuring smile. "Nothing's wrong. Just a particularly hard kick to my bladder. I need to use the loo before I have an accident."
He gave a little sigh of relief. He couldn't help the niggling fear that lingered in the back of his mind that something might go wrong. It was a bit like waiting for the other shoe to drop when your life was going well. He knew he had to trust God, but sometimes his human nature won out. After all, Molly had already suffered a miscarriage. He wasn't sure how he'd cope with another heartbreak like that.
The conversation with Molly about Irene Adler, though, had made him a little curious to see whether the woman was back in society.
After the girls had been tucked into bed and while Molly was taking a shower, Sherlock placed a quick call to Mycroft.
"Ah, Sherlock, how is the family doing? Recovering? Is Christina well?"
Sherlock was pleasantly surprised by his brother's concern. He'd let the family know, of course, about the situation, but he hadn't expected Mycroft's voice to sound so concerned, even though the questions sounded innocuous enough.
"We are on the mend, thank you. Christina has fortunately escaped any signs of the virus, and Victoria has had nothing beyond a runny nose."
Sherlock heard the almost inaudible sign of relief from his brother. "I'm glad to hear it. I assume you are not calling just to give me a status report on your family situation, however. Do you need my help with something?"
Mycroft knew him too well. "Actually, yes. We saw this evening that the queen has tested positive for Covid, and that brought back to my mind the Irene Adler case. I admit it did cause me to wonder if she has been released from prison."
"Oh, I meant to tell you about that some time ago. But with all the things going on related to Covid, policy changes from one week to the next, I confess it slipped my mind. She has indeed been released, several months ago on parole, actually. But I did have a hand in making sure that her parole was conditional upon her not contacting you or your family in any way, or her parole would be revoked."
"well, I am sure she is intelligent enough not to risk further imprisonment," said Sherlock with a twist to his lips. "I just hope she doesn't get up to any more mischief."
"Don't worry. I may not have followed up on the situation lately, but I also made arrangements for her to be kept under close surveillance for the foreseeable future to ensure that doesn't happen."
"Thanks. On another subject, how is Eurus doing? I remember you were saying at Christmas that after the delay caused by Covid, you were hoping to move forward again in getting her out of Sherrinford once and for all."
"Funny you should ask. I have just been making the arrangements for her resettlement to Broadmoor, the high-security psychiatric hospital, now that the worst of the pandemic seems to be over. Once she is there, you will be permitted to visit her again."
"I thought Broadmoor only housed men these days," said Sherlock in surprise.
"The change is quite recent, and for now, only a very small number of women are housed there. I was very fortunate to secure a place for Eurus. If everything goes smoothly, she will be transferred there within the next couple of weeks." Mycroft's tone was confident, and Sherlock had no doubt that the task would be accomplished successfully.
"Thank you for letting me know. I'll tell Molly. She was asking me a few days ago if there had been any news of Eurus. She wants us to visit her with the girls."
"Your wife never ceases to amaze me in how she so quickly forgave our sister for what happened at Sherrinford."
Seeing an opening to witness to his brother, Sherlock said, "She lives by the words of Jesus on the cross. 'Forgive them, for they know not what they do.'"
Mycroft gave a little chuckle. "You never miss the opportunity to try to save me, do you?"
"Nope," agreed Sherlock, hearing the sound of the shower turning off. "Gotta go. Thanks for the update on Irene."
"You're welcome, brother mine. Take care."
"You too."
When Molly came into the bedroom, her dressing gown partially unbuttoned to accommodate her belly, Sherlock related what he had learned from Mycroft, then went to take his own shower.
Two weeks passed, and life seemed back to normal. The cough Sherlock had developed in the first week was almost gone, and Victoria was fine. Christina had not shown any symptoms whatsoever. Molly said she felt tired very often, and she almost always took an afternoon nap, but that could have just as easily been attributed to her progressing pregnancy. Sherlock and Molly were also relieved to hear that the queen had successfully overcome her own battle with Covid, which was a blessing, given her advanced age.
Laura, the midwife, arrived for an at-home antenatal visit on the 7th of March, and she said everything was progressing nicely with the pregnancy.
"You are measuring a little larger than normal for twins, though," Laura said. "If you do not go into labour naturally, I wouldn't recommend going past thirty-seven weeks."
Sherlock saw Molly chewing on her lower lip before she spoke. "I'd rather not have a c-section if it can be avoided."
Laura nodded. "We can induce your labour. As long as the heads of the babies are turned downwards, you should be able to deliver them naturally."
Sherlock saw Molly's sigh of relief. He too had not relished the idea of Molly's abdomen being cut into to deliver the babies, but he was still a little concerned.
"What if Molly is in labour for a long time and the babies are not in a good position?"
Laura gave him a reassuring smile. "There will be an operating room standing by if an emergency c-section is required." She looked at Molly. "And I have to be honest with you. Statistically speaking, around sixty percent of twin births end up requiring a c-section for safety reasons."
"I understand," said Molly.
After Laura left, Sherlock made some quick calculations in his head. "So, I guess our boys will be arriving around the 10th of April, if you do not go into labour beforehand. I was not expecting that."
"Guess we had better get out and buy that extra Moses basket soon, and the extra baby carriers."
"Indeed. Well, let's go and pick up the girls from Martha now." In anticipation of the midwife's visit, they had arranged for Martha to watch the girls during their appointment. She had been only too happy to do so, having not seen them for several weeks.
As they walked to the car, Sherlock mused, "We need to look at getting another car as soon as possible, before the babies come."
Molly's mouth opened in surprise. "Oh, heavens, you're right. I suppose we will have to look for a used car, seeing as the chip shortage is causing delays in being able to buy a new car."
Sherlock nodded, pressed the button to unlock the car, and opened the door for Molly. "Remind me to look into that today."
A week later, Sherlock and Molly became the proud owners of a 2020 Land Rover Discovery, which had the third row seating they needed to accommodate two more children.
Victoria and Christina both cried a little when they had to say goodbye to their old car, but they were soon appeased by the new, larger vehicle. And they were even more fascinated with the baby carriers that were put into the vehicle in readiness for the new arrivals.
"The babies are coming soon?" asked Victoria, after she saw the baby carriers when they were leaving for church on the 20th of March.
Sherlock ruffled her hair as he buckled her into her 5-point harness car seat as he'd already done with Christina. "Not too much longer, princess."
They had just finished eating lunch after church when Sherlock received a phone call from Mycroft.
After the usual brief pleasantries were exchanged, yes, things had certainly changed from the days when they had acted more like rivals than brothers, Mycroft got to the point. "Sherlock, Eurus has been successfully transferred to Broadmoor, and she is eager to see you. I told her I would ask if you were willing to pay her a visit soon. Do not feel obligated. I explained that Molly is approaching her due date with the twins, and that being confined in a vehicle for over an hour might not be very comfortable for her right now."
Sherlock looked over at Molly, who had just taken Christina out of her high chair. He was about to respond that perhaps it would be best to wait, when Mycroft continued. "Of course, the limo would be at your disposal, and I am aware we would need to provide special seating for your daughters."
A wrinkle formed between Sherlock's brows. Mycroft had obviously been thinking about this, to have even considered the necessity of car seats for the girls. He had the feeling that Mycroft was really hoping he would agree. "Let me speak to Molly about it. Do you have a specific day in mind?"
Mycroft cleared his throat. "I was thinking that the sooner the better would be prudent, if you can come, not only for the sake of Moly's pregnancy, but mine also. It seems our sister is anxious to reconnect with you after an absence of two years. I can make sure the car seats are installed tomorrow, so Tuesday? Or Wednesday?"
"Give me a minute to ask Molly."
Hearing her name, Molly stopped in her tracks from following the girls to the front room and told them, "Go and play. Mummy will be right with you."
Victoria and Christian obediently continued on while Molly gave Sherlock an expectant look. "What do you need to ask me?"
A few minutes later, it was all arranged. The limo would arrive for them on Tuesday, and they would be transported to the facility where Eurus was now housed. Sherlock had been a little concerned about Molly's discomfort, but he was not surprised that she insisted she would be fine. Molly always thought of others before herself.
Two days later, the Homes family made their way to the new women's wing of Broadmoor hospital.
The journey was uneventful, with Christina sleeping for the majority of the ride, while Sherlock placed a travel tray on Victoria's lap so she could watch a downloaded film on Molly's old iPad.
Sherlock kept a watchful eye on his family, including Molly, who also spent a good part of the journey dozing. He noted that Molly often held her hands beneath her abdomen, as if to support the weight of the babies. Even with the assistance of the maternity support belt for her abdomen, Sherlock could see his wife was not particularly comfortable.
Upon arrival at the facility, Sherlock unbuckled his daughters from their car seats and helped them to clamber out of the vehicle, then held his hand out to Molly, who emerged slowly.
He stared up at the imposing three-storey structure, recalling reading somewhere that it had originally been called the Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum. It was amazing his mind palace hadn't deleted that bit of information.
The chauffeur, who had obviously driven Mycroft to the hospital before, led Sherlock and his family to the entrance. Not surprisingly, they had to go through metal detectors and place belongings on a conveyor belt to be x-rayed, just as was done in airports.
A staff member, who Mycroft had informed of their pending arrival, escorted them to what she said was a medium dependency ward.
Sherlock observed many staff along the way, and he remembered hearing that there were approximately 800 staff and around 200 patients. He hoped Eurus would be happier here than at Sherrinford.
The staff member, Angie, he noted by the identification card that hung from her waist along with implements designed for restraint of unruly patients, led them to what was obviously a communal area.
Unexpected tears filled his eyes as he spotted his sister, sitting alone at a table, face expectant. She was thinner than he remembered, her hair a little longer, but she was smiling.
She stood and moved away from the table, as Angie retreated to allow the family some privacy. "Sherlock!"
"Hello Eurus," he said gravely, and gestured at Molly and the girls, who had both clung shyly to their mother. This was the first time they were meeting their auntie, although Sherlock and Molly had explained to them about Sherlock's "special" sister.
"Go on, girls," said Molly, gently disengaging the girls' clutching fingers from her maternity skirt. "Meet your Auntie Eurus."
Victoria moved forward hesitantly, but Christina began to cry and Sherlock picked her up into his arms.
"You must be Victoria," said Eurus, bending down. "What a pretty girl you are. You look like your mummy. It is very nice to meet you."
Sherlock swayed gently to soothe Christina as he watched Molly approach Eurus, stopping just behind Victoria and placing a hand on her head.
"It is good to see you, Eurus." She gave Sherlock's sister a warm smile. It would never cease to amaze Sherlock how she had never shown any hint of fear towards his sister, even during their first meeting at Sherrinford a few weeks after they had been married.
Molly addressed Victoria. "Why don't you give Auntie Eurus a hug and tell her what you brought for her?" She withdrew the folded sheet of paper from her voluminous handbag as she spoke.
Sherlock suddenly remembered the picture Victoria had drawn the night before with three-year-old craftsmanship. She had even drawn Molly sideways, so that "Auntie Eurus can see my bwothers".
Sherlock had to once again blink back tears as his sister, obviously still unused to physical expressions of affection, knelt and awkwardly embraced Victoria as the latter said, "I dwew you a picture."
Eurus stood, took the drawing from Molly and said, a faint smile upon her lips, "Thank you, Victoria, it is beautiful. I used to draw when I was a little girl, too." She then indicated other chairs at the table as her eyes went from Molly to Sherlock. "Please sit down."
They talked for half an hour. Eurus was curious to hear about everything that had been going on in their lives, and Mycroft had told her about their recent bout with Covid. Noticing the advanced state of Molly's pregnancy also, she remarked. "Your babies will be coming very soon."
Sherlock had to smile at his sister saying almost the exact same thing Victoria had said a few days earlier. Of course, Victoria's observation had come as a result of seeing the new baby carriers in the car, while Eurus's had obviously come in seeing that enormous protruding belly sported by Molly. She did indeed look as if the babies could arrive at any moment. Sherlock was certain she had exceeded the girth of either of her previous pregnancies at full-term.
Molly chuckled and responded. "It can't come soon enough."
Eurus's speech was slow and deliberate as they conversed, and Sherlock knew the antipsychotic medication was the cause of it. But the medication had successfully created a calmness, and Mycroft had said she very rarely became agitated these days. If Sherlock had met her in the street, he would never have known about her past criminal behaviour.
He was quite pleased when Eurus suddenly said, "Easter is coming soon. I heard two of the nurses talking about it."
Sherlock nodded. "Next month. Have you been reading your Bible? Do you know the meaning of Easter?" He remembered the day he and Molly had presented Eurus with a Bible, on the first occasion Molly had visited Sherrinford.
"Of course I do. I have read the Bible three times. Easter is when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
Sherlock and Molly exchanged glances. Victoria was on the chair beside Molly, swinging her legs to and fro, looking with interest around the large room, while Christina was on Sherlock's lap, twisting his wedding band round and round his finger.
"Eurus," said Molly in a gentle tone, "Do you believe in what the Bible says?"
A slight crease formed between Eurus's brows. "I am not sure. Elements of the narrative defy logic, yet Sherlock is logical and believes. So I think it is possible."
Sherlock smiled, feeling hope within his heart. His sister was at least more open to belief than Mycroft. "And we will keep praying for you, Eurus, that one day you will understand and believe as we do."
All in all, Sherlock reflected, as they returned to the limo for the ride home, it had been a good visit. Eurus seemed content in her new surroundings, but that wasn't surprising. Broadmoor, at least in comparison to the island prison, was definitely more relaxed in atmosphere. And the shorter distance meant he would be able to visit his sister more regularly.
They were settled in the limo when Molly spoke up. "I think that went rather well, didn't it? Your sister seems content."
"Aside from Eurus looking a little thin, I think it was a good visit. I'm glad we came."
"And now she is closer, it will be easier to visit her," Molly said, echoing his earlier thoughts.
"I'm sure it will be good for her." He looked at Victoria. "Did you like meeting your auntie?"
Victoria nodded. "She's nice."
As often happened, Christina picked up on the word and echoed it without really understanding the sentiment behind it. "Nice."
On the journey home, with Christina wide awake this time, Sherlock and Molly read children's fairy tales, putting on the various voices where needed, and time passed quickly.
In bed later that night, as Molly slept cuddled against him, Sherlock reflected over the events of the last few weeks. Experiencing Covid, talk of Irene, Eurus's new home. And Easter was approaching. Only three months into 2022, and life was already so full. But he had a feeling that with the arrival of twin sons, it was going to become even fuller.
What new adventures waited around the corner for him and his family? He didn't know, but he did know peace that everything was in God's hands.
Thank you for all the blessings you have given me. May I always be a faithful witness for You in my life, he prayed silently before joining Molly in slumber.
Author's note: And we have come to the end of another story. Thank you for your patience. I do not write often at this time. My own life is full of other responsibilities, and I feel God is drawing me to other places, including the real world of professional publishing and an autobiography I hope to co-write and eventually share that will show how God really is a "God of the impossible" as seen by events in my life, especially over the past year.
But do not fear, I still have completed stories on my iPad to finish publishing, and a couple other WIP's. Occasionally I might pop into another "real time" story to keep monitoring the journey of Sherlock and Molly and their family, but I'm not sure if I will get around to completing the other dreams stories I had initially planned.
But I will continue to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, to be used as an instrument for God in whatever I do, because when I am using my gifts for God, I feel the blessing of God upon me. There is no greater reward than that which comes when you are a good steward of the gifts God has given you.
If you are curious to read about my Molly's first encounter with Eurus, check out Visitors at Sherrinford.
As always, I appreciate any and all reviews from my readers. Be blessed!
