Hi everyone! Sorry I didn't update this yesterday, it was my mum's birthday which actually gave me the idea for what snapshot this chapter should cover! Once again, thank you everyone for your kind words. Your reviews all make me smile so much, I hope you enjoy this next chapter! Xxx
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Molly was determined to ensure Charles had the best birthday ever...
"Are you sure you have to go? It is your birthday after all." Molly asked Charles sadly as she watched him get ready to leave the house.
Charles walked over to his girlfriend and pulled her tightly into his embrace.
"I'm sorry, I can't get out of this. But I do promise I will be home as soon as I can." Charles whispered into her hair.
Molly pouted but reluctantly nodded. Charles glanced quickly at his watch and pulled his jacket on before kissing Molly one final time and leaving the house. Molly sadly waved him off before turning back into the house. She went into the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea before a brainwave hit her and she pulled her phone out of her jeans pocket and dialled a number.
"Rebecca," she said into her phone "is Sammy busy today?" Molly paused listening to the woman's response. "Excellent, see you in about twenty minutes!" Molly grinned before hanging up.
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Some time later, Molly and Sam were in the kitchen together pouring over a recipe book.
"Dad definitely likes chocolate." Sam said pointing to a recipe for chocolate cupcakes. "Can we make them and decorate them?" he asked looking up at Molly.
Molly looked at the recipe and grinned.
"Go and get your coat on mate, we might gonna need to go shopping!" Molly replied, taking a picture of the recipe on her phone so she knew exactly what ingredients she would need to buy. She then walked to the hall where Sam was waiting for her and pulled on her coat before walking out of the house, locking it behind her and then commencing the short walk to the shops with Sam's hand in hers.
"Dad's going to love the cakes, he's going to have the best birthd..." Sam said gleefully before his face suddenly changed expression and he looked quite sad. Molly noticed the immediate change in her stepson, (though he wasn't officially her step son yet, Molly had given him the honorary title in her head) and she stopped walking and crouched down to his level.
"Sammy, what's the matter?" she asked gently.
Sam wouldn't catch her eye instead chose to look down at the pavement though Molly could see the tears forming in his eyes.
"I haven't got dad a card or a present, he's going to be sad." Sam mumbled into his hands. Molly pulled Sam's hands away from his mouth and made him look at her.
"That's ok mate, we can get him something whilst we're at the shops." Then she lowered her voice into a whisper "I haven't got him a card yet either, maybe you could help me choose one?" she asked.
Sam's frown disappeared and his excitement returned. And they continued to walk to the shops. Once they arrived and then got everything they had needed, including cake ingredients, birthday cards, lots of birthday candles (Sam had chosen ones that couldn't be blown out) and a present Sam had carefully picked out for his father, they were at the checkout.
"It's my dad's birthday today and we're going to make him chocolate cupcakes!" Sam proudly told the lady who was scanning through their shopping.
"You have an adorable son." The lady told Molly as she paid for her shopping. "You're a great mum too, I can tell!" she added with a wink. Molly was too flustered to tell her that Sam wasn't actually her son and just managed a smile and thank you before taking her shopping and leaving the shop with Sam.
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That evening Charles pulled up into the driveway of his house. None of the lights were on, which was strange because Molly never turned off the lights behind her when she left the room. He checked his phone to see if she'd messaged him about going out somewhere but there was no notifications on his phone. He shrugged to himself, and got out of the car and walked the short way to his front door. The door was unlocked, so Molly was in there somewhere. Maybe she'd fallen asleep, that would maybe explain why there was no lights on. Once Charles had walked into his silent house he put his coat on the peg by the front door, left his bag by the stairs and then walked towards the kitchen door, opened it and...
"SURPRISE!!!"
In front of him was the grinning faces of his parents, his son and his beautiful girlfriend. On the table in front of them was a mound of carefully decorated chocolate cupcakes, Molly was holding one in her hand that had a candle in it. Once everyone had sang happy birthday to him, Molly handed him the cupcake for him to blow out the candle. Sam laughed hysterically when the candle kept relighting itself.
"Who did this?" Charles asked his parents as Molly took the candle away to extinguish it properly and Sam ran to fetch the cards and presents they had got for Charles.
"You have yourself one phenomenal girlfriend there Charles dear." His father told him.
"Don't ever let her go." Penny added.
Charles grinned at Molly who had re-joined them.
"What are we talking about?" Molly asked as Charles put his arm around her.
"Only how amazing you are." Charles replied, turning to kiss her.
"Ewwwww dad! Stop kissing Molly! We got you presents you need to open!" Sam shouted as he ran back into the room carrying a big bag.
Everyone laughed as Charles sat down and began to open his cards and presents from the people he loved.
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"What are you looking at?" Molly asked Charles as she walked over the room and got into bed next to him.
"Nothing, I'm just trying to work out what I did to deserve someone as wonderful as you." Charles replied, pulling Molly into his arms. "Thank you for making today one of my best birthdays, despite the fact I spent most of it delivering training to personnel."
Molly smiled and kissed his nose.
"I think the universe and Lady Luck knew we needed each other, that's why they worked together to help us find each other." She whispered.
Charles contemplated this for a second before flipping them over so Molly was on her back and he was on top of her.
"Enough of all that philosophical bollocks, right now I need to thank you properly..." he said, kissing his way down her neck.
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Look out for Molly's birthday in a future chapter, see you all soon! Em xxx