8 – Mary
John rushed through the door making the bell chime. He looked around the room until he saw her sitting alone at a table in the back of the mostly empty cafe.
"Sorry, I'm so sorry. I lost track of time." John said as he rushed over to sit down at the table and take Mary's hand in his, "Have you been waiting long?"
"Not long." Mary said in her gentle voice. She smiled a small smile and John was struck again with how attractive she was. Mary was a person of small, perfect features. Petite round lips, Oval eyes of brown, a rounded face accentuated by thick braid of golden brown hair wrapped around her perfectly shaped head. John leaned forward and kissed her and she blushed.
"So, how was your aunt?" He asked.
"Snappy as ever I'm afraid." Mary said, "Honestly, I think that she invited me over just so that she could snap at me. She had a comment about everything I did. She even had a comment about my moving in with you."
"Oh really, what did she say?" John asked.
"She said 'Why should he buy the cow when he can get the milk for free?'"
John giggled, " Did she really? So your aunt doesn't believe in couples living together."
"Absolutely not. " Mary replied.
"How do you feel about it then?"
"You know how I feel, John. I think that any excuse to spend more time with you would be a good thing." Then Mary laughed, and as always her laughter filled the room. John smiled despite himself.
"And how have you been, John?" Mary asked, "You seem a bit thoughtful today."
John looked down at his hands. "Well to be honest, Mary, I've had some things happen that I need to think about."
"Sherlock?" She asked before looking up at door, "Well speak of the devil!"
John turned in his seat and saw Sherlock's tall form silhouetted in the doorway. He scanned the room and then spotting them made a beeline for the table.
"Hello." Mary said, "It's a pleasure to see you again Mr Holmes. Please take a seat."
Sherlock glanced at her and then turned to John staring at him as he began to take off his gloves. "I've been texting you." He said, " You turned off your phone."
John pulled his phone out and looked at it, "Oh yeah! I forgot. I meant to turn it back on. Um, how did you find me here?"
"It was difficult with your phone off, so I traced Mary's phone."
"How did you?" John asked.
Sherlock smirked, "Please. It was simple. Don't bore me with having to explain the details. "
"Sherlock sit down, you are being rude to Mary." John said.
Sherlock looked Mary up and down and then said, "You have no room to talk, after coming so late to your appointment."
"Late?" John said questioningly, "She's only been waiting a couple of minutes."
"That's what she told you." Sherlock continued.
"It's nothing, it's nothing John." Mary said shaking her head.
John turned to Sherlock. "Go ahead explain."
Sherlock gave a smile. Pleased as ever to show off his skills of observation. "We can see that Mary has just returned from a visit to a seaside town. The fact that she was on a trip is evident by her hat on the chair next to her. Obviously a vacation hat. The kind that they sell in cheap seaside resorts, but more obviously it can be told by the train ticket hanging out of her bag. An overnight bag so she's obviously not been gone for very long.
"She's been here at least half an hour but probably more. There is a coaster on the table in front of her but not in front of you. She's had time to order a drink, finish it, and have the glass taken away before you arrived. But she didn't tell you. I know that she didn't tell you by the way that you are sitting. When you're apologetic you hunch forward. The fact that you are sitting up straight means that she misled you by telling you that she had only arrived moments before. How very polite of her. "
"Her name is Mary," John said, "And she's right here. Say 'Hello' Sherlock!"
Sherlock turned and looked at Mary. Mary reached out a hand, "Pleased to see you again Mr Holmes" she said.
Sherlock took her hand in two fingers as if to avoid infection. He shook it once nodding his head before he sat down between Mary and John.
"So Sherlock," John began, "Why are you here?"
"I wanted to know if you are moving out of the apartment or not since you canceled the appointment with the movers." Sherlock said.
"Canceled?" Mary asked.
John looked at them both uncertain for an instant, then he said. "Yes. I decided not to use that moving company. I guess that I'll need to find another one."
"This is perfect." Mary said, "I thought that you had it handled, so I didn't want to suggest that you change your plan, but while I was on the train I met a woman whose son runs a moving business, and she said that he could give us rates much cheaper than the ones that you were quoted. She gave me his card. Let me see if I can find it."
Sherlock sat rod stiff in the chair glancing at John every so often out of the corner of his eye. "You didn't answer my question." he asked. " Are you moving or not?"
"I thought that I was clear." John said.
Sherlock looked straight into Mary's eyes as he said, "You didn't seem that clear when you kissed me goodbye this morning."
John froze. Mary looked from John to Sherlock and back again. Sherlock sat with his mouth hard challenging Mary with his eyes.
Mary put down her purse and crossed her hands on the table. Then she tilted her head and addressed Sherlock, "Mr Holmes... Sherlock. May I call you Sherlock?" She asked.
"No." Sherlock said.
"Then Mr Holmes, I have been a school teacher for many years, and before that I was a nanny. It was my responsibility to teach young men and women how to act appropriately. It's sort of a habit so please excuse me but I feel compelled to tell you.
"That comment that you just made. It was meant to shock me. To drive a wedge between John and myself. Perhaps you thought that I would run off in a huff hurt at John's betrayal. You may even have hoped that John and I would break up and then John would stay in the apartment with you.
"But what you have actually done is embarrass John. You betrayed a confidence. Not only that, but you did it out of spite to hurt me. It isn't me that's been hurt by this. You've hurt John, and I think that you should apologize to him."
Sherlock turned to look at John. His face fell and he looked around embarrassed. "John, I apologize." He said sheepishly.
Mary smiled and turned to John, "Now John. Say you forgive him."
John put his elbow on the table and turned away from Sherlock. Sherlock's eyes widened and a hurt expression came across his face. Then he rose and rushed out of the cafe.
"That wasn't nice John." Mary said.
John kept his face turned away. "I meant to tell you some other way. I didn't mean for you to hear ..."
"What? That you kissed Sherlock? That you maybe did more than kiss Sherlock?" Mary asked. "John. I've expected this since the first day Sherlock came back. Actually, I'm surprised that it took so long."
John turned to face her, his brow furrowed, "You expected this?"
"Of course." Mary said. "No one can see you and Sherlock together for an instant without knowing that you are incredibly close to each other. Bonds like that are forged with love. Nothing else."
"Yes." John said, "but friendship and 'kissing' are two different things. I feel that I've let you down."
Mary put an arm on John's shoulder and then lifted his chin so that he looked into her eyes. "John," She began, "Who you kiss and who you don't kiss is immaterial. What's important is how you feel about it, and you've felt about Sherlock Holmes longer than you've had feelings for me.
'"When we first met, you were in mourning. I'm a widow. I know what that feels like. But you got your man back. I can imagine how I would feel if my husband were alive again. I'd feel conflicted, confused. I completely expected that Sherlock would make a play for your affections. But you would be naïve to imagine that I won't fight to keep you. Because I will."
John's mouth fell open in surprise, and Mary leaned across the table to kiss it. Then she sat back and began to gather her things. " You're going to have to figure it out yourself, John. I'll be going now. Call me tomorrow." Mary stood but before she walked away she bent down and gave him a long passionate kiss. "Sherlock Holmes isn't the only person who is competitive." Mary said before walking away.
John felt dazed. He turned on his phone and began to dial. He needed to get drunk. Now!