Chapter One- The Night Before.
I lay awake in my bed. I am getting married tomorrow. Thoughts swirl around in my head. How Daniel and I first met… our first kiss… Then my hand wandered down to my stomach and I smiled. Our first child.
There was a soft knock at the door.
"Come in." I said, loud enough so that they would hear me but not so loud as to wake everyone else up.
The door creaked open. In the small slither of light stood my best friend and maid of honour, Sally Lestrade. She smiled at me.
"Can't sleep?" She asked.
"Something like that," I said, sitting up. "I just keep thinking that this time tomorrow, I'll be Mrs Holmes."
Sally laughed. "Yeah, that will be odd."
"And, I keep thinking about my parents."
There was silence for a few moments before Sally said. "I'm sure they are watching you and are very proud of you."
I smiled through the dark. Then laughed.
Sally looked at me curiously.
"I was just thinking of the first time I ever saw Daniel. We hated each other, remember?"
"Oh yeah. You would try and out glare each other every time you met!"
"Then we got closer at John and Mary's wedding. We were dancing to a slow song that had come on. It was ever so nice and I remember looking into his dark eyes and just seeing mine reflected in them. It was like magic. I've never know myself to connect with someone like that before. Then he leaned in and tried to kiss me. So I legged it…."
"Why?" Sally interrupted.
"I guess I was just scared to admit my feelings for him. But he didn't follow me. Sherlock was the person who came looking for me and found me." I paused, remembering that first time I had loved Daniel.
"When did you guys finally get together?"
"About a week before my chemistry GCSE. I was sat in my room revising when he text me, asking if I wanted to go and catch a movie. We never made it to the cinema….."
"Abi!" exclaimed Sally, in shock.
"No! It wasn't like that!" I laughed, "Remember, your mum went into labour so we rushed round to yours to be with you and Johnny!"
"Oh yeah!" gasped Sally, "I remember now. I thought he looked a bit down cast."
We both laughed.
"We then re-tried after the exams and we've been together ever since. Even when I was in a coma for months."
"You know he never left you. Not once."
"Really?"
"Yeah, at night he would climb right up beside you in the bed and sleep with you while Sherlock slept on the camp bed by yours."
"Wow!" I breathed, "I mean I was told he was always there but I had no idea he would sleep with me."
"I think he was hoping for a fairy tale ending, where he kissed you and you woke up." Laughed Sally.
"But he didn't wake me up," I replied smirking, "Amber woke me up when she hugged me."
"Yeah. I bet he was miffed!" laughed Sally
"No, I think he was just glad I was ok." I replied
There was silence again and I reflected on all of my memories of Daniel and me.
"How did he manage to get a big white wedding planned in 3 weeks?" asked Sally.
"He's a genius and has a lot of money. He could have done it in a week if he wanted."
"But why the rush?"
I paused, not knowing what to say. "He wanted to be married before work dragged him away again." I lied. It felt wrong, lying to my best friend but I had no choice. No one would know until after the wedding and then it would look like our child was conceived on our wedding night.
"Ok…" replied Sally but I knew she didn't really believe me.
I faked a yawn. "You know, I think I'll try and get some shut eye. Don't want to be too tired for tomorrow!" and I gave her a hug.
Sally said goodnight and left the room.
I settled back against the pillows, smiling.
This time tomorrow, I would be Mrs Holmes….