Chapter 18

Even if he discarded Mycroft's recommendations, Sherlock soon opened a room in his mind palace dedicated to Molly's pregnancy and filled it with all the information he could find. He insisted she would describe in details all the sensations and changes she was experiencing. Having read that miscarriage could happen during the first trimester, he became extra protective of his wife, and monitored everything she would eat, drink or do. Molly thought it was cute but a bit excessive, and kept repeating that she was pregnant but not sick. She decided to continue working, even if Jeremy prevented her from carrying anything heavy and gave her only administrative tasks. Coming back from the book shop, she would find the dishes miraculously done and no more dirty socks laying around their bedroom.

After his mysterious trip to Russia, Mycroft kept his promise and visited them in Sussex. He brought with him a surprise that delighted Molly: a photo album of Sherlock's early years. The pictures started from the maternity where an aristocratic looking woman was carrying a baby boy.

"Your mother looks really beautiful", commented Molly.

There was another picture, with a chubby red hair boy of about seven years old. He was wearing a suit and looked very serious for his age.

"Mycroft, is that you?", she asked.

"Yes. And he does die his hair", replied Sherlock.

"You seemed very proud to have a baby brother."

"I was", said the older Holmes. "I just didn't know what I was getting into."

"Oh and there's even the announcement card. 9 lb, wow you were a big baby!" There was a hint a worry in her voice.

"And he didn't sleep through the night before he was a year", added Mycroft.

She flipped through the pages and watched little Sherlock growing up. He looked like a miniature version of his older self, with his big blue eyes and a mop of curly black hair. Most of the time he was posing with his nanny and Mycroft, more rarely with his mother and she saw his father only once. There were a few funny pictures of Sherlock dressed up as a pirate, or reading a book almost bigger than him, but globally, he looked like a sad little rich boy. The album stopped when he was about 10, she knew about what had happened then, but none of them mentioned it.

"I spared you the teenage years, maybe next time", teased Mycroft.

"Oh please do!", exclaimed Molly.

"I really don't see the point of it… ", complained Sherlock, rolling his eyes.

"Family memories, brother. It's only normal to share them when you are about to start your own one. Now If you will excuse me, I have to go for today. Molly, I will see you next Tuesday for you scan. Anthea has arranged an appointment with Dr Hewitt." He stood up and took him umbrella, ready to leave.

"Thank you, see you there", replied Molly.

"And don't bother coming back anytime soon", added Sherlock.

^/^

Later that night, Sherlock was reading in bed when Molly came down from the first floor.

"Writing in your diary ?" he inquired.

"No, I was searching for something"

She sat next to him on the bed and showed him a little pink cardboard box.

"It's from the stuff I never unpacked from my old flat. It's not really an album, just a few things I kept."

She opened the box and spread its content on the bed. There were some old movie theatre tickets, postcards, a shell, a pair of earrings and a few discoloured pictures. Molly took one of them and handed it to her husband:

"It's me and my dad"

There was a slight tremble in her voice. Sherlock knew how much she had loved her father how she missed him. He took the picture and smiled at the sight of a 6 years old Molly with her pigtails. It looked like a happy memory.

"This is one was at Christmas with my brother, this was my first cat Elliott, this… oh my god don't look at this one."

She tried to hide the last pic but Sherlock took it from her hands before she had the time.

"No… please. This one is horrible! I was 14!"

Molly was posing on what looked like a typical school picture. Her long hair hided part of her face, she looked shy and quite melancholic.

"My mum made me wear this horrible jumper, and I had such a bad acne", she complained.

Sherlock shrugged. "It's not the easiest age to be, for anyone".

"You say that but I bet you were hot even at 14. I'm sure you were the cutest boy in the class and I would have had a terrible crush on you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes"

"Even with brace?"

"You wore dental brace ?"

"From 13 to 16."

Molly broke out into a fit of laughter.

"Are you making fun of me ?", said Sherlock

"No, no", she said giggling. "I'm just surprised. But it did a really good job, you have a beautiful smile." She kissed him gently on the cheek as an apologize.

"Are you excited about the scan?", he asked.

"Yes. Well both excited and anxious to be honest."

"I wish I could come with you."

"Me too. But you know what Mycroft said, London is…"

"… too dangerous, yes I know", he finished with a hint of disappointment.

"I'll have you on the phone all the time."

"I want to hear everything the doctor says.."

" Yes, yes. I promise. I'll bring you the movie, the 3D pictures and everything. Now do you want to keep on reading ? Because I'm really tired and I want to sleep."

"I'm done, you can turn off the lights."

"Thank you, good night love."

"Good night."

"Good night who ?"

"Love."

Molly smiled to herself, and made a mental note to text her brother-in-law to ask him for a picture of Sherlock wearing the brace.