She pulled up outside a nice house and we got out. Kinders opened the door and stood on the doorstep as we walked up. He kissed Pippa's cheek and she faked a smile, maybe things weren't as sorted as she was claiming. He greeted me warmly and showed me into the house. It was very nice, very modern. He poured me a glass of white wine and I sat on the sofa and sipped it. I noticed that Pippa was drinking water but he was drinking wine. After a few minutes of awkward silence, she got up and went upstairs.

"She hasn't finished packing." Kinders laughed. "Although, I don't think she'd ever be done."

"Is she alright, she seems a bit down?" I asked and he looked at me, confused.

"She's probably just nervous, her parents aren't the easiest people to get along with."

"Right!" I said and dropped the subject but I was convinced it was more than that. Kinders and I made small talk until Pippa came down with a suitcase. She carried it out to the car and then came back and sat down.

"I take it I'm driving." She sighed running her hands through her hair.

"No way." Kinders shook his head.

"Well I'm the only sober one. You're usually the safety nut, you should have thought about that."

"It was one glass!"

"Could easily put you over the limit, Liam. I'm not getting in a car where the driver's drunk. What happened to protecting my body and keeping in tiptop health, I can't do that if I'm in a coma in hospital!"

"Don't be stupid!"

"I'm not the on trying to drink drive."

"Fine! You can drive but I'm driving back, it's too much for you to do both."

"Whatever." She sighed and grabbed the keys. "Are you ready to go?"

I nodded and followed her to the car. I opened my mouth to ask what that was all about but she shook her head to stop me. We sat in the car for about ten minutes before she got out and shouted at him to hurry up. He eventually came out and locked the door before getting into the car. She made him sit in the back which he hated and I could sense she was trying to punish him for something. It was a long two hours because she said nothing to him and he said nothing to her. When we arrived in Bath I could hear Kinders sighing in the back – he clearly hated Bath. She pulled up outside a huge house that went in a curve with the rest of the houses on the street. She got out and knocked on the door. I got out behind her and Kinders did too. He got the suitcases and shopping bags from the car and carried them inside while she properly introduced me to her mother.

"This is Molly. She's a Private and she was in Charles's platoon. She's a good friend of mine and also, Charles. I thought she could come tomorrow in place of Rebecca." Pippa said and her mum smiled.

"That sounds lovely. Charles is still at his old house with Sam but we should see him tomorrow." Her mum said to her then turned to me. "I'm Victoria, Charles and Philippa's mother. You can call me Vicky if you would prefer."

"Hi Vicky." I smiled and she looked taken aback.

"My my Pippa. You seem to attract cockneys." She remarked and Pippa shot her an angry glare.

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with cockneys." Pippa's dad said coming out of the sitting room and waving to me. "This is the lovely young girl that looked after Sam at the hospital." He said and shook my hand. Vicky nodded as she remembered and apologised but I told her not to worry. "I'm David, by the way."

Kinders came back down after putting the bags upstairs and after a frosty welcome from Vicky and David, we all went into the sitting room. It had a massive window and a vast open fire – a bit grander than I was used to. David brought through some coffee and seemed confused when Pippa turned it down. I took a cup and so did Liam. Vicky and David also drank it and Pippa sat there looking very bitter as Liam drank. She avoided eye contact with her parents and husband so there was an awkward tension between the five of us. It was about six o'clock so before too long we were sat round a magnificent dining table eating a roast beef dinner. David brought in a bottle of red wine and offered it round. He got to Pippa.

"No, thanks." She said covering the top of her glass.

"It's the good one that you like." David told her and she shook her head.

"I'll have some, David." Liam said and Pippa's dad looked concernedly at his daughter before pouring Liam's glass. We went through the meal and Pippa barely said a word to anyone. I noticed David and Vicky exchanging concerned looks as she just sat there. Liam kept muttering things to her and she nodded. Eventually he said something to her and she snapped at him catching everyone's attention. Liam put his arm around her shoulders and she shrugged it off before finishing her glass of water. After the meal she turned down a glass of Bailey's after exchanging glances with Liam.

"You love this one, Pip?" Vicky said and Pippa shook her head.

"I'm really tired, I'm just gonna go to bed, Mum." She said and stood up.

"Should I come with you?" Liam asked grabbing her hands and she shook it off.

"No, Liam. I am actually capable of going to bed, on my fucking own." She spat and turned her back.

"What about…?" He raised his eyebrows and she shook her head.

"Not fucking now!" She raged and marched up the stairs. He sat for a few minutes before going up after her. We heard a door slam and some muffled shouting. David and Vicky shook their heads.

"Do you know what's going on, Molly?" Vicky asked and I shook my head.

"She seemed really happy earlier when we were in London. But when we got to Aldershot she seemed really different." I explained.

"It's him!" Vicky said and David nodded.

"I have a pretty good idea of what's going on." He revealed and Vicky's eyes widened.

"Go on…"

"Well, what is he always going on at her about?"

"Surely, not! She'd hate that!"

"Exactly, that's why she's being like this."

"We should do something."

"We can't, love. She wouldn't thank us."

"I know someone who could do something though."

"Who?"

"Think about it David! Who is the first person she tells about everything? Her best friend?"

"What are you on about?"

"Charles, your son! Her brother."

"Yes I know that but what do you think Charlie can do?"

"I don't know but I bet he can put a smile on her face!"

I sat there as they plotted, totally confused. What the hell did they think was going on? What were they gonna get Charles to do? I made my excuses and went to bed, as I walked past Pippa's room I could hear them arguing but I didn't wait long enough to establish what it was they were discussing.

The next morning, I went downstairs to find Pippa sat in her pyjamas in the sitting room with a cup of coffee, watching the news. David was sat in the armchair reading his paper, a cup of coffee also in his hand. I walked in and she threw the coffee mug onto the table and spun round.

"It's decaff I swear!" She cried and then realised it was me. "Sorry, Molls, I thought you were Liam." She picked the coffee up again and David flashed me a knowing look. I made a cup of tea and she came in a few minutes later and put the mug in the dishwasher, I was about to ask her about what was going on but then I thought I'd better not.

The day went by very slowly, I kept hoping that the Boss Man would turn up and lighten the mood but he didn't. I think Pippa hoped he'd show too. Pippa and Liam kept out of each-other's way as much as possible. At four o'clock, Pippa took me upstairs and told me to get ready for the meal with her. We'd had a nice lunch and David and Vicky had gone out for a few hours but we hadn't done a lot all day so I was glad to be getting out – since Afghan, sitting idle was something I found very tedious. She showed me into her bedroom and explained that it was her room from when she was a teenager. I looked at the photos that covered one of the walls, almost every single one was of her and Captain James ranging from being toddlers to teenagers. There were some with various other people but the recurring theme was her and her brother. I saw a lovely one of the two of them, she must have been about twelve and him fourteen. They were sat on a wall with fish and chips, the sea in the background. He had his arm round her and they looked so happy.

"Devon, 2001." She said and I spun round. "I have that picture in my locket, look." She opened the locket and I saw the picture. Next to it, on the opposite side, was her wedding photo, she looked gorgeous. "Ignore that one, it's horrible."

"I think it's lovely." I told her and she shook her head.

"I don't like it but I have to have it, you know what I mean?" She closed the locket and passed me the Alexander McQueen bags with my dresses in. "Wear the white and gold one. Keep the other one for tomorrow."

"What's tomorrow?" I inquired.

"Wait and see!" She smiled. We put our dresses on and we were reminded of how fantastic her aunt was when we saw the dresses with the shoes. She got out the jewellery and we admired our outfits. We did each other's make-up and hair and by six o'clock we looked like princesses. We went downstairs and David made a comment about how wonderful we looked. Liam and David wore tuxedos and Vicky had a beautiful emerald green dress on.

"Did you go and see Aunt Charlotte?" Vicky asked as she looked at our outfits.

"Yeah, I didn't know she'd be there but we went to McQueen and she sorted us out." Pippa smiled.

"She really is good at dressing you, Pippa. And you, Molly, you look stunning!"

We drove to the restaurant in Pippa's car but Liam was driving. He was being a lot more caring towards her and she appeared to have forgiven him a little. When we got there I was blown away by the magnificence of the place. The five of us walked in and I saw Captain James sat at a table with Sam. My heart skipped a beat and I had to grab Pippa's arm to steady myself.

"I can't wait for him to see you!" She whispered and we crept up behind him. She put her arms around his neck and I heard him laugh. She kissed his cheek and he stood up and hugged her. Sam spotted me and ran over.

"Molly, Molly!" He shouted and I bent down to hug him. As I stood up I saw Captain James staring at me.

"Molly?" He whispered and turned to Pippa. "Did you do this?" She nodded and he kissed her cheek. "You're the best sister ever!" She grinned as he shuffled towards me. He limped a little. He put his hands on my cheeks and rested his chin on my forehead. "It's good to see you, Dawes. I've missed you."

"Ditto." I whispered and he laughed. Vicky, David and Liam caught us up and he reluctantly shook Liam's hand before hugging his dad and kissing his mum.

"Happy Birthday Mum!" He grinned and she kissed his forehead. He sat back down and signalled to me to sit down next to him. Pippa sat next to me with Liam next to her. David was next to him with Vicky between Sam and her husband. Sam was very excited to wish his grandmother a happy birthday and give her gifts but she made him wait until we had all ordered. Liam ordered for him and Pippa and when Charles tried to question her she dismissed him. He nudged me when she refused wine and asked me what was going on. I told him I didn't know. While we waited for the food, it was time for presents. Sam went first and gave Vicky a beautifully wrapped box. She opened it and gasped as she saw the heart shaped silver locket. She opened it and there was a picture of Sam eating an ice cream and the picture of Charles and Pippa at the beach. She nearly cried and Charles winked at Pippa. They went next and gave her their shared gift of a huge bouquet of flowers and another beautifully wrapped box. She opened it and I saw the Swarovski logo. She opened the box and took out a beautiful charm bracelet. There was a 'V' charm and a 'D', along with and diamond encrusted angel wing and a diamond encrusted four leaf clover. There was also a little teddy bear charm. She wiped a tear from her eye as she looked in awe at the beautiful bracelet.

"I don't get it." Liam muttered and Charles rolled his eyes.

"The 'V' is for Victoria, the 'D' is for David. The angel wing represents Pippa because when she was little we used to call her our 'little angel' and the clover represents Charles because we call him Mr Nine Lives because he's so lucky. The teddy bear is obviously Sam."

"Aw that's adorable!" I gasped and she nodded.

"Well you'll have to get another one when our baby is born." Liam said and Charles sat up straight, his face falling. All eyes were on Pippa who looked utterly terrified and confused.

"Well, in the future if we have a baby I'm sure Mum will get one." Pippa fumbled over her words. Liam narrowed his eyes. She swallowed and Charles frowned.

"What the fuck do you mean, if?" Liam muttered. She looked at the floor and then at Charles who was mouthing 'Are you pregnant?' at her, she looked away and he took a massive gulp of wine. There was an awkward silence for a few minutes before she got up and walked to the toilet. Charles nudged me and I followed her. I walked in and saw her leaning against the wall.

"I'm gonna fucking kill him! I swear!" She mumbled and I took her hand in mine.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"He is absolutely fucking desperate for me to get pregnant. He won't let me drink, he won't let me eat certain foods, he won't let me have coffee, I'm not supposed to drive for more than about half an hour because he thinks it's too tiring and stressful and all of those things have a negative effect on fertility or some shit like that! I don't even want a kid! Why can't he just accept that?"

"Does he know you don't want kids?"

"Yes. I've told him time and time again but he just said well now they've kicked you out of the army you might as well have kids and all this biological clock shit! I'm twenty five not forty five!"

"But they haven't kicked you out of the army?!"

"I know but he is so certain that they will. And he doesn't want me to do another tour."

"Why?"

"Because every time I go on tour I love it that little bit more and he's worried that'll keep going and going and going until they get me."

"And will you?"

"I don't know. I really don't know! But I do know that I don't want a fucking kid but before too long I'm gonna have one!" Tear welled in the corners of her eyes.

"Shit. I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything."

I gave her a hug and she dabbed her eyes before we went back and sat down. Charles was very uneasy but I couldn't think of anything to say that would make it any better. I took Pippa's hand under the table as she tried to avoid everyone's questioning looks.

"I think Dad should give Mum her present." She forced and smile and everyone tried to relax. David took out an envelope and handed it to Victoria who opened it.

"Plane tickets to Verona? Are we going to Lake Garda?" Vicky cried and David nodded. "Tonight!"

"We leave after the meal." David said and Vicky turned to Charles and Pippa.

"Did you two know about this?" She asked and they nodded. "You're so good at keeping secrets."