Chapter 13
“I can’t believe I’m going to nursery! It’s going to be great! Can we go yet? Can we go yet? I want to get there!” Molly bounced about the living room in an enthusiastic but annoying manner, a wide grin pasted across her face.
“We’re leaving soon, just need to wait for the boys to pack their schoolbags,” John replied, rather amused. Sherlock was chuckling as he watched the little girl. Martin was pulling on his thick winter jacket and Hamish was nowhere to be seen. Probably doing a last minute check on the latest experiment in his bedroom. John helped Molly get on her own coat as they waited. Hamish eventually emerged, a wide grin on his face and his black jacket already on. His schoolbag was slung over his back, full of various advanced books he had taken to bringing in to school as reading material.
“Off we go,” Sherlock smiled as the family of five headed out of the flat. A taxi was quickly flagged down (they really did need to get a car) and they were on their way. Molly was talking the whole journey, excitement quite clearly dancing through her many coloured eyes. The taxi stopped at the nursery first, John thanking the driver as he got out with Molly. Molly gave Sherlock, Hamish and Martin all massive hugs before skipping out. John smiled as he led her into the Sunny Day Care. The exact same place the twins had been taken to. Although they had complained much more about it. Well, Hamish had. Martin had just been silent.
The room for Molly’s age group was large and filled with kids. The door leading outside was locked, probably due to the fact that it was threatening to rain. A rather familiar face greeted John as he walked in with his daughter.
“Oh, hello, Doctor Watson!” Miss North smiled, looking down at Molly. “I see you have a daughter.”
“This is Molly,” John introduced the little girl who was looking around with wide eyes.
“Hello Molly, I’m Miss North,” Miss North crouched down with a smile. “I’m in charge here. How about you say goodbye to your daddy and go play with some of the other kids.”
“He’s my Papa, not daddy,” Molly corrected in a very matter of fact way before turning to give John a big hug. “Goodbye, Papa!”
“Have a good day, Molly,” John smiled as he crouched down to properly hug the girl.
“I will!” John nodded to Miss North before leaving. His little girl was going to be just fine.
Molly surveyed the room, eyes narrowed as she glanced over the other children. Trying to deduce them like her daddy and Hamish did. She knew how but just wasn’t very good at it yet. She was trying to work out who she wanted to be friends with and who she didn’t want anything to do with. Then her eyes caught someone she knew.
“Benny!” She almost squealed the name as she rushed over to who she would consider her best friend. The brown hair boy glanced up with a smile.
“Molly!” He smiled back, deep brown eyes lighting up. “This is Maisie.” He introduced the girl who he had been playing with. She grinned widely at Molly, brushing back a strand of dark brown hair.
“Hello!”
“Nice to meet you,” Molly replied almost politely, sitting next to Benny with a thump. “What you playing?”
“We’re playing with the animals and pretending they can talk,” Benny answered rather proudly as he held up one of the toy animals the two were playing with.
“Oh,” Molly replied with a tilted head. She had never really understood the games when you got toys and made them talk. She much preferred proper games or ones when you were in the role. Not with some stupid toy animals. But she didn’t voice her opinions to Benny. He was her best friend so she didn’t want to hurt his feelings. “I think I’m going to go explore!”
“Ok, have fun!” Benny turned back to his animals, beginning to make one of the cows speak. Maisie moved her horse over towards the cow. Molly felt something shoot through her mind at the obvious way those two had clicked together. Was it... jealousy? Papa had told her about that before. No, it couldn’t be. Why would she be jealous? Benny was her best friend.
Confusion danced around her thoughts as she got back up and once again glanced at everyone in the room. Her eyes zoned in on a group of three girls playing at a raised sandpit, making castles and such. They looked nice enough. Molly headed over to them, watching curiously from the sidelines for a few moments before they noticed her.
“Who are you?” The tallest asked slowly, taking time to think over her words.
“I’m Molly!” Molly grinned enthusiastically in reply. “Can I join in?”
“Sure! I’m Grace,” the tallest nodded slightly.
“Daisy!” A brunette piped in.
“Carmen,” the last finally spoke. She was closest in height to Molly, with honey blonde hair and stark green eyes. Molly liked her the least of the three. She had some form of cunning about her... well, that suited to a three year old. But Molly was sure she was nice enough.
“So, what are you doing?” Molly asked as she moved to stand beside Grace in front of the sandcastle.
“We’re making a castle!” Daisy chirped.
“What can I do?”
“The dungeons?” Daisy tilted her head. “You can be in charge of them!”
“Ok,” Molly smiled as she grabbed one of the circular moulds and began to fill it with sand. The day was getting off to a great start. She already had three new friends. She couldn’t wait to tell Daddy and Papa later.
Martin and Hamish both let out identical sighs of relief when the bell rang for the end of school. Hamish was glad because he had finished all the work he had been given ages ago, even if it was for those two years older than him, and the teacher had ignored his hand constantly up in the air to ask if he could read. For Martin it was due to the fact that they were doing maths. Maths was his worst subject. He just couldn’t get his mind around the numbers. Why they meant anything. He was the bottom of the class. Martin always felt that he disappointed his fathers, well at least his dad, in that way. But he couldn’t help being stupid.
Upon the bell both jumped up, stuffing whatever they needed to take home into their bags. The class was dismissed quickly and Hamish gave Mortimer a quick goodbye once the twins reached the playground. Sherlock was there waiting, constantly checking the time on his phone. It wasn’t like their dad was on a case or anything. Just in a rush to get home.
“Martin, martin, wait!” Martin turned around before he reached his dad to see Karina running towards him. He tilted his head and attempted to guess what she wanted. He had no idea.
“This is for you,” she smiled sweetly as she reached him, handing over a envelope. Martin swiftly opened and read what was inside. It was inviting him to a Halloween party at the weekend at Karina’s house. Martin was shocked, truthfully. He hadn’t been invited to a Halloween party in the past two years thus had never expected to be.
“Can Hamish come?” He eventually asked quietly, deep blue eyes almost begging. He didn’t want to go alone. No, he definitely didn’t.
“Sure!” Karina replied brightly. “And bring along your little sister too! She’s the same age as my sisters so maybe they’ll get along.”
“Ok, thanks,” Martin smiled before glancing round at his dad. Impatience was written across his features, his foot tapping. “Better go. Bye.” He turned around and hurried towards Sherlock and Hamish.
“I was invited to a Halloween party! Hamish can come as well,” he grinned, speaking as quietly as ever. Hamish’s eyes widened with excitement, as if many ideas were racing through his mind. Sherlock merely raised an eyebrow. Both twins knew that their dad didn’t really have any interest in Halloween. Papa just forced him to participate every year.
“I know what we can dress up as,” Hamish looked at Martin with twinkling eyes. “I’ll be a pirate captain and you’ll be my first mate.”