Life With Sherlock

Chapter 2

The plane wheels touched the runway and her heart leaped into her throat. Her nerves were on edge. She was excited, but the questions of how she would adjust back to family life plagued her. The plane slowed to a stop as it pulled into the gate. This was it, she was home.

"You may now unfasten your seat belts and carefully remove your carry-on luggage from the over head bins." the stewards voice came from the intercom. "Thank you for flying British Airways and welcome to London. We hope you enjoy your stay."

Rosamund stood up and stretched. It had been a long flight from the United States. Grabbing her bag she left the plane as quickly as the other departing passengers would allow. She went through customs, being a returning citizen it should have been a quick process. The security questioned her when they saw she had been gone for four years. The slight pause in travel annoyed her, but she was quickly explained how she had been in boarding school. They let her go after that. Rosamund made her way to baggage claim. She stood by the luggage belt waiting for her trunk to come around. When she spotted the large green trunk she took hold of the worn leather handle and gave it a firm pull. She had forgotten how heavy the trunk was. She put her luggage on a cart and pushed it out of the airport and into the London air. She took in all the sights around her. Cars were going by, people were walking past bundled against the wind. All these things; the sights, the smells, the cool wind on her face, made her realize how much she had missed while she was away from this city. She glanced to her left and saw her father down the walk standing by an idling cab. She watched him for a few moments, he had not yet spotted her. She gathered her courage and walked down to greet him.

"Dad!" Rosamund called to him. "Dad! It's so wonderful to see you!"

She was caught up in her father's warm embrace. "Rosamund, I have missed you dearly." he said releasing her. "Let me help you put your trunk into the cab and then you can tell me about the end of school on the way home."

Rosamund watched as her father hefted the trunk into the cab. He seemed tired to her. After he had made the trunk secure they climbed into the cab and it pulled away from the curb.

"So tell me," her father started. "How was graduation? I'm sorry I missed it, but you know how things are here. Sometimes I just can't get away."

"It was a graduation." Rosamund responded with a shrug of her shoulders. "We all received a piece of paper that notified us we had completed the requirements to graduate. Of course, there were parties after, but I didn't go to any of them."

"Why not? I thought you enjoyed them?"

"I enjoy them for the sake of enhancing my observation and deducting skills. Unfortunately not many people want someone who can tell who is 'cheating' on who and who the other guilty party is. So I often am not invited."

"I thought I told you not to keep doing that to people because it won't make you many friends."

"And I thought I informed you that I don't care about making friends." Rosamund looked out the cab window. Her and her father had this conversation the past Christmas and she did not want to have it again. They rode in silence for a time until Rosamund saw them passing the street that would have taken them to her father's flat.

"Why didn't the cabbie turn there? That is the way home."

"I...um...sold the flat. I couldn't stand living alone after you left." he responded. Rosamund knew it was more to it then him not being able to live alone after he sent her away. She had felt the deep sorrow he associated with the house, even when she was a child. He had bought the flat for himself and Mary, her mum. She never knew her mum, but she knew her father missed her terribly. "I've moved back to Baker street." her father said. This statement shocked Rosamund. Her father had tried to keep her away from Baker street for years. He was unsuccessful and often found her in the company of Sherlock, but know he was informing her he had moved back.

"I assume now that I am back at home, you will start looking for another flat." She said.

"No." The surprise must have shown on her face. "I know it is a shock because I forbid you to be there for years, not that you listened to me, but I have renovated 221 C for you. You will be staying there." As her father finished telling her this wonderful news the cab pulled up to the curb in front of the flat. Rosamund all but flew out of the cab and up to the door leaving her father to pay the cabbie and get her trunk. She opened the door and walked inside to the beautiful sound of someone playing a violin.