The Unknown Child (A Sherlock FanFiction)

VIII: Dinner Party at The Watson's

Chapter Eight: Dinner Party at The Watson's

Molly and I reached John and Mary’s house only about 30 minutes later, the wind has picked up and it was giving me chills. My damp hair didn’t make it any better, making my head tingle. I felt like and idiot for leaving my beanie at Molly’s.
We walked up the steps to the front door, I grabbed the railing for support, thinking that the stairs would be slippery. Molly grabbed the door knocker and tapped it a few times.
 
“Come in!” A woman’s voice spoke.
 
Molly opened the door and stepped in, wiping her feet on the doormat. I did the same. There was a coat stand just inside the door Molly had hung her coat up on. She had already walked towards the kitchen where chatter was coming from. I noticed Sherlock’s massive black coat on the stand, the bloody thing was taking up half the rack. I managed to find a spot for my coat. I look at the photos on the wall, nothing special, just a couple of John and a woman who I guessed was Mary. No wedding ones even though John addressed before back at the morgue that Mary was his wife. I walk down a hallway and come to a living room, where Sherlock was sitting in an armchair, hands together and the tips of his fingers on his lips, like he was praying.
 
“Hello Sherlock.” I said, hoping that he wouldn’t notice. I begin to walk out of the room, but his bellowing voice stopped me.
 
“Hello Clara.” He said. “Why are you and Molly here?” He added.
 
“John invited us over for dinner, is that alright with you?” I say. He seemed a little taken aback by my attitude.
 
“Yes, that’s fine with me, have a seat would you?” He asks. I hesitate; he will probably bombard me with a million questions or insult me. His reading game he plays with himself is all he is using me for.
 
“Just let me go say hello to John and Mary first alright.” I say, putting my bag down on the chair opposite Sherlock. I walk towards the chatter I hear coming from the kitchen. I stand in the doorway and see John and other woman who I assume is Mary, chopping up vegetables and meat. Molly is sitting on a bar stool, drinking from a glass.
 
“Oh there you are Clara.” Molly says. John stops what he is doing and walks around the bench. He walks up to me and pulls me into a hug.
 
“How you feeling kiddo?” He asked.
 
“Better thank you.” I say.
 
“Clara, this is my wife Mary, Mary this is Clara I was telling you about today.” John says, gesturing between Mary and I. Like John, Mary comes to me and give me a hug.
 
“It is very nice to meet you Clara, I’m sorry for the situation you are in.” Mary says, holding my arms still. I give her a small smile.
 
“It’s fine Mary, things happen.” I say. I notice that her wedding ring is shiny, like John’s. “Are you two recently married?” They both give me a look.
 
“Yes, how did you know that?” Mary asks. Looking at Molly for an answer.
 
“I didn’t say anything.” Molly defends.
 
“Well… your wedding bands are really shiny, as if they were new. Also when I was hanging up my coat, I had a look at photos on the wall, I knew you two were married, but I didn’t see any on the wall, so I guessed that you were still waiting on them to come. That’s why you don’t have any hung up.” I say, looking down at the floor for a little bit after. I look up to see if they were still looking. They were, but I felt someone standing behind me. I turn my head to see Sherlock standing over me like a shadow.
 
“How did you do that?” Sherlock asked. The look of shock still written on his face.
 
“Same way you do it.” I say. Mary, John and Molly were still looking at Sherlock and I, as if they were waiting for one of us to snap.
 
“I think you may have some competition Sherlock.” John chuckled.
 
“Or has meet his match.” Molly chipped in, giggling a little after.
 
Sherlock looks at me again, reading. After about 10 seconds, he turns abruptly and walks back into the living room.
 
“Still want me to sit there?” I yell at his back but he didn’t answer. I smirk a little. This dinner party might be a little fun.
 
“Well aren’t you a cheeky bugger.” John says. “No one has every done that to Sherlock before, ever.”
 
“You have to admit, it was pretty funny to watch.” Molly added, taking another sip from her glass. “She is just like him in that way, she did something like that back at my place.” John gives me a look of disbelief.
 
“So how many times have you outwitted Sherlock Holmes today? Three?” John asked.
 
“Four times and four times to many.” Sherlock bellows from the living room. I hear him get up and he walks back into the kitchen and pulls up a seat next to Molly. “She has outwitted me in the interrogation room, the morgue, Molly’s flat and now here.” The annoyance in his voice was very satisfying.
 
“Well I think she is brilliant.” Molly says. I give her a warm smile. She gives me a wink.
 
“Well dinner will be ready soon, so if you guys just want to have a drink, go for it, Clara help yourself to anything in the fridge sweetie.” Mary says.
 
“Thank you. You are too kind.” I say. “Do you want me to do anything? Set the table?”
 
“Oh that would be lovely dear, Sherlock can you give her a hand please?” Mary asks, giving Sherlock a look. Sherlock groans like a child as he gets up and gets some plates out of the cupboard. I walk to the draws and open the first one, like always the cutlery is in the top draw. I grab enough for everyone and follow Sherlock to the dining room.
 
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Dinner was done, not as awkward as I thought it would be, Molly and Sherlock sat on either side of me. John and Mary on the other.
 
“This was really nice Mary and John, thank you so much for inviting us over.” Molly says, once everyone is done.
 
“You are welcome, it was nice to finally meet Clara.” Mary said. I got up and picked up everyone’s plates and took them into the kitchen.
 
“You didn’t have to do that Clara, Sherlock and I could have done that.” John says.
 
“It was five plates, although we were feeding six.” I say. John looks at me as it I was crazy again.
 
“Unbelievable.” Is all John could say. “How on Earth did you know?” He asks.
 
“Do I have to explain?” I ask.
 
“Yes, you do it slightly differently than Sherlock.” He adds.
 
“Well… um, you are a man right, and you men besides Sherlock would normally eat a little more than us ladies. But Mary ate more than everyone at the table and even went back for seconds, but she is an average sized woman, so I assumed she was pregnant. Also because she didn’t have any wine whilst you, Molly and Sherlock did. And by the look on your face, I’m guess I’m right.” I say. John didn’t know what to do.
 
“You are one brilliant kid Clara, you know that? Molly is lucky to have you.” John says.
 
“Molly doesn’t have me yet” I say, does she?
 
“Didn’t she tell you?” John asks.
 
“Tell me what?” I ask. John didn’t say anything. He just walked back into the dining room. I followed shorty after.
 
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“Is anyone up for a game of Cluedo?” Mary asks
 
“NO!” John yells. “We are not playing that, because those two will win every round!” He adds, pointing at Sherlock and I. For the past hour, Sherlock has been staring at me, trying to read me I assumed. I sat there, reading my book. Molly, Mary and John were just chatting in the dining room. I look up from my book towards Sherlock, he gives me a smirk.
 
“Oh Mary I wish we could but Clara and I must get going before it gets too late.” Molly says.
 
“Okay, shame we couldn’t play.” I say, smirking at John. “Sherlock and I would have dominated you all.” I can tell Sherlock is smirking. We all
 
“Well it was nice to see you both, I will probably see you both tomorrow.” John says.
 
“Sherlock would you be able to have Clara over at your place tomorrow, she will behave.” Molly asks. I knew she won’t be able to take me to the hospital everyday.
 
“Yes, Mrs. Hudson could use some company.” He says, without even looking at her.
 
“Thank you.” She says.
 
I grab Molly’s and my coats, giving her hers before putting on my own, I then put my book in my bag and exchange it for my scarf and gloves. I then remembered something.
 
“Mary, thank you for helping Molly pick out clothes, it means a lot.” I say, hugging her in thanks.
 
“You are welcome sweetie, anytime.” She says. Kissing me on the cheek. We said our farewells, Sherlock not participating at all really. We leave the Watson household full of food and happy. Molly and I walk home together, sharing a few laughs at Molly’s stories. Once we arrived home, Molly and I sat together on the lounge watching a movie. She then asked me something I will be grateful for the rest of my life.
 
“Clara, will you be happy if I adopt you as a Hooper?” She asks. 

A/N: Hello! Thank you for reading this story so far! You are amazing my friend. School is starting for me tomorrow and my hockey is starting up, meaning I won't be updating as much, but I will try my best! Thank you for bearing with me!