Consulting Father. [SLOW UPDATES]

<21>

Maria pov
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After we had finished at the mall I call a cab to take us back to baker street.
I hold the door open for Delilah and then walk in behind her, I can hear Sherlock playing chirstmas charols on his violin up stairs and the soft murmurs of conversation.
"Oh bloody hell the party is today," I groan as we walk up to the lounge where everyone else is.
I walk through the door, Delilah behind me
"Oh, no thank you, Sarah," Sherlock says to the woman offering him a Christmas fruit tart.
"Oh this will be good," I mutter as I observe.
"Er, no, no, no, no, no, he's not good with names," John says
"No, no, I can get this, no, Sarah was the doctor, then there was the one with the spots and then the one with the nose and then... who was after the boring teacher?" Sherlock asks waving his now around slightly.
"Nobody," the woman says
I chuckle and place the bags of gifts down by the tree.
"Jeanette! Ah, process of elimination," Sherlock says
"Yeah not good with names," I say
"Hello there doctor watson, Mr holmes," Delilah says with a wave also placing her bags down
"Oh dear lord," Sherlock murmers looking at the door.
I turn and wave to molly already feeling sorry for her.
"Oh hey there Mr lestrade, I didn't see you there," Delilah says walking over to converse.
He smiles and says hello in return before looking up to molly as she enters the room
"Hello, everyone. Sorry, hello, uh, it said on the door just to, just to come up," she says walking in
"Hello, molly," John says
"Everybody saying hello to each other, how wonderful," Sherlock says rolling his eyes and with a hint of sarcasm. John gives him a look and I walk next to him and punch him lightly
"Because nice father!" I hiss quietly
"Let me, er... holy Mary, " John says probably offering to take Molly's coat for her.
I turn to her and smile
"Oh you look lovely," I say
"Oh thanks you, so we're having a Christmas drinking,  then?" She asks. I grin
"I'm down where's the wine?" I asks jokingly.
"Ah, no, no, you will not be having any Maria, " Sherlock says
I scoff " but there's no stopping them apparently," I say
"Its the one day of the year where the boys have to be nice to me, so it's almost worth it," mrs Hudson says.
"Ah, is that why uncle Mikey didn't get invited," I quip with a grin
"John," Sherlock starts getting only a hum in response.
"The counter on your blog," he says. I roll my eyes
"Molly want a drink?" Lestrade asks,
"It still says 1,895," Sherlock adds
"Oh no, Christmas is cancelled, what ever will we do," I over dramatically say falling back onto the couch with the back of my hand on my for head in a feign faint.
"And you've got a photograph of me wearing that hat!" He grumps.
"People like the hat," John smirks
"No, they don't,  what people?" Sherlock says
"Oh the hat, really, let me see!" Delilah says skipping over. I laugh and point at my dear friend.
"That person likes it," I grin
"How's the hip?" Molly asks Mrs Hudson.
"Oh, it's atrocious, but thanks for asking," she replies.
"I've seen much worse, but then I do post-mortems," molly says in a joking tone. After a moment of silence molly realizes what she said "Oh god sorry," she apologizes
"Don't make jokes molly," Sherlock says still looking at the blog
"No, sorry," she says taking the glass of wine offered to her by lestrade.
"I've thought it was a decent joke, just maybe not the right time, aye?" I say giving the poor girl a warm smile,
"I wasn't expecting to see you, I thought you were in Dorset for Christmas?" Molly says to lestrade.
"Thats first thing in the morning, me and the wife, we're back together it's all sorted," he says
"Hmm, no, she's sleeping with a pe teacher," Sherlock says.
"Oh for Christs sake sherlock, can't you let the man have one night of blissful happiness, wait till after Christmas to break news like that," I sigh "Sorry lestrade, he's not wrong though,"
"And John, I hear you're off to your sister's, is that right?" Molly asks to change the subject.
"Yeah," John says
"Sherlock was complaining, saying," molly says getting a look from Sherlock.
"Oh good so I'm not the only one who's had to suffer though that," I say. With a chuckle John continues
"First time ever, she's cleaned up her act, she's off the booze," he says.
"Oh that's good to hear," I say.
"Nope," Sherlock adds I get up and hit him again
"SHUT up Sherlock," I growl.
"I see you've got and new boyfriend, Molly,  and do your serious about him," Sherlock says. My eyes widen then narrow as I glare daggers at my arrogant father.
"Don't!" I warn
"What? Sorry what?" Molly asks
"In fact your seeing him this very night, and giving him and design gift," Sherlock says.
"Take a day off!" I say
"Shut up and have a drink," lestrade says giving him a glass of wine.
"He won't drink it," I mutter
"Oh come on surely you've all seen the present at the top of the bag, perfectly wrapped with a bow, the others all slap dash at best," Sherlock says
"And? I only just got everyone's gifts today, what does it matter how it's wrapped!" I say holding his suit sleeve in order to try stop him from making things worse.
"Its for some one special then," he continues ignoring me.
I sigh and give molly an apologetic look, I know exactly who it is for I helped her pick it out.
"The shade of red echoes her lipstick, either an unconscious association or one that she's deliberately trying to encourage," he continues. By now John had also caught on and started to hold a sad look,
" either way miss hooper has love on her mind, the fact that she's serious about him is clear from the fact that she's giving him a gift at all, that always suggests long term hopes, however forlorn" he says " and that she's Seing him tonight is evident from her makeup and what she is wearing, obviously trying to compensate for the size of her mouth and breast..." he says reading the name tag.
I walk up to stand next to molly
"You always say such horrible things, every time, always," molly says holding back tears
"Appologize, now!" I say with venom in my voice. Sherlock shifts on his feet slightly
"I am sorry, forgive me." He says causing most of the people in the room to stare at him shocked by the unusual concept of sherlock actually thinking about someone's feelings.
He steps forward
"Merry Christmas molly hooper," he says leaning forward and placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. Just as he is moving back away his text tone goes off. I raise my hands and spin around.
"Oh, no! That wasn't..  I didn't..." molly says slightly panicked and embarrassed
"No it was me," Sherlock says
"For the love of all things holy will you bloody change that back to default!" I say pointing at him
"My God, really," "What?" Molly Delilah and lestrade all say at the same Time.
"My phone," he says
"Fifty-seven?" John chimes
"Sorry what?" Sherlock asks. I nod
"Fifty-seven of those texts, the ones I've heard," John says.
"I've heard at least two extra while you haven't been home," I add.
"Thrilling that you've been counting," he says walking to the fire place and picking up a box.
"Excuse me," he says walking to our room.
"Whats up Sherlock?" John asks.
"I've said excuse me," he replies
"Do you ever reply?" John asks
I shake my head.
"Not that I know of, how gave him that?" I ask referring to the gift her had taken with him.
"Not me," John says
"Hmm, odd?" I say with a sigh.
"Well don't know how long he will be... who wants their gift now?" I ask pointing at the bags I'd bought home.