Once Upon Another Time (Third Book In The "Life Is But A Dream" Saga)

The Sign of Three: Part Four

Despite sitting tables away from my friends, we had a group chat in which I communicated with them under the table and out of view of John.

Daniel:
Aspen, who chose this food? It tastes like a horses arse.

I looked up and in amusement and saw Lucy smack her brother playfully on the arm for being so impolite.

Lucy:
I think it's wonderful Pen, and the dessert was superb!

I looked up and saw the two in a verbal conversation, and saw about to type a response when Janine nudged me.
"Mary's looking this way, and Sherlock is about to start his speech." Janine warned. I instantly turned off my phone and slid it under my thigh.

A small ring from a glass cut through all the conversation and silence bled through.
"Pray silence for the best man." Someone announced. I began to clap, but unfortunately was the only one. In embarrassment I stopped and felt Stella pat my back. Looking to Lucy and Daniel, they were thoroughly amused.

I wouldn't have clapped for much, for as soon as the room silenced and Sherlock stood, there wasn't much coming out of his mouth.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, but his words already began to trail away. "Family and friends- and um- others."
He stammered for a while as I looked towards Molly and Lestrade, remembering their plan a couple months ago:
-
I had just gotten to the hospital in a last minute attempt to scramble one more letter from Molly. Of course, stepping inside gave me chills from my intimate times in these walls.
"Molly?" I called her, and saw the doctor placing a brain in a silver bowl. She looked up and seemed pleasantly surprised to see me.
"Aspen! Oh dear, it's been so long." Molly exclaimed. I would have hugged her if she didn't have brain juice on her gloves and sleeves. "Just in time, I had something to discuss with-"

"Molly!" I heard the voice of Greg Lestrade call, and turned to see him walk in and stop at my side. "Good lord, is that a brain?"
I chuckled at the squeamishness he displayed. "You've seen far worse Greg, now Molly what were you going to say?"

"Well, if John asks Sherlock to be his best man, which he's bound to right?" She began.
"Of course." I confirmed.
"He will, so?" Lestrade verified.

"Well he'll have to make a speech, you know? With actual people there who will be actually listening." Molly mentioned, which was both a fantastic and concerning point. I looked to Greg, who just now seemed to be putting the pieces together. A chill went down my spine and I wrapped my jacked tighter on me as the conversation went on.

"Well, what's the worse that could happen?" I asked Molly.
"Helen Louise probably wondered the same thing." The mortician stated, to Lestrade and I's confusion. Quickly after I realised that was the human Molly had dissected the brain from.

Unfortunately, that day I never got around to asking her for the letter.

-
I was so swamped in the kiddish memory I thought I heard John mumble something about telegrams.
This triggered Sherlock to remember and check his pockets for the telegrams. He was relieved to find them in front of him near his empty plate. Sherlock quickly scooped them up in his nimble hands and began to read them off.

"To Mr. and Mrs. Watson," he began. "So sorry I'm unable to be with you on your special day. Good luck and best wishes, Mike Stamford."

Hearing that message put a smile on John's face, and it seemed that Mike's telegram was just an appetizer to a very charming and humorous array of telegrams that followed.

"To John and Mary. All good wishes for your special day. With love and many big-" Sherlock paused, "big squishy cuddles, from Stella and Ted."

That statement, especially coming from Sherlock's voice, triggered a wave of giggles from the crowd.

My phone buzzed with a message from Daniel as Sherlock read another telegram, and again after he finished.

Daniel:

Watch out, Aspen, he might hurt himself.

Did he just say poppet?

I looked up to see Lucy covering half of her face in attempt to stifle her laughter. Daniel seemed a bit more self-controlled but still covered his mouth with his palm. We made eye contact as Sherlock struggled to read them still and I mouthed, "He's trying." Daniel nodded his head and then went back to trying to calm his sister down. I tuned back in as Sherlock read the last telegram, which was on a raggedy piece of paper, not like the pristine  white parchments the others were.

"To John and Mary, and A-" he began, and then paused. The detective then looked to John, then to me. His eyes were concerning as he slowly looked back at the paper slice. "Terribly sorry all, but there's a smudge on this, can't seem to read what it says, but you get the idea, everyone is basically fond." He dismissed, and then placed his hands with the telegram behind his back.

A beat passed and everyone stared at Sherlock while I peeked behind Janine and saw him poking out the telegram. In a flash, I swiped it from the best man as he began his actual speech. It was crumpled in my hand as I felt my phone buzz again.

Daniel:

Saw that. What does it say?

I tucked my phone under my leg and de-crumpled the paper. What was on there in fact was not smudged, but only in messy handwriting that only my mother had.

To Mary, John, and Aspen. The only possible reason I would have gone would be for the free bar. Mary, leave while you can before my brother drives you so far up the wall you go utterly mad. John, I'm surprised you found a woman stupid enough to marry you, so don't ruin it.

And Aspen, I haven't seen you in years because you never came home. If you're with John now I'll advise you to stay that way. You're turning out to be just like your father, too bad you never met him. He was an asshole anyway; I guess we were two peas in a pod, and you're the third.

I most certainly won't invite you to my wedding with my girlfriend. Enjoy yours.

-Harry

Up until she mentioned my father I was uncaring about what she had to say. John and Mary were perfect for each other and she was just jealous of their relationship. The only relationship literally resembling theirs were stories about my father.

At the thought of him I looked up to Sherlock, despite how far- fetched it seemed. I wasn't listening to his speech, but at one point he looked down at Janine, and then to me. I smiled at him for encouragement while he continued. I then turned my look to John at seemingly the right moment while tuning Sherlock back in.

  "I know I speak for Mary and Aspen as well when I say we will never let you down, and we have a lifetime ahead to prove that." Sherlock concluded. My uncle looked at Mary and then me. I exchanged a smile with the couple as the room erupted in applause. As my uncle hugged his best friend, I felt this pit in my stomach, which was strange. I'm happy for John, but at the same time I began to feel an increasing sense of loneliness. before it grew too big I pushed it down and stood with the rest of the crowd and clapped. Once It died down, and everyone dried their eyes, Sherlock was able to resume.

"Now onto some funny stories about John."