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“All I want is one normal date,” Molly said with a sigh. It was three days before Christmas and she, Sally and Joan were at an Indian restaurant not far away from St. Bart’s. The men were all busy with a case, and while Joan was interested she had decided she would much rather spend time with the two women who she had quickly become friends with. “We tried for another one two days ago and someone tried to mug us. It didn’t end well for the mugger, but it was another night spent talking to the police.”
Sally chuckled before taking a sip of her drink. “I’m quite happy for all the uneventful dates I’ve had with John. They’ve been an absolute pleasure.”
“What were your dates with your last boyfriend like?” Joan asked.
“He was never really my boyfriend,” Sally said thoughtfully. “We’d shag a lot of the time, but because he was married to someone else we never went out and acted like a couple, not even when they were separated. When he finally filed for divorce I thought we might have a chance, but…” Sally shrugged. “Maybe it’s for the best we didn’t work out. I’m quite happy right now.” Sally looked back at Joan. “What about you?”
“I think my last boyfriend spent more time on his cell phone than he did talking to me on our dates,” Joan said with a smile. “I think that’s why I like Greg so much. We spend more time talking than anything else. It’s kind of a nice change of pace.”
“I don’t even get to talk to Sherlock all that much,” Molly said glumly.
“You two aren’t having problems already, are you?” Sally asked.
“It’s not that. It’s just…he’s been so busy with cases since the arson one. And I know he thrives off of them, but I’m wondering if we should have just stayed friends. He hasn’t any clue how to actually be in a relationship.”
“You need to tell him,” Joan said, placing a hand on Molly’s arm. “Teach him what he needs to do.”
“Yeah, I know,” she said with another sigh. She picked up her drink. “I just…I wish the two of you weren’t so happy. Then I wouldn’t feel so bad.”
“Wishing us ill, are you?” Sally said with a raised eyebrow.
“Not really. I suppose I’m just having a pity party.” Molly shook her head. “Ignore me. I think things will work themselves out later.”
“Call him,” Sally said. “Call him right now and tell him you want to see him tonight.”
“But I’m here with the two of you,” Molly replied with a frown.
“I’m sure Joan and I can handle a night on our own, right?” Sally asked Joan.
“Of course. Call him and see if you can do something normal, like a movie or something.” Joan grinned at her. “You can’t have something go wrong every date.”
“I suppose.” Molly pulled out her cell phone and frowned. “I have a voicemail. I wonder why I didn’t get an alert.” She pushed her chair back. “Pardon me for a moment.”
“Take your time,” Sally said as Molly left their table. Then she looked at Joan. “Should we be worried about them?”
“I don’t know,” Joan replied. “I mean, he’s never dated anyone before, and I don’t know if Molly quite realized exactly what that meant.”
“I just don’t want their relationship to go up in flames and then have him focus on John all the time. I like what I have with him.” Sally looked at where Molly was outside. “Maybe I should talk to John, see what he can do.”
“That might not be a bad idea,” Joan said with a nod as Sally looked at her again. “I think Molly really wants things to work. So you might be worrying about nothing.”
“I hope.” Their food arrived then and they waited a few moments to eat until Molly rejoined them. She had a slight smile on her face when she came back. “Good news?” Sally asked.
“It was Sherlock,” she said. “He was wondering if I would like to join him tonight for a chat at his home, when the boys were done with the case. He said perhaps nothing bad would happen if we didn’t try to go anywhere.”
“Did you get a hold of him?” Joan asked.
Molly shook her head. “It went straight to voicemail. I assume he has his phone off. I left him a message and suggested he come by to my place and I could cook for him.”
“But what if he gets done at midnight?” Joan asked.
“I have the late shift tomorrow,” Molly said. “As long as it isn’t three in the morning or so I’ll be fine.”
“Did you get Christmas off?” Sally asked.
Molly nodded. “Christmas and New Year’s. You?”
“Me too. Greg has to work the graveyard shift Christmas Day but he spared me having to come in, which I’m thankful for. I’m sorry this puts a dash in your plans, Joan.”
“Oh, John invited me to have Christmas dinner with his family that evening. We’ll be out of London for the night.”
“I’m surprised John didn’t want to have a Christmas party,” Molly said as she dug into her food.
“Too short notice,” Joan said as she began to eat. “He’s planning something for Boxing Day, though.”
“I have to work that evening,” Sally said with a frown, pausing in getting her food to her mouth.
“Me too,” Molly said. “What about New Year’s? Could he do something by then?”
“Probably,” Joan said. “I mean, everyone has the night off, right?”
“Greg does, I know that much. That’s why he took the Christmas shift,” Sally said, smiling at Joan. “He wanted to spend that particular holiday with you.”
Joan blushed slightly. “That’s sweet.”
“A new year means a new start,” Molly said. “Or a celebration of what the new year can bring. It’s full of all sorts of possibilities.”
“You must really like this holiday,” Sally said with a grin.
“This will be my first time seeing someone during the holiday,” Molly said with a shrug. “Though I doubt we’ll do anything special. If John does throw a party I imagine that is where we will be.”
“I just want a kiss at midnight,” Sally said. “John is actually quite a good kisser, not that we’ve done too much of that. Just a bit.”
“Sherlock is actually a very good kisser, if the one kiss we’ve shared is anything to base it on,” Molly said.
“I’m surprised,” Sally said. Then she turned to Joan. “What about you and Greg?”
Joan looked down at her food. “I’ve kissed him on the cheek. That’s it.”
“Really?” Molly said, surprised. “Wow.”
“I just…I don’t like kissing this early in a relationship,” Joan said with a shrug. “It makes me weird, I know, but…that’s just the way I am. I don’t mind holding his hand or being close to him, but…”
“That’s fine,” Sally said. “He’s a patient man. I know he’ll wait until you’re ready.”
“Yeah, but what if I’m not ready until after I go back home?” Joan asked.
“He’ll wait,” Sally and Molly said at the same time.
“How do you know?” Joan asked, looking from one woman to the other.
“Has he told you about his divorce?” Sally asked.
“Some,” Joan said with a nod.
“It was only finalized six months ago. Most of us at the Yard thought he’d never date again, as sad and depressed as he was afterwards. Then you showed up and it was like this switch turned on and he was happy again,” Sally said. “If you say to wait, he’ll wait. And he won’t pressure you, either.”
“That’s good to know,” Joan said with a nod.
Molly was about to reply when he phone went off. She pulled it out and looked at it. “Have to take this, be right back,” she said, getting up from the table again.
“How much would you like to bet it’s Sherlock?” Sally said with a smirk.
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Joan said with a smile.
The two women ate in companionable silence for a bit until Molly returned, reaching for her coat on the back of her chair. “I have to go.”
“You haven’t even eaten,” Sally said.
“That was your boss. Apparently they found a dead body at their scene and my relief isn’t around to do the autopsy and they need the results immediately,” she said with a sigh. She signaled for a waiter. “I need a take-out box.” He nodded and left. “I swear, I’m tired of doing all the work. Don’t be surprised if you get called in, Sally.”
“He wouldn't—“ she began, and then her phone went off. She sighed as she pulled it out. “He would. Pardon me.” This time Sally left the table, and Molly motioned for the waiter to bring two take-out boxes.
“I’m sorry about this,” Molly said with a smile. “But Greg said John was headed back home, so you shouldn’t be alone.”
“Where is Sherlock going to be?”
“At the crime scene. John just felt bad that our plans got disrupted and he didn’t want you to be bored.” The waiter brought over two containers. “Hopefully this will keep for lunch tomorrow.”
“It should,” Joan said. Molly busied herself with putting her food away when Sally returned. “You too?”
Sally nodded. “He apologized, but it’s a fairly big scene. Everyone’s coming in for it.” She looked at the container next to her food. “Thanks, Molly.”
“No problem,” Molly said. She went to her purse and pulled out some money. “I’ll cover dinner tonight. We can try this again later in the week, right?”
“Of course,” Joan said, and Sally nodded as well. “See you guys later.”
“Bye,” Molly said, picking up her container and heading out the door. Sally finished quickly and then followed her, leaving Joan by herself. She thought for a moment, then dialed John’s number. After a few moments he picked up. “How do you feel about Indian?” she asked as soon as he answered.
“Why?”
“Because I’m at an Indian place near Molly’s hospital with a plate full of food and no company.”
“I can join you there. I’m about three blocks away.”
“That would be great,” Joan said with a smile.
“See you in a few minutes.”
“See you.” Joan hung up and looked at her food. At least the evening wouldn’t be a total waste…