* * *
“Well, I’d say he’s cat-trained,” Skye remarked dryly. “That’s the best cat-puppy introduction I’ve ever seen.”
“Excellent,” her husband exclaimed, delighted. “Brendan, my lad, you are indeed a bright youngster!” He crouched and scruffed the spaniel’s head.
“I hope you two have a big bed,” Tina murmured to Skye. “Two humans, a cat, and a dog gonna get crowded at night otherwise, luv.”
“It’s a California king,” Skye grinned. “No problems there.”
“They’re good,” Billy grinned back.
“Would the two of you care to stay for tea?” Holmes wondered. “We were about to put the kettle on.”
“He’s right,” Skye agreed, “and we’d love to have you. Thanks for handling the import and quarantine for me.”
“We’d love to, and no problem,” Billy agreed, as Tina nodded.
* * *
One evening in very early May, the Holmeses were comfortably resting on the sofa in their den in Florissant, having finished a little problem for Colonel Jones that same afternoon. Sherlock smoked his pipe and channel surfed more in reverie than in interest, young Brendan lying contentedly on his beslippered feet; Skye leaned against her husband’s side and absently petted a lap full of Anna while flipping through a scientific journal. It was altogether a peaceful, quiet tableau.
“That looks so nice, I hate to interrupt them,” Skye’s voice noted softly, a smile audible in it.
“Mm?” Sherlock removed the pipe from his mouth and roused himself from his reverie. “Did you say something, Wife?”
* * *
Skye looked up and focused her eyes on his face; she had been lost in an article.
“No,” she said, bemused. “Did you hear something?”
“Indeed,” Holmes’ voice noted in response, distinctly amused. “And it is proving difficult to do so.”
“Interrupt them, you mean?” Chadwick’s voice grinned.
“Precisely.”
The couple on the couch instantly sat upright, discarding all else.
“Is everything okay?” Skye queried anxiously, dumping Anna unceremoniously from her lap. The insulted cat moved to Brendan and curled up beside the pup. Brendan whined happily, and Anna settled down, purring.
“Calm yourself, my dear Mrs. Holmes,” Holmes’ voice replied. “All is well; we simply thought to pop by for a visit.”
“Yeah,” Chadwick added. “We wanted to fill y’all in on what’s been happening here.”
“Indeed?” Sherlock wondered. “So how are matters progressing over there?”
“Quite nicely, actually,” Holmes responded. “The brane is rock solid; consequently, so is the continuum. The ranch, too, is well. Our ranch hands are now used to seeing us much more often, and little Martha Williams is delighted over that fact.”
“Martha Williams?” Skye queried.
“Oh, that’s right,” Chadwick commented. “You don’t know, ‘cause it hasn’t happened there yet. Er. Hm. Well, let’s just say your Billy and Tina will likely only get closer as time goes by…”
“Ah,” Sherlock and Skye both grinned in understanding.
“Therefore I may assume their offspring is quite taken with the two of you?” Sherlock added.
“Oh, yeah,” Chadwick agreed. “‘Unca Sherwock an’ Auntie Skye’ are two of her favorite people on the planet, I think. Especially Uncle Sherlock.”
“Now, now, my dear, no more so than you,” Holmes demurred. Skye and Sherlock grinned again.
“So have you returned to sleuthing?” Skye asked Holmes.
“Only armchair detecting,” Holmes noted. “And some beekeeping at the ranch. My Skye and I decided that the investigations performed upon a properly functioning tesseract are highly enlightening, and absorb and stimulate the intellect without need for more dangerous investigations. Besides, it would be irresponsible of me, given our…other news.”
“And what would that be?” Sherlock wondered.
“My dear, would you invert?” Holmes requested of Chadwick.
“Just waiting for you to ask, Hon,” Chadwick answered eagerly.
* * *
The periphery of the cabin den faded away, revealing the pink granite of the Chamber. As it did so, both Anna and Brendan scooted under the sofa in fear and remained there.
Holmes stood in front of the seated couple, almost between two of the monoliths, only a couple of feet away; Chadwick still sat at the director’s console several yards beyond, operating the controls.
“There,” she noted in satisfaction.
“Good,” Holmes said, turning and holding out his hand to his spouse. “Then would you please join me, so we may properly share our news?”
As Chadwick stood, Holmes returned his attention to the couple on the couch. “After stabilising the brane and ensuring all was well, Chadwick and I duly filed our spousal paperwork with the state of Colorado, then decided to go upon a well earned holiday. We took a leaf from your book, and went to London for a fortnight. And yes, Dr. Chadwick-Holmes, we did find our universe’s Watson. It was altogether a delightful visit, and while we were there…” Suddenly Holmes stopped, flushing slightly.
For Chadwick was emerging from behind the console—with a decidedly swollen belly. She moved to Holmes’ side and took his hand, smiling joyfully.
“I got pregnant,” she finished for her spouse.
“That’s wonderful!” Skye exclaimed happily.
“Capital, old man!” Sherlock averred. “So the two of you not only settled the continuum, but settled down together.”
“We have,” Holmes agreed, slipping a possessive arm around Chadwick. “She is due in about two months, Watson estimates.”
“Ooo,” Chadwick grunted, putting her hands to her belly. “And he’s a lively one.” Holmes placed his hand on his mate’s belly to feel the baby kick.
“He is, indeed.” The aquiline face glowed with pride. He reached for a nearby chair and pulled it over. “Here, my dear, sit down. You are carrying a goodly weight, and you know how your feet have been swelling.”
“I was about to ask, boy or girl,” Skye grinned, watching. “Boy, then?”
“Indeed,” Holmes beamed before Chadwick could answer. “The sonogram was definitive on the matter.” Chadwick met Skye’s eyes, and the two women shared a private smile.
“WATSON estimates, eh?” Sherlock noted.
“Indeed. For he has come to America to live with us,” Holmes explained.
“Excellent! And have you determined a name?” Sherlock wondered.
“Yup,” Chadwick allowed. “John David Holmes. Named for Watson—both of them—and my dad.”
“Perfect,” Skye purred.
“We thought so,” Holmes agreed unassumingly.
* * *
“Quite so,” Sherlock noted with a smile. “And now I see why you choose beekeeping, armchair detection, and working with the tesseract to the more active—and dangerous—detecting field work.”
“Exactly,” Holmes nodded. “Skye flatly refused to let me go out without her, and in any case, I should not like to put her in a situation where we might risk the baby having…no father to assist in child rearing.”
“Very wise,” Sherlock agreed. “I should make the same decision, were I in your situation. And someday…” he glanced aside at his wife, feeling heat flush his face, “will likely do so, myself.”
Both Chadwick’s and Skye’s eyes sparkled with unshed tears; feminine lips produced twin wobbly smiles.
“I hope we can pop by to see that day,” Chadwick said softly.
“I hope so, too, Sis,” Skye smiled, as Sherlock hesitantly nodded, his innate reticence showing.
“Anyway, we wanted to tell you, everything’s going great, and thank you for…” Chadwick began, then her voice shook.
“For everything,” Holmes said in a rough tone. “Both scientific and…otherwise.” Grey eyes met identical ones. “You were completely righ
t.”
Sherlock nodded.
“Now we should go,” Holmes noted, regaining control of his voice. “It has been a long day of research, and it is more than time to get my spouse up the mountain and fed. She eats like Silver Blaze these days,” he declared, eyes twinkling with mischief.
Chadwick smacked him on the shoulder. Hard.
“Ow,” Holmes exclaimed, devilment still lurking in his eyes. Sherlock stifled a snort.
“Well, she’s eating for two, as the saying goes,” Skye defended her other self, “and if the little one’s as active as the two of YOU…” she indicated the Holmes men.
“She has a point, Brother Me,” Sherlock grinned.
“She does, and he is,” Holmes grinned back. “Well, Brother Other Me, we shall depart now, and let the two of you return to your quiet evening together.”
“Okay,” Skye said, still smiling. “Good to see you, and good to know that everything is going wonderfully over there.”
“It sure is,” Chadwick glowed from within. “‘Til next time. ‘Bye!”
“Goodbye!”
“‘Bye!”
“Good evening!”
And with the faintest of hisses, they were gone.
* * *
Skye turned to Sherlock, gazing pensively at him. But he could see the happy glow in her eyes.
“They looked great.”
“They did,” he observed. “They smiled more in that single conversation than in the whole time you worked on the tesseract with them.”
“I’m glad things turned out happily for them, too,”
“As am I.”
Skye glanced at the clock. “It’ll be bedtime soon.”
“So it will.”
“Any color preference?”
“Tonight? Pink. Satin.”
“Okay.”
* * *
May 3
11:23 PM
In all likelihood, this will be the last journal entry I shall make in this lovely little tome my wife gifted me last year. I have had no recurring “Watson” dreams since the resolution of the cross-continuum crisis weeks—nay, months ago now, and do not anticipate any in future. Perhaps my dreams lend data regarding how Conan Doyle obtained Watson’s stories of our adventures, nearly verbatim, as they seemed to so eerily predict Skye’s danger. But that is Skye’s bailiwick to ascertain, not mine. At least not until I have an understanding of the science more like that of my counterpart in the other continuum we assisted. I am very glad, however, for their sakes as well as ours, that the continuum crisis—and other matters—ended so well.
Their visit this evening was thoroughly delightful. The time is not yet right to admit to it openly, but I found Skye positively adorable when she is with child. And my alter-ego was as proud and as protective as ever I should be, in similar circumstances. It is obvious they are happy together at long last. I am glad for them, in many, many ways.
“John David Holmes.” It is an excellent name, that. Duly and properly honouring both friend and family.
I shall have to remember it. It may be…useful…one day.
About the Author
Few can claim the varied background of Stephanie Osborn, the Interstellar Woman of Mystery.
Veteran of more than 20 years in the civilian space program, as well as various military space defense programs, she worked on numerous space shuttle flights and the International Space Station, and counts the training of astronauts on her resumé. Her space experience also includes Spacelab and ISS operations, variable star astrophysics, Martian aeolian geophysics, radiation physics, and nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons effects.
Stephanie holds graduate and undergraduate degrees in four sciences: astronomy, physics, chemistry and mathematics, and she is “fluent” in several more, including geology and anatomy.
In addition she possesses a license of ministry, has been a duly sworn, certified police officer, and is a National Weather Service certified storm spotter.
Her travels have taken her to the top of Pikes Peak, across the world’s highest suspension bridge, down gold mines, in the footsteps of dinosaurs, through groves of giant Sequoias, and even to the volcanoes of the Cascade Range in the Pacific Northwest, where she was present for several phreatic eruptions of Mount St. Helens.
Now retired from space work, Stephanie has trained her sights on writing. She has authored, co-authored, or contributed to more than 20 books, including the celebrated science-fiction mystery, Burnout: The mystery of Space Shuttle STS-281. She is the co-author of the “Cresperian Saga,” book series, and currently writes the critically acclaimed “Displaced Detective” series, described as “Sherlock Holmes meets The X-Files.” She recently released the paranormal/horror novella El Vengador, based on a true story, as an ebook.
In addition to her writing work, the Interstellar Woman of Mystery now happily “pays it forward,” teaching math and science through numerous media including radio, podcasting and public speaking, as well as working with SIGMA, the science-fiction think tank.
The Mystery continues.
http://www.stephanie-osborn.com
Don’t miss any of these highly
entertaining SF/F books
Burnout: the mystery of
Space Shuttle STS-281
Stephanie Osborn
Extraction Point!
Travis S. Taylor & Stephanie Osborn
The Focus Factor
Darrell Bain & Gerald Mills
The Melanin Apocalypse
Darrell Bain
Warp Point
Darrell Bain
Cresperian series
Human by Choice ~ Book 1
Travis S. Taylor & Darrell Bain
The Y Factor ~ Book 2
Darrell Bain & Stephanie Osborn
The Cresperian Alliance ~ Book 3
Stephanie Osborn & Darrell Bain
Twilight Times Books
Kingsport, Tennessee
The Case of the Displaced Detective Page 127
