To Holmes, she was always the woman. But everyone else made him call her Mum. Hamlet Holmes lay in his bed like he usually did. His long hair covered his face as he awoke to the sound of his mother screaming at the top of her voice. It was 8 and he had an exam at 9. Oh and a 55 minute journey to the venue. He really didn't want to go. What was the point? He had dreams. He had visions. He was going to change the world. Slowly, admittedly, but he was going to change the world. Taking a Media Studies exam really wasn't necessary. But his mother seemed to think so. The screaming only got louder. The door had opened. Mother was here.

'And why are we still in bed, Ham?'

'Because there's no reason for me to get up this early.'

'You have an exam?'

'Unnecessary.' Totally unnecessary. It's Media, for crying out loud. It's not like it's helping anything.'

'You're going'

'I'm really not. I know you really just want me out of the house so that you can do...things to your precious Claudius. I'm not naive, you know. After all, I am forty three.'

'Oh I know exactly how old you are, sonny boy. And I don't know why you insist on calling him Claudius. His name's Dave.'

'You know exactly why. There's a reason you called me Hamlet, isn't there?'

Her eyes suddenly became slightly damp. 'I don't know what you're talking about...'

'Well, why didn't you name me Sherlock? It's not like you're not up to it. Mycroft? Ring a bell? Yeah, your younger son. That's right. I get Hamlet, the doomed Danish prince, then you decide to go with the obvious theme brought about by our surname. It makes no logical sense whatsoever. You know what? You have that Una Stubbs thing going on. I might just start calling you Mrs Hudson just to rub it in...'

'How...how dare you! Look, you're gonna be late for your exam if you don't get a move on.'

'Fine, just give me a few moments to change. Now if you wouldn't mind Hudders, get out.'

'I'm your mother, dear, not your housekeeper!' was the retort as she left.

As soon as she had stepped off the threshold, Hamlet shut the door behind her and turned the lock.

'Ha! What you gonna do now?'

'You know what, Ham? To go or not to go, that's your question. Me, I'm not gonna try convince you any more,' she replied as she packed his bag for lunch and got his coat of the hook. After five minutes, Hamlet came out of his room, walked straight into the kitchen, picked up his lunch and got handed his coat. Then he turned and went to leave the house.

'Wait a sec, Ham. Aren't you forgetting something? Come here.'

He turned and dragged himself to her. She ruffled his hair, gave him a peck on the cheek and told him to break a leg. Hamlet immediately wiped his cheek. 'Really? You had to go for the kissing, didn't you?'

'Of course.'

'Listen. When I get back, if Roy or Bob or whatever-his-name-is is here, I will not be happy. I might even tell him what you did.

'You wouldn't dare.'

'Try me.' 

And with that, he walked out of the house. As he turned out of his road, he noticed the temperature dropping.

'What are you doing here? You know Mum'll kill you if she knows you're with me.'

'Yeah, but it's not like she can pour poison down my ear twice, can she?' retorted the ghost of his father, with a wink.