Sophie felt soft lips against her cheek. Although she hated the idea of having to open her eyes she couldn't help the grin that popped onto her face. She slowly eased her heavy eyelids.
"Hey there" the girl hovering above her whispered.
"Hey gorgeous" Sophie smirked. "Why don't you join me?" the brunette giggled.
Sitting up she reached out lazily grasping for her girlfriend's body. The blonde scoffed and beat back the pawing hands.
"As if lazybones!" Maddie playfully backed up a step.
Sophie smirked. All she wanted right now was her girlfriend's lips and she was going to get them. She dropped her hands to the hem of her shirt and started to lift it. Maddie's eyes got wide.
"Don't you dare!" she protested as the shirt hit her square in the face.
While she was distracted, Sophie pounced. Her lips quickly covered the younger blonde's as she slammed her against the wall. They forgot everything as Maddie allowed Sophie to dominate her. It was how they tended to be. Maddie always acted as if she was reluctant, but Sophie knew that she'd always give in.
And Sophie had woken up wanting it.
Moving her lips to Maddie's neck, she reached for Maddie's pants button.
"Sophie" Maddie whimpered as she latched onto her pulse point. Nipping softly, then soothing the spot with her tongue, she unbuttoned her pants.
Then Sophie heard the one sound that could stop her at that moment-her father.
"Sophie! Maddie! I'm leaving for the wedding!" he bellowed from downstairs.
Sophie stopped dead cold. Catching her breath she leaned her head against Maddie shoulder. Sighing shakily Maddie tilted hers back against the door.
"We'll be down in a minute Kevin!" Maddie yelled.
"You better!" he grunted in obvious frustration that the girls could feel rattling the bedroom door.
"Best get down there" Maddie breathed out. "I'll watch Jack if you'd like a cold shower" she smirked.
"Hush you" Sophie weakly replied still pulling herself together. She had really worked herself into a state as her whole body ached for release. Sophie stepped back allowing Maddie to open the door and go into the hallway. She shrugged halfheartedly as she buttoned back up her pants before going downstairs.
"Goddamn you Tracy Barlow" Sophie cursed under her breath.
Sophie bounded down the stairs. She felt fresh from her shower and cooled off. The sight before her gave her a moment's pause.
Her girlfriend was at the kitchen table cradling a cup of tea, as her half-brother rolled his toy car everywhere. As he honked, vroomed, and beeped around the kitchen, Maddie just smiled. Occasionally she joined in on the antics. It made Sophie's chest warm up, as she reveled in the soppiness of it all.
She had always wanted a home and a big family. After her parent's divorce she had feared never feeling that domesticity again. It was one of those unexpected things that her and Maddie shared. Eventually anyway.
"Look who's finally here Jack! Your sister has graced us with her presence" Maddie smirked.
Sophie leaned down and kissed her head loudly. She reached for the kettle.
"It's still warm" Maddie said over her shoulder. "Would have made you a brew but I wasn't sure when you'd be out of the shower" the blonde explained as Sophie made her own.
"Don't worry. So you off all day then?" Sophie asked leaning against the counter.
"Yeah most of the factory's at the wedding. I think we're the only one's who didn't get an invite" Maddie explained.
"That's fine by me. I don't know why my dad's gone and all-other than to take care of my mum" Sophie sipped her tea.
"Why would he need to do that?" Maddie asked.
"Well her and Tim were a mess at the last one. Made a right fool of herself she did-I was so mad at the daft cow" Sophie sighed. She still got steamed even thinking back on it. Sophie had still been a stroppy mess in those days and her mum didn't mind adding onto it.
"Sally a mess? I'd like to see that eh?" Maddie smirked.
She turned to watch Jack play with his cars wistfully.
A quiet silence passed between the two of them. As much as she liked the banter and the back and forth they shared sometimes, it was these silences that Sophie loved to lose herself in. It reminded her that love was often found in small silences. The love that she felt at these moments had to be real. Impulsively she reached her hand across the table grabbing her girlfriend's. She squeezed lightly as Maddie turned back toward her.
The grin that spread across her girlfriend's face could light up Trafford Center.
Sophie and Maddie slouched lazily on the couch. They were knackered having spent all day chasing Jack around the park. It wasn't like the ladies were out of shape but they definitely couldn't be classified as "sporty."
They'd managed to get Jack to settle down for a nap. X-Factor played on the telly in front of them, but they weren't really watching it. Maddie rested her head on Sophie's shoulder.
"Sophie can I ask you something?" Maddie asked quietly. Sophie nodded.
"Weddings are a big deal around here, aren't they?" Maddie said shifting so that she faced Sophie on the couch. Sophie sat up and muted the telly.
"Yeah, I guess so. Although some people make a bigger deal than others" Sophie said.
"Like Tracy Barlow" Maddie said mockingly. Sophie nodded. Maddie looked down and audibly gulped. After a moment she looked up into Sophie's eyes.
"Was yours a big deal?" Maddie asked softly. Sophie shrugged and looked down at her hands.
"Dunno" she said shaking her head. "Maybe. It's not everyday that there's a lesbian wedding here on the street" Sophie said hoping that put an end to it.
"That's not what I mean" Maddie said chuckling. "It's just that you had nice invitations printed and I bet it was in a church and all. Just seems like it was mega" Maddie sputtered out quickly.
"Well you know my mum...It didn't start out that way" Sophie explained shaking her head. "And Sian arranged for the church and pastor. She did it for me because she knew that I cared about that" Sophie looked back toward the telly.
"Sounds like she really cared about you" Maddie said after a moment.
"Yeah well, like I said it was a crazy thing" Sophie said hoping that Maddie would drop it.
"Love makes you do crazy things sometimes I guess" Maddie leaned over and kissed Sophie on the side of the head.
They fell silent for a moment as Sophie turned the volume back up on the telly. Simon Cowell said something harsh to a young boy who shuddered nearly in tears. A commercial came on as the boys torture came to an end. Maddie stood up and headed into the kitchen to grab a soda.
"She's not me yano?" Maddie said sitting down.
"What do you mean?" Sophie said turning toward her confused.
"Well I don't know if I ever want to get married. At least not yet" Maddie said matter-of-factly. She sipped her soda as Sophie processed what she'd just heard.
"I'm not that girl either. Not anymore" Sophie replied.
Maddie looked her straight in the eyes. "How so?" Maddie asked genuinely.
"Now I know" Sophie explained "Marriage is a commitment before god. You shouldn't do it just because you've made a mistake." She cuddled up to Maddie on the couch as they both turned back to X Factor where Cheryl was on.
"Must've been some mistake" Maddie said after a few minutes.
Sophie took in a deep breath. It surprised how much it still hurt after all this time. She had certainly learned the hard way. And Sian had never deserved such treatment.
"Smooth seas never made a skillful sailor" Maddie replied. Sophie couldn't tell whether she was saying it to herself or to Sophie. "It's a thing they say, what is the word…" the blonde struggled for a moment.
"A motto?" Sophie smiled.
"Yes! It just means that mistakes are how we learn. Sometimes bad things have to happen to us so that we can learn whether we can overcome them" Maddie finished quickly nearly tripping over her words.
"Listen to you babe. All profound" she scoffed gently. Cuddling into her girlfriend's arms she wondered briefly if Sian had found the same peace. She sincerely hoped so.
The door opened as Kevin Webster piled in. He couldn't help his lopsided grin as he saw his daughter loved up on the couch. Although he wasn't sure Maddie Heath was worthy of his little girl, she sure knew how to make her happy. And that was all that mattered to him.
"Oi girls" he greeted them as he loosened and removed his tie and jacket.
"Dad" Sophie greeted him. She looked up at him with the same lopsided grin.
"Jack's upstairs taking a nap Mr. Webster" Maddie explained turning right back to the telly. He walked into the kitchen.
"So dad" Sophie sat up with a look of mischief in her eyes "Maddie and I were talking and what do you say to another wedding this year? It's even legal now."
"Next thing you'll want a horse-drawn carriage and a damn harpist" he said cheekily.
"What do you think mum will say if I get married in a suit aye?" she said sarkily.
"You best be kidding. She'd have kittens yano" he replied cheekily.
"Well maybe we'll just runaway. Gretna Green here we come" Maddie added in playing along.
"Don't even start!" he warned them as he plopped down on the chair opposite them.
As they settled down to watch the final performances of the night she felt hot breath on her ear.
"I bet you were so beautiful" the blonde whispered so softly that only Sophie could hear it.
The tenderness in her girlfriend's voice made her ache. This was the girl that only Sophie got to see and she loved it. She knew that they still had far to go together. But this sweetness made her remember that every thing that she had done since that one day had led her to this place.
And she wouldn't have it any other way.