Sian sat patiently on the Webster's beige sofa, her feet tucked up underneath her as she glanced distractedly at the television screen across the other side of the room. She flicked through the numerous different channels mindlessly with the remote control, searching for something worthwhile to watch whilst Sophie was upstairs checking on baby Jack, who'd awoken from his nap, both lungs blazing, screaming for attention about twenty minutes earlier. Sian played with a stray lock of blonde hair in the fingers of her free hand as she skipped over yet another channel airing ridiculously contrived reality programmes.
'Ugh,' she groaned frustrated as she finally accepted the distinct lack of decent entertainment material and switched the offending appliance off.
Sian sighed to herself in defeat and threw the remote control onto the cushion beside her, craning her neck in the direction of the stairs. Jack's high pitched bawling had subsided into blissful silence about ten minutes ago, yet, Sophie had not returned and Sian was curious as to what was keeping her girlfriend further occupied.
Since Kevin's accident at the garage and his subsequent stay in hospital with a fractured clavicle and concussion, Sally had begrudgingly accepted temporary responsibility for Sophie's half-brother. With both Bill and Pam away in Tenerife on vacation, Sally and the girls were the only other people who Kevin could depend on to look after his son. Naturally, Sophie had taken to the challenge like a duck to water, fussing over Jack incessantly, feeding him and caring for him whilst Sally had remained detached, struggling to force the memory of Kevin's betrayal and Jacks' parentage from her mind.
"Soph?" Sian called up the stairs from her position on the sofa. "Is everything alright?"
When Sophie didn't answer, Sian stood up and made her way over towards the stairs uncertain whether her girlfriend had heard her calling.
"Sophie?" She shouted again, her body leaning into the bannister as she glanced up in the direction of her girlfriends' bedroom. Sian frowned when once again, there was no response and slowly, she began to climb the stairs, one at a time until she came to the landing above.
Quietly, Sian made her way over towards Sophie's room, coming to a halt on the threshold as she caught sight of the brunette facing away from her, towards the window. Jacks' face peeped over Sophie's left shoulder and Sian watched as her girlfriend gently rocked and bounced the youngster in her arms, singing a gentle lullaby and evidently placating her younger brother.
Silently, Sian leant against the varnished door frame, her arms folding contentedly across her body, a warm smile spreading across her face as she waited and watched, reluctant to disturb the scene before her.
'Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are, up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky, twinkle twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are…' Sophie sang quietly to her brother, her voice soft and comforting.
Sophie bolstered Jack up onto her shoulder further, patting his back lightly as she soothed him. From her position by the door, Sian watched as Jack reached his left fist up to his mouth and began chewing on it mindlessly, his saliva running down onto the small towel which Sophie had draped over her shoulder. Jack wriggled slightly, shifting his position so that his face was turned in towards Sophie's neck.
"There," Sophie said to the small child, her voice airy, oblivious to Sian's presence in the room "that's better isn't it?"
Sophie picked Jack up with both hands and held him out in front of her momentarily before propping him on her right hip as she walked towards the bedroom window and looked out at the street below her.
Sian craned her neck, taking a step into the room slightly in an attempt to see what Sophie was looking at.
"I bet you miss your dad don't you?" Sophie asked the small boy, answering Sian's unvoiced question. "That's what all this fuss is about…" Sophie stroked the top of Jack's head with her free hand gently, bouncing him gently on her hip as she did so. "Are you missing your dad?"
Sophie glanced out of the window again in the direction of Kevin's garage and sighed to herself. "He'll hopefully be home soon though," the brunette said with conviction, but whether for Jack or herself Sian could not tell. "The doctors said that he can come home in a few days…that'll be good won't it?" She finished turning her attention back to her brother and kissing him gently on the forehead, pulling him in closer to her side.
"I'll miss you when you go back home," Sophie admitted to herself, realisation dawning, "I kind of like being a big sister….I didn't think I would but, it's nice."
She paused for a moment, laughing to herself at a sudden thought.
"I don't know why Rosie complained so much," she said glancing back out of the window. "It's not as bad as she made it out to be whilst we were growing up…"
Jack fussed slightly on Sophie's hip and she picked him up once more, resting him over her right shoulder and patting him gently on the back once more.
"I hope that when you do go home we can still spend some time together," Sophie confessed to the youngster, cooing him softly as he began to fuss once more. "Your dad and my mum are fighting at the moment so…things are kind of difficult."
Sophie carefully leant her head against the top of Jack's head in a gesture reminiscent of a hug and Sian smiled sadly to herself at the sight of it.
"I don't want you to think that I don't love you though," Sophie said honestly, "because I do…even if you are only my half-brother."
Sophie removed the hand which was resting across Jack's back to run it through her hair momentarily.
"Even if I can't visit….I'll always be here for you…you know that right kid?" Sophie asked and from where Sian was standing the blonde couldn't help but think that her girlfriend was almost expecting the youngster to answer her. "It doesn't matter what you need, I'll always be here to help…just like Rosie was there to help me…the dozy mare," Sophie added affectionately. "I won't promise we'll not argue sometimes," Sophie went on still bouncing Jack gently, "but even if we do, I'll still love you…and I'll be there for you anyway because that's what sisters do, they look out for you. Rosie will be too….only…she might be dressed like a hooker whilst she does it, that's all."
Sophie laughed to herself once again and turned around her face registering surprise as she noted Sian watching her quietly from the doorway.
"How long have you been standing there?" Sophie asked as Sian stepped into the room and towards her girlfriend.
"Long enough," Sian said pulling silly faces at the baby in Sophie's arms as he watched her before taking his small hand in her own and waving it playfully. "You look dead happy right now Soph," Sian noted glancing back at her girlfriend lovingly.
"Yeah well…I am I suppose," Sophie gushed proudly. "I never knew what it was like to be an older sister before….it's kind of cool. I just hope I'll be able to spend time with him…I know my mum finds it hard having him around…I don't want to upset her an' all."
"He's a baby Sophie," Sian said, pulling another silly face and making Jack giggle slightly. "You've got the rest of your life to get to know him…your mum will come around. She can't stop you from seeing your own brother. He's your family."
"I know," Sophie agreed. "I just feel bad for her, seeing him…it's just a reminder of how my dad betrayed her and although I'm related to Jack, she's not…it's harder for her to accept him."
"Yeah well she'll have to," Sian said stroking the top of Jack's head lightly, "because I have a feeling that Jack's going to love his older sister almost as much as I do," Sian winked playfully at her girlfriend as she continued. "He'll be hanging out with you all the time, you'll see."
"Yeah, " Sophie said wistfully, glancing at the bubbly blonde beside her and adding, "Who knows, we could even check out hot girls together when he's older," Sophie said mischievously, nudging Sian teasingly with her hip.
"Oh really?" Sian asked lightly hitting Sophie playfully on the arm.
"Yeah," Sophie replied jokingly. "It's important to see what else is out there, you know, keep my options open."
"I don't know how I feel about that," Sian responded laughing. "What if I have a problem with it?"
"Well you can come an' all." Sophie invited smiling broadly.
"Thanks," Sian replied sarcastically
"No problem," Sophie said winking at her girlfriend once again. "Do you want to hold him?"
Sian took Jack hesitantly from Sophie's arms, supporting his head whilst she bounced him up and down in her arms awkwardly.
"This is kind of weird," she admitted to the brunette as she met her gaze.
"You're a natural," Sophie reassured her girlfriend as Sian shifted Jack into a more comfortable position in her arms.
"You think so?" Sian asked unconvinced.
"Yeah babe," Sophie encouraged. "See," she continued as Jack giggled once again in Sian's arms. "He likes you."
"So, what do we do now he's awake?" Sian asked uncertainly, stepping towards the bed and perching herself on top of it. "I guess we should entertain him somehow, shouldn't we?"
"I guess so," Sophie agreed following Sian and sitting beside her.
"Well, what do babies like to do?" Sian asked looking to her girlfriend for suggestions.
"I don't know," Sophie hesitated, "we could read him a story?"
"Do you have any story books?" Sian asked hopefully.
"No," Sophie admitted glancing around the room in search of one.
"Well, can you remember any from the top of your head," Sian questioned.
"No…oh, wait….." Sophie began excitedly, a thoughtful look on her face before finally finishing, "no."
"Well then I guess story time is out…" Sian mused bouncing the youngster in her arms again.
Sophie tickled Jack's tummy playfully causing her brother to smile and kick his legs out as he squirmed.
"We could make one up," She offered looking up at Sian.
"You're going to make one up?" Sian asked laughing a little and adding. "I can't wait to hear this."
Jack reached out and grasped Sophie's index finger in his hand as she held it in front of him.
"Ok…so…there was this bird right…" Sophie began wiggling her finger playfully as Jack continued to grasp it.
"Bird as in….girl….or bird as in….you know, a bird….like… a flamingo?" Sian asked amused.
"A flamingo?" Sophie questioned thoughtfully.
"What? That's a bird…" Sian protested.
"Really?" Sophie asked unconvinced.
"Yeah…." Sian confirmed hesitantly, "At least… I think it is."
"Well whatever," Sophie went on regardless smiling, "I'm talking about a bird….like a girl." Sophie looked back down at her brother and continued, her voice taking on the tone most adults used with small babies. "This bird, she was living with her evil step-mother because her dad died…"
"Sophie," Sian interrupted laughing, "You've not made that up…that's Cinderella."
"Oh yeah," Sophie concurred, "Well, it doesn't matter; it's still a good story."
Sian sat Jack up in her arms a little more and Sophie leant her down close to him so that their eyes were level.
"Anyway, this bird, she lived with her evil step-mother and her two ugly step-sisters who we'll call…" Sophie paused, her mind searching for their two names.
"Rosie and Sophie," Sian offered light-heartedly.
"Sian," Sophie said in exaggerated shock.
"I'm only messing," Sian laughed and Sophie hit her gently on the arm.
"Are you going to be like this when we're trying to read our own kids stories?" Sophie questioned in feigned annoyance. "Always interrupting…"
"What?" Sian asked over Sophie, taken aback by Sophie's off-handed comment.
"Oh no," Sophie quickly tried to back track. "I don't mean, well…we're nowhere near ready for kids…I mean, well…one day maybe…but…not now…"
"You think about things like that?" Sian asked surprised.
"No," Sophie said quickly, laughing awkwardly. "Of course not…I mean, that'd be stupid, we're only sixteen…"
"Aww… Soph," Sian gushed as Sophie's cheeks became a deep shade of red. "That's so cute."
"No it's not," Sophie defended looking at Sian. "It's not cute because…I've not…"
Sian leant over and kissed Sophie on the lips cutting her uncomfortable mutterings off instantly. When she pulled back, Sophie had her eyebrows drawn together in a frown.
"Fine," Sophie protested turning to Sian. "So I think about things like that…"
"Your sister's such a romantic Jack," Sian said to the youngster before sitting him up on her knee to face Sophie. "She's dead sweet like that."
"Sian you don't need to mock me," Sophie complained. "I'm embarrassed enough as it is…"
"Aww…don't be embarrassed babe," Sian responded seriously. "I'm being dead serious…I think it's cute that you think about things like that."
"You do?" Sophie asked uncertainly. "You're not just saying that. I mean, it's not like freaked you out or anything has it."
"Of course not," Sian replied handing baby Jack over to Sophie who quickly settled him on her lap. "You'd be a great mum." Sian paused for a moment to smile at the brunette broadly. "I already told you Soph, I'm not going anywhere."
"Really?" Sophie questioned. "You think I'd be a good mum?"
"Yeah," Sian confirmed as Sophie glanced at the youngster now back in her arms. "You'd be a total MILF."
"Sian!" Sophie said, the red of her cheeks deepening further.
"Well you would," Sian said unapologetically.
"Do you ever think about us?" Sophie asked her girlfriend hesitantly. "You know, about the future? Or am I just weird?"
"You're not weird," Sian said pushing a stray lock of brunette hair out of Sophie's eyes and tucking it behind her ear, "of course I think about it too."
"Really?" Sophie asked happily.
"Yeah," Sian said stroking the side of Sophie's face gently. "I want to be with you forever Soph and I think about us having a family one day…"
"You do?" Sophie questioned a smile on her face.
Sian turned her own mouth up into a smile as well, leaning over to Sophie once more and kissing her again. After a moment Sian pulled away, keeping her face close to Sophie's so that the brunette had to drop her eyes slightly to meet the deep blue of her girlfriends. "Of course I do you…nutter," Sian said laughing to herself. "I love you. Our future is all I think about."