Chapter 2

A/N: Hi! So, I know I have my other two stories, which are in desperate need of an update...said update will be taking place in about a weeks time, promise! anywya, I noticed that in no shadows, the teenage years of sara's life got quite a lot of interest, so I wanted to explore them a little more fully...see what i could make of it...idk, it'll be interesting...so anyways...yeah...i guess thats it...uh, the story gets more interesting in chappies three and four. Swear on my life! hugs, sugar couture

The playroom was pink. Sara hated that. Just because she was a girl, a 'lovely little girl' as her au pair constantly reminded her, it didn't mean that she had to be a 'girly-girl'

Even at five, Sara was somewhat of a mini-feminist.

She finished colouring in her whale, and held it up in the light to inspect it. Oh no. No no. she had gone over the line several times. That wouldn't do. No way, too messy.

She scrumpled it up, and threw it into the waste-paper basket in the corner.

A scent of perfume wafted through the air. Her mother's arrival was always announced by the scent of Chanel, arriving seconds before she did.

"Sara? Twenty minutes 'till dinner, darling."

"Okay mommy."

"Go change, and wash your hands. Nanny and Grandpa are going to be arriving soon."

Sara stood up, and stumbling slightly over her gangly legs, followed out after her mother.

"Erica has ironed out your blue dress. Go and tell her that's what you shall be wearing this evening."

"But I don-"

"Sara. Thats what you shall be wearing. I don't want any arguments."

Sara stomped off to the laundry room, to tell her au pair of her mothers decision.

XXXXXXXXXX

"...and I knew that we would have to boost the Fiinder account, so Geoffrey asked me..."

Sara had stopped listening when her father started talking about work. She hadn't really been listening before either.

Her grandparents laughed, as her father finished telling his story about some boring thing that happened at his company.

"So Laura, how are things going with Sara's schooling?" Her Grandpa Stuart gestured at Sara. "Any word about being moved up?"

Laura set down her wine glass, and smiled at her father-in-law. "We had a letter last week about her being moved up a grade, but we're not to sure..."

"Pah!" His red face turned even redder at this. "If the girl's bright enough to be moved up, then move her up! We'll have another lawyer in the family yet!" turning to Sara, he asked "Do you want to be a lawyer? Like Uncle Terry?"

She hated being asked questions directly by her Grandfather, his loud voice scared her. But still, she answered him honestly.

"I want to be a police lady! And I'll arrest all the baddies!"

"A police woman? You don't get sent to public school to become a police woman, young lady!"

Seeing her father-in-law about to launch into a lecture, Laura smoothly cut in:

"Oh, no, Sara doesn't really want to be a police woman. Her class had a talk in school the other week about it. She's just been fixated ever since! Just a phase..."

Her grandfather focused his attention back on her ten year old brother, while her grandmother gulped the rest of her wine, and reached for the bottle yet again.

Sara stared at her mom with wide eyes. She did want to be a police woman! She'd much rather catch the baddies, that defend them, like her Uncle Terry used to. Why did her mom say that?

Her brother was now jabbering excitedly to her grandma about the trip his class were taking to a museum in a weeks time. Her grandma had a glazed look, and was absentmindedly stroking the rim of her wine glass with her finger. Her father and grandfather were engaged in a deep discussion about owning your own company, and the value of shares, all the while her mother was gazing off into the distance, a look of detachment on her face.

"Please may I leave the table?" She pulled on her mothers sleeve. Laura glanced surprised at her daughter, almost as if she'd forgotten Sara was still there.

"What? Yes, yes, go. Tell Erica it's time for your bath."

"Yes mommy."

"She's in the kitchen."

"Yes mommy."

XXXXXXXXX

Sara had had her bath, and slipped into her pyjamas, when her mother told her to come and say goodbye to her grandparents. Hopping out of bed and shoving on her dressing gown and slippers hurriedly, she ran down the back stairway, and through the kitchen.

Her grandparents were bidding goodbye to her brother as she arrived at the front door, more than slightly out of breath.

"Nanny! Grandpa!" She skidded to a stop in front of them, her grandmother looking on disapprovingly.

"Sara! Really..."

However, regardless of her scolding tone, she bent down and hugged her little granddaughter fiercely. Harriet Sidle was a tall, striking woman, and though Sara was said to have inherited these qualities from her, Harriet was still a great deal taller.

But she did have sixty or so years on her granddaughter...Maybe Sara would be even taller than her when she grew up...

"Hetty, hurry up!" her grandfather chivvied his wife. "Jim's bringing the car round."

Bidding goodbye to her family, Harriet followed her husband over to their chauffeur driven car, and somehow managed to elegantly slide into the seat next to him.

XXXXXXXXXX

"That was...enjoyable..." Laura tailed off, unsure of how to proceed. "and I think off to bed, for you two." she gently steered her two children back into the house. "Tim?"

Her husband had also headed back into the house, but he was lifting his jacket off the coat stand, and picking up his briefcase. "I have to go back to the office for a few hours. I'll be back later."

"But Tim, I thought-"

"Don't start. I've had a stressful evening. And I need to finish working on this account."

"Spending time with your family is 'stressful?' My god, you make it sound as if it were a chore! Sometimes I think you'd rather work than be here!"

"Well, how the hell else do you think I'd be able to pay for your fucking designer clothes? Perfume? Sara's horse-riding lessons, her ballet lessons? Alexsander's private schooling, all those fucking tutors? A maid, a bloody au pair? Christ Laura, you don't even work, yet you need someone to everything for you!"

Hearing their mothers angry retort, Alex took Sara's hand, and started to quietly lead her away from their parents.

"Get back here!" Tim shouted after his son. "call fucking Erica if you want someone to look after that brat."

Sara zoned out a while ago. Growing up in such a volatile family had gifted her with the ability to zone out, imagine things in her head, transport herself to another world..

"ERICA! ERICA!" her mothers calls for the au pair snapped her out of her dreamland, and she saw the attractive redheaded woman come running.

"Yes'm?" Erica could sense the tension the second she had heard her name being screeched.

"It's Sara's bedtime. And help Alex finish his homework if it's not already completed." Laura turned back to her husband, who was now halfway out the door. "Tim, please..."

"This discussion is over Laura." He strode out the door, not bothering to say goodbye to either of his younger children.

Erica led Sara off, with Alex lagging behind. Laura gazed after her husband's departing back, then slid down to sit on the floor.

Just another day in the Sidle household...