"Sian, are you ready? We're already late." Sophie shouted from the front door. They were supposed to have been at the Webster twenty minutes ago but Sian had been running late after her dentist's appointment ran over and now Sophie was trying, and failing, to hurry her up.
"If we're already late, there's no need to rush." Sian retorted as she stepped out of the bedroom, holding the birthday present for Sally. Sophie raised her eyebrow at her wife. "I'm just telling the truth. If we're late now, rushing isn't going to suddenly make us be on time."
"Just hurry up." Sophie said as she stood with the door opened.
"I'm ready." Sian said as she walked towards her wife, bringing their lips together quickly. "You look really pretty today."
Sophie ducked her head slightly before looking back at Sian and smiling. She may not be able to remember seven months before the accident but what she does remember is how she and Sian seemed to be arguing a lot. That had disappeared now and Sian had become the model wife. She was caring and sweet, always putting Sophie's needs before her own. Sophie wondered when that change had come about, at the start of their relationship, Sian was the Sian she knew and loved but that version of her had disappeared when the arguments started. Sophie guessed that the change had occurred sometime in the months she couldn't remember but she didn't mind when it happened. But she was grateful for it. The old Sian was back and she loved it. It had been a month since the accident and Sophie had never felt as connected to Sian as she had done recently.
"You don't look too shabby yourself." Sophie replied as she raked her eyes over her wife's attire. Sian was wearing jeans and a dressy top but Sian had always had the ability to make something so casual look so sexy. Sophie envied her for that.
"I give you pretty and I get not too shabby." Sian playfully replied. "Maybe I should go back and change."
Sophie grabbed her wife's hand and pulled her through the doorway before she could even move a step. "You look beautiful." Sophie said sincerely. "But we really need to go."
The car journey had been filled with idle conversation whilst the pair listened to the radio. Occasionally they would each steal glances at each other before looking away. Each of them felt as though they hadn't been together for ten years, instead they felt as though they had only just started dating. They felt that rush of excitement and happiness you get when you first start seeing somebody.
Once they had arrived at the Webster's, they were immediately greeted by Rosie.
"Hiya babes, mum and dad have been waiting for you two." Rosie said as she hugged both of them. Rosie had been exceptionally happy the last few days because Jason had finally asked her to marry him. She had gushed about how romantic it was and how he had showed up wearing the white navy uniform from an officer and a gentleman before carrying her out of the room when she had accepted.
Sian inhaled sharply as she sat at the table in the restaurant. Sophie was supposed to have been here ten minutes ago but had rung to say she was running late. The delay had only made Sian more nervous. She was positive that if Sophie didn't come soon, she would lose the nerve to propose. She had been thinking about it for the past few months but had only just built up the confidence to do it.
She and Sophie had been dating for three years and she couldn't wait to take the next step in their relationship. She could imagine being married to Sophie although she knew that it would be a while away because she knew that Sophie would want to wait until after university and Sian was fine with that. As long as she knew that she would be married to Sophie someday, she didn't really mind when that was. She just wanted the ring on Sophie's finger.
Sian stole a glance at her watch, desperately hoping that Sophie would make an appearance soon. Sian looked out of the window which overlooked the car park and felt an overwhelming feeling of delight as she saw Sophie walking towards the restaurant. A smile filled her face but it soon dropped as she saw Rosie walking behind her. She couldn't propose in front of Rosie, it was nerve-wracking enough doing it in a restaurant but at least the spectators were strangers; she couldn't do it in front of Sophie's sister.
"Hey babe," Sophie pecked Sian's lips. "Sorry, the traffic was dreadful."
Sian smiled as Sophie took a seat opposite her. "It's okay, you're here now." Sian turned around in search of Rosie but couldn't spot her.
"What are you looking for?"
Sian turned around, a slight smile on her face. Rosie must have just been walking in the same direction. She could propose after all. "Nothing. Nothing at all." Sophie smiled before rubbing her right leg against Sian's left. "Playing footsie with me are you?"
Sophie smirked. "Got a problem with that?" Sian laughed before shaking her head. Sian was about to speak again when she heard Rosie's voice and her smile dropped from her face.
"Sorry, there was a queue in the ladies."
Sophie smiled apologetically at Sian before watching as Rosie sat down. "Don't mind me gate crashing your little date."
"You don't mind do you?" Sophie asked, her foot still stroking Sian's leg.
Sian smiled politely and shook her head, trying to hide the disappointment which surged through her body. Sophie stared at Sian, conveying with her expression that she didn't believe her. Sian simply smiled wider and ducked her head to look at the menu.
"Champagne, very nice." Rosie said as she grabbed the bottle from the ice bucket in the centre of the table. "Splashing out for any particular reason?"
Sian turned her head to look at Rosie, not failing to notice how Sophie's eyes had widened. "No, I just like to treat Sophie every now and again." Sophie smiled at how romantic and sweet her girlfriend was.
"Well then, let's get the party started." Rosie said. "You don't mind if I open it do you?"
Sian brought her gaze back to the menu. "Knock yourself out."
"Sian," Sophie's delicate voice caused Sian to look up from the table. She mouthed 'are you okay' across the table but Sian simply nodded and looked down again.
"So what are we all having?" Rosie said as she placed the menu onto the table. Sian kept her gaze fixated on the menu but she wasn't thinking about what to order, she was thinking about the velvet box which would now stay hidden in her bag.
Sian stayed silent for the majority of the night, constantly avoiding her girlfriend's gaze because she knew that Sophie didn't believe her when she had admitted to being okay. Rosie had polished off the bottle of champagne before ordering another two bottles, not realising that Sian had planned to foot the entire bill. When the bill had come, Rosie was far too drunk to realise that she needed to pay some of the money so Sophie had offered to pay her share as well her own. Sian had brushed off the suggestion and told Sophie that it was her idea to eat here, therefore she would pay.
The car journey home had been made in silence, Sian driving Sophie's car because she was the only one that hadn't had anything to drink. She didn't feel in the mood to drink. She wanted to have the champagne as a celebration and she didn't get to celebrate anything.
"Rosie's gone now so are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Sophie asked as the pair walked into their flat.
"Why did you have to invite her to the meal?"
"We were spending the day together and I didn't invite her, she invited herself." Sophie said as she poured herself a glass of water. "You know what Rosie's like."
"I just wanted it to be the two of us." Sian said as she walked through to the bedroom.
"Why?" Sophie questioned from the kitchen. "Rosie's gate crashed loads of our dates. It's what she does. It's only because she's single."
"Well this wasn't just any date!" Sian replied, her voice rising in volume so that Sophie could hear her from the other room.
"Well you've have to explain it to me." Sophie said as she entered the bedroom. "Because I don't understand what was so special about today.
"I was going to propose!" Sian shouted before looking out of the window, avoiding Sophie's gaze. "I didn't mean that."
Sophie blinked quickly, confusion etching her face. "What? So you weren't going to propose?"
"No." Sian said. "I mean yes, I just didn't want you to find out like that." Sian turned around to see Sophie mulling things over in her head. "I had everything planned out. I was going to propose to you before the starter, that's why I had champagne. Then you bring Rosie and she ruined everything."
"Sian, baby." Sophie walked towards her girlfriend and grabbed her hands. "I had no idea, if I did, I would never have brought her along."
"It's fine." Sophie could see how upset her girlfriend was over the failed proposal.
"Ask me now."
Sian's eyes widened at Sophie's suggestion. "What?"
Sophie smiled before speaking again. "I said ask me to marry you now."
"I can't." Sian said. "It's not romantic and there's no element of surprise. It would be a rubbish proposal."
"You asking me to spend the rest of my life with you is romantic enough. I don't care about a fancy restaurant or champagne. Just you and me. That's all I need." Sian nodded. "That being said, I still want it done properly." Sophie laughed.
Sian laughed at her girlfriend's suggestion but complied. Grabbing her bag from the bed she pulled out the velvet box before getting down on one knee in front of Sophie. "Sophie Webster, I love you more than I ever thought possible and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to grow old with you, have kids with you; I want to be with you forever. So, will you marry me?"
Sian opened the box and looked at her girlfriend who had tears in her eyes. "Yes, of course I will." Both women laughed as Sian slid the engagement ring on Sophie's finger before kissing her deeply.
Sophie shared an affectionate glance with Sian and it was obvious that they had both been thinking of the same thing. Sian glanced down at her own engagement ring. Sophie had proposed to her two weeks later saying that she deserved a ring of her own. Sophie had kept to what she thought romantic and proposed when it was just the two of them in bed. No fancy props, no going over the top.
Just the two of them.
"There you two are, we were wondering when you'd make an appearance." Sally walked over to the pair before pulling Sophie into an affectionate hug. Since the accident, Sally had been guilty of extreme mollycoddling, not wanting to risk losing Sophie again. Sally turned towards Sian and pulled her into a hug. The relationship between the two of them was still rife but they wanted to try and act normal, at least for Sophie's sake. Their own reconciliation would come at a later date.
"Happy birthday mum." Sophie said as she took the present from Sian's bag and handed it over.
"Happy birthday Sally." Sian repeated, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
Sally thanked the two of them before disappearing to welcome Gail who had just made an appearance.
"This is weird." Sophie said as they both walked out into the garden to see Kevin on the BBQ, they both gave him a small wave and he nodded in reply.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know, it just feels weird being with everybody. Almost as if I haven't been around everybody for ages." Sophie said as she handed a glass of wine to Sian who took it gratefully. "I guess memory loss makes you feel odd." Sian stayed silent and just nodded in agreement.
"Have you remembered anything more?" Sian asked although she dreaded hearing the answer.
Sophie took a sip of her own wine. The pair were staying at Sophie's parents for the night so they were both allowed to drink. Sophie shook her head. "No, it's all pretty much a blur. It's really frustrating."
Sian entwined her fingers with Sophie's. "The doctor said it might never come back."
"I know that Sian." Sophie said, raising her voice slightly. "It's just…there are seven months which I just can't remember. I mean I have my birthday and then nothing until I woke up. You have no idea what that is like."
"I know, I'm sorry." Sian said. "I just want you to be prepared in case you never remember."
Sophie squeezed Sian's hand a little. "I know." She gave Sian a grateful smile. "I'm sorry for snapping at you."
Sian shook her head. "Don't worry about it; I can't begin to imagine what it's like for you." For the past few days, Sophie had started asking Sian questions about what happened over the seven months which were omitted from her memory and although Sian had changed the topic every time, she knew she wouldn't be able to avoid it for ever. She would have to think of something to tell Sophie.
Another lie.
"Sophie," Rosie walked over to the garden table where they were both standing. "Mum wants your help in the kitchen."
"And you can't help because…" Sophie asked, although she had already begun to move.
"Because I've just done my nails." Rosie replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Sophie laughed sarcastically. "Of course, how stupid of me." She flashed a winning smile at Sian. "See you later."
Sian smiled back at her before watching her disappear.
"So how are things?" Rosie asked as she picked up Sophie's wine and took a sip, ignoring the stare that Sian was giving her.
"They're okay."
Rosie raised her eyebrow. "Tell me the truth."
Sian gave Rosie a small smile. "They really are okay; I mean I think this past month has been the best our relationship has been for as long as I can remember."
"But…"
"But she keeps asking me what happened in the months she's forgotten and I don't know what to tell her. I can't think of lies on the spot."
Rosie sighed and took another sip of the wine, draining the glass. "Be honest."
Sian choked a little on her drink at Rosie's suggestion. "Be honest! Wasn't it you that told me to keep the truth from her? You told me not to say anything." Sian's voice was increasing in volume and few party guests were glancing over at her.
"Sian, quieten down." Rosie warned. "I don't mean tell her the whole truth, just tell her that things were a bit rough but you sorted it. Tell her that after you got the promotion things changed. You don't need to mention anything specific."
"It's just a massive web of lies, hell I'm even starting to believe it." Sian moaned before draining her own glass. "I need the bathroom."
Rosie watched her go before pouring herself another glass of wine. "Where's Sian gone?" Rosie turned around as Sophie sidled in next to her.
"Bathroom." Rosie stated. "You seem uncharacteristically chirpy." Rosie joked. "What's put that smile on your face? Or should I say who?"
Sophie rolled her eyes. "I need a reason to be happy now do I?" Rosie just looked at Sophie until she buckled. "Fine, it's Sian. I don't know, I just feel really connected to her recently. I can't remember the last time I felt this happy."
"I'm glad little sis." Rosie said. Even though, like Sian, Rosie had taken some persuasion to go along with the entire charade, she could see now that it was the right thing to do. Sian and Sophie were always meant to be and if it took a lie to make that happen, then it was worth it. "Sian's just as happy."
Sophie's smile widened at the mention of Sian's name. She'd been thinking for a few days that this happiness she felt had been due to the fact that something had happened to shake up their relationship. Maybe the arguments that Sophie could remember were just down to the fact that their marriage had become mundane, they had become the proverbial old married couple and their relationship had lost its spontaneity.
Sophie was still in love with Sian just as much as she had been when they first started dating, if not more so. That love had never been extinguished but the romance had disappeared. Sophie wasn't going to let that happen. She was going to make sure her marriage was full of romance and spontaneity.
"What have I missed?" Sian asked as she re-joined Sophie and Rosie, pecking Sophie's lips.
Sophie took a deep breath before grabbing Sian's hand. "Let's renew our vows."