Part 16.
Sian reached the top of her stairs and leaned heavily against the wall. She rested her head back and glared at the ceiling. She thought she was losing her mind. The blonde hated her jealous side, it didn't really surface that often, but certainly seemed to be making up for it now. She just couldn't shake the idea of Sophie and Maz having all that fun together, how their interaction with each other seemed fun and easy. Her mind was getting really busy convincing her brain that Soph would end up wanting Maz in the end, because everything between the blonde and Soph was just sooo hard.
Sian closed her eyes and sighed. But then, maybe that was because their feelings were stronger? More intense? That they were worth all the work and the tears..? Or maybe they were just never meant to be at all...
The blonde kicked herself away from the wall and walked into the living room. This wasn't doing her any good at all. What she needed to do was go to bed and have a break from worrying about it.
Sian moved around the flat, ignoring the fact that she had meticulously cleaned it the night before after coming back from Soph's in anticipation of them going back there this afternoon. She walked past the table with the flowers on that she had gone out and got that morning, poured herself some water and went into the bedroom.
She flicked on the light and stood there, running her eyes over the crisp new sheets and bed covers that she had changed earlier. They were white, brilliantly white in fact, just like the ones Soph had bought when she had shot her 'soft porn' collection years ago. In that very bedroom. Sian half smiled at the memory, and then focused back on the room. She breathed out despondently, wanting for all she was worth to rewind the day and start it all over. For a moment there, for a brief, fleeting moment she had her Soph back. And she wanted her there, with her arms wrapped around her, feeling their bodies reconnect and remember all those sensations they used to make each other feel, way back when. A look used to be able to do it. She could lose herself forever in those eyes...
Sian felt her heart ache and she lightly cleared her throat, inwardly chastising herself for being so hopelessly romantic. Why was it that whenever she was miserable in love she would find herself imagining all kinds of intimate scenes, which only made her miserable all the more ? Just the way love goes, I guess.. she pondered. She shook her head and went over to the bed, and as she climbed in still fully clothed, she pulled the covers over her head and caused the world to go dark.
Sophie had instantly regretted going back into the pub as soon as she had walked through the doors. She sat back down in the booth and as she watched her sister and Maz flirt shamelessly with each other, her mind kept going back to Sian, and how she had let her walk away thinking she didn't want to chase her. She chewed on her bottom lip with absolutely no idea what to do...her eyes kept glancing to the other two just as quickly as she would glance back to her empty bottle which she fingered absent mindedly, gently beginning to peel off the label.
She didn't really know why Sian was so jealous. Well, she supposed she did. She had sat there all afternoon having a laugh riot with her ex, but that was all it was. She didn't want Maz at all, not anymore. Just then the brunette looked across the table just as Maz did, and they held each other's gaze. It was only for a few seconds, but they seemed to speak volumes to each other.
Sophie smiled a sort of sad, reminiscent smile, which indicated that she was conflicted with what she was feeling. And Maz knew it. The newcomer knew her timing was awful; that this was the last thing her ex needed, what with Sian reacting badly and all. But honestly, she didn't want to leave just yet. Maz was going to see this out, and make sure Soph did the right thing. Knowing the younger Webster as she did, and Maz did know her extremely well, she knew that she would just as easily give up than pursue something that was so difficult. And to be quite honest, even if Maz did want Sophie back, she knew she had no chance. Not with Sian on the scene..the blonde had always been everything Soph had wanted.. Maz knew that better than anyone. And so she returned Soph's sad, reminiscent gaze and for a few moments thought about the past, and thought about how they were together, and then a wide grin slowly spread across her face. Maz looked away briefly before making eye contact again, but this time she was her pragmatic, over confident and suave self.
"So are we going for this dinner or what?" she beamed, as she looked from one Webster to the other. She looked at her watch, "bet your mom will just have the veg on.."
"What? Now?" Rosie pouted, she was enamoured with the attention she was getting from Maz and she didn't want it to end. For what reason she wasn't sure, but luckily she was able to put any analytical thoughts out of her head. It was a gift she had been blessed with from an early age. "Let's have another drink first-"
"Haven't you had enough?" Sophie said flatly. It was the first thing she had said since sitting down.
Rosie looked at her little sister a little put out, "no", she answered. "I've barely even started".
Maz could sense the tension coming from Soph as if an impending storm was brewing. She sat up a little straighter, "why don't we go back to yours and have another drink there?" She eyed Rosie as she said it, "and then we can all relax and help your mom should she need it".
Sophie's response was to raise her eyebrows nonchalantly as if she didn't much care where they went. She was still battling with her brain wondering how the hell she was going to get things back to normal with Sian. Whatever normal was with them..
"Okay", Rosie began, her attention totally on Maz. "But only if you mix me one of those orange things I used to like.."
"What a cocktail?" Maz asked, the corners of her lips turned up in a cheeky grin.
"Yeah", Rosie beamed, "what was it? Sex on the Beach..?" Her forehead furrowed a little, trying to get her brain to remember what it was. "Oh no, a Slow Screw-"
"Comfortable Screw is more like what I've got in mind for you".
Sophie rolled her eyes and got out of the booth. She had the label completely off her bottle and was seriously not in the mood for this verbal tennis match.
"Hm I could have one of those all night.." Rosie said softly, as she lost herself in Maz's eyes.
Sophie folded her arms. "Isn't a Desperado more up your street?" she shot her sister a glare.
Maz looked away from Rosie and saw the disdain on her ex's face. She loved playing with women, and right then Rosie was like putty in her hands. But she thought she'd best put a lid on it, for now. Sophie left and Maz got up to follow, pulling Rosie with her.
Sally was busying herself in the kitchen, running from oven to work surface to hob as she hurriedly tried to perfect her Thai red curry and get her timings right. It was Maz's favourite meal and she wanted to make sure she was getting it right. It had been so long since she had prepared it. Rosie had plonked herself down and was busy filling her mother in on what had happened with Jason, as she casually sipped from her cocktail.
Maz was stood in the living room by the stairs and she looked from the kitchen to the back of Sophie's head, who sat despondently on the sofa. Kevin must have still been at work and so Maz brought her eyes away from Rosie, who was busy enjoying her Comfortable Screw on the dining table and took the seat up next to her ex, trying as hard as she could to rid her mind of the images it was conjuring up of the older Webster and that table.
Maz sat down with a bottle and handed one to Soph. "Penny for 'em, kid", she offered gently.
Sophie took the bottle and sighed despondently. She took a swig and swallowed it with force, like it was an effort to even do that. Maz eyed her as she sat down and she realised her ex really did have it bad for Sian. Like, really bad. She sniggered to herself and raised her eyebrows.
"What?" Sophie enquired, wondering what was on her ex's mind.
Maz shook her head softly. "No, nothing".
Soph gently swatted the older girl's knee. They were smiling warmly at each other. "Tell me.."
The flirty grin was back on Maz's lips. "I just don't know why you're here", she began, "when everything you want is over there", and she nodded towards the flat.
Sophie looked away and took another sip from her bottle. She seemed to talk absently to the space in front of her. "Not always that easy though, is it". It was more a statement, than a question.
Things like that never cut it for Maz. She was the get up, go get 'em type. She furrowed her brow. "Why the hell not?"
Sophie thought that the answer to that was completely obvious. But when she thought about it, she couldn't put it into words. Her gesture just turned into a shrug. "Because.. it just isn't.."
Maz grinned all the more. She sighed, "you're guna have to do better than that babes.."
Sophie smiled and rested her head on her hand. "I don't know", she scratched the back of her head. "It just seems so hard-"
"Why is it so hard?"
"Because..." she thought for a second, "things just seem to get in the way".
"Like what?" Maz was looking at her intently and for a second Soph was transported back...always direct and to the point, was Maz. Sophie grinned at her ex as she prepared herself for the bombardment of questions designed to sort her head out. Just like when they were together, Maz was always great at making her do things. No matter how difficult..
Sophie sort of stammered... "like, you!" she glared, and then semi poked her tongue out. "And Ryan! He's not even around and he's still messing us up-"
Maz shook her head, "hun forget all that, that's in the past. What are you gunna do to make this right now?"
Sophie widened her eyes, "I don't even know what I've done.."
Maz began to chuckle.
"I don't!"
Maz met her ex's eyes and she really couldn't believe that she was that clueless. "C'mon babes, it's not that hard-"
"No really.." Soph flopped her hand down on the arm of the sofa. "She's jealous for no reason.."
"She's jealous 'cuz I'm here. End of".
Maz stared right into Sophie and she knew, right then, that she was messing it all up herself. Sophie pushed her hair over her head and sighed as she sank deeper into the sofa. "I know", she mumbled. "And I've no idea what to do about it".
Maz grinned. "Well, for starters, you should've chased her-"
"Don't say that-"
"Sorry hun, thas jus rule number one!"
Sophie closed her eyes and played with her bottle. "I know, but she said she didn't want me to so.."
"You don't even believe that yourself".
Sophie looked at her ex. "So what do I do?"
Maz searched Soph's eyes. "You want her?"
"Yes".
"Really?"
Sophie grinned and sort of, looked off to the side. "I love her".
And for some reason, that made Maz happy, knowing that Sophie was going to be okay. Well, as soon as she had sorted this out. "So you're going to have dinner, and then call her, and get her to Shakers".
"What if she doesn't-"
"Then you make her!" Maz cut her off. Sophie really did like to find excuses. "You say something to get her there.. tell her.." her eyes trailed to the ceiling to conjure something up, "..you'll make it the best night of her life". Her cheeky grin was back. "Tell her you'll make her scream in the toilets.."
Sophie nearly spat her drink out. "The toilets! That's more your style than mine, if I remember right".
"Weren't complaining at the time", Maz winked.
Sophie was smiling again. "Well, I think I'll promise her something more up market". She got up and went to walk round the back of the sofa.
"Well as long as you promise her sumat. Make up sex is always the best".
That stopped Soph in her tracks. A sly grin touched her lips. "Well then, four year make up sex should be brilliant". And then it turned into a goofy one.
Maz nearly choked on her beer. "You mean you've not shagged her yet?"
Sophie slapped her ex on the shoulder. "Shhhhhhh! Keep your voice down!" she whispered loudly.
"Babes no wonder she's driving herself crazy! How have you managed to stay away from her?"
Sophie went a bit shy. "Well, we only really, kinda made up last night.."
"And then I showed up".
Sophie looked at Maz from beneath lowered eyes. "Yeah".
Maz shook her head slowly. "No wonder she hates me".
"She doesn't hate you".
"Mmm well, get on that phone and you beg her to forgive you for being such a twat-"
"Oi!"
Maz took another swig from her bottle. "No oi babes. Just do it". Maz winked at Soph as she smiled back at her and then she walked away. The older brunette shook her head, and then she grinned to herself. Sophie really was an idiot. And then she remembered and went towards the kitchen, "about ready for another Screw Rosie?"