It had not been the easiest day.
First she had to work a morning shift in the shop, which involves all the clean up that one can expect. Monday morning inventory was the bane of Sophie's existence. Dev had been kind enough to give her Sunday's off. She hated to insist upon it but she'd much rather attend morning church services than evenings. It was much better attended and allowed her to clear her head. For a few years now she had had to deal with the fact that people, even her parents, thought it was weird that she was still a born-again Christian. Especially after she had come out as a lesbian. Apparently some in the Christian church weren't too big on that. But Sophie had stuck with it and she still felt the comfort it provided her.
Unfortunately it meant that Dev, or whomever he could get, had to cover the store on Sundays. This meant that Sophie often came in on Monday morning and the store was a mess. It used to make her kick off. Now it was just expected. It still annoyed however. So she had spent Monday morning clearing it all up.
She knew that school was starting up this week. Unfortunately she had to take the Weatherfield bus in; there was no way she was going to ask her mother. She wasn't ready for that at all. And she couldn't afford a cab after her trip to LA. She was a bit skint.
She had barely made the bus on time, which meant that she couldn't get a seat. Everything seemed to be working against her today. She had called and arranged to meet with a school counselor to find out what she could do. As a teenager she had been very good at school. She was a great test taker and very capable of making her grades. Even after she had runaway and was a month behind, she had been able to catch-up.
But even then the cracks had begun to show. Her and Sian had dealt with isolation and abuse every day. Sophie especially. She hadn't been the most popular girl in school to start with. Sian had been much more popular with her easy-going ways. Being gorgeous, she hadn't needed to explain why Sophie would be in love with her. However, none of their schoolmates understood why those feelings were reciprocated. It had to be something weird they believed. The two girls had spent a lot of lunches alone.
When her parent's marriage had blown apart so spectacularly, Sophie was already sick of trying. She couldn't make anyone like her. Her teacher's just showed her endless pity. It was just easier to stay home or pick up some more shifts. It was nice to be able to contribute much needed money to pay the bills. Her mother never asked how she found the time to get so many hours at the shop. In fact her mother never asked about anything. It was all so typical really. Sophie wasn't surprised when she got expelled. More like relieved.
It had been a few years since she had stepped into any college but she still had to calm her stomach. She looked around at the teens around her. Even though she was only a few years older, she still felt so much older. The kids were loud, obnoxious, and all on their phones. Sophie had to keep alert not to get knocked over.
She found the office where she was supposed to meet Mr. Callahan. It was difficult to spill her story to a stranger. Webster's do not like to ask for help and admitting that you have made a mistake was a last ditch option. However the counselor had seemed sympathetic and gave her a whole load of brochures about Further Education. Of course once she had mentioned her lack of funds he had also loaded her up with scholarship info.
It was all a bit overwhelming to look over. She looked at all the information while watching Big Brother that night on telly. Her mum had said that she'd be out so Sophie felt safe going over it all in the front room. She still wasn't up to discussing any of this with Sally. Her mum would just put more pressure on her. Or even worse she'd show indifference. It was best not to get her involved until you had a well-thought out plan to present. She liked it all straightforward and up front. If Sally Webster was on your side than she would move heaven and earth to help you. If she wasn't then god help you-you were doomed.
"Sophie? What you got there?" A voice had said behind her.
Sophie quickly turned herself around. Somehow Sally had crept behind her like a ninja.
"Oi! Mum! You scared the crap out of me!" Sophie shouted. She quickly gathered up all the brochures that she had spread out in front of her. She got up from the couch carrying the pamphlets with her. She hoped to put them away from her mum's view.
"Want a cuppa?" Sophie offered heading into the kitchen. Sophie put on the kettle and grabbed some tea bags and mugs. She kept her back to her mum knowing that if she faced her mum, she would see right thru her.
"So when were you going to tell me?" Sally said softly. Mother and daughter had had plenty of shouting matches over the years. It was the Webster way to shout first then talk rationally later. Sally often found her younger daughter to be a mystery. The whole lesbian thing had thrown her for six. But still she had incredible faith that eventually her youngest daughter would find her way.
Sophie turned around slowly.
"Rosie opened her gob didn't she?" Sophie said as she turned around with her arms crossed.
"Don't kick off at her. She was just excited for you" Sally said.
"I'm gonna kill her for this" Sophie said running her hand thru her hair. She really was angry with Rosie. That silly mare couldn't keep her gob shut about anything. She had enjoyed keeping Sian and her plans as her little secret. Once it was let out into the world then it all became something that she had to actually make a reality. And reality meant popping that bubble that her and Sian liked to create between them.
Now she feared that her mum would destroy it completely.
"So how is she?" Sally asked.
"She's great. Going to Uni in California. Has a great tan" Sophie sipped her tea keeping her face down. She was sure that her mum would be able to tell that they had slept together. She never wanted to have that discussion with Sally ever. She'd rather die.
"Remember that she stayed here for a time. She didn't just disappear on you Soph" Sally said taking her own cup of tea.
"Mum, she just had to get away. I had really hurt her. But she's good now" Sophie said.
"So are you two?" Sally asked expectantly.
"Whut? No mum, we're not!" Sophie wondered what Rosie had told her.
"I'm not daft Sophie. You've been texting someone and being all soppy after. It's been awhile since I've seen you so happy" Sally pointed out.
"Mum. Look she has her life out there with school and her boyfriends. And she wants to live it. You always said that we were too young. Well you were right. We are…were" Sophie rambled. It was hard to make her mother understand.
Sally shook her head. "Well whatever…I don't get it, but you do realize that getting back into school is going to be harder than you think and we don't have the money to send you…" Sally made clear.
"I know mum, it's just I promised her that I would find some direction, something beyond working for Dev and I'm just looking into options" Sophie explained picking up their mugs to put them away.
"I just don't want you getting your heart set on something that isn't going to happen" Sally said as she got up to go to bed.
"Don't worry mum. I just feel that I should get serious about things is all" Sophie said shrugging her shoulders.
Norris came up to the counter.
"Yes Norris?" Sophie steeled herself. She never could figure out why he always had to shop at her store. Why didn't he stick to his own for Christ's sake?
"Well these beans are priced in two different ways. And I heard that you had a little fling with an old flame?" he exclaimed with glee.
"I don't know what you're on about Norris. And this is the correct price for the beans. Anything else?" Sophie asked with a forced politeness.
"So you're not moving to the colonies to join a Scientological cult?" Norris asked with all seriousness.
"No! I'm staying right here in Weatherfield. So you can let all the gossipmongers know Norris. And that'll be 1 pound 15" Sophie rang him up.
He scurried out to Sophie's relief. Sometimes this town did her head in. She texted her sister Rosie. All she could send her was frowny faces.
"Sorry babes soz Lol" Rosie texted back.
Sophie shook her head. Her older sister was never going to change.
She was on Skype. It had been a pain figuring out time zones and such but her and Sian had found a time that worked.
"Yeah well, it was going to come out eventually aye, so no biggie" Sian shrugged.
"Easy for you to say, this place is such a goldfish bowl" Sophie whined. It was true. By now she was sure that the whole street would be reading it in the Weatherfield Gazette in the morning headline "Sophie Webster Went to LA to Reunite With Ex" or some such. She didn't usually care about being gossiped about but she couldn't wait to find out how wrong everyone was going to be. The gossip mill would surely over dramatize it somehow.
"You look nice, going out?" Sophie asked to change the subject.
"Yeah, bloke in contract law asked me out to go to some restaurant" Sian explained.
Sophie just nodded and stayed quiet. They had agreed not to be exclusive, although Sophie hadn't seen anyone since she had gotten back. Sian, of course, got asked out all the time. Sophie was working hard at keeping her cool about it.
"Sally means well Soph, she just doesn't want you to build anything up" Sian explained.
"It'd be nice if she'd just support me for once. Yu'd think she'd be doing cartwheels" Sophie sighed.
"Have to go babe, but can I get a smile? I won't be happy unless I do" Sian pouted.
Sophie hesitated at first just to wind Sian up, but then she broke out into her widest grin.
"There it is! Now you've got to keep smiling promise?" Sian laughed.
"Alright!" Sophie giggled.
"Have a good day Sophie Webster" Sian signed off. She ended the call.
Sophie sighed. She'd have to do something to keep her feelings in check. It wasn't okay to sit and wait for Sian, but she really didn't want to be with anyone else. She got up to start getting ready for the day. It was going to be a rough one. She could already feel it. Best to just stay under the covers she reckoned.