It'd been 3 months since she had gone to LA with Rosie. She hadn't heard from Sian in all that time. It did make her depressed but at least this time she knew why it was done between them. Sophie didn't know if Sian had consciously tried to hurt her. Only Sian could tell her that side of the story, but she had pulled a disappearing act again.
In the meanwhile Sophie had made it thru a semester of school by the skin of teeth. It hadn't been easy with the usual drama afoot. Of course she had been the subject of gossip for a week on the street. What had happened? Why had she gone off the rails? They all wagged their gobs speculating. Sophie laughed off their theories. Some people were just off their heads. Soon the McDonalds had another round of fights with the Barlows and she was able to fade back into the background.
She had taken a volunteer position as a teacher's assistant in a classroom a few days a week. Of course her dad never understood why Sophie would work for nothing. It reminded him too much of when she had been involved with the soup kitchen. And why she would need more money of his. She reminded him that she would need better clothes and that it was for the future. He came around but only after she promised to pay him back and give him regular reports on her progress. The next day he wired the money over.
It was terrifying at first. She had to remind herself to breathe, speak slower. Less Manc, more professional. She could dress the part of a grown up, but she felt every bit the 20 year old that she is. Shockingly Sophie had made it thru unscathed. She had always been a sucker for kids. They weren't able to judge her or know her history. It felt good to just be Sophie Webster with them.
Sophie sat on a bench reading coursework as Joseph Brown played with a ball in front of her. Today since the weather was good she had decided to take him to the park. She was watching him for Katey this time, while she got some shopping done. Katey had been going "out" a lot lately. Sophie guessed that she was trying to show Chesney, and the street, that she was over him for good. She didn't think that a new wardrobe was really what Katey needed, but Sophie was happy for the extra money. And Joseph was joy anyway.
"Well look at that. He's enormous" Sophie heard from behind her. Of course she knew that voice anywhere. She looked up to see the only girl who had owned her heart.
Sian came around to face Sophie as she looked up into her eyes. Sophie had lost herself so often in them, but now she saw a hint of sadness. That sadness belied the friendly smile Sian had on as she gestured to the space next to Sophie. Sophie nodded that she could sit down. She had to hold herself back from over analyzing why the other girl was there or what it meant. Sian was quiet for a moment, clearly gearing herself up.
"I've got so much to say. I don't know where to start Soph" Sian said looking at the ground.
"It's okay" Sophie said taking Sian's hand and squeezing it. Sian looked at their hands surprisingly.
"You really should shout at me or hit me for what I did. It'd make this a lot easier" Sian replied after a moment.
"If you want that then you've got the wrong Webster" Sophie smirked. "And when have I ever made anything easier for us" she laughed nostalgically. It was Sophie who had started it all with a kiss. She had been dealing with an attraction to her best friend and she just yearned to know. Leaning in tentatively, she had been waiting for Sian to push her off, but she hadn't. Sophie still felt the power between them. After all this time she was still that 15 year old girl waiting for her best friend to respond to feelings that were bigger than both of them.
"Well since your sister already went all Webster on me, I think I'll stick with this one thank you" Sian laughed. "I'm so sorry Sophie, it's just that I wasn't ready for us again. And the thing with Jay got way out of hand" poured out of the other girl in a quick jumble. Sophie just nodded and let her confess-being a Christian she understood how it helps. "I wanted to get you as far away as I could because I can't lose you again" She shook her head in disbelief.
"You know that makes no sense" Sophie said softly. "There's no way you can lose me" Sophie smiled. They heard a squeal coming from the playground.
"Joseph!" Sophie shouted. She got up to head over and picked him up off the ground. He had fallen in the sand and just needed a brush off. She straightened his clothes, gave him a quick peck, and sent him back along his way. He was laughing and smiling within minutes. She went back to the bench, where Sian had been watching her.
"Is he alright?" Sian asked. Sophie just scoffed and nodded that he was fine. "Isn't that just so? Kids fall down, they get back up, no worries, so simple" Sian said with a bitter edge.
"Sian, why are you here? Shouldn't you be at school?" Sophie asked. Sian paused and looked at her hands. She sighed then ran one of her hands thru her hair. Her voice was so soft, it was nearly a whisper. "Sophie, my father died" she said simply. A sob escaped her chest.
"I'm so sorry" Sophie said automatically. She had never forgotten how awful Vinnie Powers was to them. He had never given Sophie a chance and clearly believed that she had manipulated his daughter into being a lesbian. It was Sophie who had held his daughter night after night while she cried over her horrid parents. But still he was her dad and it was an irreplaceable loss.
"He was sick and it happened quickly. They had the services in Newcastle" Sian explained. "He had always seemed so large Soph, but in the end he was such a small man" Sian said softly. "Argh! I just…You need to tell me how you do it Sophie. You forgive me for screwing you over, you forgive Ryan for getting you nearly paralyzed, your dad…how are you able to do that…because I need it right now" Sian rambled.
"It was you who told me-You can't hold on to being angry, it's just too tiring" Sophie said looking into the other girl's eyes. "I just remember that He loves us and He forgives us our human frailty, so if He can do that, then I can" Sophie tried to explain as she took the other girl's hands. It was the truth. Before she had found her faith, Sophie had been harboring so much resentment and fear. In her family, it was Rosie who got everything while Sophie had to lie and scream to get even a scrap. She knew that to the world it seemed odd but being Christian had opened her heart and allowed her to accept who she is. There's a reason that one occurred before the other could happen.
The two girls sat for a moment. Joseph ran up from the playground.
He tugged on Sian's pant leg impatiently. Sophie looked at her watch. "Yup little fella, time to go aye?" she lifted him up into his stroller. "You're getting too big for this aren't you? Well your mum will be waiting for us back at home" Sophie said as she gathered her stuff to leave. She turned toward Sian who remained seated.
"Where you staying?" Sophie asked.
"At my dad's old flat" she said.
"Here in Weatherfield? I thought he lived in Newcastle" Sophie asked scrunching up her face.
"He did but he kept the flat here to rent out. He left it to me Soph so I'll be staying there till every thing's sorted" Sian explained.
"Good. I'd like to talk more" Sophie said over her shoulder as she pushed the stroller away.
"Is she back?" Chesney asked across the counter.
"Who?" Sophie asked as she rang up his soda and crisps.
"You know who I mean. Joseph pointed her out in the market yesterday. Which makes me wonder how he knows her because he can't remember her from when he was a baby so I have to guess that…?" Chesney rambled on. Sophie stopped him. She looked around to make sure the shop was empty.
Once she was sure it was clear, she leaned in. "Okay, Yes Ches. She is, but you've got to keep your gob shut about it right? She doesn't want everyone being nosey about it" Sophie explained. Chesney nodded. He understood how people on the street can be.
"But how does my son know her?" Chesney asked concerned.
"She came up and we talked while I was with him in the park that's all, I swear" Sophie reassured him.
"So there's no funny business going on while you're watching him?" Chesney narrowed his eyes.
"Chesney! What do you think I am?!" Sophie said offended at the question. Maybe she had been like that as a teenager, but not now. She wouldn't.
"Just making sure Sophie is all. So what are you going to do?" he asked.
"I don't know. But until Sian tells me its okay, you need to keep your gob shut. Especially to my mum and Rosie got it?" Sophie looked at him dead serious. After what had happened a few months ago, she knew that her family would kick off if they knew. And she wanted to put that off as long as possible. "Promise me Chesney" she demanded.
"Okay I promise, but Sophie, be careful-when it comes to her you don't always think straight" he added as he grabbed his crisps to leave.