Sophie didn't mind that she had to share her girlfriend on New Year's Eve that year. They had spent several days together in Southport, and even though she loved it-it was time to rejoin civilization. Or at least Weatherfield. Upon their arrival back in the village, Sophie was happy to see her father waiting to pick them up. He also had that same Webster half smile as they walked toward him with bags in hand.
"So you decided to come back aye?" Kevin laughed.
"Well what would the Rovers do if their prettiest barmaid disappeared dad?" Sophie said cheekily.
"Sophie! So soppy isn't she?" Sian giggled.
Kevin put their bags in the back. "Good thing to see that you both survived so long alone. Didn't think that two women could make thru that much alone time and survive" Kevin teased.
"Well we had ways to occupy our time" Sophie gave him a wink.
"Way too much information!" he protested as he fired up the engine.
It was New Year's Eve and the Rovers was packed to bursting. It was way above capacity but Michelle and Liz didn't seem to care. As long as everyone was paying and not ripping the place apart.
Even though Sophie sat with Chesney and Sinead, her attention was squarely on her girlfriend behind the bar.
"Hey! Hey!" Sophie heard from behind her. Her head snapped toward the voice, having been clearly zoning out.
"If your just going to watch her all night then we're just going home" Chesney said sarkily.
"Sorry Ches, but she's just so gorgeous my girlfriend" Sophie swooned mockingly.
Both him and Sinead looked at each other and groaned. They all burst out laughing as they took in the madness around them.
"Oi! You Sophie Webster! Are you actually paying for that beer or do you just get it slipped to you?" Tracy Barlow sneered from the bar.
"She pays her own way Tracy. Every penny, unlike some..." Sian shouted defensively.
"Whatever" Barlow sneered.
"Nasty cow" Sophie muttered under her breath. Both Chesney and Sinead nodded.
"I'll get the next round," Chesney said as he gathered their glasses and fought the crowd towards the bar.
"Do you not mind having to spend New Year's Eve watching her work?" Sinead asked curiously.
"Nah, it's okay. I kind've like the fact that she's all mine but it's like a secret" Sophie admitted. Sophie knew that Sian sometimes did shamelessly flirt with punters for tips. Liz openly encouraged it. She didn't mind as long as the guys realized that it was never gonna go anywhere.
"She sure cleans up from those dopes. I couldn't do it" Sinead said deprecatingly.
"Well she is gorgeous so…" Sophie grinned looking back towards the bar. She caught Sian's eyes just for a moment. Sian broke out in that amazing grin that struck Sophie straight to the core. She felt her face flush red and heart quicken as she turned back toward Sinead. Feeling dead embarrassed, she became fascinated with the floor.
"Oh My Gosh! You two are perfect you know" Sinead exclaimed mockingly but not in a jealous way.
"I know. It's soppy right?!" Eileen Grimshaw shouted as she sidled up towards where they were seated. Eileen sat down beside them carrying her own glass of wine. Her face was flush and she was unbearably cheery. Sophie noted that the woman had clearly had a few.
"Do you remember when you stayed the night at my house?" Eileen asked clearly knowing that Sophie would answer in the affirmative.
"Of course Eileen! My back still aches from that mattress!" Sophie said cheekily.
"Oi! The thanks I get for putting you up!" Eileen protested.
"There's a story here, I reckon" Sinead threw out there. Sophie looked around the Rovers wondering what was taking Chesney so long.
"Oh don't you know, that's what I get for helping love's young dream when they had nowhere else to go" Eileen laughed good heartedly.
"Eileen! Of course we were grateful!" Sophie laughed. She would never forget how accommodating Eileen had been, when Sally had kicked off about it all.
"What happen'd? I'm dying over here," Sinead protested.
"Well these two get caught in bed and beg me for a place to stay like I'm a hostel!" Eileen laughed. Sophie went red in the face. She really wanted Eileen to just shut up.
"Hey isn't that my seat?" Chesney laughed as he carried over a pitcher.
"Just keeping it warm Chesney Brown! Where's Fiz tonight?" Eileen asked as she got up from Chesney's chair.
"She's being dead boring-decided to stay home with Tyrone" Chesney explained as he poured the ladies their separate pints.
Sophie decided to look back towards the bar as Eileen caught up with Chesney. She found her girl taking a moment to rest and laugh with Michelle Connor. Never in a million years did Sophie ever think that Michelle and her girlfriend would be so close considering their history. Six years ago at this time Sian had given up her virginity to Ryan-Michelle's son. Sophie had stopped being jealous about that a long time ago, but it was still a fact. When she was younger Sophie burned with the idea that she would be forever compared to that "mop head." Sian had experienced two firsts sexually, whereas Sophie had only slept with women. She had been nervous about it at the time, but she knew that Ryan had never made her scream like Sophie could. It wasn't possible.
Five years ago Sophie had lost her own virginity and she would never regret it. It was awkward and scary, however it had been exactly what Sophie had needed. She had known full well that she was breaking her chastity vow to God. But on the other hand she had also been told that God created her this way. Everything happens for a reason, and she had been struggling to maintain any sense of control in her life. Her family had been falling apart, her house being sold, her sister gone. Everything that she could trust in was slipping through her fingers.
Except for one thing: Sian.
Her girlfriend has promised her forever. Sophie considered that commitment to be as good as marriage. In one moment Sophie Webster had decided to let it all go. She had practically begged Sian to stay with her. This was the one place where Sophie could just allow herself to forget all the problems that plagued her life. She knew that her best friend wouldn't let her fall. The troubled girl back then had needed the reassurance.
"One Minute To Go!" Sophie heard shouted as she snapped back to reality. She got up and fought the crowd to the bar to find Her. Lifting up the counter to gain entry she made her way behind the bar even though it was expressly forbidden.
"Sophie! You can't be back here!" Sian shouted as she wrapped her arms around her refusing to budge. Sian gave in as they counted down the last seconds of the year.
As midnight passed, despite the crowded rowdy mass of bodies, there were two lasses who didn't see anything but each other.
It was a week later when Chesney had charged his way into the shop. Sophie was behind the counter working a morning shift as she saw a red blur come her way.
"You know that you can walk in here like a normal person," Sophie said sarkily.
"Is it true?" Chesney demanded.
"Yes, Joey and Amy from I'm A Celeb have broken up and I'm gutted" Sophie deadpanned.
"Seriously Sophie, everybody's talking about it on the street" Chesney said full of sincerity. He looked well concerned in his red kebab shop apron.
"Oh what is it now? I don't know what you're on about" Sophie sighed. It looked like the gossip glare of the street had turned back her way.
"Norris is saying all over that you and Sian got secretly married" Chesney blurted out.
"Whut?! No Chesney we are not secretly married" Sophie laughed. Oh the imagination of some of the gossipmongers around here!
"Oh good" Chesney sighed in relief. "I wouldn't have believed him at all if the evidence wasn't so compelling" Chesney continued on.
"Such as?" Sophie demanded.
"Well what about those rings?" he pointed towards the gold band that sat on Sophie's ring finger. It was the ring from long ago that Sian had given her in Southport last week. They had each decided to wear them as a reminder of their trust and faith in each other.
"These are not wedding rings Chesney" Sophie said dead seriously. Purposely she left it at that. Not every part of her relationship was for public consumption despite the way that her neighbors felt.
"But you've been wearing them since you both came back before New Year's when you disappeared" Chesney argued.
"I told you Chesney that we went to Southport to visit her mother" Sophie said frustrated.
"But why was Sally buying wedding mags from the Kabin? Is Rosie getting married?" Chesney asked.
Sophie laughed so loud they probably heard it in the knicker factory. "No Ches, Rosie isn't getting married. She'd have to find a bloke who can put up with her crazy first" Sophie said as she caught her breath at the very thought of it.
"Hey shouldn't you be running my kebab shop?" they heard as Dev walked in the door.
"Yes sir! Sorry just had to ask Sophie somethin' Chesney said as he ran out the door.
"Sorry Dev" Sophie said turning back toward the inventory list.
"Well if you're looking for a raise just because you're married now then you can forget it," Dev said with a smile and a laugh. He kept walking into the office.
"I'm Not Married Dev!" Sophie moaned.
January in Manchester could be oh so cruel, Sophie sighed as she wrapped her parka around her body. She hustled over quickly the moment when she saw Sian pull up to get her outside the college. The brunette thanked god that they had finally gone out to get transport with Kevin yesterday. Of course Kevin had pushed for practicality. So Sian ended up with a boring reliable car like her mothers. Well at least she'd finally be able to get home safely from her late night Rover shifts. Sophie was grateful for that.
"So have you heard the latest?" Sophie asked as she snapped her seat belt on.
"Whut now?" Sian replied.
"Apparently you and I secretly got married before New Years" Sophie smirked.
"I wondered why my tips had gone down Mrs. Powers" Sian laughed.
"And Sally is so fuming that she demands that we apologize and get remarried in Weatherfield" Sophie continued on.
"As if" Sian smirked as she pulled onto the freeway.
Sophie explained what the gossip mongers had been telling, asking, and demanding all afternoon. She had been so tired of it that she had considered her night class to be an escape. Thank god that she could get out of Weatherfield, because the place was doing her head in.
"I do wonder though…Why was your mum buying wedding magazines?" Sian asked.
"Dunno, it's hard to say with that crazy mare" Sophie wondered as she changed the song on the radio.