It had only been a few days, but Sian could tell that something was going on.
Sophie had flown back from Paris with her half-brother and been staying at #4. Kevin and Sally had planned a two-week honeymoon in Paris alone. Rosie had also come back but she'd headed off to a job straight after. So basically Sophie was stuck with it all.
At first Sian had been severely annoyed that her girl had been dumped with such an obligation. Sally and Kevin had to know that Sophie would have never said no to it. They had forced her into it using the age-old family techniques of guilt and expectation. Sian had been fuming when Sophie had told her. Why was it always her poor girlfriend who had to be the responsible one? It seemed that most of the time the rest of the Webster's did whatever they liked leaving Sophie with the mess. It wound Sian up.
But on the other hand, she knew that one of the most wonderful things about her girl was her natural affinity with kids. She just knew what to do. It was unbearably sexy how she just took to being a mum.
Sian had never had that.
In the dark days after she had left Sophie in the early weeks of 2012, she had cursed the Websters. Sian's mother bailed early, leaving her alone in Southport. Every day became a choice between getting out of bed and just staying alone weeping relentless tears. She chucked her phone early on, because Sophie would not stop calling. Every hour of every day her phone had vibrated. Exhausted with the searing hot poker that had been permanently attached to her heart, she never wanted to be anywhere near Weatherfield ever again.
Of course that had all changed, but Sian still didn't like being on those cobbles. There were so many ghosts of the past. She had only been a semi-resident for 3 years off and on. Still many corners held memories of whom she used to be-that vulnerable scared girl who had not foreseen that her heart could be shattered.
Once Sophie arrived in Weatherfield with Jack in tow, Sian had picked her up from the train station. Despite the long day of traveling, Jack had run across the platform, arms outstretched when Sian had emerged on the platform. He squeezed his arms around her
"Sian! I've come so far!" he shouted cracking that Webster smile.
"Yep, tell me about it" Sophie huffed as she trailed behind her. The poor woman was hauling their bags like a mule and looked knackered.
She was still unbearably beautiful. It took the blonde's breath away how tough yet soft Sophie Webster always appeared to be.
"Here let me take that," Sian said taking her carry-on bag off Sophie's shoulder as she led them towards the car. Sophie didn't protest. Her girlfriend was clearly tired out.
On the drive back to Weatherfield, Jack was intent on telling them every detail of the entire trip. There was no stopping him. He excitedly told Sian everything that he felt was important. Sophie just rested her head against the seat rest and closed her eyes. She had begged Sian on the phone to stay in Weatherfield and help her take care of him.
But Sian had put her foot down. She couldn't stay on that street. The blonde couldn't put herself in that emotional position. Sian just wasn't ready for it.
She could tell that it upset her girlfriend. But it was just too hard for Sian to take. It was a terrible thing, but it was what it was.
And she thought that Sophie understood.
Sian had stayed to help with tea and settling Jack down. He was as much of a handful as any young boy could be, but Sophie still managed to get him to bed. She flopped down on the old Webster couch clearly knackered after such a long day. She laid her head on her shoulder and wrapped her arm across Sian's waist.
"Time for me to go" Sian whispered softly looking at her watch.
"I will do whatever you want forever to get you to stay" Sophie pleaded.
"Babe, you know that I have to go. Don't make this harder" Sian said forcefully as she started to disentangle herself from the other woman.
"I know, I just wish…" Sophie whinged. She looked up into the other woman's eyes.
Sian nearly relented. There was so much longing in the brunette's eyes. It made her heart ache to see such disappointment reflected back at her. Then she looked around the room and felt a shortness of breath. It was similar to what Sophie described that her panic attacks felt like. Sian just had to get out of there.
"I'm sorry babe, but I've got to go I just can't" she said in her most dead serious way.
She was finishing up her shift at the Rovers. It was a bit slow so she was washing glasses. It had been a long day but she at least had gotten a few texts from Sophie. Rita had taken in Jack for the afternoon so that Sophie could work her shift at Dev's, but then it was likely that she'd have to miss class that evening since there was no one in the evening. It was disappointing but Sophie could see no other way.
Sian looked up from the soapy water of the back sink. She had heard a clattering ruckus up front that Liz was dealing with pretty effectively.
"Rosie Webster! You know from last time that yor barred!" Liz growled.
Sian moved faster to the front to see what craziness the daft mare had brought now. Her strops with Eva Price last fall had been legendary.
"Oi! I just want to see your bar maid is all! Come on Liz I have a message from my sister" Rosie screeched in that high-pitched voice of hers.
Sian approached a crazed looking Rosie and grabbed her elbow.
"Liz I'll be back in a moment" she said over her shoulder as she dragged Rosie out into the side alley beside the Rovers.
"Rosie! What did I say about barging into places?!" Sian said angrily.
"Oh Whatever! Look is there something going on between you and my sister. Have you split up? " Rosie demanded.
"No! There's nothing going on Rosie, why did she say something?" Sian said in a low voice slumping up against a wall to hold her self up. Sian looked into Rosie's eyes and saw genuine care. This wasn't just her being barmy; her face indicated that she was dead concerned.
"When I went over this morning she was in tears. She tried to shrug it off, but I know my sister. So whut is going on?" Rosie demanded.
"How should I know? Here's an idea Rosie-why don't you talk to her?" Sian said with a sulky tone and arms folded across her chest.
"God give me strength" Rosie sighed. "Well she has to miss class tonight because she can't get someone to look after Jack. Why aren't you helping her?" Rosie asked.
"Why aren't you watching Jack?" Sian shot back defensively.
Rosie gave her a smirk.
"Yeah right. Well I just can't be there Rosie…" Sian said softly shaking her head.
"Such a pair of drama queens" Rosie sighed exhaustively. "I don't care about what's going on with you, but all I see in front of me is that you are letting my sister down. Fix it" Rosie insisted and marched away in her 10-inch heels.
Sian marched back into the Rovers. Liz, Steve, and Michele were all waiting for her behind the bar like Murderer's Row.
"What was that?" Liz asked throwing up her hands.
"I'm really sorry, unfortunately my sensible girlfriend comes with a sometimes barmy family. Even when most of them are out of town" Sian apologized as she pulled herself together. She couldn't get the image of Sophie upset out of her mind. It was a big shock because she thought that everything was okay. It clearly wasn't. A sob escaped from her chest as she turned away from the bar.
"Tell me to mind my own, but are you okay? Is Sophie all right?" Michele said placing a hand on her shoulder.
She tried to pull herself together. She couldn't let Liz and Michele down. Calming down she pushed a smile unto her face.
"Everything's fine" she said as she looked back toward the bar.
"Sian, that girl would jump off the London Eye for you if you asked, so if she has upset you…" Michele said softly.
"I fear Michele that it's the other way around" Sian said with an exhausted sigh.
"Well why don't you two just talk about your feelings? Isn't that what lesbians do?" Steve asked from his stool.
"Shut up Steve" Michele turned towards him folding her arms.
Liz looked toward the three of them. "Since you're here Steve, why don't you take over for her so that she can aye?" she ordered with a glare in her eye. He groaned and waved that it was fine.
A/N: I ended up splitting this chapter so the next one should be coming out very soonish. Again a humble Thank You to everyone who have left reviews lately. I appreciate it immensely.