Sophie entered #4 with Jack in tow. She had picked him up from Rita's on her way back from the shop. He had been in a mood.
"Please can I have a chocolate bar Sophie? When are mum and dad coming home? Can we play football in the park?" Jack asked breathlessly.
The questions never stopped.
"No, Soon, Maybe" Sophie said setting him down. She looked around and slowly a grin spread across her face.
Jack hollered as he rushed into the blonde's arms.
"Hey little man! So are you taking care of your sister?" she giggled then pointed him towards where Sophie was leaning against the wall. At first shocked, her face soon turned into the soppiest grin as she looked on.
"She looks knackered though aye? Beautiful, but knackered. Howse about we make her some tea? Better be fast though, she has to get to class after all" Sian said as she pointed him to the stairs. "Now go wash up," she ordered as he headed up the stairs.
"Sian" Sophie said softly.
"Don't Soph" Sian said as she poured them each some tea and a glass of OJ for Jack. "When's your class?" she asked handing the cup over.
"Six" she said letting every muscle in her body relax. It felt as if she had been carrying the weight of her worries. That fluttering in her stomach reminded her how lucky she was to have such a gorgeous girl.
"Whut?" Sian said as she swept a piece of blonde hair behind her ear.
"Thanks babe" Sophie said quietly. She knew how hard that this must be for Sian to return here considering everything.
"Don't be daft" Sian said scoffingly. "Now take these plates and set table," she said shoving a set of plates towards her.
They were sitting on the couch watching telly. Much like the old days they sat with their legs overlapping with Celebrity Big Brother on the tube. They had put Jack to bed despite his protests and fussiness. Sian had promised him a story and even though he insisted that he was "too old for that"-he had loved hearing the blonde doing all the voices.
"Are you staying?" he had asked sleepily.
"For tonight I am," she said softly.
"Good. See youse in the morning" he yawned drifting off.
She couldn't believe how much he looked like his sister did as she watched him sleep for a moment. It reminded her how much she loved that moment, sometimes, when she woke up first. The soft vulnerability of sleep revealed the girl that Sian had first fallen for. It brought her proper back when she had been 17 and Sophie was 16 and they had been young together. They had always been young together. It knocked her back for six and made her heart ache.
All she had on her mind was Sophie being upset about something. What could be so upsetting that Sophie couldn't tell her? They had struggled in the past with so many trust issues. She knew how Webster's could be. They never discussed feelings unless forced, all the way up until the last minute. She had learned this the hard way.
When they had both been young, Sophie had tended to erupt her feelings all over the place. But Sian had noticed that her girl had worked hard on holding it back the older they got. She tended to not fight Sian on many decisions between them. Sometimes she knew that Sophie was just giving in. Sian admittedly often let her. It just made everything easier.
But it wasn't healthy. And she knew that Sophie was holding something in. Something that had put her into a state. Sian had to know what it was that was so bad that Sophie hadn't talked to her about it. They had promised each other a measure of faith and trust when they had truly decided to get back together. Sophie keeping something from her, in Sian's mind, was testing that vow. It hurt so intensely. Sian's body couldn't operate without knowing what was going on. What had she missed? She put the television on mute.
"Soph, I need to ask you something and you need to be honest," Sian said softly.
"Go on" Sophie said uncertainly. Sian could see her shoulders tense up as she waited.
Taking a deep breath she asked the question that had been eating at her all day.
"Rosie said that she saw you were crying…why were you crying Soph? I don't think it was because you were tired," Sian said gently. She noticed that Sophie's gaze fell into her lap. Her arms crossed as she looked up but kept her face straightforward.
"I'm gonna kill my sister" Sophie said angrily.
"Don't. She's just worried about you. I wish that I had a sister that cared about me as much. You should have seen her. Stormed right into the Rovers and everything" Sian chuckled about it now in hindsight. "Still I'd like to know what's wrong" she urged softly.
She could see Sophie struggle with what she was going to say. Her shoulders slouched, as she seemed to fold in on herself.
"It's just…Jack would not stop with the questions and I was so tired…and I know that he's just a little boy…but I snapped at him…couldn't help it" she said in a low voice. Hitching over words, Sian could tell that Sophie had let herself get wound up.
"Soph, It's okay" Sian grinned and squeezed her girlfriend's hand. "How often does Sally snap at you? You were just wore out is all" Sian said relieved that it was something so simple.
"It wasn't just that though…I've only been doing this for two days and I feel so knackered…one more thing that I'm not good at…" Sophie looked down at her hands.
"Babe, you're being too hard on yourself!" Sian said lifting up her chin. She looked into her eyes. "Stop it" she demanded with a smile.
Sophie shook her head side to side.
"It's just after what Rosie said and my parents..." Sophie lifted her head to the ceiling. "I know that I won't be your wife and I can't be a mum apparently so what kind of future do we have. Is this it? We go to school and we get jobs and a house maybe…but I want more than that" Sophie pleaded getting more worked up with every word.
Sian was quiet for a moment. She had to take a moment to process what she had just heard. Guilt flooded through her as she realized that she had had no idea that all this was building up in Sophie's mind. There had to be a reason that she hadn't shared it until now.
"I've never said that I didn't want to marry you Sophie Webster" Sian said matter of factly. Sophie opened her mouth to speak but Sian quickly put her hand over Sophie's lips. "No let me get this out and be clear so there's no question," she breathed out slowly. "Before, when we were young, I thought that all I wanted to do was be yours forever. I didn't think that we wouldn't be, so when you wanted to get married I believed that it was just the way it was meant to be" Sian said slowly.
She shifted so that she was facing Sophie directly. "I know now that it was a mistake…the first of many…but baby it doesn't mean that I don't want to be Mrs. Webster. Just not yet but that doesn't mean not ever" Sian finished up leaning in closer. She wrapped her hands around Sophie's neck and pulled her towards her. Their kiss was slow and soft. The blonde was the first to pull away.
"I love you" Sophie said in a low voice that dripped with desire. Sian's head got clouded for a moment. The sound of her girlfriend's voice well turned her on when it was like this. Sophie moved down her jaw, placing soft kisses that drove Sian wild while the brunette moved towards her neck. She nearly gave in to the heat that she was feeling. With all her strength, however, she shook herself out of it.
"Love you too" Sian said leaning her forehead against the other girl. "Now, I owe you an apology Soph. I should have been here to help you. You shouldn't have to shoulder this alone, like some single mum," Sian said sincerely. She really did feel full of guilt.
"No Sian…it's okay" Sophie protested. Sian hushed her.
"No Soph, I let you down. It was selfish. I know that you let me get my way because you think that I'll disappear if you don't, but Sophie, I'm not perfect. No one is. I just need to get over this place" Sian finished. Sophie nodded. "You had to get over a lot of fear when you came to find me, well so do I. There's far too many dark shadows, but there's a lot of light as well" she paused as a soft sob escaped her chest. Taking a deep breath she continued on "It's hard. Really hard being back here. But it's worth it". She looked directly into Sophie's eyes "You've always been worth it."
Sian got up from the couch still holding Sophie's hand.
"Come on" Sian said as she looked to upstairs.
"Thank god I don't have that single bed anymore" Sophie said relieved.
"If you hadn't we could've always used Kev and Sally's" Sian giggled.
"Yeah it's not like we haven't done that before aye?" Sophie said dripping with innuendo.
"Well who says we won't again" Sian with a sly wink.
"SIAN!" Sophie laughed as they headed up the stairs.
They sat down together for their breakfast the next day. The ladies were in robes with their tea, while Jack had his cereal.
"Are you staying Siany?" Jack asked slurping his milk.
"Only if it's okay with you little man," Sophie replied.
"Course!" he shouted. "Can we go play football today in the park?" he asked.
"Well maybe, but Jack, we're rubbish at it" Sian added. Sophie nodded in agreement.
"Can we get some crisps?" Jack asked hopefully.
"You and the questions! You're as bad as Norris" Sophie said ruffling his hair. She got up and taking her tea with her.
"You know how he lost his hair Jack?" Sian asked Jack who just nodded that he didn't.
"Asking too many questions!" the blonde laughed.
"Better watch out Jack!" Sophie added in from the sink.
Jack gave a woop as he ran his fingers thru his hair. Sian noticed how he pushed his hands from back to front, just like his sister. She smiled to herself. Looking up from her tea, she caught her girlfriend's eyes gazing at her.
It suddenly struck her that this was how it could be-like a preview of things to come. She leaned over to whisper in Jack's ear.
"Can I tell you a secret Jack?" Sian said with a whisper. He nodded with that Webster side grin.
"I'm going to marry your sister someday but you can't tell her" she gestured her hand between the two of them "it'll ruin the surprise."
"OK but Sian" he paused nervously "Can I dance with you at the wedding?"
"Well someone will have to. You know that your sister can't do it proper" Sian replied. They both laughed together conspiratorially.
"Hey you two! I don't like the sight of this" Sophie said placing her hands on her hips with a smirk. "What are you two on about?" she demanded.
"Sophie, can I ask you one a question?" Sian piped up with a cheeky smile.
"Go on" Sophie sighed.
"Are you ever going to get a new robe?" she asked with a big grin. Sophie made sounds of protest as she looked down at her old robe with the multi-colored stars.
"It really should be burned right Jack?" Sian laughed cheekily as he nodded in agreement.
"Oi! I've had enough with the pair of you" Sophie threw her hands up and stalked off to the bathroom.