Sian heard them coming before she saw them.
Websters.
She'd gone to get some sustenance from the vending machines. It was crap food but for now it was all she got. She also didn't want to leave Soph for too long in case she needed her.
"I told you it was this way!" she heard as she retrieved her meager candy bar from the machine. She looked up and saw Kevin and Sally barreling down the hall at top speed. She gathered herself together and got ready for the onslaught.
It was Kevin who saw her first. "Sian!" he shouted down the hall and quickly grabbed his wife's elbow. Kevin Webster was always a man of forward momentum. His pen chance for action over thought Sian often saw in his daughters. He had taught them to act on their emotions even if it led them off a cliff. It couldn't have been easy for him to be the man in a family of women whose tendency towards bickering often halted any possibility of moving forward. Sian had seen what it was like without Kevin around after the divorce and she noticed that how much the women started to live their own lives and become less like a family unit. She knew that Sophie had missed it desperately. Her girlfriend had always loved being in a proper family.
"How is my daughter? Is she all right?" Kevin asked as he charged up to where Sian was standing.
"She's fine. Just a bit shook up. They're about to discharge her" Sian informed them.
"What about her back? Did they check for any damage?" Sally asked worriedly.
"Yeah, that's why they kept her over night. But she's all right they say" Sian said. A doctor had come in and done all the standard tests on her legs and back. Sian had had no idea how bad Sophie's injuries in the past had been. She felt a twinge of guilt having not been there for her when the accident had happened before. It sounded like a horrendous ordeal. But the doctor had started her discharge and she had wanted to clean herself up. Rosie had called and let them know that the Webster's were on their way. Sian had stepped out figuring Sophie would want some time to make herself presentable.
"What happened?" Kevin asked quickly switching from empathy to interrogation.
"She won't say Mr. Webster. But the car is wrecked" Sian said as she pulled them both toward Sophie's room. Sophie hadn't spoken a word to her or the police about the accident. Sian didn't like the feeling in her gut. It always came upon her when Sophie seemingly was keeping something from her. It wound her up the more that Sophie wouldn't say.
"We'll get to the bottom of this" Sally reassured her.
Sian stood to the side as Sophie gave her parent's the relief that they needed. All the while she waited for the explosion. In a group of Webster's it was always imminent during a crisis post-mortem.
"Sophie what the hell happened anyway? We put Jack in your care! You could have killed him" Kevin's voice began to rise.
"Don't talk to her that way Mr. Webster" Sian spoke up trying to minimalize the impact of what she saw coming.
"I didn't mean to! It all just happened!" Sophie pleaded putting her head in her hands.
"What Happened Sophie?! Because you don't seem to want to tell anyone and the car didn't just crash itself" Sally pushed on.
"I'm Sorry! I am Sorry! What else do you want me to say?!" Sophie implored in a way that broke Sian's heart.
At that point a poor nurse poked her head in. She asked if everything was all right after quickly surveying the scene. Sian figured that she had dealt with this kind of scene before. It certainly broke the tension in the room. After the nurse ducked back out, Sally thru her arms around Sophie's shoulders and squeezed.
"C'mon dear. Let's get you out of here eh?" she whispered softly in her ears.
Websters.
Sian followed them out.
Sian was about to finish up her shift at the Rovers. It was a mid-afternoon shift so she wasn't too knackered. But she had kept her eyes out for a certain Webster whom she knew would be around.
They had reinstalled themselves back into their flat after staying at #4. Sophie was still resting herself up but she had returned to shifts at Dev's today. She still refused to tell Sian what had happened even though it was stalling their insurance claim. Sian understood Sophie's dislike of coppers but this was getting ridiculous. And disturbing. It didn't help with their trust issues.
Having hit a stonewall with Sophie she decided to take another tact. She had overheard Sophie on the phone and even from the one side of it she could tell that Rosie knew something that Sian didn't. It was hard to pretend that she wasn't getting more and more upset about the fact that Sophie was keeping something from her. She hated going around Sophie, but the woman wasn't leaving her much of a choice.
Right on cue at 4:00 pm Rosie Webster rolled on in. Steve had allowed her to be reinstated over Michelle and Liz's objection. As long as she didn't kick off he didn't see the point of not having a known model from print and screen in his pub. Michelle folded her arms and glared but ended up letting it go. For now.
"Rosie, I need to talk to you" Sian ducked into a booth where Rosie was nursing a G & T.
"Oh Yeah, What's Up?" Rosie said a little bit louder than necessary. She'd clearly had a few already by the time Sian got to her.
"Sophie still won't talk about the accident and I think you know why" Sian said straight out. She had been winding herself up about it all week. Sian had to get this settled. She couldn't put up with not knowing anymore.
Rosie took a sip from her drink.
"Did you know that Sophie isn't my sisters real name? Not the one that she was born with…Mum and dad called her Lauren when she was born. It was because I kept calling her "Sophie" after my doll that they changed it" Rosie explained, her voice low.
"But what does that have to do Rosie?" Sian asked. She didn't have time for Rosie to act like she was daft.
"All her life Sian, it's always been about me, and I even liked it that way. Everything about my sister was in about the fact that I got something, and she didn't. Sure she was daddy's girl but our mum…well I know that she chose me over her…" Rosie finished her drink. She went to the bar to bring another drink back with her.
"But Sophie always knew…that I may seem strong and everyone pays attention to my needs first…well it makes me a selfish cow. It started from when I had the power to change the name of my sister to the point where well…I'm the reason that she got into the accident Sian. It's me," Rosie said finishing her drink.
"HOW?!" Sian said exasperated.
"I had told her that I'd do something in Manchester and I let her down…She was on her cell phone and you know how she gets…Like Dad-all shouty…I heard the car hit her Sian…I heard it…" Rosie visibly shuddered.
"Rosie, it's not your fault. I've told her a million times to not talk on the phone while driving" Sian spoke out. She was trying desperately to bottle the rising tension inside her. Sian wanted to hit out at something. Unfortunately she didn't know the target to hit out at.
"I'm so sorry, I never want to hurt my sister ever. She doesn't want to speak to anyone about it because she doesn't want to ruin things. Despite everything my sister is still covering for me. One more thing to add to the list-"Ways that Rosie Webster Is A Daft Cow" Rosie said bitterly.
Despite her anger at both the Webster sisters right now, she respected the idea of family loyalty. Websters stuck together. Thru everything. Sian had never felt that.
"Rosie. She loves you. If anything she blames herself. Don't feel guilty at all," Sian said clasping Rosie's hand. "But I'd like to know-Why was she so angry with you? How did you let her down?" Sian asked. Her inner anger was rising, but she tried not to show it here with Rosie.
"You should ask her Sian. It's really not my business to say" Rosie said lowly to the table. She couldn't meet Sian's eyes directly.
"Oh trust me-I will," Sian said angrily as she stormed out of The Rovers.
A/N: BTW the reviews and comments that I receive on this story are incredible. It is very encouraging to read your thoughts. So thank you.