Sian looked into the mirror in the Rover's bathroom. She sighed as she noticed that she looked as tired as she felt. After a couple of hours of class, she now had to face a closing shift with Michelle. Already expecting her to be full of "Ryan this and Ryan that" she had tried her best to just get thru it. But after an hour it was proving more difficult for her to keep her gob shut. And her feelings were starting to push themselves thru her practiced reserve.
It didn't help that Sophie was acting so diffident about her feelings either. Usually her girlfriend did the best she could just to keep her happy. But one night out with Ryan Connor and she had suddenly gotten all stubborn about everything. It was all a little too "Webster" for Sian to deal with. It was an obnoxious family trait that Sian did not appreciate.
Right now her girlfriend was probably having some fancy dish down at the Bistro, while Sian lived off greasy fish and chips. It was all getting to be a bit much for Sian to deal with civilly. She was just about to text Sophie not to bother coming tonight at all. Sian worried she might snap at the sight of her with another blonde as well. Ryan's fiance or not, Sian couldn't help but be a bit jealous.
"Are you coming back or what?" she heard coming from behind her.
Sian didn't even have to turn around to know that Michelle Connor's arms were crossed. This was never a good sign.
"Yeah, just give me a minute all right" Sian huffed as she turned around to grab a paper towel.
"Are you and Sophie in a fight or summat? Is it about last night?" Michelle asked.
"No. Why would you ask that?" Sian said trying to play it off as nothing.
"Well you've had a face on you all night. Y'know he didn't force her to do anything right?" Michelle argued.
"Yeah but he didn't stop her either when he had to know that she doesn't have the stomach for drinking like that" Sian spat out suddenly riled.
"That's fair. He wasn't being a good mate at that moment" Michelle sighed. "But you need to stop punishing him for things he done long ago" Michelle entreated.
"I'm trying but don't forget Michelle" Sian headed to the bathroom door "Sophie is the saintly one, I'm not."
Before she got thru the door she was stopped by the unlikely head of Steve McDonald.
"Are you guys coming back out or what?" Steve pleaded in desperation.
"Steve we're talking here!" Michelle said frustrated.
"No we're done here. I'm coming" Sian pushed past him thru the door.
Sophie sat opposite a pretty blonde at the Bistro that was not her girlfriend.
She was sure that the street would be gobbing all kinds of nonsense. The masses were very good at making summat out of nowt. Sure Christy was good-looking. She had a natural tan and a confident nature that Sophie had seen in Americans before. They had chatted as they walked over to the Bistro from where they were bunking at a mates of Ryans. He had already left with his mates and as Christy leapt at conversation Sophie could tell she must be desperate for anyone to hang out with. Sophie felt genuinely sorry for the poor lass. She was all alone in a world where everyone was in each other's pockets. It was her empathy that had led her to agree to hang out tonight after all. Well, and maybe it was that sixth Sambuca shot, but she probably would have gone along with it. Alcohol or not.
Sophie could tell that Sian was getting the wrong end of the stick about this. She had a feeling it was all mixed up in her feelings about Ryan, the past, and their future. Maybe a little jealousy mixed in as well. Which was utterly ridiculous since Christy was fit and all, but so incredibly straight. I mean she was into Channing Tatum for Christ sake. It was silly for Sian to even consider it. The brunette had not meant to be so stubborn about it all. But it was frustrating how all their past baggage seemed to permeate everything. Why couldn't Sian just let things go?
Ever since California it had been her mission to find forgiveness and get over the past. She had read somewhere that you need to lift the lid on the pain of the past and by doing so you let light in. In her religious studies she had come to the conclusion that only by admitting one's transgressions against the father could one then gain the light of his love and forgiveness. It had not been easy but Sophie had worked hard within herself to make herself feel worthy of both Sian's and god's forgiveness. It sucked when she didn't see the same kind of resolution in her partner. Sophie knew that Sian wasn't as religious as her, but she still felt that they should be equally capable of empathy and forgiveness. It could be between each other or those around them-everyone deserved compassion.
It seemed as if Sian had just gotten more bitter and stern. Sophie knew that she deserved to be scolded for last night's behavior but she had just been having fun. She was only 22 after all. Rosie had come home bladdered practically every night since she turned 16. It had just been a moment of letting off some steam with a willing compatriot. Sian was blowing this whole thing way out of proportion.
That mardiness had now bled into a second night and Sophie was well annoyed. Her girlfriend hadn't even sent her a text since this morning.
"I owe you so much Sophie, you have no idea" Christy said earnestly as she dug into her salad.
"Oh don't be daft. I'd not turn down a free meal" Sophie scoffed.
"No really. I know that you saved him. He told me everything" she said with utter sincerity.
"Did he tell you the version where I stole his girlfriend? I like that one" she chuckled trying to keep it light.
"Hey I hope you aren't in trouble being out with me, it's just I don't know anyone here and Ry kept saying how you're the best…" she trailed off as Steph appeared with more water for their glasses.
Sophie spoke up after Steph had vacated the immediate aural vicinity.
"No offense, because I've gone out with Americans before and their well hot, but Sian's it for me. She's my world" Sophie said with a strength of declaration that was utterly sincere and earnest. Sophie was not afraid at how soppy she might appear to be in this moment. Every word was true. She then turned toward the bar where a gossipy gnome elf was listening far too intently.
"Did you get that Norris?" Sophie chuckled over her shoulder.
She laughed as he tried to turn away as if he hadn't been eavesdropping on every word.
"This street" Sophie sighed under her breath as she turned back to Christy.
"I know what everyone's thinking" she said as she poked at her salad. "They think that I'm crazy to marry a man like Ryan, but they don't know him like I do...like you do" she finished up.
"It's pretty mad considering our history but I know that underneath he's a good mate. Just needed to grow up a bit" Sophie shrugged.
"Yeah, he told me about it all. How he would have died if not for you" Christy said earnestly.
Sophie shrugged stoically. Americans sure know how to make a big deal out of nothing she thought. "Well I guess it's something that anyone might have done. It was nowt really" she said feeling uncomfortable with the other woman's sentiment.
"Well, I'm sorry that your girlfriend doesn't feel the same way. You think that we should still stop by the Rovers after this? I don't want to cause more trouble" Christy expressed as they saw Steph coming with the check.
"No. You know what if Sian has a problem with it she can tell me straight out otherwise she can jog on" Sophie said forcefully.
She was truly done with this. And if Sian was going to be all passive aggressive about whatever was bothering her then Sophie was going to get it out into the open.
One way or another.