Storymania - Taming Sophie by Martine Hayes (Chap. 3)

Taming Sophie (Continued)
Martine Hayes

Chapter 3

Sophie carefully dialled the number and waited to hear the familiar voice answering, she didn’t know what to expect, maybe her mother would be sad, or angry, or puzzled, but she would cry, it was the only thing Sophie could be certain about.

‘Hello,’

‘Hi mum, it’s me, how are you?’

‘Sophie, thank god you phoned, I’ve been worried sick.’

‘Mum, has Sarah been round to see you?’

‘Yes, and she’s told me about this Clive fella, what are playing at? You can’t just stay there, you have a life here, what about your job? Mr Hammond has just been on the phone, Sarah told him you were ill and he phoned to see if you were okay. Your father is not very happy about this, you don’t even know this fella, we don’t even know him.’

‘Mum, I’m fine, and Clive is wonderful, I have a great job here, much better than old "Handy-Hammond" I’m happy, I’ll be earning a lot more too. Why don’t you come down and meet Clive, you’ll like him.’

‘Why don’t you just get home, you can visit Clive until you get to know him and then move in with him, but your just too far away and moving too fast, love. We worry about you.’

‘I know, but I’m fine, honest. I’ll phone you again later in the week, but please let me try to make this work mum?’

‘ I’m not happy about it, your father wants you home what is he going to think if I tell him you said no?’

‘Tell him, I’m just having a trial and that if it goes wrong, I’ll come home. Tell him I will send home some money every month. Tell him I love him. And I love you too mum. I have to go now.’

‘Okay, please take care Sophie, and make sure you phone me often.’

‘I will, I promise.’

‘See ya, love’

‘Bye mum.’

Sophie placed the phone on the receiver, her tears were almost blinding her, but she had no one to hold, and she knew her mother was crying too and she couldn’t hold her. She reached into her bag and lit a cigarette. When she had finished it, she would go and find something to wear for tonight. She didn’t want Clive’s friends to see her looking a mess, she had to look good. She made her way to the spare room where she had thrown her clothes and bags. On top of the bed was an envelope, Sophie opened the envelope to find a large sum of money and a note which read:

Dearest Sophie,

I thought you might like to go shopping for something new to wear tonight,

I would have told you this morning, but you looked too peaceful to waken.

I love you.

Clive.

Sophie carefully removed the money and counted it, there was �800. She had never spent that amount of money before, she couldn’t spend all that on clothes. It must be a mistake, she would have to phone him to tell him. She dialled his office and told him about the money. He laughed, and told her to go and have fun. Sophie was shocked. She couldn’t wait to go shopping. She would be able to go to all those ‘posh’ shops. The shops which she was never able to understand before. The shops which would charge �200 for a pair of trousers, which she could buy at another store for �20. She was going to buy something really nice, really respectable, really posh. She was going to be posh. She forgot how upset she was, she forgot about her mum, Sarah and Glasgow. She had made the right decision to stay. She would never look back, never.

She placed the bags of new clothes on the kitchen table and made herself a coffee. She couldn’t wait to show Clive her new dress, and matching shoes. She was sure he would love them. She wanted everything to be ‘perfect’.

Clive returned a few moments later and she welcomed him with a loving kiss.

‘I missed you, do you want to see my new dress?’

‘No, surprise me tonight. They’ll be here for 7 O’clock. I’m sure you’ll knock em dead.’

Sophie began to get rather nervous as the time was nearing the arrival of his friends. She must have been in the bath too long, she could see the tips of her fingers beginning to prune and she had washed her long dark hair for the third time. She could hear the soft soothing opera music coming from the sitting room, she knew that Clive was arranging the nibbles and the glasses. She could hear him humming as he shuffled about the room, and the occasional thump as he opened and closed the cupboards in the kitchen. In the peacefulness of the bathroom, she felt safe, the warm water circling around her, cleansing her, relaxing her and holding her thoughts. She pictured the evening in advance. The door would sound and Clive would invite them in, they would be nice, like Clive, they would introduce themselves and wear expensive suits. Their hair would all have the same, neat cut. They would all be rich and very polite. The wives would be wearing Channel and their shoes would match their dresses too. They would be older than her, and they would have had their hair done by the same hairdresser. They would all call each other "Darling". They would laugh and joke, they would probably brag about their cars, their houses and of course their holidays. Sophie began to worry, she hadn’t ever been abroad, she didn’t have an expensive car. She couldn’t drive. She had nothing in common with these people, except Clive. She wasn’t well educated, she had attended the local schools. Her parents weren’t rich and successful, her father was an alcoholic and her mother was an ordinary housewife, and then there was her accent. She could be dressed in a million dollar gown and as soon as she uttered a single word, they would know she was common. When Sophie had washed every ounce of confidence out of her soul, she watched as it slid slowly down the drain with the bath water. She would dress beautifully and she would keep quiet for Clive’s sake. She would hate for him to feel embarrassed.

She looked at herself in the mirror, she looked so alive, so fresh and so beautiful. Her dark hair draped over her lilac dress, her legs looked dark against it. She was ready to face the world which she was newly part of, a world of glamour, a world where she would soon feel comfortable with, a world which was a million miles away from her own.

The door bell rang and Sophie knew that the time had come. She could hear Clive opening it and some chuckles. The muffled voices coming closer then becoming more distant as they past by the bedroom.

‘Beam me up Scottie,’

She gave herself a final check over in the mirror before leaving the safety of the bedroom, to enter the already busy sitting room. Everyone turned as Clive fixed his eyes on the beauty before him.

‘Sophie, you look absolutely marvellous.’ He welcomed her with a gentle kiss on the cheek.

‘Thank you.’

‘Let me introduce you to everyone. This is James and his adorable wife Lisa.’

Lisa was 35, and she was almost the same height as her husband, he was an architect too. Lisa smiled and exchanged a warm hand shake with Sophie. She was very slim, almost skinny, and Sophie could almost see the bones of her shoulders, which were protruding almost through the skin under her open neck shirt. She wasn’t wearing a suit or a dress, she was wearing a full length skirt, and a blouse. They were a matching maroon colour. Her hair was blonde and bobbed, her eyes were deep set and she looked pale and very weak. Sophie smiled back and felt the hand of James, who was lifting hers to his lips, he kissed her courteously and told her what an honour it was to meet someone so pretty. Sophie smiled again, but she thought how his comments must have enraged his poor, weak wife. Lisa, was still smiling.

‘This lovely creature is Karen, and her ugly husband Peter, but we call him Swifty’

‘Hi, pleased to meet you,’ Sophie tried to be as polite as her accent would allow.

‘Less of the Ugly if you don’t mind, Karen thinks I should have been a Chippendale I’ll have you know.’

‘Yes, but that’s because your legs look like the legs of a Chippendale table.’

Karen giggled as Sophie shook hands with Swifty. Clive was always horrid to Swifty, but it was all in fun. Swifty enjoyed a good banter with the lads. Clive handed everyone a drink and sat beside Sophie. As the conversation grew about work and home, Sophie began to relax. Karen wasn’t in a matching dress either, and her dark hair was tied up. She was normal, she didn’t brag about cars, in fact, Karen couldn’t drive either. James was rubbing his over size belly, and making remarks about his indigestion.

‘So, how did you two meet?’ asked Lisa.

‘At the casino.’

‘Oh really, did you have much luck then?’

‘Yes, I did win quite a few times, nothing to brag about though.’

Clive interrupted the conversation.

‘You won me, that’s loads to brag about.’

Karen was quickest to reply.

‘No, she was right the first time. Or were you the booby prize?’

‘Actually, I was the winning prize.’

‘Yeah, remind me not to gamble.’ Karen was on a roll, and everyone seemed happy and relaxed. The evening was winding up and more and more insults were being thrown around at the happy foursome. Sophie sat back and enjoyed the warm, pleasant atmosphere. The door bell rang again and Clive went to answer. It was Claire. She was soaking wet. No one had noticed the rain outside, the cold or the darkness. They were too busy enjoying the wine and the conversation.

‘Hi you lot, thanks to you James, thanks for coming to pick me up, you miserable bastard.’

‘Oh James, you didn’t tell me you had to pick Claire up, sorry Claire you know what he’s like.’

Lisa clipped James around the ear. Karen thought it looked like fun and she did it too.

‘Sorry, you must be Sophie, I’m Claire. I have to work with these arse holes.’

Sophie laughed, she liked her. She reminded her of Sarah. Blunt and unashamed. Claire was good looking, single and totally independent. She had her own place, and a book full of telephone numbers. Her hair was short, brown and was neatly tucked behind her ears. She had gorgeous, blue eyes and her complexion was perfect. She was definitely model material. Sophie felt comfortable, Clive’s friends were lovely, they were fun. They didn’t need drugs or cheap lager to have a laugh. The night certainly wouldn’t end up a punching match or someone trying to con you out of a tenner. This was real, good, clean fun. This is what Glasgow never provided for her. She wouldn’t have to listen to a group chorus of the latest ‘Old Firm’ songs. She could relax, enjoy the company and when the night was done, she would go to bed with the man she adored.

‘Hey Claire, it’s us who have to work with you. Not only are you a trainee, but your a woman in a man’s job which reminds me, did you bring your leggo?’

‘Ha ha, ha.. Swifty, how’s your piles?’

Claire was always in the firing line for abuse from her loving work mates. She didn’t mind it, although sometimes she did get a bit cheesed off.

‘Nibbles anyone?’

Clive handed out some dishes with nuts and truffles. Lisa refused and passed them on.

‘Don’t you like anything Lisa?’ James sounded a bit patronising as he fed his mouth with some of the truffles. He passed the dish to Claire and everything went quiet. Lisa excused herself and headed for the bathroom. Sophie began to wonder if Lisa had some sort of eating disorder, it would certainly explain the total lack of fat on her body and her sunken eyes. The conversation grew again, and Lisa reappeared. Sophie could tell that she had been crying. She never said anything, no one else did either. Everyone just carried on with the conversation as normal.

After they had left, Clive and Sophie tidied up the glasses from the sitting room. Clive wrapped his arms around her as she stood at the sink. It had been an excellent night, but Sophie was tired and was looking forward to a night of passion with Clive.

‘What’s wrong with Lisa?’ She asked inquisitively.

‘She was diagnosed with full blown AIDS last month, she contacted it from a lusty affair with one of James’ clients Poor bugger never even knew about the affair until he found out he was HIV Positive. He only found that out when he went for a routine check up before joining the sub aqua club. Since then, he hasn’t had much time for her. Which anyone can understand.’

‘Why is he still with her?’ She enquired.

‘Well, he says he wouldn’t risk anyone else getting the disease, and he wouldn’t like to be alone, so he said he would stay with her. She says it’s because he wants pay back, he’s not very nice to her, as you can imagine. Although, they do put on a fairly, good show for others. Karen and Swifty don’t know Swifty only joined the team last November, and Claire wouldn’t tell anyone. She feels guilty, because she knew about the affair for months, and never told James. She has seen them together in the Beefeater. And they appeared more than friends.’

‘Gosh that must be awful. Will she die soon?’

‘Don’t know, she gets ill and then she gets better, then she gets ill again. Eventually, she won’t get better. Apparently she will have liver failure or kidney failure or something like that. Then she will die.’

‘It must be worse for James, because he will have to watch her dying, and realise that it will be him one day.’

‘It will be all of us one day, we all have to die sooner or later.’

‘Yes but I’m booked for later rather than sooner.’ Sophie led him to the bedroom.

‘There is plenty of life in me, wanna see?’

‘Yes please.’ The light went out and Sophie and Clive held each other tight.

It was almost a perfect morning, Sophie woke up in Clive’s arms. The sun had barely started to shine and the birds were beginning their morning ritualistic singing. Sophie watched Clive’s face as he lay beside her still asleep. She followed the contours of his face and gently brushed her finger over his cheek. She jumped as the phone rang. Clive reached for the phone, still half sleeping.

‘Hello,’ He said nothing for a while, but his face told Sophie that something was seriously wrong. Clive placed the phone on the receiver and stared at Sophie.

‘What’s wrong? Who was it? Clive? She put her arms around his shoulder, ‘Tell me.’

‘It’s Lisa, she’s dead, she committed suicide. I have to go to the hospital and pick James up, he’s been there all night’

Sophie felt strange, she didn’t know the woman, but she had shared the last few hours of her life. She didn’t know how to feel. She knew it was because of the AIDS, but she couldn’t imagine what this must be doing to James. The reason he stayed with her might have been because despite everything, he loved her, more than he was prepared to admit. She saw the pity on Clive’s face, was it for Lisa, or was it for James, or was it because someone had died, and it was the correct emotion to feel at that time. Clive dressed and left for the hospital. Sophie got up and made a pot of coffee. She knew he would be away for some time, and decided now was the best time to organise her personal wardrobe, if only to clear the spare bedroom of all her belongings. She had the feeling that James would be staying for a while. She opened Clive’s to see just how much room she had. Not much, it was almost full. She pushed the row of neatly ironed shirts closer together and began to hang some of her dresses in the side opposite to them. Then came her shoes, her new ones would have to be kept in the box, they were far too expensive to leave lying around. Sophie reached and placed the shoe box up on the shelf above Clive’s shirts. They slid back and she had to climb onto the stool, to place them farther, towards the back of the shelf. She noticed another shoe box, a man’s shoe box. It was begging her to look inside, it kept calling. Sophie tried desperately not to give in to her over-riding temptation. It was useless.

‘Just one small peak, it’s probably shoes anyway.’ She thought.

Sophie gasped as the truth revealed itself to her. She slumped off the chair and sat on the bed with the box still in her hands. She Stared at it, trying to take it in. Why would this man she adored own a gun? She took it out of the box and examined it carefully. She had never seen a real gun before, it felt heavy and cold. It made her shiver. She pushed it back into the box and placed it back on the shelf, she would find some where else to store her shoes. She wouldn’t ask Clive about the gun, he would think she had been snooping. The phone rang again, it was Clive.

‘I’m bringing James home for a while, can you make a pot of coffee and arrange some breakfast for him?’

‘Sure, how is he?’

‘Not too good, he’s numb, poor bastard. We won’t be long.’

‘See ya.’

Go to chapter: [<<Prev] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 [Next>>]