Storymania - Taming Sophie by Martine Hayes (Chap. 4)

Taming Sophie (Continued)
Martine Hayes

Chapter 4

Sophie was first up again, she had to make breakfast for three now, she didn’t mind, she still felt sorry for James, she had heard him crying at night when he was alone in the spare room. The sobbing reminded her of her mother, it went on until Sophie fell asleep. She never mentioned it, she didn’t know if Clive heard it, she wouldn’t ask. Clive was back at work today, James would probably mope around the house as usual in his own little world. He was like a little boy lost at the market. He would pace the floor then sit, then pace, then sit, then eat something and pace at the same time. Sophie would talk to him for a while, he seemed to enjoy that, it took his mind off things, especially after the funeral. He had been quite depressed after it. It took him almost a week to get over it, but Sophie and Clive would rather see him miserable in their house, than miserable on his own. He needed them, and they needed to help him.

‘Fancy a cuppa, James?’

‘You sit, I’ll make it.’ Said James, shocking Sophie. This was surely a sign that he was getting well.

Sophie sat and let him bring it into the sitting room for her. She picked up her magazine and lounged on the sofa. She was so happy, she never thought much about Glasgow or Sarah much now, she had her own exciting life. She adored Clive and she loved his friends, her friends. James appeared with two cups of coffee and had a packet of chocolate biscuits hanging from his teeth. Sophie giggled and reached to help him.

‘Thank you, kind sir.’

‘What are you reading?’ He asked.

‘Nothing much, just full of adverts for this and for that. It’s all clothes and perfume really.’

James leaned forward, and clasped his hands together, his head was down and he looked troubled.

‘Penny for them.’ Asked Sophie with genuine concern.

‘Pardon?’ Asked James as he sat deep in thought.

‘Your thoughts, what’s wrong?’

‘I was just wondering what you see in Clive, your young, pretty and so much to look forward to.’

‘Well, he’s lovely, kind, passionate and I adore him. Is that enough?’ Sophie smiled.

‘Is this the same Clive were talking about?’ James appeared to snigger at this point.

‘Surely, you must agree, he’s absolutely lovely.’ Sophie remarked in fun.

‘You look like his last wife, Christina.’ James’ voice was sullen.

‘He told me about it, it must have been awful to lose not only a wife, but a child.......’

‘Child, what child? He asked immediately.

‘Sammy, his daughter- in the accident.’ Sophie felt confused at his ignorance.

James’ face changed to that of a seriously puzzled expression, Sophie had obviously let the kittens out of the bag. James obviously didn’t know as much as he thought he did. He must have been fishing, and she had gave him the first two chapters of Clive’s personal life. How could she have been so easy. Perhaps it was a part of his life that Clive preferred to keep to himself. Just like James and Lisa with their problems. Sophie dropped the conversation there and headed for the kitchen, she felt as though she had betrayed Clive’s trust, his generosity, and his love. James was still puzzled by her last comments. He sat back in the chair and sighed. He turned his head to the direction of the kitchen and attempted to raise his voice over that of the radio, playing in the background.

‘How callous can he get? I can’t believe this, he gets better or worse.’

‘Sorry?’ Sophie hurried to wash the cups and returned to the sitting room.

‘Sophie, it’s all lies, there was no child, there was no accident. Christina is alive and well. She lives in Sussex.’

Sophie was now the one who was puzzled, she couldn’t understand what James was trying to say. Had Clive told them both two different stories? Was her version the truth? Could James be lying? She couldn’t comprehend just where the conversation was going. Clive would never lie to her, perhaps Clive didn’t trust James enough to tell him the real story, maybe he didn’t want his friends to pity him. She thought she best not say anything else. She would discuss it with Clive when he returned, she would tell him what James said. He would tell her the reason for James to say what he did, he would explain it all to her.

‘I have to go out, I’m meeting Karen for lunch.’ Sophie raised a pretend smile and hurried towards the door.

‘Look, Sophie, please think about what I said, it’s all true.’

Sophie said nothing, she picked up her jacket and left. James was unsure of her reaction. He hoped she had believed him, he hoped that she would leave for good. He hoped she would go home to Glasgow.

Sophie walked into the City, everything kept going round in her mind. She could see no reason for James or Clive to lie, but one of them had to be lying. James was maybe depressed, perhaps he was paranoid, she just didn’t know. Should she tell Clive or should she wait and find out more. Perhaps Sarah had been right. Perhaps she had made the biggest mistake of her life, and was about to see the fairy tale in it’s truest form- twisted and ugly. No, she was sure that Clive was telling the truth. She saw the hurt in his eyes that day when he told her about the accident. Although, she couldn’t remember ever seeing a photo or any trace of Sammy, or Christina for that matter, maybe it hurt to much and he wanted every trace away. She would say nothing, she would wait. She felt guilty, here she was doubting the man she adored. She would prove to herself that Clive was true.

Karen smiled, Sophie was late. She walked up to the table and sat down. The room was pretty, it was very light and cosy. "The Palmer Lounge" This was Karen’s favourite lunch time venue. It was quite expensive, at one time Sophie would have avoided such places, but not now. She could afford to splash out. Her mother would cringe if she knew that Sophie could spend �50 for a light lunch. Karen had already ordered the wine and gladly poured a glass for Sophie.

‘You didn’t walk here, did you?’

‘Yes, I need the exercise. Getting podgy. How are you?’

‘Fine, hey guess what?’

‘Emmm...Your nail broke? You’re pregnant? You won the lottery?’

‘Wrong again, Lisa has left her entire estate to charity, James gets zilch. Her sister told me yesterday.’

‘Really? Why?’

‘Well, I think she blamed James for the way she was really.’ Replied Karen.

‘The way she was?’ Sophie needed to know more if she was to believe her.

‘Come on Sophie, he wasn’t all that sympathetic, the poor cow was like a bag of bones in the end. He could have at least booked her into a clinic, she could have got better, he let her slip away. I hope Swifty and I never get to that stage.’

‘What do you mean, she could have got better?’ Sophie felt confused.

‘Anorexia. We’ve all suffered from it at one time or another. It doesn’t have to go that far.’

‘Oh, I see.’

The waiter appeared and took their order, Sophie had the fish again. She never used to eat it, but she liked the sauce, she liked the salad too. Karen usually had the beef, but today she was having a club sandwich.

Sophie knew that Karen didn’t know the true reason behind Lisa’s illness, she wasn’t going to tell her either. That was up to James. Or could this be another lie? No, Clive wasn’t lying. No.

‘How long did you know Lisa then, Karen?’

‘We were at school together, she was a real bugger then. She was always naughty, always had to get the last word. We used to fight too. She always had to have a go of my latest boyfriend, looking back, she was welcome to them. That’s how she met James. It was a double date. I was seeing James, Lisa was meeting Swifty for the first time. Then, we swapped. We got married the week after each other too. We did plan a joint wedding, but we thought it would be better to have 2 parties, rather than one. She was fine up until she had a miscarriage, then she went into this real depression and stopped eating. Eventually, she couldn’t eat anymore. Whenever she tried, she was ill. James just thought it would make itself right in the end. I warned him that it was more serious, but Lisa didn’t want to see anyone about it. I did try, and we fell out. She told me to go, she became a hermit for a while. James said she was on the mend. I hadn’t seen her for ages. I got a shock that first night at your party.’

The waiter brought the order and placed it in front of them. Sophie was shocked, Clive had been lying. She felt empty, she felt cold and sick. She had to ask more, she had to know, but she was afraid. A black hole appeared to be opening up in front of her, a place she had never been before and she didn’t want to enter it, but she had to know.

Karen was tucking into her lunch, Sophie was just playing with some lettuce on her plate, she couldn’t eat, she didn’t know what to ask, she was stuck, so overridden with emotion, that nothing made sense anymore.

‘You not Hungry?’

‘No, I ate just before I left. My eyes are bigger than my belly.’

Karen began talking, general chit-chat, nothing which interested Sophie, nothing to stop her mind rolling. She would have to go to the office and see Clive, she would have to see his eyes again. She would know this time if he was lying to her. There had to have a reason to go to the office in the first place. She would buy him some lunch, or a present or something, anything. She would take it in to him and she would talk to him for a while. She wouldn’t mention anything about James or Karen, she would pretend everything was fine and she would talk to him. What could she talk to him about? What could she ask? She couldn’t think. Something would come to her on the way there.

‘Well? Should I or should I not?’

‘Sorry?’

‘My hair, should I let him cut it all back? Don’t say I told you, but we might be immigrating soon. Swifty is involved in this tax dodge business. It’s about to pay off. I can’t wait to go. All that sun and sand. Anything’s better that London. You won’t say anything will you?’

‘Who?’

‘You are a million miles away today, have you heard anything I’ve just said?’

‘No, sorry I’m a bit queasy. I need to go Karen. I’m so sorry.’

‘Hey, are you okay? Shall I get you a taxi?’

‘No, the fresh air will help. I’ll call you later. Sorry Karen.’

‘Get yourself home, I’ll call you, go on.’

Sophie left and began the walk to Clive’s office. She walked slow, she felt heavy and sick. She stopped at the tie shop and bought a tie, nothing special, just a tie. She couldn’t even remember what it looked like. The office was getting nearer, Sophie still hadn’t managed to think of a question to ask. She felt devious and angry. She was angry with herself, with Clive and with Sarah. She should have been with her on that train home. Sarah should have forced her. She had no one else to blame. She reached the office door and stepped inside. The hardest part was trying to smile, trying to be calm. Trying to be tame.

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