Page 18 of Promises & Petals in Nettleford-on-the-Wold
‘Thanks.’ Giving a huge sigh, Sophie stood up and tucked her chair under. ‘I’m going to grab another latte. One I might actually be able to drink hot. What do you want?’
‘I’ll have another tea, please?’ Hannah drank the last of her tea.
‘Coming right up.’
As she watched Sophie walk towards the counter and order, she frowned. Was she okay? After Sophie had rung him during their dinner, Josh had hinted that he didn’t think Richard was treating her properly. He hadn’t come out and said as much, but his tone had changed when he’d spoken about Richard. And now today, Sophie looked as though she hadn’t slept for a week and was carrying a million stresses on her shoulders. Something wasn’t right.
Chapter Thirteen
‘Here you go. Careful, I grabbed you some more of those sugar sachets too.’ Sophie lowered Hannah’s tea to the table, the sugar sachets falling from the saucer despite her trying to save them.
‘Thanks.’ Hannah waited until her friend had sat back down and taken her first sip of her hot latte before speaking again. ‘Is everything okay, Soph?’
‘Of course.’ Sophie gave a quick smile, one which didn’t reach her eyes, before looking into her latte and shaking her head. ‘Honestly? Things aren’t great. I’ve been getting a lot of overtime at work, you know, just people being away on holiday. And the extra money is great. Really great. But it just means that I’ve got to try to squeeze everything else in around the time I’m at home, and what with the summer holidays and Florrie having finished nursery, I’ve been relying a lot on my parents for childcare.’
‘I bet they love that, don’t they? Getting to spend more time with Florrie?’ Sophie’s parents had often had her over for dinner when her grandad had been working and the majority of times shed visited there had always been a houseful, Gemma, Lucy, and a bunch of Josh’s mates. She could imagine them cherishing every moment they had Florrie over.
‘Oh, they do. It’s just me who feels bad. They’re retired now, and they should be off enjoying themselves rather than having to babysit because I have to go into work.’
‘Have you spoken to them about it?’ Crossing her legs beneath the table, Hannah leaned forward a little.
Sophie nodded. ‘And they say they love having her. I know it’s just me who worries, but, I don’t know, I think if Richard went and picked her up on his way home from work instead of going to the pub or wherever then I wouldn’t feel so bad, but because half the time her dad is literally able to look after her himself but can’t for various reason...’ Sophie hooked her index fingers around the word ‘can’t’, ‘…then I feel as though we’re using them.’
Shaking her head, Hannah reached across the table and laid her hand on Sophie’s forearm. ‘They’re your parents, Florrie’s grandparents and two of the nicest people I’ve ever met. They would want to help you out, and they’d want to spend time with Florrie.’
Looking down, Sophie pinched the bridge of her nose. ‘I know.’
‘Is there something else?’ Hannah tilted her head. Sophie was really out of sorts, and she didn’t believe the guilt over her parents having Florrie was the only reason.
‘I don’t know. We’re just not getting along very well. Me and Richard, I mean. He’s out all the time, and I mean at every given opportunity he’s out of the house. Whether it’s because he’s been offered overtime, or his mate has invited him down the pub. Like whatever the excuse, he’s there.’
‘Oh, that must be difficult. Especially with little Florrie.’
‘That’s the thing, it’s not. I’m so used to not being able to rely on him for anything that I just get what I can done myself and me and Florrie, well, we’ve got used to it just being us so on the rare occasion he is at home for an evening its...’ Sophie shifted inher chair. ‘Actually, I’m not used to it, and I don’t think Florrie is either, if the way she plays up for him is anything to go by, anyway.’
Hannah swallowed. How was she supposed to reply? If it were just Sophie on her own, then she’d know exactly what to say; heck, Sophie would have likely left him by now, but with Florrie... ‘What do you want to happen?’
Hitching her shoulders, Sophie sighed heavily. ‘I don’t know. I love him, but this just isn’t sustainable. He could be out doing all sorts, seeing another woman, for example. He’s not. I’d know if he were, but he could be. I guess we’ll just muddle through and see what happens.’
‘Are you happy with that? With muddling through?’ Hannah looked her friend in the eye. They both knew the answer.
‘Not really, and it feels like the beginning of the end, but I’ve got to try, haven’t I?’ Sophie looked across at the soft play area as Gemma and Florrie had a race down the slide. ‘For her if no one else.’
‘If there’s anything I can do, just let me know.’
‘I will. Thanks.’ Sophie shook her arms out at her sides. ‘Anyway, enough of me and my problems. How’s things with you?’
Picking up a sugar sachet, Hannah flicked it with her forefinger before emptying it into her tea. Sophie had finished talking about Richard. She could see that, and she didn’t want to push her to continue if she didn’t want to, still she didn’t like leaving it like this. She hated seeing her so unhappy. ‘How long has this been going on? How long have you been feeling like this?’
Leaning her elbows on the table, Sophie massaged her temples. ‘I’m not sure, to be honest. At this point, it just feels normal, but I know it’s not, and I know it’s not how things used to be between me and Richard. I guess we’ve been growing apartfor a few years now, but his staying out all the time has got a million times worse over this past year though.’
Hannah stirred the sugar in, watching as the tiny sugar crystals dissolved in the hot liquid. During their numerous phone calls, Sophie had never said a word about how unhappy she’d become. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
Sophie shook her head slightly. ‘It’s nothing, not compared with what you’ve been going through. I’m fine.’
Hannah nodded slightly. She didn’t look fine, and Hannah would have known that if she hadn’t gone travelling, or even if she’d popped into the village or arranged to meet her friends elsewhere every once in a while. She’d let her down. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘Don’t be daft. You’ve nothing to be sorry about.’ Sophie dismissed her apology with a wave of her hand. ‘You really don’t.’
