Sophie’s eyes widened. “Is the cruise expensive? And where’s the money coming from?” she gasped, unable to conceal her shock. “Mum, are you sure that’s something he’s going to want to do?”
“I’ve secured an astonishing deal so I’ve put down a deposit,” Gloria said.
“What is with both you and your father talking about money all the time?”
“Have you spoken to him about your finances…?” She couldn’t help but hint.
“I didn’t raise you to be miserly Sophie! Are you telling me I can’t splash out for our anniversary?” Gloria snapped. “It’s for our anniversary, but I’ve bought it as a Christmas present. See, I’m killing two birds with one stone.” How clever. The way to bankrupt the family was to avoid discussing extravagant purchases and label the transaction ‘a present’.
“You know we’re in a recession,” Sophie insisted. “You should talk to him.”
“Your father and I don’t have an arrangement where I beg for money. We both share everything.” Her tone was hard. “He hasn’t said anything to you about money, has he? Why? Should I be worried?”
Sophie fumbled with the phone cord. Her thoughts seesawed back and forth. Gloria was entitled to know about their household income and the current strain on expenses. Perhaps if Gloria knew, she could help take the burden from her father. But it wasn’t her secret to tell.
“You must have read about it in the papers. People are losing their jobs without any warning. It pays to be prudent.”
Gloria grunted. “What an excuse. Consider the person you want to be. Not some cheapskate I’d bet,” Gloria said, the words stinging. “Of course your father would like a cruise. We can afford it, and we’ve got plenty in savings. And besides, I think it’s important for your father and me….” Her mother’s voice shook.
“How do you mean it’s important?”
“I’ve already told you,” Gloria said. “He’s been acting so strangely. He comes home either smelling of chlorine or milk….”
“Milk?” Sophie interjected and furrowed her brow.
“Yes, milk,” Gloria said irritably. “Last night he insisted he wanted to discuss something of crucial importance that affects me. You know how he gets, so melodramatic sometimes. I told him to calm down. I practically bolted out of the house.”
“Why did you bolt out of the house?” Sophie chided. “It could be important.”
“I had to devise a plan to win him back.”
“What?”
“I can’t listen to him telling me about another woman.”
“What are you talking about?”
“All the swimming, Sophie. And he constantly smells like burned milk.”
“I just don’t understand the milk.”
“What can it be other than someone else? A woman with a baby? Who’s always heating milk, or maybe he’s doing that.”
“Er…I don’t think so.”
“So I’m trying to win him back. That’s why it’s so important about the cruise. I went out this morning and bought some sexy lingerie.”
Sophie shut her eyes. “You don’t have to go into that.”
“I’ve even booked a waxing appointment. Apparently it’s what all you young girls do. I’m getting the full Hollywood.”
“Mum – stop it,” Sophie gasped not wanting to hear.
“Sophie, wouldn’t you do anything to save your marriage? A little bit of hot wax might be the very thing.”
“Mum!” Sophie cried and tried to compose herself. “Dad obviously wants to talk to you about something important. You must listen to him. It could be anything. Anything. It could be about his health, about his job, about money. You’re the one being melodramatic. I doubt he’s even thought of ever having an affair. That’s preposterous.”
“Stop calling me melodramatic. I’m your mother.”
“It’s the recession Mum, he’s probably worried. Everyone has more pressure to perform these days. You should talk to him. You need to listen to him. You must,” Sophie insisted.
“You really don’t think he’s having an affair and he’s trying to come clean?” Gloria whimpered.
“Of course not.” Sophie blew out a breath. “Ask him what’s wrong.”
“I don’t want him to leave me. Soph, I’m petrified.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Sophie noticed Bradley approaching her desk. She stopped doodling on a company notepad with a black pen.
“Sophie, are you there?” Gloria continued. “You’ve gone awfully quiet.”
“Talk to him. It’s probably very important. I know he’s not a man of many words but just do it,” she said. Then, “I’ve got to go.” She didn’t wait for goodbyes as she hung up the phone. She smiled up at her boss who was now by her chair snooping around her desk. “Bradley, what can I do for you?”
“I’m hearing good feedback from the rest of the team about the Silver account. Apparently you did another all-nighter.”
Sophie shrugged. “No big deal Bradley.” What was an all-nighter in comparison to getting in the pool?
Chapter 15
Sophie needed to stay afloat both in her job and in the water. Of course, her next lesson started with her face first in the water. After the floating exercise, Matthew’s face transformed and his eyes lit up. This was one expression that filled her with dread.
“I’m going to teach you the flutter kick.” He brought the trusty kickboard from the edge of the pool. “I would like you to watch my legs. This is what we’re aiming for.”
He thrust himself off the edge, his muscular arms extended forward as he held the kickboard. He put his face in the water and began kicking, churning up the water with his feet.
He stopped and stood up in the middle of the pool, about ten feet away. “Are you paying attention?” he barked.
She jolted. “Yes.” He’d caught her focused on his dreamy body.
He swam back and she concentrated on his precise movements and not entirely on his physique.
“Did you see what I just did?” He wasn’t even breathless when he returned to where she sat on the step.
“Yes,” she said slowly.
“Think of how quickly a butterfly flutters its wings. I need you to do short, quick little kicks, churning up the water. Fluttering.”
“I see.”
“Kick from the hip and not from the knee. It’s a whole leg exercise.”
She swallowed. “There is one issue. You kicked to the middle of the blooming pool.” Like a show reel, memories of drowning slid into her mind. “I’m not a middle-of-the-pool kind of girl yet.”
“We’re aiming to reach the middle of the pool. But today is your lucky day.”
“Lucky?” Sophie roared with laughter so loudly, that children splashing on the other side of the pool stopped to watch her. “Then why don’t I feel at all lucky?”
“It’s a lucky day for you because you’re going to use the kickboard, but again you’ll do the exercise over the step.”
A feeling of immense gratitude filled her. Oh trusty step! How close they’d become. First the floating and now flutter kicking.
Matthew issued his hideous instructions of how to flutter kick and then it was her turn.
She face-planted into the water and left no time to think about her actions. Her body hovered over the step with the kickboard in front of her. The sensation of suffocating was overwhelming. Her legs sailed up and her stomach somersaulted like she was on a rollercoaster. The kickboard was an animal, and she was the trainer.
She fought to gain control of the board as it wobbled and wriggled in her grip. She threw off a surge of panic. I can do this. I will be the kickboard’s master. I will be in control.
There was a slight weight placed on the board. It was Matthew, steadying the board to help. As she struggled with the kickboard, a thought sprang into her mind.
She wanted to thank him. Give him a Christmas present. As she thrashed and churned the water, her mind worked simultaneously. He liked
cars. He liked tequila. He liked dolphins. He loved swimming. What else, what could she get him?
***
On her way out of the swimming centre, Matthew was already at reception. His face broke out into a smile which extended from ear to ear. “So I’ll see you tomorrow night for Carol’s performance?” he said. A ripple of excitement went through her body when his eyes locked with hers.
She dropped her Mary Poppins bag on the counter, settling in for a chat with him. “Yes, it should be fun.”
His gaze flicked to her work bag. “You’re not going back to work again, are you?”
She sighed. “It’s busy right before Christmas. Talking about work, have you read the fabulous script for your commercial?”
“Yes, I’ve read it. I’m excited.”
“You’re not working late tonight?”
“No, I’m off to Brighton actually. I’m going to the hotel to meet my publicist. She’s insisting on a New Year’s Eve party to help get people inside the doors.”
“Wow that sounds exciting.”
“It sounds very last minute but we’ve got to somehow convince the public that my hotel isn’t as bad as the reviews on the internet.” He sighed and met her gaze. Tiny shivers of delight run up and down her arms. “I’ll be back for tomorrow night.”
She broke his gaze when her phone rang shrill. “Look, I’d better go, see you tomorrow.” She waved to Matthew, as she opened the door to leave.
Sophie answered her phone as she left the Highbury Aquatic Centre and she began to walk home. “Hello,” she said. All Sophie could hear was a muffled sobbing.
“Sophie, you knew,” the tone was accusatory.
Apprehension crawled up Sophie’s spine. “What did I know?” she asked, but she was pretty sure she knew what was coming.
“About your father.”
“What about my father?” Sophie’s body stiffened like a string ready to snap. “He’s not having an affair is he?”
“His redundancy.”
“I see.” Relief washed over her; the secret was out. Now they could at least discuss the problem.
“You knew!”
She swallowed hard. “And what did Dad say when you spoke to him about it?”
“I asked him what he had been doing for the last few months.” Gloria laughed shrilly. “He’s doing very well. He’s been swimming, as you know, with your bloody client.”
“Yeessss.”
“And he’s been going to your place, during the day.”
“Yes, that’s true,” Sophie admitted in the smallest voice.
“But Sophie, if he had been going to your place, why didn’t you tell me?” Gloria said crossly. “I’m your mother; you should tell me these things.”
“I’m sorry,” Sophie said as the familiar surge of guilt returned. There were two sides to every story. Why was she the one getting in trouble about this? But then she knew why. She’d covered up one of those secrets that need to be shared. It was too big a secret to have kept.
“It’s true. He’s been coming to my place and I’ve been helping him look for a job. Honestly, he’s been trying to find the right timing to tell you. He didn’t want to worry you. But, Mum, you wouldn’t listen to him.”
“As you know I’ve been extremely concerned.” Gloria’s voice was steely. “And don’t talk to me about honesty, Sophie. I thought I’d raised you better. Thanks a bloody lot. I was dead certain he was having an affair and I even signed up to a pole dancing class.”
“Pole dancing is great exercise,” Sophie muttered.
“I was the oldest person there and I’ve almost pulled every muscle in my thighs and arms. I hobble as I walk. So tell me how I’m supposed to explain that to your father?”
“The truth,” Sophie squeaked.
“Only if he tells me about the milk,” Gloria hissed down the phone. “Why does he smell like milk?”
Chapter 16
Feeling overwhelmed with guilt, Sophie poured a glass of wine and rang Mickey. Apparently Roger had quite a talent for making foam, a surprising revelation for everyone, and had been working in Beans cafe. Although from what Sophie could gather, Roger might have admitted to his redundancy but he hadn’t mentioned anything about working in the café. That was the mystery of the milk solved.
“Okay, something’s up,” Sophie finally said. “You’re usually much chattier, you who can’t stop talking. You didn’t even comment on Matthew and the ballet tickets for tomorrow. I’ve been waiting for it.”
“What do you mean? I thought you didn’t want me to say anything more about the topic.”
“So you’re brining a friend tomorrow night,” Sophie probed. “Who is he?”
But Mickey practically hung up the phone there and then, it was most perplexing.
After talking to Mickey, she took an even larger glass of wine into Carol’s room. She told her all about the situation with her parents.
“At least it’s out in the open,” Carol said with a shrug.
“Yes, thankfully,” she sighed elaborately, and then almost as if the wine was talking she continued to confide in Carol. “Tomorrow night. Matthew. Maybe I should cancel him coming. I think he thinks it’s a date. A double date of sorts because Mickey is bringing a friend. A male I presume.”
Carol was extracting outfits for Sophie to try on. Clothes sailed through the room like sea spray off the ocean. Carol’s head was thrust between hanging clothes, searching the depths of her wardrobe. Carol discarded items over her shoulder.
“I can’t believe you didn’t guess this earlier.” Carol’s voice was muffled, but the exasperation rang through.
Sophie looked down at the new, black pinafore she’d worn to work, a little shorter than usual.
“The thing is, how can it be a date when we’ve had all these swimming lessons in between? I guess it’ll only be the second evening outing we’ve had together. Besides, you invited him, so I don’t think it’s a date. I thought we’d go just as friends, it would be a group social thing,” Sophie finished.
“Boring, boring, boring. Would it be so bad if it was a date?” Carol sang from the depths of her wardrobe. “Thank God I’m home to give you fashion advice. You need to look gorgeous – gorgeous enough to snog.”
Sophie sat on Carol’s bed, the sole human amongst a mountain of clothes. If she stayed here any longer, someone would have to send a rescue party to find her.
A pair of black jeans flew through the room and Sophie’s hand moved like lightning, snatching the garment. Holding the jeans up, she quickly determined that there was no possibility of her fitting into them. They were just too small.
“Matthew’s very good looking, and he’s meeting you after work tomorrow, to watch my show. You don’t have time to do emergency shopping, and don’t you dare run late. No time to come home and change. You’ve got to be seated by seven. And you might as well give him a go. He’s a nice guy. What’s wrong with you?”
Sophie shrugged. “I dunno.”
“He’s not like Derek, the cheating bastard. You can see it. We’ve seen him drunk, he’s always swarmed by girls, but he’s not a player. He’s reliable.”
“I don’t trust men – any men – to be honest.”
“You should trust Matthew; he makes sure you survive each swimming lesson. Have you drowned yet?”
“No.”
“So… give him a chance.”
“We’ll see.” Sophie jumped off the bed, picking a pair of dirty stockings up off the floor and throwing them into the laundry basket. “I didn’t think I’d have to buy anything new for the event, because his fiancée died and he’s still dealing with it. We’re just friends –we work together. It would be way too complicated if we started dating. Didn’t you give me that advice, never mix business and pleasure?”
Sophie looked around the cluttered room for something else to occupy herself with besides dating Matthew. Carol got in late each night, tired from her show, and her dressing table was covered in makeup, lipstick
s, handbags, sequined leotards, and hats – every type of hat a person could possibly ever have worn: bowler, sun, sombrero, fireman and police hats, - as well as a large collection of wigs piled up. Maybe she should spruce up Carol’s room, just a little bit, not too much for her to take offence, or to even notice. There was no harm in that.
“Bollocks, take a risk. Just because I offer advice, doesn’t mean I take it,” said Carol’s muffled voice from the wardrobe. “This is the most exciting thing that’s happened in this house. A date!”
“We’re just friends,” Sophie said.
“Yes, okay, friends. If and only if, guys and girls can be, ‘just friends’,” Carol murmured sceptically. Suddenly she shrieked, “Sophie, I’ve got it!” Carol emerged from the wardrobe a smile spanning from ear to ear, her face shone. She shook an orange dress with excitement. “This will fit and look amazing. I’ve even got wonderful shoes to match.”
Sophie took the dress from Carol, holding it steady, resting the garment in front of her. The dress looked like fairy floss, all layered ruffles and tulle. She frowned, considering a tactful response.
“Repeat after me, ‘It’s not a date’,” Sophie ordered.
“It’s not a date,” Carol muttered. “He’s on the mend sweetheart, and you’re getting him on the rebound. You can trust this one. He’s a good guy.”
“I’m not out to seduce him, and I’m not getting him on the rebound. It’s been too long a gap for it to be a rebound.” Sophie tried to control a stricken look as she examined the dress. “Do you think this dress is quite right?”
“Matthew’s the most exciting thing that’s happened to you in quite a while. The dress is perfect! Go on, try it on.”
She looked at the dress for a second time, seeing the excitement on Carol’s face, sighing, she slipped the garment on.
Carol gasped with pride. “I knew it would look amazing,” she enthused. Placing her hands on Sophie’s shoulders, she turned her to the mirror.
Sophie pushed aside a yellow feather boa and a collection of wigs that were hanging over the dressing table mirror and glimpsed her reflection, holding off a shudder.
Skinny Dipping (Skinny Sagas) Page 16