SophiaAs the taxi pulled in front of the inconspicuous diner located on the questionable outskirts of the city, I genuinely thought I was going to have a heart attack. But the reflection of my face in the tinted window was perfectly composed, with no signs of the turmoil that was wracking me from within. Good. At least Aunt Moira wouldn’t have a way of knowing how I really felt... how scared shitless I was.I paid the driver and stepped out of the vehicle, enjoying the temporary relief the fresh breeze brought. Reluctantly, I forced my legs to take me towards the entrance. With a deep sigh, my hand wrapped around the handle, and I pushed the door forward. Almost immediately, the smell of rancid oil invaded my senses, and I felt like throwing up again. However, my never-ending nausea had to wait.Stepping inside, I looked around, trying to find a familiar face, but besides an elderly couple in the booth and a middle-aged guy wearing a denim jacket and baseball hat, there was no one el
SophiaThe ride from the diner where Kieran ‘picked me up’ to home was silent. Dreadful.All along, Kieran was squeezing the steering wheel of his SUV; his knuckles were white from the pressure. It was more than obvious how mad he was. Mad at me.And I? I cried throughout the long ride from one side of the city to the other. Silent tears couldn’t stop running down my cheeks; only a yelp from time to time would break the silence in the car. However, they made Kieran even more enraged, so I tried to swallow each one of them.We were passing the gate of the estate when I muttered: “I’m sorry.”I wasn’t sure if he had heard me at all, but the way the car accelerated and halted in front of the house told me he didn’t miss what I said.Because of a rough ride and a bitter cocktail of emotions mixing up in me, nausea that hadn’t really left me since lunch culminated, and I barely opened the door before I started gagging. But my stomach was already empty; I had nothing to throw up. The next t
Sophia“What is your plan now?” he asked, pulling me into his strong embrace, giving me a place to rest my aching soul.I nested my head in the crook of Kieran’s neck and inhaled the scent of his cologne deeply. God, how I loved his smell!His arms were wrapped around my body, and I wiggled a bit to find the most comfortable position, which earned me a loud groan. I muttered ‘sorry,’ but otherwise didn’t move.“Are you going to leave me now?” I had to know, no matter what his answer would be.“What? Why would I do that?” Kieran tried to move back, but I clung to him with all my might. “Tell me, what are your plans for the current issue? What did Moira ask from you?” he pressed again.“A million dollars,” I admitted reluctantly.“I hope you didn’t consider paying for the blackmail.”“No… because I don’t have that kind of money. I considered offering half the sum and hoping she would accept it.”“You cannot negotiate with the extortionist, Sophia! Once you play by their rules, there’s n
SophiaI had trouble sleeping that night. Or it would be more accurate to say I didn’t get a minute of sleep. I tossed and turned and woke Kieran a few times, but he would pull me closer to himself before he drifted away.Ever since Kieran and I started sharing the bed, my nightmares were gone and my dreams were blissful. Something about his embrace gave me a sense of security and belonging, but not this time. My mind was overwhelmed by the constant rush of thoughts, and I could do nothing to turn off the reruns of yesterday’s events.Bill Marlow wasn’t dead. I didn’t kill him.That changed everything!The last six years of my life were based on the fact that I was a murderer. It painted the background of each and every day of my existence; it influenced my decisions and basically determined who I came to be.This made me ask myself the same question over and over again: Would I be who I was today if things hadn’t played out the way they have? Would I be where I am if my life wasn’t d
Sophia “Where is she?” I woke up with one thing in mind – I wanted to wrap my hands around Moira’s neck and look her in the eyes as I squeezed the life out of her. I was lying on the sofa, the comforter covering me lightly. Kieran was sitting beside my feet, and I moved them to make more space for him. “Police took her away half an hour ago.” He said quietly, confirming my unspoken questions. It was true. I didn’t dream it; I didn’t imagine it. Once again, I couldn’t hold back the tears. I let them fall freely for all the years I spent grieving the loss of my parents, thinking it was some higher power that decided Ellie and I should suffer the greatest pain children could live through. At one moment, I felt Kieran shift in his place, moving closer to me and pulling me into his embrace, offering me what I needed the most – a shoulder to cry on. “Do you know why?” The voice sounded strange and distant, perfectly reflecting how I felt. A part of my soul detached, numbing me. “You
Sophia“Oh, he’s absolutely gorgeous!” I gushed as my eyes soaked up the little bundle of perfection in Philip’s arms.He was standing with his son securely wrapped in his fatherly embrace while Ellie was shooting a beaming smile towards them from the bed she was resting on.“Yes, he is.” Philip proudly whispered so that he wouldn’t disturb the baby’s precious sleep.The baby had perfectly plump skin and a smidgeon of sandy blond hair, a cross between his parents’. His eyes were tightly shut, and I couldn’t see their color, but something told me it would be a mix of blue and gray.“Have you decided on the name yet?” I whispered.“Christopher.” Ellie proclaimed, and I yelped in helplessness.“Oh, Ellie.” I stepped closer to the bed and pulled my sister in a hug. “You named him after our father?”Instead of answering, Ellie nodded, her eyes welled up with tears. But I couldn’t allow the happiest moment of her life to be destroyed by the sad memories we shared.As if he could sense the s
SophiaMy back was resting against Kieran’s front as the bubbles emerging from the water gently massaged us. The lights were dimmed, and the surrounding silence only added to the atmosphere. Who would have guessed my husband had this romantic note in him?His hands softly pressed the tense neck muscles, following the invisible trail down to my shoulders. The little game he was playing brought exactly what I needed – relaxation. My hands caressed his bent legs, and occasional grunts of pleasure told me how much he enjoyed my touch.“What’s bothering you?” I hated to ask, but I didn’t like seeing him weighted by unspoken thoughts.“When did you get to know me so well?”“When I married you?” I tilted my head to see his face, to ensure he was OK, but he planted a kiss on my cheek instead. I leaned back on him and took a few deep breaths, not pressing any further, giving him time and space to tell me when he was comfortable to do so. “I missed this. Just you and me, alone... These past few
SophiaTouch as light as the butterfly’s wings followed the invisible trail across my bare back, tickling me, lighting every cell in my body like a Christmas tree. I moaned and wiggled, wanting more of that touch, but it stopped and a soft laugh filled my ears.“Wake up, sleepyhead,” Kieran whispered into my ear, chasing away the last traces of somnolence.Fingers were replaced by lips for a moment before I was deprived of them, too. Irritated at my torturer, I turned around lazily to see Kieran standing by the bed, fully dressed.“What time is it?”“Almost nine,” Kieran said as his hands fixed the indigo tie I bought for him last month, confident it would accentuate his eye color. And I was right. “You want me to drop you off at the hospital?”“You have a meeting with Finances before Tanya.” I shook my head. “Don’t worry. I’ll get a taxi.”“That’s it. I’ll be hiring a driver for you today.” Kieran understood my lack of enthusiasm for driving and stopped pressing me about it long ago.