THE DREAM CHILD (11 page)
Authors: Emma Daniels
“Well, why don’t you have a little nap? We’re not due for your class for at leat another hour and a half.”
“And what will you do?”
“I’ll be right here beside you, admiring you while you sleep.”
“Why do you always say these things?”
“Because they’re true. You’ve cast a spell over me, Sophie. I think you might be a witch,” he teased.
“I’ll give you witch,” she shot back, curling her hands into claws. “I’ll put a hex on you and turn you into a toad.”
“And then you’ll have to kiss me to turn me into a prince.”
“You’re already a prince.”
“How about kissing me anyway?”
“Okay, but please don’t turn into a toad.”
His blonde head loomed closer. “I won’t. I promise. I’ll always treat you right.” He’d picked up on her double meaning. Sophie had to admit she was really starting to fall for his amazing intuition and charm.
And then he kissed her, and she was falling for his sexy mouth, his handsome face and his strong hard body. Falling in a big way, right off the edge of the world, spinning out into space where all that mattered was the sweet sensation of his warm and searching kisses drawing her response.
She wound her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. The hard wall of his chest against her breasts made her nipples peak against him.
His hands slid into her soft silky hair, and she reciprocated, splaying her own fingers through the longer locks at his nape.
It made him moan in delight.
“Hold me. Hold me tight,” he murmured against her lips.
And she did. She clung to him as though her very life depended on it.
The sound of children yelling yanked them sharply back to reality.
“So much for having an afternoon nap,” Sophie remarked as he drew away from her.
Just then three youngsters ran past them, not even casting them a second glance.
“Close your eyes and I’ll sing you a lullaby,” Victor suggested with a smile.
“Forget it, Vic, I’m wide awake now.”
All too soon it was time to head back to the car and St Ives.
The same two women as last week were there waiting for her with Vera. As the three of them gained more confidence in their abilities, they enjoyed themselves even more. Sophie had always found this heartening when she’d been teaching full-time. They wanted to meet again next week and Sophie agreed.
Just as Vic walked in to take her home, Sophie’s mobile began to ring. She scooped it out of her handbag and flipped it open.
“Hi Soph, it’s your sister. I should have rung you the other day to remind you to bring that book back for tonight’s dinner.”
“What book? What dinner?”
“You haven’t forgotten that we were all getting together tonight to celebrate yours and Simon’s promotions.”
“I’m so sorry, Rita. I clean forgot. Of course I’ll be there, but I might be a bit late.” She glanced at her watch. “It’s already after five and I’m at St Ives at the moment. I‘ll have to get home first if you want that book.” She ran her free hand through her hair in frustration, wondering how on earth she could have forgotten that.
“What are you doing at St Ives?” Rita asked.
“Where do you have to go?” Victor asked.
“Hang on a minute Rita,” Sophie spoke into the phone.
She turned to Victor. “I forgot I was meant to be at my sister’s for dinner at Hornsby tonight to celebrate her husband’s and my promotion. His is the more important one. He’s now chief architect for his firm.”
“I could drive you there,” Victor offered. “I’m not doing anything tonight.”
“Oh, I couldn’t ask you to do that. Besides how would I get home? I’d have to stay the night and get a lift in the morning to the train station, go home and get changed. I couldn’t show up for work in jeans and joggers.”
“Why not? It wouldn’t bother me.”
“Are you sure?”
He nodded.
Sophie heard her sister’s voice on the other end of the phone. “Sorry Rita. Yes, I’ll be there, but I’m afraid I can’t bring the book. My boss is here. He said he’d drive me over.”
“Well, in that case, why don’t you invite him to stay for dinner? You know we always have more than enough.”
“That’s nice of you, Rita. Hang on, I’ll ask him.” She turned to Victor. “She said you could stay for dinner, if you like.”
“Tell her I’d love to,” he replied.
“He said he’d love to. See you soon then. And sorry about the book, I’ll bring it up during the week.”
Even though Vera and her friends knew Sophie had to leave, it still took almost half an hour for her to pack up and for them to say their goodbyes.
“I think you’ve got Mum hooked,” Victor said once they were on their way to Hornsby.
“I think so too. She sure is keen. Wonder if she’s going to wear it all herself or go into business.”
“No, she’ll just wear it. She goes out a lot, and has a large social network.”
“She sure knows how to enjoy life.”
“So what do I need to know about your family? Who will be there tonight?”
“Oh, um, my sister Rita and her husband, Simon. Their two children, Carmen and Lachlan. Lachlan just turned four and Carmen’s seven. And my parents, Vicky and Allen.”
Vic and Vicky eh?” he said with a grin. “Could get confusing.”
“Why? You look nothing like her.”
“Ha ha. All right, I’ve got their names, now what are they like?”
“Why don’t you just find out for yourself?”
“I mean is there anything I should be wary of? Wouldn’t want to put my foot in it.”
“You won’t. You’re not nervous, are you?”
“A little,” he admitted.
“You? You’re not meeting the State Director and his wife.”
“But I’m meeting your parents,” he said meaningfully.
It was then she realised just how serious he was about her, and it sent a warm flush of pleasure pulsing through her veins.
“Just be yourself. You’ll charm their socks off.” Like you’ve charmed mine off, she thought to herself. “Oh, take the next exit.”
When they arrived, Sophie saw her parents’ car was already in the driveway, so she directed Victor to park in the street.
Since her mother and father had a long drive home, they usually left by nine. Occasionally they stayed the night, but Allen didn’t like being away from home for long. Vicky and Sophie took it in turns babysitting when Rita and Simon went out, as neither of them minded staying the night.
“What a great house,” Victor remarked as they got out of the car. Even though not as large as his parents’ home, it still managed to give the impression of enormity, with its wave shaped roof, curved front and huge bay windows.
“Different isn’t it? Simon designed and had it built to his and Rita’s specifications.”
“Sounds like Simon’s one heck of a clever man.”
They began walking up the drive, and the automatic light winked on as they reached the stairs.
“Yes, he is. He also loves my sister to bits, as you’ll soon discover. Mum and Dad still love each other too. I’m the first to break the mould.”
If you call yourself the black sheep, I’ll be seriously annoyed.”
“No, they’re fine with it now, although the whole lot of them think I could have done better.” Sophie reached the top step and pressed her finger to the bell.
“I really should have bought something. It doesn’t feel right coming empty handed,” Victor lamented.
Once again Sophie was struck by how different to Duncan he was. That would have been the last thing on his mind. “Don’t worry. They know it was a last minute decision.”
Just then the front door flew open, and her niece and nephew flew at her with hugs and kisses at the ready.
“Hello you two rascals. How have you been?”
“Great Aunty Soph. Who’s your big friend?” Lachlan asked after Sophie had given them each a hug.
“This is Vic from work,” she said.
“And you two must be Lachlan and Carmen, right?” Victor greeted them.
“Vic’s not short for Vicky is it?” Carmen asked.
Sophie couldn’t help suppressing a giggle. “No it’s short for Victor, as in Victor Hugo. Come in Vicky,” she grinned. “I think we’ll find the adults in the lounge.”
“Why’d you call him Vicky then?” Lachlan asked.
“Because Aunty Sophie is making a joke, silly,” Carmen teased him. “Yeah, they’re in the lounge.” And she darted off ahead of them, her little brother hot on her heels.
“Cute kids,” Victor said as Sophie followed in the children’s wake. “They also seem to love their Auntie Sophie.”
“And Aunty Sophie loves them,” she replied truthfully.
The lounge was a large room overlooking the back garden, with sliding glass doors leading out onto the back deck. Four adults sat on comfortable lounges, with a large plasma TV flickering in one corner, but no one was watching it. They were all too busy laughing at some joke of Simon’s. The children began playing with Lachlan’s train set chugging away through plastic tunnels and sidings in one corner of the room.
“Ah here she is, Little Miss Forgetful,” Rita struggled out of her lounge chair to greet her sister. She suddenly looked well advanced in her pregnancy, even though Sophie knew she wasn’t even due for her twenty week scan.
Sophie could see her sister was giving Victor the once over, her hazel eyes wide with appreciation. Don’t let Simon see you with that look on your face, Sophie’s own eyes shot back. He wouldn’t be impressed to see you giving some other guy the eye. “Yes, rub it in. But it was all for a good cause. I was running a bead class.”
“That’s wonderful dear,” her mother also got up to greet her.
The men also stood. Sophie had always thought Simon was tall, but compared to Victor he suddenly seemed short and corpulent, but not as short and corpulent as her father. Allen stood no more than five foot seven. Even though he still had a full head of wavy hair, it now was completely grey, but his round face had remained relatively unlined.
Her mother was the one showing her years. She’d loved swimming in her youth, always out in the sun at the beach, so now her face was careworn and craggy. Her chestnut hair, however had remained relatively free of grey, meaning she still didn’t need to dye it.
Sophie could tell they were all curious about Victor standing beside her, so she made the introductions. “Everyone, this is Vic Rose from work. I was actually teaching his mother and a couple of her friends beading at her house. This is her second lesson, and she loves it.”
“Well that’s three things to celebrate tonight then,” Rita announced. “Sophie getting back into beading
and
getting a promotion, as well as Simon’s promotion.”
“Mine’s not permanent though,” Sophie protested.
“I’ll try and make sure it is,” Victor reassured her.
“Well, if you’re her boss then you should be able to put in the good word, although I’d really like to see her get back into beading,” Vicky said. “It was her heart and soul until that rotten Duncan came along and spoiled it all… Sorry Sophie, but it still breaks my heart the way you just gave up on that lovely shop of yours.”
Sophie was stunned by her mother’s admission. She’d never been quite so vocal about it before, and certainly not in front of a virtual stranger.
Rita came to the rescue. “Why don’t you all come through to the table? I’m about to serve up the entrée. Come on kids,” she called to the pair in the corner.
Everyone followed her through to the dining room.
“I’ve put Vic here next to you, Sophie,” Rita said, indicating a chair. “Everyone else, sit where you normally sit.”
Simon took the head of the table, and Allen the opposite end. Sophie sat between Victor and Carmen, facing her mother, Rita and Lachlan. The table was large enough to take several more guests, and often did, as Rita enjoyed entertaining.
“Honey, would you like to pour the wine,” Rita suggested to Simon, as she brought over a tray of assorted Asian titbits. She also loved experimenting with food. Sophie wasn’t brave enough to try anything new on her family and friends, so she tended to stick with the tried and true her mother had taught her.
“Of course, darling,” he replied. He got up and went around the table like a waiter, filling up the adult’s glasses.
When both he and Rita sat down again, Allan raised his glass. “To Sophie and Simon.”
“To Sophie and Simon,” everyone echoed. Even the children raised their juice glasses.
‘Two, four, six, eight. Tuck in don’t wait,” Simon chanted, as he picked up the tray. “You first, Vic.” He held out the tray to Victor who politely took one of each.