Elliot's Engagement Party (part 3) -
"Soph." Aaron nudged Sophie's side while chuckling; capturing her previous frustrated attention.
Turning to look at him before following where his finger was pointing, Sophie caught something that made her heart swell with love. A recognisable song had just come on and Sophie's parents had been the first on the dance floor.
They were within one another's hold, dancing around the floor with an extreme amount of joy across their faces.
"Oh my God." Sophie laughed as no one else was dancing; instead, it was just the two of them moving around having the time of their lives. "This was their first dance at their wedding."
After everything they had been through and the dislike Sophie had for her parents being together previously due to the way her mum had treated Arlo, she couldn't lie about how happy it made her now.
Estee made Arlo so happy and vice versa so, the fact that they were able to put everything behind them and enjoy the happiness was enough for Sophie. She was fed up of trying to fight their battles for them and protect her father and instead just wanted to appreciate these moments.
"Sophie, Maisy, Cameron!" The voices of her parents began shouting as they tried to get their children to join them.
"No, no, no." Cameron began to shake his head over and over, refusing to get up there our of pure embarrassment as did Maisy.
They were teenagers and dancing to some old song they didn't know with their parents, in front of everyone, was mortifying.
"Come on!" Arlo continued to urge and grinning at Aaron, Sophie caught hold of her siblings and began pulling them to the dance floor.
Once up there, Sophie, Maisy and Cameron were dragged into dancing around with their parents to the song that had been the start of their marriage. It was such a unique and important moment because this family had been through their battles.
They were close and would always be there for one another but they had also lived a life of independence. Due to Estee, it had been drummed into them and they had learned not to rely on one another so much. Therefore, it was very rare for moments like this to arise where they could all be together and enjoy one another's company.
"That is so beautiful." Louise muttered to Jack and Jess as she stood beside them watching on. "That family have been through some tough times. It's good to see them happy."
Jack and Jess couldn't agree more. With a family like the Lawrence's, they knew how much the love and support could make such a huge difference.
"Come on, beautiful." Sophie began making her way over to where Phoebe was clinging onto Aaron's hand.
Holding out her arms, Sophie urged Phoebe towards her and her daughter complied as she ran towards her mum.
Sweeping her off her feet, Sophie then carried her to the dance floor where she joined her family once again and began moving them playfully around with Phoebe laughing intensely.
At that point, Estee made a point of heading over to Aaron and getting him to join them too. He was classed as part of their family now and with all of them on the dance floor, it was inevitable that he was going to get dragged into it too.
As Aaron was caught up slow dancing with Sophie's mum, he would usually feel a sense of unease around her but it was clear that Estee was taking this opportunity to clear the air.
"I'm sorry if I've been a little tough on you." She said, giving him her best welcoming smile.
With Estee being such a strong woman, she could come across very standoffish and difficult to approach. She had also not grown all that close to Aaron over the past two years either compared to Arlo whom Aaron got on with so well.
The pair took the occasional afternoons every few weeks to catch up and play golf together while Aaron didn't see a whole lot of Estee.
She was much more difficult to get on with and had played the role that a father would topically play when it came to a new man sweeping his daughter off her feet. Estee had been much more sceptical and kept a stern view on Aaron until she had felt it was appropriate to accept him.
"It's fine, I didn't expect to have it easy." He chuckled but more due to the constant reassurance Sophie had given him that 'it was just the way she was'. However, it was clear Estee now had real explanations for her behaviour.
"I've just always wanted the best for her, especially after everything she went through growing up because of me. She was forced to grow up so fast and fend for herself and her siblings... it was never fair." Estee began as they moved around the room.
Sophie originally hadn't been aware of what was going on due to her being caught up in dancing with Phoebe, but the exchange had now caught her attention.
"Then when she got with Elliot... as much as I love him and think he treated her amazingly, I knew he wasn't right for her. She put on such a front that she was happy, something I know everyone believed but I never did. She was so unhappy for the most part of that relationship and it was because he held her back. He caused her to be a person she wasn't. As much as she would hate to admit it, she's a lot more like me than she is Arlo."
Aaron was quite taken back by Estee's words not only at how honest and open she was being without a care in the world but also because he hadn't been aware of what she was saying. Like everyone else he had always viewed Sophie and Elliot's relationship as 'movie perfect' and always thought she looked so happy. She looked as though she had everything figured out and therefore, he had always been quite nervous about tearing the relationship apart.
However, Estee had just made a huge statement that she never was happy and that was a huge shock, something he hadn't expected to hear.
"He didn't want her chasing the career dreams she wanted because it meant that he would get left behind. He was happy in a dead end job but Sophie wasn't and it wasn't fair that he held her back from moving up."
Estee's words were harsh to most ears but it never stopped her. She didn't mean to be harsh, she was always just truly honest.
"Sophie also always told me she never wanted children and she was made to feel incredibly guilty because Elliot wanted them. He continued to push and push and it got her down because she didn't feel the same way. However, I never believed that she didn't want them. I knew it wasn't a lack of being maternal, it was a lack of being in love with the man she was with... and I know now, seeing you two together and with Phoebe... that you make her so happy. I have never seen her like this, she absolutely adores you. You don't hold her back from building her career, you haven't once stopped her from pursuing the job she wants just because it isn't in the same town. I admire you for that."
"I honestly love her so much. I just want to see her happy." Aaron responded, still in shock at what he was hearing.
He had always just come to the conclusion that Estee didn't like him and that she held a grudge because she preferred Elliot. But it was becoming clear now that it was quite the opposite and that she was just being overly protective of her daughter. She didn't know Aaron and didn't know what he was like. Therefore, she had just feared that he would be a repeat of the rut Sophie had got herself into with Elliot.
"Which is why I trust that you will be the one she keeps and which also means, I now have to let my guards down and accept you as part of this family."
...
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"So when are you going back to work?" Jack asked an innocent question with no one realising the fire it was about to cause.
"Tomorrow." Sophie answered causing Aaron's eyes to widen.
"What?" He suddenly turned to look at her. "Since when?"
It was clear by Aaron's shock that this wasn't something they had discussed and Jack was grinning at Jess, trying to hold back his laughter at the argument that was about to be caused.
"Since I decided to." Was Sophie's response with a shrug of her shoulders.
"What about Phoebe?"
"You can stay home with her now, it's your turn."
While Sophie was answering so casually, Aaron was just looking back at her with a mixture of shock and confusion. She was dictating what was happening without even having discussed it with Aaron. While he thought he was still going to be working for another three weeks, it was clear Sophie had other plans.
"I thought I was taking this month at work while you stayed home. We talked about this?"
"You've been back at work for nearly a month already. You can't take two, that's not fair."
"I was only back at work earlier because you basically forced me into going back after the Kaia thing." Aaron threw his arms out in aggravation.
When Kaia had kissed Aaron and he had brought her back to the house drunk with a bunch of other friends, Sophie had freaked out. Following that she had not wanted to see Aaron and wanted space to give her time to get over it. That had turned into something permanent over the past few weeks with him being back at work while Sophie stayed at home.
Their previous plans had been for them both to be home during that time but as it seemed to be working with the new plans, Aaron had remained back at the garage four days a week.
However, it was clear the couple were now not in agreement with how their previous plans fit with the new ones.
"I don't care. I've been home for a month. It's your turn." Sophie looked back at him.
"So you're going back to work tomorrow and gave me no warning? What the fuck Soph?"
Aaron was not mad about staying home with Phoebe but mad that this hadn't been discussed with him. Sophie had a tendency to do what she liked, when she liked, especially when it came to her job.
She was getting frustrated with how things were turning out, not expecting herself to be the kind of mum to just stay home. Therefore, this to her felt like the right way to get out of the trap.
"I'm not being a stay at home mum just so you can go to work with the guys. I miss my job and Felix said they need me, so I'm going back."
Aaron was silenced for a moment due to being absolutely speechless. He couldn't believe she was being so inconsiderate to not even have discussed it with him and also not acting like she cared.
"You're really going back tomorrow?" He asked once again for clarification, testing once more to see if this was a joke.
"Yep." She smiled at him before pushing herself to her feet. "Do you want a drink?"
Looking back at her with a frown over his face, Aaron began to shake his head before watching Sophie walk away.
Turning back to Jack and Jess, he expressed the same confused look towards them causing Jack to laugh.
"She drives me fucking insane." He leaned back, running his hands over his face.
"You just got told." Jack mocked, earning a middle finger from Aaron in return.
"What the hell is wrong with her? I don't get it. She gave me no warning that she wanted to go back."
"I think she's just frustrated by everything." Jess chuckled, knowing Sophie and knowing she was probably scared of what the future could hold.
As much as being a stay at home mum was a huge achievement and fulfilment for Jess, not every woman felt that way and Sophie was one of them. She was beginning to worry that her job would be lost and everything that she ever worked for would be thrown away.
She loved being home with Phoebe and the thought of leaving her filled her with guilt. But at the same time she knew she also needed to continue to do things for herself and keeping her job was one of those things.
"Erika's giving her a tough time and you also know she's not one to just sit home. She's been going crazy that you've been working and she hasn't."
Jess and Sophie spent so much time together with the kids and as much as they both loved doing it, Sophie's mind would only cope remaining on the fun of it for a short while. It would always very quickly turn to work and what she was missing out on. She liked to be in control and she was lacking that at the moment.
"If you need to take some time off work, you can." Jack then reassured Aaron, knowing that it was more likely Sophie would win this battle than him.
"I don't want to give in. She can't just make plans for me without asking." Aaron sighed as Sophie walked back over, a drink in hand.
Taking her seat back beside him, she glimpsed over to where Phoebe was playing with her dad before Aaron caught her attention.
"Soph." He sat back in his chair, adjusting his cap on his head and preparing for the storm.
"Mm?" She turned back to look at him.
"You can't go back to work tomorrow. I need more notice than that." He spoke calmly while he could see how riled up she was getting by the second.
He was biting back and treating her the same way she had been with him and he knew things were going to erupt once again.
"That's not fair." She raised her brows in a challenging manner, ready to argue him on this.
"I'm cool with you going back to work but you're going to have to wait a week or so. I need to finish stuff off at the garage first."
Aaron glimpsed over to Jack, hoping he wouldn't jump in and say it was fine. He knew it was fine and Jack would happily let him take the time off but Aaron didn't want Sophie winning this one and getting it easy.
"So you expect me to sit at home for another week and get paid for doing shit all?"
"Another week won't hurt." he shrugged his shoulders, acting cool and calm.
"I need to go back to work Aaron. What don't you understand about that?"
"You don't need to, you want to. There is a difference."
"Do you realise how inconsiderate you're being right now?" Sophie suddenly stood to her feet again as she looked down at him. "You're just doing this to piss me off."
"I'm not the one being fucking inconsiderate here Soph, that's you. You expect me to drop everything just so you can have what you want. You should have warned me of your plans first."
It was obvious at this point that Aaron's calm act had fallen and he was getting just as frustrated.
"I did warn you, ten minutes ago. I want to go back to work." She repeated once again.
"And you'll have to wait a week. It's not a big deal, stop acting like a spoilt child." Aaron sighed as he watched her body tense up.
Preparing to say something back, Sophie suddenly paused before reconsidering. Then knowing her potty mouth would run away with her if she didn't make a conscious effort to stop it, she turned around and walked away once again.
She was beyond angry at this point and couldn't find level ground with Aaron on this. She saw the whole situation as unfair while he was annoyed that she had decided to make plans without even asking him first.
"She's pissing me off so much right now." Aaron was aggravated as he downed the remainder of his drink. "She's such hard work."
Jess had gone after Sophie, leaving Aaron and Jack now alone.
"It's always her way or no way. It's fucking ridiculous."
"She's just not used to having someone who doesn't bow down at her feet. You're a pansy arse for her but not as bad." Jack laughed. "Elliot wouldn't argue anything she did and even other guys have always treated her like a saint. She needs someone like you, even if it doesn't feel like it."
"I just don't understand why we can't meet in the middle. We keep arguing over stupid shit because it's like negotiating with a brick wall."
This argument wasn't something new for Sophie and Aaron as it was quite a regular occurrence. They never got in arguments that would threat a breakup, they were always pointless and childish.
Fiery was the definition of their relationship and it kept them both on their toes but it didn't stop the frustration from getting to them.
"You may keep arguing but you're still together. That must mean the make up is always worth it." Jack teased causing Aaron to laugh.
"The making up is the only reason I can ever be bothered to argue with her. It makes everything worthwhile." He smirked before reaching out to finish Sophie's drink that she had left on the table.
"I just can't be fucked to listen to the nagging when she doesn't get her own way."
"You knew she wouldn't be easy the moment you got together. It's Sophie Carter, Harris. 'Hard work' is the Carter brand." Jack laughed as he glimpsed over to Estee.
*
:)))